All in Southern CA

1. 

   Top Adventures of 2015

   1) Peak Season in a State Park Hike 5 miles (round-trip) to a mountain peak in the desert without leaving Los Angeles County, at Saddleback Butte State Park. 2) Hidden Beach Camping on the Central Coast You want your California beach camping to be off the beaten path? There's a secluded slice of beach paradise for that. 3) Haunting of the Hollywood Sign Is the world's most famous sign haunted? Find out for yourself on a cardio-filled 7-mile (round-trip) hike in Griffith Park. 4) The Redwoods Nearby The towering, fog-enshrouded coastal redwoods of the northern coast feel like a world away from LA, but did you know you can find redwoods right in Orange County? 5) Stone Stairway to a San Diego Peak Adventure up in San Diego County! To 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak. This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama via a set of carved stone stairs. 6) Cave, Man! One of SoCal's coolest caves is found just outside of suburbia on a solid loop hike and short scramble in Los Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. 7) LA Gone Wild Cardio hiking, stunning views, and a location that's super close to downtown? Urban adventure has a wild side, and the proof is on Mount Washington with this 4-mile loop. 8) Sunny Side Up We all know the sun rises in the east, so West Coasters are deprived of ocean sunrises, right? Not exactly. There's a vantage from Point Dume Nature Preserve where the sun comes up smack dab over the Pacific. 9) Joshua Tree on a Whim Enjoy marvelous hikes and a place to soak your bones and sip a cocktail after adventures among the whimsically wild trees of Joshua Tree National Park. 10) Bike + Beer = Beautiful Go on an 8-mile bike ride with plenty of scenery, greenery, and a pit stop for an imperial pint at a taproom beer haven with serious British influence. BONUS Beyond Discover New ABCs. ABC= Adventures in British Columbia! The westernmost Canadian province has a rainforest with a hidden hot springs, epic hiking in Whistler, and incredible lake and oceanside respites for eating, drinking, and sleeping.

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2. 

   Merry in the Moment

   It's something dogs do really well. Live in the moment. Not worried about stuff in the past or dwelling on things to come. It's about what's right in front of you, right now. During the holidays, things can get a little stressful. One way to help deal with that stress is to get outside. It doesn't have to be a big hike—it could just be taking a walk down the street or hopping on your bike to go to the store. What's right in front of you? Take a breath, look around. You're alive! In California! That's pretty cool. We'll celebrate that. Enjoy the holidays, from all of us at Weekend Sherpa. PS - Next week is our annual Top 10 featuring some of your favorite adventures of the year. Make it merry!

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3. 

   Merry Outdoors

   Ho-ho-ho, it's go-go-go for these super fun adventures that keep the outdoors merry and bright. Happy holidays, SoCal!

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4. 
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   No Limits Family Trip: Reno Tahoe

   What if your next family getaway didn’t come with a set agenda—just the freedom to go where the day takes you? Find yourselves in Reno Tahoe, a land of no limits and plenty of outdoor bounty.

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5. 

   Brews and Views

   Looking for a great way to enjoy some holiday cheer? Go on a hike with gorgeous views and follow it up with a seasonal beer!

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6. 

   Tree Me

   Tree's company this holiday season. Whether you're solo, coupled up, or want to get outside, here are some great motivators. Do all tree!

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7. 

   Shake Your Giblets

   #Felfie: Put your animal instincts to a positive cause by visiting Farm Sanctuary in Acton. Located about an hour from downtown Los Angeles, this 26-acre sanctuary is one of only three across the United States that shelters animals who have been rescued from the factory farming industry. Take the one-hour guided tour ($10) where you can meet the animals and snap a #felfie (that's a farm-selfie, for the uninitiated). From A to Zuma: One word to sum up the lower Zuma Canyon: Sycamores. This less-traveled 3-mile out-and-back hike begins at Zuma Canyon's wide mouth, a sycamore-studded wanderland leading to the last truly wild stretch of canyon left in the Santa Monica Mountains. Dogs can come with! Travel Channel: Want to do one of the best hikes in Channel Islands National Park? The 7.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Smuggler's Cove on Santa Cruz Island starts at Scorpion Anchorage and ascends a singletrack trail with sweeping views of inland hills, panoramic vistas, and a gorgeous secluded cove.

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8. 

   #FreshAirSaturday

   Between Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday, there’s a lot going on. Take a deep breath … it’s time to have a little fun outdoors. It’s time for #FreshAirSaturday.

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9. 

   Desert Dreamy

   This time of year Joshua Tree National Park's vast desert landscape looks even more golden with autumn's low-slung sun, and at night the sky fills with bold stars. From hiking to camping to exploring whimsical scenery—here's how to see Joshua Tree.

