All in Southern CA

  1. Adventure Plan for Palomar

    There’s a beautiful new trail at Palomar Arboretum, starry night camping on Palomar Mountain, and a panoramic lookout in Palomar State Park

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  2. Romancing SoCal

    Some of the best dates are in the great outdoors. So show this to the one(s) you love and get out there!

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  3. Winter Wander Falls

    Short hike to a waterfall? Water you waiting for! These three hikes have some sweet features that go with their flow.

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  4. Sponsored
    2025-03-20

    Savor Spring in Paso Robles

    Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.

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  5. Small Towns, Big Adventures

    Three small-town explorations for you that include waterfalls, murals, and fabulous vista hikes.

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  6. Airstream at Joshua Tree

    Desert Dream Trip

    Joshua Tree National Park is stunning in winter. Our top recommendations on exploring this dreamy desertscape in two days.

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  7. Short Hikes to Iconic LA Views

    You don’t have to climb to epic heights or hike great lengths to get stellar panoramas of iconic Los Angeles.

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  8. Lookout Adventures

    Some of the best views are from high atop a fire lookout. Here are three to put on your bucket list.

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  9. Classic Peak Hikes

    Get 2020 vision when you conquer any of these three classic SoCal peak hikes.

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  10. Top 10 of 2019

    It's our last issue of 2019, and that means our Top 10 edition on the outdoor adventures you liked most this past year.

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  11. Fa La La Outside

    Get into the holiday spirit by getting outdoors. Whether you’ve got friends and family in tow, or you’re just looking for a solo breather, these are classic SoCal outings for the holidays.

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  12. The Coast Is Clear

    Go hike the hills, paddle to a lighthouse, and explore coastal caves near the classic beach town of Avila Beach.

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  13. Greenspot Farms

    Weather or Not: Holiday Outdoors

    Don't let the wet weather put a damper on your holiday plans. Here are some fun and easy ways to find holiday cheer (like beer!) and seek shelter if needed.

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  14. Ladder Canyon hike Southern California

    Everyone Outdoors for Thanksgiving!

    Happy Thanksgiving! Southern California has a bounty of beautiful outdoors to explore, from easy urban walks exploring architecture, to hiking up and down canyon ladders. Here are some great ways to adventure over the holiday.

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  15. Sponsored
    2025-03-20

    Savor Spring in Paso Robles

    Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.

    View
  16. Death Valley Desert Adventure

    Desert Holiday

    After the Thanksgiving dessert ... desert! With the holiday season coming in hot, do a different kind of turkey trot. Head to the desert. Here are few good ways to spend the upcoming holiday.

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  17. Volcan Mountain Wilderness fall color hike

    Gold Rush

    Who says there’s no fall in SoCal? Ours lasts right on through November! We have leafy trees, perfect weather ... and we have three hikes that are fall-out gorgeous.

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  18. Autumn Camping White Tank Campground

    Autumn Wonders

    Full moons, starry night campsites, art walks, and iconic hikes ... autumn in SoCal brings plenty of places to wander and ponder. Here are few to take you through the season.

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  19. Thompson Creek Trail Haunted Hike

    Haunted Hikes

    In the spirit of Halloween, we give you some haunted hikes. Who ghosts there? Find out on these three boo-tiful hikes.

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  20. Murals of La Jolla Art Walk

    Coast Into Fall

    The heat is on. So cool down, courtesy of the coast. From Back Bay biking with birds to an art walk with a short coastline hike nearby, and a classic stairway hike to the sand and sea.

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  21. Hiking to Old Ruins in Southern California Mountains

    Lovin' the Ruins

    California has always been a land of dreamers, and some of them have left traces of those dreams behind for us to explore. Discover ruins in remote mountain canyons and high on desert cliffs.

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  22. Full Moon Hike in Southern California

    Full Moon Hikes for Lunatics

    Bright lunar light makes some folks a little wiggy—hence the word “lunatic.” Our feeling: You’d have to be crazy NOT to get out and hike under a big full moon from time to time!

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  1. Waterfalls and Wine Pours

    Cooler temps, green hills, and the return of our magnificent waterfalls! This family-friendly 2-mile hike at Uvas Canyon County Park in Morgan Hill is a great way to get the most out of a short hike post-rain.

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  2. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

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  3. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

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  4. Hidden Long Ridge

    After heavy rains, the rolling headwaters of Peters Creek in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve pulsate along the forest floor via a series of small waterfalls that cut grooves in sandstone boulders. See it on a 4.5-mile loop hike starting from the Grizzly Flat parking lot.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Sponsored

    Savor Spring in Paso Robles

    Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.

    View

  2. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!

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  3. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

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  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

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