8 Quirky And Unusual Things No One Tells You About Living In California

1. Gravity-Defying Spots: Mystery Spots and Gravity Hills

California is home to several “gravity hills” and the famous Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, where the laws of physics seem to go haywire. Cars appear to roll uphill, and people can lean at impossible angles without falling. These optical illusions are so convincing that they baffle even the most skeptical visitors.

2. Bubblegum Alley: A Sticky Landmark

In San Luis Obispo, there’s a 15-foot-high, 70-foot-long alley covered entirely in chewed bubblegum. Locals and tourists alike add their own gum to the colorful, ever-growing mural—a rite of passage that’s both quirky and a bit gross.

3. Watermelon Snow in the Sierra Nevada

During summer, the Sierra Nevada mountains sometimes feature “watermelon snow.” This pink-tinted snow is caused by microscopic algae and is said to smell (and even taste) faintly like watermelon, adding a surreal touch to the landscape.

4. Art Installations and Eccentric Museums

California is dotted with bizarre museums and outsider art installations. The Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles is famously indescribable, while Salvation Mountain near the Salton Sea is a massive, colorful clay structure dedicated to love and faith. There’s also Nitt Witt Ridge, a house built from found objects like car rims, seashells, and even toilet seats.

5. The Salton Sea: A Desert Oddity

Once a glamorous resort destination, the Salton Sea is now a surreal, salty lake in the desert, famous for its haunting beauty and abandoned buildings. Its high salinity means few fish can survive, but the sunsets are unforgettable.

6. In-N-Out Burger Culture

In-N-Out isn’t just a fast-food chain—it’s a California institution with a cult following. Locals have developed their own secret menu language (like “animal style” burgers), and visiting the original In-N-Out in Baldwin Park is a pilgrimage for many.

7. Unusual Animal Encounters

From OstrichLand USA in Solvang, where you can feed ostriches and emus, to San Francisco’s “City of Dogs” reputation (with more dogs than children), California’s relationship with animals is anything but ordinary.

8. Bizarre Historical Artifacts

California’s museums display some truly odd relics, like the infamous Coyote Teeth Dentures—a set of false teeth fashioned from the teeth of a dead coyote by a resourceful (or desperate) man in the 1930s, now on display at the Eastern California Museum.

These quirky and unusual aspects are just a glimpse into the offbeat side of California, showing that there’s much more to the state than beaches and Hollywood glitz.

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