1) Ultimate Griffith

Explore LA county’s largest park on a 5.25-mile instant classic lollipop loop with landmark locales and hidden havens. The Fern Dell to Mount Hollywood hike in Griffith Park features the famous observatory, hidden gardens, and an awesome view of the Hollywood Sign.

2) Park Points!

Basically, there’s more than a few fascinating features packed into this 2.5-mile Park to Park to Park walk in San Pedro. It’s got big trees, big ocean views, and one big SoCal surprise. It’s also got figs, the world’s fastest animal flying overhead, and a fresh fish market famous for its giant shrimp. Oh, and beer.

3) High Five!

Do a day hike or get a permit to spend the night at one of the Cottonwood Lakes in the John Muir Wilderness. These five sublime lakes are accessible via an overnight backpacking adventure with a wilderness permit. If you’ve got limited time, you can do a 10-mile (round-trip) day hike to the first of these lakes, an absolute gem backed by epic Sierra scenery, including Mount Langley, the ninth-highest peak in California.

4) Suspension Surprise

Spruce up an urban hike in San Diego: connect two gardens by way of two spectacular bridges on a 3.75-mile (round-trip) stroll through downtown. This hike includes the awesome Spruce Street Suspension Bridge built in 1912.

5) Joshua Tree

Set in the high desert of southeast California, Joshua Tree National Park is stunning in winter. Crisp scenery and brilliant light casts across a landscape both whimsical and mystical. From a peak hike to classic routes, explore this dreamy desertscape in two days.

6) Redwoods in SoCal

Find redwoods in SoCal on a 2-mile loop hike in Brea’s Carbon Canyon Regional Park. The Carbon Canyon Regional Park Coastal Redwood Grove is by far the largest of its kind in Southern California, comprising 241 Sequoia sempervirens specimens. The tallest is nearly 100 feet! They were planted here in the 1970s when seedlings were donated during a local bank promotion!

7) Wheelhouse: The Pacific Electric Trail

The Pacific Electric Trail, once part of its namesake railroad, is a 20-mile, car-free bike path threading six cities. Bike the entire route in one big day or pedal a segment of it so you have more time to explore some sites and grab some bites. Here are three distinct sections of the Pacific Electric Trail. Ride on!

8) Gone Rogue!

If one thing can make you feel like a kid at summer camp, it’s spending a day on the river, rafting, floating, cannonballing off cliffs—eureka! One of the best rivers in the West to float is the Rogue River, aka the heartbeat of the region.

9) Peak On Hiking!

It’s a steady climb (2,375 feet elevation gain) and a solid 8.1 miles (round-trip) … and it’s worth every step. Hike to the Tahquitz Peak Lookout via the Devil’s Slide Trail in the San Jacinto Wilderness for amazing views of the surrounding mountains and the Salton Sea. At 8,846 feet, Tahquitz has the highest lookout in the San Bernardino National Forest.

10) Sneak a Peak

Don’t have all day, but still wanna summit a summit? Then summit the San Gabriels’ namesake. It’s a 3.5-mile out-and-back trek that climbs over 1,000 feet to 6,146-foot San Gabriel Peak.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: In the episode "Top Adventures from The Year of the Dumpster Fire" Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss some favorite adventures and how the Top 10 list was made from this rollercoaster of a year.