One of the area's most curious natural attractions is the sliver-shaped Potato Chip Rock at the peak of Mount Woodson. The location can be reached on foot, starting at either Lake Poway (longer hiking trail) or a parking lot off Highway 67.

As Kyōto's most iconic landmark, Kinkaku-Ji (literally the "Temple of the Golden Pavillion"), is undoubtedly astonishing. Built in 1397, the complex was the retirement villa of the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. Soon after his death in 1408, the structure was converted into a Zen temple of the Rinzai sect by his son. Engulfed in flames several times throughout the ages, the current complex was rebuilt true to the original in 1955 (except for the top two floors that were both covered in gold leaf). Thousands of sightseers pack the site to glance at the breathtaking Gold Temple, its reflection shimmering in the serene pond in a picturesque setting. It's best to go early in the morning or just before closing to avoid queuing in notoriously slow-moving lines.

On the appropriately named island of Sal (salt in English), just to the east of Espargos, is the 1.8-kilometre wide crater of Pedra de Lume, an extinct volcano crater which is now home to the Pedra de Lume Salt Flats. Though salt extraction is now inactive, it is still a fascinating visit and an interesting view, with white fields of salt and a natural lake filling the crater.