California Curiosities, Architecture, East Bay

Editor’s note: This episode of the California Now Podcast opens with a Public Service Announcement addressing the recent wildfires in California. For more information on these tragic events, including details on how you can help, please visit our Fire Recovery page.

Join host Soterios Johnson as he embarks on an off-beat journey around the Golden State. Atlas Obscura’s Dylan Thuras acts as tour guide in our first segment, highlighting some strange sites that are perfect for families or anyone young at heart. Together, they explore a crystal cave in the middle of a swap meet, a museum dedicated to Bigfoot, and a beach covered in multicolored sea glass.

Next up, writer and architecture expert Sam Lubell shares his picks for the most impressive contemporary California structures built in the last decade. Sustainable spaces and tech-powered construction are just part of the fun. We end our journey with an insider’s guide to San Francisco's East Bay. Travel + Leisure Executive Editor Jesse Ashlock reveals some of his favorite spots in the trendy towns of Oakland and Berkeley. Get a feel for the authentic East Bay through delicious brunch spots, epic hikes, eclectic shopping, and more.

Guests

• Dylan Thuras, co-founder of Atlas Obscura and author of The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid
• Sam Lubell, author of Mid Century-Modern Architecture Travel Guide: West Coast USA
• Jesse Ashlock, Executive Editor of Travel + Leisure magazine  

Resources

Atlas Obscura’s Dylan Thuras highlights California spots that will inspire wonder in adventurers of all ages.

• Joshua Tree
• Yucca Valley
• Giant Rock
• Bob’s Crystal Cave
• Sky Village Swap Meet
• World Famous Crochet Museum
• Desert Christ Park
• Fort Bragg
• Glass Beach
• Rancho Guadalupe Dunes
• Guadalupe
• San Luis Obispo
• The Madonna Inn
• Arcata
• Kinetic Grand Championship
• Willow Creek-China Flat Museum: Bigfoot Collection
• Fern Canyon
• San Francisco
• Seward Street Slides
• Winfield Street Slides

Architecture aficionado Sam Lubell explores some of California’s most interesting new structures.

• San Diego
• Central Library
• Anaheim
• ARTIC
• Los Angeles
• The Broad
• Silicon Valley
• Apple headquarters
• Samsung headquarters
• Facebook headquarters
• San Francisco
• Transbay Transit Center
• Oakland
• Cathedral of Christ the Light

Travel + Leisure executive editor Jesse Ashlock shares his favorite hidden gems in Berkeley and Oakland.

• Oakland
• Swan’s Market
• Old Oakland Farmers’ Market
• Robert Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve
• Mazzariello Labyrinth
• Oakland Museum of California
• The World of Charles and Ray Eames exhibit
• Lake Merritt
• Mama’s Royal Cafe
• Temescal Alleys
• Claflin, Thayer, & Co.
• Burma Superstar
• Doña Tomás
• Berkeley
• The Temple of the Wings
• Claremont Club & Spa
• Chez Panisse
• Gourmet Ghetto
• The Cheeseboard Collective
• Berkeley Rose Garden
• Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen
• Port Costa
• Warehouse Café
• The Chapel of the Chimes
• Mountain View Cemetery
• University of California, Berkeley

Order your free copy of the California Road Trips Guide today.

About the Host

Soterios Johnson, formerly the local host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition on radio station WNYC, moved from New York City to Davis, Calif., in 2016 and is just getting to know his surroundings. By combining his journalistic instincts with his personal curiosity, Johnson will use the California Now platform to develop a deeper understanding of his adopted home.