Let the Spirits Move You

Happy Halloween weekend. Head out on these spirited adventures, including a visit to one of the coolest living ghost towns around and some boo-tiful places to picnic or hike.

Week: 10.28.2025
Regions: Southern CA

The Undead Ghost Town

Visiting the Living Ghost Town of Randsburg

Every Halloween, the worlds of the living and the dead blur together. In the “living ghost town” of Randsburg that condition is permanent. This strange gold-rush town near the El Paso Mountains in Kern County popped up in 1895. More than 3,500 people lived here in its thriving—an
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Redding Lights and Silent Nights

Holiday Getaway to Redding

Give your holiday events calendar a major glow up this winter in California’s sunniest city. Redding is a revelation: Surrounded by iconic scenery like Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
Choose Redding for Your Holiday Getaway

Picnic at Pumpkin Rock

Halloween Hike to Pumpkin Rock in Norco

“‘This is Halloween, this is Halloween,’ pumpkins scream in the dead of night,” intones a chorus of disembodied voices in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, whose protagonist is Jack Skellington the Pumpkin King. Now that the Pumpkin King has reached iconic status as th
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Phantom of Brand Park

Hiking in Brand Park in Los Angeles California

Culture. Beauty. Paranormal activity. Just your standard expectations when you visit Brand Park in Glendale. The 31-acre spot located at the base of the Verdugo Mountains is not only one of the most unique parks in Los Angeles, it’s also one of the most storied.
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  1. Purely Purisima

    Take a relaxing hike on the lower section of Purisiima Creek Trail in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.

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  2. Muir Woods Night Tour

    Thousands of people flock to Muir Woods every year, yet only a few see it at night, when this beloved park is experienced in a whole new light. The Muir Woods Night Tour happens on the last Friday of every month through October.

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  3. Slide Ranch Marin

    Slide On Over

    Marin's Slide Ranch has a popular neighbor in the Muir Beach Overlook. But don’t overlook Slide! This open-to-the-public nonprofit organization sits on 134 acres of coastline and is filled with animals, Pacific scenery, and an adjacent hiking trail.

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  4. Sponsored

    Take the Exit to the Best of the San Francisco Peninsula

    The San Francisco Peninsula is proof that some of Northern California’s greatest surprises are hiding just off Highway 101. All you have to do is take the exit.

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  1. Been There, Dome That

    Surrounded by granite domes, craggy peaks, and miles of hiking trails, the High Sierra landscape of Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park is famous for good reason. For a truly grand view, take a short hike to bold—and bald (except for snow at times)—Lembert Dome.

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  2. Lookout Ahead!

    A 3.7-mile loop hike to Boucher Hill Fire Lookout in Palomar Mountain State Park reminds us just how stunningly beautiful are the mountains of this remote, lightly visited portion of northern San Diego County.

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  3. Wapama Wows

    Hetch Hetchy can be overlooked in Yosemite National Park because of its more remote location and limited facilities. But this is where you’ll also find one of the best day hikes in the park: Wapama Falls.

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  4. Strawberry Peak Lookout Hike

    Strawberry Sunday

    The 2.5-mile (round-trip) lollipop loop climb to the Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout near the town of Lake Arrowhead dishes up some delicious views.

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