Rancho Los Alamitos

Rancho Los Alamitos manages to contain nearly the entire evolution of Southern California in one piece of property. Originally a sacred Tongva village, the land later became a ranch under both Spanish and Mexican rule; the original building and its gardens, designed by the Olmstead Brothers among others, remain open to the public to this day as a museum. Though the grounds and barn area are open to self-guided tours, you'll need to be led through the house by a docent.