You don't have to travel far or aim high to reach one of the very best, and up-close, panoramas of LA's iconic skyline. Tucked in the southeast corner of Griffith Park, Beacon Hill is a shining example of LA's less-traveled treasures. The backstory: A hundred years ago, before LAX existed, Glendale held LA's principal airport. To warn pilots about the Santa Monica Mountains, engineers constructed a shining beacon on the range's easternmost summit. The light on Beacon Hill is gone, but the accessible 1,001-foot summit still beams. Get to its summit in 2 miles with just 500 feet of elevation gain. From the top, downtown LA is only about 5 miles away, and views extend clear across the city to Santa Monica Bay, shining next to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. But wait, there's more. Verdugo Mountains and San Gabriel Mountains tower to the north and east above Glendale and Burbank. Turn around, and Mount Bell and Mount Hollywood form the crown of Griffith Park. Complete the loop by hiking down Coolidge Trail and Lower Beacon Trail, which brings you even closer to downtown and the Los Angeles River. Glowing review!

Take I-5 to the Los Feliz Blvd. Exit north of downtown Los Angeles. Drive west to the first intersection and turn right on Crystal Springs Rd. After 1.3 miles, turn left, following signs for the merry-go-round. Go a quarter mile to a barricade in the road and turn right into the merry-go-round parking lot. Walk up the road a few hundred feet past the barricade to the third trail on the left (just in front of another barricade crossing the pavement). Stay to the left through two junctions at the bottom of Fern Canyon Trail, and hike 1.15 miles up to a 5-way junction. Turn left, and proceed 0.2 mile to the top of Beacon Hill. Return to the 5-way junction and turn left on Coolidge Trail to continue the loop. Drop one mile past the Tregnan Golf Academy Driving Range and turn left up Lower Beacon Trail to return 1.25 miles to the trailhead. All trails are wide fire roads, but junctions are unmarked. Dog-friendly!

Theme-park rides aren't the only way to get a good rush in Orange County. Find your thrills in Chino Hills. The state park—saved from urban sprawl in the 1970s—unfurls in thousands of acres of grassy swells once grazed by cattle and sheep, and includes a stellar valley-to-views trail to panoramic Gilman Peak. The 1,200 feet of elevation gain comes gradually, isn't obstructed by rocks, and offers great vistas for most of the 4-mile trek to the summit. The first few miles on the North Ridge Trail are filled with prairie hill scenery and California walnut trees. The path ascends a high ridge with huge views of snow-capped Mount Baldy and Ontario Peak as large Gilman Peak comes into sight—and is accessed via a side trail. The 1,685-foot peak, with red-tailed hawks soaring overhead, is pure pano-rah-rah: Anaheim and Fullerton slope to the Pacific while Santiago Peak looms and the Santa Anas stretch to the southeast. Raise up your arms—roller coaster!

Take Highway 57 to Brea, exit on Lambert Rd. and drive east. After 2 miles, Lambert Rd. becomes Carbon Canyon Rd. Drive another mile, past Carbon Canyon Regional Park to Chino Hills Discovery Center on the left. There's a $5 day-use fee. Begin hiking up Telegraph Canyon Trail, leaving from the east end of the lot. Walk 0.15 mile through an old lemon grove to a junction with North Ridge Trail. Turn left and hike 3.5 miles up the ridge. There are no junctions until Gilman Trail. Turn right and hike the final 0.2 mile to the summit. Return the way you came for a 7.75-mile, out-and-back hike, or continue over the summit on the hikers-only Gilman Trail for 1 mile, down to Telegraph Canyon Trail. Turn right and hike back to the trailhead for an 8.5-mile loop. Bring this map of the park. Due to state park budget cuts, Chino Hills State Park is closed Tuesdays through Thursdays. Dog-friendly!

Imagine 55-miles of uninterrupted hiking from the coast of San Diego to the crest of its mountains. Developers of the ambitious Coast to Crest Trail plan to eventually connect 60,000 acres through San Dieguito River Park. Some sections are already open, and the 7.2-mile (round-trip) trail to the summit of Bernardo Mountain is one of the most scenic and accessible. The first half-mile runs flat on a paved path next to the freeway; but not to worry, you'll soon veer away from it by connecting to the North Shore Trail and hitting a beautiful stride among the wetlands of Lake Hodges, a 1,200-acre reservoir designated as a globally important bird area (home to humming birds, snowy egrets, and the threatened California gnatcatcher). Pass the Lake Hodges Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge—the longest stressed-ribbon bridge in the world! Rock hop across Felicita Creek and turn up Bernardo Mountain Summit Trail for the 2-mile peak push on a single track wrapping around the north side of the mountain. Gentle undulations give way to a thigh-burning last mile before reaching the summit covered with sage and boulders. From 1,150 feet, look down to glistening Lake Hodges, flanked by green-work patches of the Elfin Forest Natural Reserve. To the south and east, Black Mountain and Woodson Mountain frame the city of Poway. This is how to reach new heights!

BONUS: Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the North San Diego Certified Farmers Market, happens at Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead on the south side of Sunset Drive, a few hundred feet from the trailhead. Grab a snack for the trek.

Take I-15 to the south end of Escondido in north San Diego County. Exit on Via Rancho Parkway and drive one block east. Turn right on Sunset Dr., curving back toward I-15. Pull into the small lot for the San Dieguito River Park trailhead off the cul-de-sac at the end of the street. Take a copy of the trail map and begin down the paved walkway and bike path heading south alongside the interstate. After half a mile, cross underneath I-15 and wrap around the lake to the bicycle/pedestrian bridge. Continue west along the lake on North Shore Trail, passing Felicita Creek to reach Bernardo Mountain Summit Trail, 1.65 miles from the start. Turn right and hike 1.95 miles to the summit, staying to the left through two junctions with adjoining neighborhood trails. You will pass a large holding tank with 0.3 mile to go. The trail ends at the summit. Dog-friendly!

Has making New Year's Resolutions got you spinning your wheels? Then you're heading in the right direction because AIDS/LifeCycle (ALC) is on a roll, and they're throwing a party! Celebrate 2012 by attending their popular Kick Off Party—January 22. Dress in red to show solidarity in the fight against AIDS, and get a taste of how festive and fun the ALC community is. Enjoy music, food, drinks, prizes, and meet fellow participants while learning about the seven-day (June 3 through 9) bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. It all benefits the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Weekend Sherpa readers who register online for AIDS/LifeCycle 2012 get $10 off using Promo Code: SHERPA. The life changing ride—not a race—offers cyclists of all abilities an opportunity to see California while being fully supported by gear transport, hot meals, pit stops, free massages, and plenty more. Fresh air, fabulous forest-to-sea settings, and friendly towns every pedal of the way will keep you and your new friends inspired and energized. AIDS/LifeCycle changes lives! Check out this video to see what it's all about. Even better, ride to the occasion: attend the Kick Off Party and get the wheels turning.

BONUS: Register now for AIDS/LifeCycle 2012 and get $10 off using Promo Code: SHERPA. And don't forget to attend the Kick Off Party, January 22.