All Stories from Southern CA
Monster Hike to Monserate Peak
Before indulging in Fallbrook’s avocado specialties and local wines, head out for a challenging (okay, thigh-burning!) hike on terrain that towers over the landscape. Fallbrook Con
ViewLand of Los Jilgueros
It’s not often you find a 46-acre freshwater marshland gem hidden between a busy highway and a suburban neighborhood. Thank the Fallbrook Conservancy for Los Jilgueros Preserve and
ViewBasking in Berlin
The star attraction in Griffith Park is the iconic Observatory, a hotspot for tourists and locals alike—which means it sees lots of people. So how do you escape the crowds? Head to
ViewAmir's Art
At 4,210 acres, Griffith Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America, home to a huge variety of trails, recreation, and hidden gems. Among the most inspiring of its bet
ViewTaco Peak Tea Time
There’s a cool new tea shop in town, and it’s turning a new leaf! It all started in June of 2015 when a group of artists used reclaimed wood from a former Griffith Park wildfire to
ViewMission Possible
The Old Mission is a popular visitor spot in Santa Barbara, but many visitors are unaware of what lies beyond this stately historic landmark, on the east side. The 10-acre Mission
ViewKnapp Time
For a little taste of Pompeii in Southern California, head for Knapp’s Castle in the Los Padres National Forest above Santa Barbara. It’s a delightful oddity with stunning panorami
ViewJetty for La Jenelle
The La Jenelle was a 467-foot luxury cruise liner before retiring to Port Hueneme Harbor with plans to become a floating restaurant. Then a severe storm ripped her from her mooring
ViewSand to Snow
The Sand to Snow National Monument’s centerpiece is the 11,500-foot peak of Mount San Gorgonio (the highest in all of SoCal), but a hidden gem exists in the area’s 2,850-acre Whitewater Preserve.
ViewMojave Momentum
The largest of Obama’s monument designations clocks in at a modest 1.6 million acres! Mojave Trails National Monument is home to a variety of desert destinations, including colorful canyons, striking mountain ranges, sand dunes, and even fossil beds containing 550-million-year-old trilobite remnants!
ViewStorm the Castle
Before President Obama channeled Teddy Roosevelt, the Mojave National Preserve was missing a key piece bordering Nevada in the northeast section of the park. This now conserved 21,000-acre parcel is protected and designated as the Castle Mountains National Monument after its namesake range.
ViewSuiho-en
Never has an area downwind from a water treatment facility been so worth a visit for its utopian beauty. The Japanese Garden hidden within the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is ca
ViewBest Dam Ever
The backdrop for many films, it was at the Sepulveda Dam just south of Burbank Boulevard that an eye-patched Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken in the 1981 cult classic Escape from
ViewBike the Basin
Oil up your metal steed and hit the bikeways at the 2,000-acre Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area in Encino. Pedal a 9-mile loop around the area's perimeter, or venture deep within on
ViewGrand View Summit
The moderately strenuous 6-mile Pine Knot hike in Big Bear is wildly popular in summer. But in winter, this trail is a kingdom of blissful isolation, and just as beautiful! Rent some snowshoes and poles and traverse the snow to explore.
ViewKing of the Castle Rock
If you have only a short time to enjoy a snowy Big Bear hike, conquer the steep slopes of the Castle Rock Trail. After parking in the small pull-out lot, cross the highway (careful
ViewAlpine Pedal Path
Snow is scarcer on the north shore of Big Bear Lake, but solitude is plentiful, and the novel view of Big Bear Lake is refreshing. The paved multi-use 3.5-mile Alpine Pedal Path ta
ViewBowtie Occasion
There's no blacktie required for attending your next art instalation opening: this is purely a Bowtie affair! The Bowtie Project is an 18-acre park in Glendale filled with art inst
ViewSplendor in the Marsh
Many years ago if Marsh Park had been on Tinder, it might have gotten a pretty swift left swipe. But not today! This little gem along the LA River underwent a massive makeover a fe
ViewCupid Classic
Elysian Park holds the title of oldest in LA and is home to Dodger Stadium. And Wildflower Trail is one of the best hikes in the area (bonus: it’s dog-friendly, for those whose Val
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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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