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  1. Northern CA

    Hill Yeah!

    The Bay Area hills are alive with winter greenery, stellar scenery, and seasonally favorable temperatures for conquering peaks. These hikes (some with bike options) feature vistas, peak bagging, and prime picnic spots. Head for the hills!

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  2. Southern CA

    The Great Artdoors

    Ready for the great artdoors? SoCal has some beautfiul places to wander and see interesting, inspiring, and educational works, from murals and sculptures to installations and tasty food and drink bonuses.

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  3. Northern CA

    Dates Outdoors

    In this season of love and romance, there's one companion who never disappoints: the outdoors! Grab your favorite person or people and head out on some hikes and bike rides that are oh so sweet right now.

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  4. Sponsored
    2024-11-13

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

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  5. Southern CA

    Sweet Hikes, Bike Rides, and Bakeries

    Whether your relationship is new, or you’ve been together a long time, the outdoors makes a terrific companion. Gather your loved one(s) and head outside for these sweet hikes and bike rides, along with some post-adventure bakery treats.

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  6. Northern CA

    Look on the Bright Side

    Winter sunsets get a glowing review in California, whether you're watching one from a sand dune surrounded by mountains or pedaling your bike down by the sea. Here are some of the best hikes, bike rides, and viewpoints for catching one of nature's best light shows.

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  7. Two hikers on the ridge hiking to San Gabriel Peak in Southern California
    Southern CA

    Glow for It

    Fun fact: finding your glow doesn't mean choosing the latest facial serum promising shiny cheeks. The natural beauty of a winter sunset can get you glowing from the inside out! Here are some of the best hikes and viewpoints for watching one of nature's greatest lightshows. Shine on!

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  8. woman hiking Channel Islands
    Ventura County Coast

    California's Most Sea-nic National Park

    Blissful beaches, panoramic hikes, craft beer, and one of California’s wildest national parks—Ventura County Coast has the Southern California climate with its own distinct laid-back vibe. Here are five ideas for your adventure getaway.

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  9. Northern CA

    Peak-a-View!

    Who's ready for a fresh perspective? There’s a peak hike for that. Make that three peak hikes. Test your mettle on the Bay Area’s toughest hike (any guesses?), enjoy a more moderate Diablo adventure, or relax with a sunset hike on Tam.

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  10. Southern CA

    Waterfall Way to Hike

    Wait for it, wait for it... now! Winter rains mean waterfall hikes are an actual thing to do this year, but get to them sooner than later while the flow is still good.

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  11. Woman sitting at the picnic table at Lawson picnic area in Hood Mountain Regional Park
    Northern CA

    Panoramic Picnic Spots

    Ready to raise your picnic game? These hike-in spots offer incredible vistas to go along with your PB&J. From a brand-new trail to a less-traveled classic, here are three hike-in picnics where you’ll ascend to deliriously good views.

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  12. Southern CA

    Surprise Views

    Surprise! These three hikes in North San Diego County are not only less traveled, they're filled with outdoor gems like Torrey pines, sandstone formations, wildlife, and vantage points with huge views.

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  13. Woman at Cascade Falls in Mill Valley
    Northern CA

    Waterfall Start to the New Year

    Want a waterfall way to kick off the new year? These three flows are all set within residential areas, making for easy access and nice strolls to oases buttressed by recent rains and other splashy features.

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  14. Southern CA

    Find Fresh Views in Malibu

    Happy New Year. Ready for some bu-tiful outdoors? Malibu still has a few secrets to explore and we’ve got three less traveled beach and lake hikes for you to try something new for 2022.

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  15. Sponsored
    2024-11-13

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

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  16. Southern CA

    Top 10 Outdoor Adventures for 2021

    Backcountry explorations, riverwalks, secret beaches, and adventurous day hikes in national parks ... here's our list of the top 10 adventures of 2021. See you on the trails next year!

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  17. Northern CA

    Top 10 Outdoor Adventures of 2021

    Waterfalls, epic national park hikes, camping, and hidden backcountry are just a few of the adventures we loved this year! Here's our list of the year's 10 best outdoor adventures in California and the West. See you on the trails in 2022!

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  18. Woman snowshoe hiking at Castle Pass overlooking the mountains in Tahoe National Forest
    Northern CA

    Outdoors After Rain and Snow

    Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday. While the weather outside has at times been a bit frightful, the outdoors is still delightful, so if you're wondering where to go, here are some adventures that are good after rain or snow.

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  19. LA Arboretum Holiday Lights in Los Angeles
    Southern CA

    Happy Outdoors

    Wishing you a safe and healthy holiday. "Weathering the storm" has taken on multiple meanings recently—and something we can still be grateful for is the great outdoors as a respite. Here are a few ways to take it outside this season.

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  20. Two hikers making their way to the hike-in Secret Beach on the Oregon Coast
    Oregon

    Sand, Sea, Waterfalls: Get Coasting

    From the coast to the waterfalls, Southern Oregon is a road-trip-ready adventure. Hike to inspiring overlooks, adventure along miles of wide-open sand dunes that inspired Frank Herbert’s Dune, and see the Highway of Waterfalls.

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  21. woman hiking Shell Ridge Open Space in the East Bay
    Northern CA

    Holiday Hiking Date

    Whether you like your hiking views to be merry and bright or prefer to play a little misty with a waterfall, these hikes offer just enough adventure to keep your spirits light.

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  22. Hiker passing the trailhead post and looking towards the mountains at Hillside Wilderness Preserve in Monrovia
    Southern CA

    Merry Hiking in Monrovia

    Combine a wilderness wander with festive lights, find a trail less traveled for some peace on earth, and put some jolly in your step with an urban wander through Monrovia Old Town and up to the famous falls.

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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

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  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  3. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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  4. Go, Tell It on the Mountain

    Want to be king of the mountain? Head to King Mountain, the 108-acre open space preserve just above Larkspur in Marin. Despite its lofty name, hiking King Mountain proves that simp

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

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  2. Sponsored

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

    View
  3. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  4. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

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