Bombay Beach

Once a 1950s resort town, Bombay Beach was flooded and largely abandoned; over the last decade artists have moved in and filled the lots with installations — the drive-in theater of derelict cars, the swing set standing in the water, the Hermitage museum, painted trailers and neon. Everything is free, unfenced and slowly deteriorating in the salt air, which is part of the point. The annual Bombay Beach Biennale each spring brings performances, film and new works, but the town is worth a visit any time of year. Respect that people live here: stay out of occupied yards and photograph structures, not residents' homes.