Whittier Narrows Recreation Area

Simple Waterside Escapes

With heatwaves and wildfires, going big outdoors has been a challenge lately. But you can keep it simple with a riverside stroll and patio lunch stop, dining al fresco in a state historic park, or paddling the waters at one of LA's most vibrant recreation areas. Nice and easy outdoors.

Week: 09.30.2020
Regions: Southern CA

Frogtown Strutter’s Stroll

Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown

Walking the Los Angeles River Trail Through Frogtown
Don’t go dismissing the Los Angeles River as merely a 51-mile concrete channel. It’s a genuine urban artery that links real neighborhoods, and its riverside bike/ped paths endear it to locals and sojourners alike. One of our favorite stretches runs through the Elysian Valley—a 2-
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The Narrows of LA

Trek Around Whittier Narrows, Treat at Garcias Fruits

Whittier Narrows Recreation Area is one of those LA gems where there’s everything to do—pedal a bike, pedal a boat, paddle a kayak, hike, jog, fish, dog-walk, bird-watch, or just plain enjoy 1,492 acres of lovely public space. The “Narrows” appellation refers to a water gap betwe
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Encino's Encinos

A Tour of Los Encinos State Historic Park

Tour and dine outdoors at Los Encinos State Historic Park
Los Encinos State Historic Park captivates as an authentic vestige of the San Fernando Valley’s ranching past. The five-acre park, just off Ventura and Balboa Boulevards in Encino, includes 19th-century ranch structures, beautiful grounds, and a patio restaurant overlooking the s
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. 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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  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. 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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  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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Trending Stories SoCal

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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. Hot, Wet, and Wild!

    At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away.

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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. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

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