Autumn Adventure Plan

A cool thing is happening in Yosemite National Park right now. The summer crowds are gone and the valley is alive with waterfalls ... and the colors of fall. Time to get out of your car and explore Yosemite Valley by bike. A 10-mile car-free paved trail that loops around the vall

As a coastal enclave where beaches meet mountains, Santa Barbara County is one of those places that run the risk of having too much of a good thing. But fortunately we know a spot where you get views of both! Up on a ridge off a highway cutting through Goleta and Santa Barbara yo

Tightly wedged beside the 101 Freeway and downtown Ventura, and divided by the Southern Pacific Railroad, Emma Wood State Beach is mostly known for RV camping. Meh. But wait … beyond the motor homes and rail tracks lies a little gem! The sandy Ocean’s Edge Trail has a cobblestone

When you need to break up the holiday routine, just take it SLO. San Luis Obispo is a Central Coast destination that has just about everything for a quick escape: uncrowded beaches, close-to-town hiking trails, craft beer, and boutique wineries ... And it’s home to some of the mo

If you’re a Los Angeles disc golf junkie, you’ve heard of it, but if you’re new to the game, get initiated at the spot where it all began. Oak Grove Disc Golf Course in Pasadena’s Hahamongna Watershed Park was established in the early 1970s and is recognized as the world’s first

Between the cities of La Habra Heights and Rowland Heights lies a truly hidden gem offering a hiking experience of pure solitude and big views. Powder Canyon is home to a 5-mile loop trail with nearly 1,000 feet in elevation gain. The Powder Canyon Trail starts at the trailhead n

Some hikes are like a highlight reel: they feature all of the good stuff quickly. Turnbull Canyon near the town of Whittier in LA County is the centerpiece of the Puente Hills Preserve, and home to a 4.5-mile loop trail that rises to phenomenal views. The hike begins on Turnbull

Bordering Orange and Riverside counties, the El Cariso Nature Trail  in Cleveland National Forest is like the Twitter of hikes: It packs a lot within its limits. The trail gains 150 feet in elevation within a condensed 1.6-mile loop. For better and worse, the trailhead is right o

We know, we know, there are all kinds of ways to hike to the Hollywood sign. But to see this icon in its best light, go closer to sunset and take the short, classic route up Mount Lee in Griffith Park. A late-day start means fewer people, less heat, and more lenient parking regul