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10. 

    Cool Hikes for Autumn

    Harvest Happening: Make a day of it by visiting the Oak Glen Preserve, a sprawling nature reserve in the San Bernardino Mountains where you can hike through an idyllic landscape and pick your own pumpkins and chestnuts afterwards. Stick to the preserve's main loop for a 2-mile hike, or meander onto the spur trails to lengthen your jaunt.** Smuggle It In:** Next year America's national parks celebrate the centennial—so crowds are practically guaranteed to be thicker. Hit the trails before the hordes on one of the best hikes in Channel Islands National Park. The 7.5-mile (round-trip) hike to Smuggler's Cove traverses Santa Cruz Island, offers panoramic vistas, and leads to a secluded cove. Do Deukmejian: Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a gem. Explore it on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. Stepping Stonewall: Adventure up … to San Diego County's 5,737-foot Stonewall Peak! This 4-mile (round-trip) hike leads to a brilliant panorama, and the carved stone stairs near the apex make for a great photo opp. Two Thumbs Up for Towsley: Get in a workout hike featuring outstanding panoramas, meaty switchbacks, bizarre rock formations, and miniature tar pits. The 5.1-mile (round-trip) Towsley Canyon Loop in Santa Clarita's Ed Davis Park awaits!

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11. 

    Haunted Hikes

    It's Halloween weekend, so get after it on any of these three hikes that'll take you from searching for ghosts to finding a hidden grotto. Boo-yeah!

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12. 

    Giant Escape

    Fires devastated large areas of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks this past summer, but things are clearing up for their 125th anniversary and there's still plenty to see and do. From spooky spelunking and stargazing beneath giant sequoias to hikes less traveled and lovely lodges, here's a day-and-night itinerary.

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13. 

    Harvest and Hike Combos

    Farm fresh to you: Combining a hike with a u-pick farm, a farmer’s market, and a farm sanctuary for animals.

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14. 

    Wild Hikes

    The San Bernardino National Forest is an 800,000-acre playground of deep canyons, soaring peaks, and five separate wilderness areas. Here are three day-hikes worth going wild for!

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15. 
    Sponsored

    2026-04-15

    No Limits Family Trip: Reno Tahoe

    What if your next family getaway didn’t come with a set agenda—just the freedom to go where the day takes you? Find yourselves in Reno Tahoe, a land of no limits and plenty of outdoor bounty.

    View
16. 

    National Parks: Sand-Seeker

    Some of California's best sandy havens are found in our national parks! Here are three worth an autumn visit.

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17. 

    Fall Forward

    It's official: Autumn's up! Here are three ways to ease out of summer to enjoy a wander-fall season in LA.

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18. 

    Lake Expectations

    Summer's not over yet. There's still time to escape to the Eastern Sierra with autumn colors starting to show and plenty of ways to combine adventure and relaxation. From Mono County to Mammoth Lakes, here are ways to have a bounti-fall time!

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19. 

    Eyes Wild Open

    Get off the beaten path to explore San Diego County's wild side, where endangered birds and panoramas bring the full picture into view. Eyes wild open—what will you see?

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20. 

    Go Long!

    Inside Out: The Cave of Munits is an awe-inspiring cavern of impressive heights. And it's located just outside suburbia. Get to it on a 2.7-mile loop hike through the rolling hills of Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve. Get lost in LA! Right in the heart of the city is the Peace Awareness Labyrinth and Gardens, a relaxing retreat hidden in the historic West Adams district. Wander Wilmington: Most people know the Port of Los Angeles as the place with all the smoky factories and huge barges, but this industrial area added some glitter—and greenspace!—to its grittier side when Wilmington Waterfront Park opened. Do you Deukmejian? Nestled in the San Gabriel foothills, Deukmejian Wilderness Park is a gem. Explore it on a 4.2-mile (round-trip) foothills hike in the park's Dunsmore and Cook's canyons. Mile Oh Mile: Reaching a stunning peak vista in under a mile? If it sounds too good to be true, you haven't been to Camarillo Grove Park where the 1-mile (round-trip) Upper Loop Trail is your peek into a world of chaparral growth, wildlife, and a magnificent bucolic view that sweeps across Ventura County.

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21. 

    Orange Punch

    Great views go better with sunsets. Here are three LA parks that give you both. Glow for it!

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22. 

    Coastal Sleeps

    One of the best ways to experience California's famed coast with the most? Camp out on the beaches and bluffsides that overlook the ocean. From hidden sands to spending the night in a nest, here are three great ways to enjoy some salty-air rest.

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