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  1. woman hiking to view over LA at Runyon Canyon with dogs
    Southern CA

    Hikes with Your Best Friend

    Hiking with your furry best friend is such a pawsitive thing to do, and these three LA spots have mountain-to-sea panoramas, cinematic scenery, and inspiration points that are top dog!

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  2. Hike Mount Tam Tree Swing Dipsea Trail Stinson
    Northern CA

    Coasting Along

    These aren't just hikes to great Pacific and Bay views, these are hikes to great views enjoyed with a swing, bench, picnic table, or labyrinth. Sea it to believe it!

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  3. Scenic Hike from Point Fermin Park to Angels Gate Park in Los Angeles
    Southern CA

    Down by the Sea

    She may sell seashells by the seashore, but where does she hike and bike? By the sea, of course! These seaside strolls and rolls are stupendously spectacular.

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  4. Sponsored
    2025-04-09

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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  5. Woman hiking the Coastal Trail in the Marin Headlands
    Northern CA

    Chicken Soup for the Hiker's Soul

    Like chicken soup for the soul, there’s just something about the Marin Headlands that’s comforting. From the hidden hike-in beaches and vast coastal views with golden sunsets, go get your headlands fix on these coastal comfort hikes.

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  6. hiker at Whiting Ranch Wilderness canyon
    Southern CA

    Hidden Canyon Hikes

    Arizona and Utah get all the attention for canyons and astounding rock formations, but Southern California has a few secret ones to hike among or drop into—with the help of a ladder. And they’re not too far away!

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  7. Backpacker on Tuolumne River in Yosemite High Sierra
    Northern CA & Southern CA

    How to Lose the Crowds in National Parks

    A magical thing happens when you hike just a mile or two from trailheads in popular national parks: Crowds begin to disappear. Even better, go backpacking to really have solitude. These trips in Yosemite, Zion, Point Reyes, and Channel Islands are out-of-office adventure havens.

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  8. Woman walking by driftwood at Greenwood State Beach in Elk, Northern California near Mendocino
    Northern CA

    Beaches Less Known

    Beaches are calling, but a few sandy secrets simply whisper among the waves or shorelines across the Bay Area and North Coast. This summer, hike-in to these beaches less traveled.

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  9. Hike to Gould Mesa Camp in LA County
    Southern CA

    Trails Less Traveled

    Hooray, outside is awesome and everyone now seems to know it. The challenge? Trails are a little crowded this summer. Where can you get a little space? These five hiking spots in LA County are often overlooked or under-traveled in favor of more popular nearby options.

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  10. Mountain bikers on Estero Trail to Drakes Head Point Reyes
    Northern CA

    Waterside Rides

    The wind in your hair, the scent of the sea, the thirst-quenching beers … who’s ready for a waterside bike ride? These beginner-friendly pedals range from a national park seashore to an island in the sea, with a riverside cruiser to beers in between. Roll call for summer!

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  11. Woman hiking the Bear Canyon Trail with huge mountain views in the background at Mount Baldy in Los Angeles County
    Southern CA

    Beer Hikes

    Hike, then beer? We’ve brewed up some summer adventures where all trails lead to beer(s)! These three routes have plenty of great vistas, beaches, and forest features, followed by nearby brewpubs for refreshing your spirits, and quenching your post-hike thirst.

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  12. Northern CA

    Hike San Francisco!

    No disrespect to our beautiful parks, but you can go on an amazing hike right in the city! San Francisco is one of the country's most walkable and beautiful cities—and a perfect place to take a hike (including one that's a historical treasure hunt).

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  13. Southern CA

    Water Hikes

    Summer in SoCal—hot, and dry right now, due to drought. Fortunately, LA’s still got some treasured and less-known waterworks for chilling out. Here are three to visit and appreciate.

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  14. Sierra Nevada

    No Reservations Backpacking and Camping

    No reservation? No problem! Well, at least if you have a few of these tips on camping and backpacking in California. From first-come, first-served camping, to no quotas on wilderness backpacking, here are three places to go for summer.

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  15. Sponsored
    2025-04-09

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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  16. Hike-in to the beach at Leo Carrillo State Park
    Southern CA

    From Sea to Summit

    America's birthday is coming in hot. These summer classic adventures go from the sea to summits: Hike-in beaches, mellow redwood wanders (in SoCal), and panoramic peak hikes await. Go fourth the great outdoors!

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  17. Hike-in to Marin's Black Sands Beach
    Northern CA

    Beaches, Bike Rides, Campsites

    America’s birthday is this weekend. And, well, it’s been quite a year. Take a deep breath at a hike-in beach, pedal a car-free bike trail, or score a first-come first-served campsite.

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  18. Woman hiking towards Point Cabrillo Light Station on the Mendocino Coast
    Northern CA

    Coastal Bliss in Mendocino

    Ready, set, take it easy! The Mendocino Coast is a great way to ease into summer. The dramatic coastline offers fantastic hiking, incredible sunsets, romantic lighthouses, a vibrant botanical garden, and plenty more.

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  19. Woman biking the riverside bike trail from Ventura to Ojai
    Southern CA

    AdVentura Time!

    Kick off the official start of the season with a big adVentura. Ventura pops with summer delights like a riverside bike trail to Ojai, plus lakeside hiking, camping, boating, and epic disc golf too.

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  20. Woman walking down towards Blacks Beach in La Jolla
    Southern CA

    Outdoor Education

    Among the best places to enjoy art, sculptures, and botanical gardens? College campuses during summer are lovely places to stroll, observe natural beauty and creative art outdoors, plus find surprises like a nearby beach. Here are a few to see.

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  21. Two women hikers looking out to the foggy coast from a hiking trail at Jenner Headlands on the Sonoma Coast
    Northern CA

    Oh That's Cool

    Since you can't crank the air conditioning outdoors, we found some ways to beat the heat and cool down, courtesy of nature. From coastal bike rides to redwood hikes and picnics, here are some ways to chill outside.

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  22. Northern CA

    Truly Baymazing Adventures

    The San Francisco Bay is the heartbeat of our region, and these ridge rambling hikes and adventures from the East Bay to right on the Bay have amazing iconic views, and some really cool surprises too.

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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  2. Two women on e-bikes at Cass Vineyard and Winery near Paso Robles

    Eat, Drink, E-bike!

    No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!

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  3. Jurupa Jamboree

    If you like a short hike with a side of adventure, try the Jurupa Hills North Trail in Martin Tudor Jurupa Hills Regional Park.

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  4. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View