Merry Outdoors

Ho-ho-ho, it's go-go-go for these super fun adventures that keep the outdoors merry and bright. Happy holidays, SoCal!

Week: 12.15.2015
Regions: Southern CA

Bike on Water

Hydrobike Holiday Lights in Long Beach

Waterworld meets National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on this most original way to see holiday lights. Get your ho-ho-ho's and your ha-ha-ha's hydrobiking along the wide-open, festively decorated canals of the Naples district in Long Beach. The hydrobike is essentially a regular
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New Year's Eve at the Aquarium

Monterey Bay Aquarium New Years Sleepover

Feel like a fish out of water when it comes to New Year's Eve? We have just the plan for you! The New Year's Eve Seashore Sleepover, hosted by Monterey Bay Aquarium. Gather your friends, the kids, whoever else you want: The world-famous aquarium is positively magical at night, an
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Sand Sledding

Sand Sledding Venice Beach

It's not snowing at LA's beaches, but the sledding's still great! Recently erected sand berms up and down the coast—and as high as 15 feet—are intended to protect areas from flooding during winter storm surges. For parents seeking a little fun with their kids, or for kids at hear
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Canals Less Traveled

Walk the Venice Canals in LA

If the only holiday bling you think you'll see in Venice is the shiny muscles of bodybuilders on the boardwalk, you're only partly right! Tucked away from this hustle, bustle, and muscle, the waterways of LA's Venice Canals are a tranquil alternative. The bridges that arch over t
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains, Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic and some calming contemplations.

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  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

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  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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