Fodor's Expert Review Cerro Gordo Ghost Town

Discovered by Mexican miner Pablo Flores in 1865, Cerro Gordo was California's biggest producer of silver and lead, raking in almost $13 million before it shut down in 1959. Today, the privately owned ghost town offers overnight accommodations in the Belshaw House and the Bunkhouse for $150 per night (up to five people), billing itself the only bed-and-cook-your-own-breakfast ghost town in the world. Visit during the summer, as the 8,300-foot elevation proves impassable during the winter. Four-wheel-drive is recommended for the steep road into the ghost town. Admission includes a tour if arranged in advance.