Woman on grassy lawn at Vista Hermosa Park in Echo Park Los Angeles

Skyline's the Limit

Los Angeles has one of the most beautiful urban skylines in the country, and with autumn’s sun casting its afternoon glow more deeply, these three urban gems shine for the golden downtown LA views they gift.

Week: 09.18.2024
Regions: Southern CA

Vista Hermosa, Echo That!

Explore Vista Hermosa Natural Park in Echo Park

Vista Hermosa Park in Echo Park Los Angeles
Woman standing at Vista Hermosa Park Overlook, looking out to the Los Angeles downtown skyline
Woman walking a path among trees at Vista Hermosa Park in Echo Park Los Angeles
Woman on grassy lawn at Vista Hermosa Park in Echo Park Los Angeles
Tucked in Echo Park, the little-known gem of Vista Hermosa Natural Park feels worlds away thanks to its serene beauty and thoughtful design. At 11.5 acres there’s still plenty to explore. And it's got a premier view of the iconic Los Angeles skyline.
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The Beauty of Bellingham

Get Away to the Seaside City of Bellingham, Washington

Located in northwest Washington State, the seaside city of Bellingham feels remote, yet it’s just 90 minutes north of Seattle. Outdoorsy, creative, and laid back, with a distinct farm-to-table culture, craft drinks, and outstanding art and shopping, Bellingham ticks all the boxes for your next getaway.
Experience Bellingham

Heavenly Elysian

Elysian Park is the oldest park in Los Angeles and offers stellar views of downtown

Hike Elysian Park in Los Angeles
Hike Elysian Park in Los Angeles
Founded in 1886, Elysian Park is LA’s oldest park, and one of its biggest. Spanning 600 acres, this urban playground has multiple attractive features that will keep you coming back for more.
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Mulholland's Most Majestic

Visit the Overlooks Along Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles

Take a leisurely drive along Mulholland Drive to discover beautiful urban scenery and unexpected wild beauty, right in the middle of the city. 
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  2. This Is Paradise

    Granite mountain-scape, superb sunset views, crystal lakes, and shoreline campsites … the trip to Paradise Lake in Tahoe National Forest lives up to its idyllic name.

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  3. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

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  4. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Hot As (Bumpass) Hell

    So you like going to all the hot spots when you visit places? Well, in Lassen Volcanic National Park there’s a place so hot it gets downright steamy. Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, with sputtering mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It’s California’s Yellowstone. But it only opens in summer through fall.

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  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

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  3. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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  4. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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