All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA
Idyllic Lake Fulmor
High up in the hills near Idyllwild, quaint and charming Lake Fulmor—not too big, not too small—is just right for relaxing in the cool, quiet shade. It’s not a place to go to be su
ViewDTLA's Colorful Corazón
Olvera Street is always filled with pageantry, and the historic district of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the birthplace of Los Angeles, is worth strolling anytime to sample traditional Mexican culture and foods and to better appreciate the city’s heritage.
ViewPools of Gold
Montaña de Oro: The name means mountain of gold, but the real treasures here lie underwater. Luckily you don’t have to venture into the ocean to see all the cool creatures. Plenty
ViewAbalone Sandwich
The difference between tide pools and an aquarium? Adventure! You have to work a bit for the tide pools at Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes, but they’re well worth the effort. T
ViewLaguna Low Down
Looking for the best tide pools in Orange County? Grab your water shoes and a tide chart, and head to Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach! The mix of shallow and deep pools provides a per
ViewDune It on the Beach!
Here’s where camping on the beach means … camping on the beach! Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is famous for its broad, flat beach, rolling sand dunes that seem to st
ViewDown Doheny Way
For the best beach camping in SoCal, come down Doheny way, where everybody’s gone surfin’, surfin’ USA! Doheny State Beach, that is, situated on 62 acres of coastline in Dana Point
ViewJenks for the Memories
Name your passion! Whether it’s kayaking, fishing, hiking, barbecuing, or relaxing in a hammock beneath tall ponderosa pines—Jenks Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains is the place for a perfect lakeside summer day.
ViewNo Rapids in This Whitewater
Here’s a little desert hideaway that’s a surprisingly cool escape, even when the weather’s hot! Whitewater Preserve in Sand to Snow National Monument is an oasis in a rugged stretc
ViewFancy Camp
Wanna go rugged on the coast, minus the whole pitching your own tent and sleeping on the ground bit? Mendocino Grove is spot-on for upgrading your roughing-it experience, with 60 b
ViewDreamy Winery
For relaxation, valley views, and some delightful wines, Hill Top Winery in Valley Center is a dreamy setting—literally, because it represents a family’s dream of turning a 30-acre
ViewAccomplished Mission
Coastal breezes blow and church bells toll as you approach Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, a peaceful and serene national historic landmark and crucial piece of early
ViewEagle Gold
There’s gold in these mountains! Well, there was, once upon a time. In the 1870s, prospectors discovered gold in Julian, leading to the creation of Eagle Mine, known as the Mother
ViewColorful Colorado
Wildflowers by a sandy beach, with paths to walk and a tidal lagoon to swim in? Yep, Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach has all the makings of a beautiful spring afternoon. This recentl
ViewCultivated Carlsbad
The most dependable bloom of springtime flowers in SoCal? It’s in Carlsbad, where the cultivated Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch have been putting on a show for the past 26 years.
ViewMultiple Choice Hot Springs
Travertine Hot Springs stands apart from other Eastern Sierra soaking sites for the astounding way that rock formations convey water to its primitive pools. Craggy ridges of traver
ViewHot, 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. The springs ar
ViewSoaking Up History
When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history. Although this rustic resort south of Bishop has changed hands a f
ViewMake Way for McWay
Big Sur’s had some hard luck with fire damage and mudslides in the past few years, but that hasn’t put a stop to its wild natural beauty: epic Pacific views, iconic redwoods, and o
ViewPasadena Distilled
What’s your pleasure? A smoky peated single malt? 151 rum? A workout walk around the stately Rose Bowl? How about all of the above and more, on a visit to Stark Spirits, a distille
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Spring Up to These Amazing Events
Shake it up, shake it all the way up to this sunniest city in the state for the most unique and fun-fueled events. Redding is true Northern California, surrounded by famous mountains, nearby national parks and recreation areas, and the sparkling Sacramento River.
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