In South Africa, for half a million dollars, you can purchase a genuine castle complete with armor, high security, and a golf course. Stradford Castle, nestled in South Africa's most gorgeous lake, is engraved with words of wisdom from ancient dukes and holds precious hand-crafted stained glass. In San Francisco, for 500K you'll afford a junior one bedroom with a spacious sleeping alcove. If you crane your neck out the bathroom window, you may even get a "peek-a-boo view" of the Bay Bridge. More →

Castle Dracula, as it is commonly known, is a failsafe tourist attraction, pulling in 450,000 visitors a year. The former residence of Queen Victoria's grand-daughter, Queen Marie of Romania, it was appropriated by the country's Communist regime in 1956. More →

Jockey's Ridge More →