Date with the Outdoors!

Go out this summer and do any activity we've ever written about in Weekend Sherpa (seriously, there's 10 years' worth of outdoor activities!) and earn yourself some excellent gifts, including a Weekend Sherpa t-shirt and travel wine glasses from our "partner in wine," Line 39. Here are few ideas to get you going!

Week: 04.26.2017
Regions: Southern CA

Inspiration Point

Hiking to Inspiration Point in Los Angeles

With a name like Inspiration Point, expectations are high … and high you’ll go, as in above the clouds on this beautiful 10-mile (round-trip) hike located 2 miles north of popular Echo Mountain. While the Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain is well paved and snakes its way up the
Read the full story

Castles in the Air

Beachwood Canyon Staircase Hike in the Hollywood Hills

This staircase hike takes you on a journey into classic old Hollywood charm and reveals gorgeous views, but you have to work for it! Your fantasy-world journey begins on Beachwood Drive among iconic storybook houses. An extremely steep and seemingly endless staircase lined with c
Read the full story

Point Dume Bloom!

Wildflower Hike on Point Dume in Malibu

On this 2-mile loop hike in Mailibu's Point Dume Natural Preserve, you can find yourself walking through fields of brilliant yellow specimens—some of them chest high and taller—but also dip down to pristine beaches and tide pools, possibly crowning your visit with a gray-whale sighting.
Read the full story

Wine up for the Weekends!

Line 39 Wine and the Great Outdoors

In California we’re pretty lucky; we’re home to the great outdoors and amazing wines—and Line 39 celebrates both! The 39th parallel runs right through the heart of California wine country and is the inspiration for Line 39. They got their start with Sauvignon Blanc grapes from La
Visit our sponsor Line 39 Wines

Black Star Canyon

Hiking to Black Star Canyon Falls in Orange County

A hike to the roaring Black Star Canyon Falls in the heart of the Santa Ana Mountains is not for the faint of heart nor the weak of ankle. This waterfall in the Santa Ana River is flowing stronger than it has in years! And it’s reachable via a challenging and exciting 7-mile out-
Read the full story

Plateau Ho!

Hiking Santa Rosa Plateau Reserve in Riverside County

In the heart of the Inland Empire is a portal to California’s past, where colossal Englemann oaks spread their gnarled branches, and rare native grasses still flourish on verdant hillsides. A hike through the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve near Murrieta is a visit to Calif
Read the full story

Griffith’s Glow

Griffith Observatory Sunset Hike

Griffith J. Griffith believed that people gained an enlightened perspective on life when looking at the skies. So true! Especially when you gaze upon a glorious LA sunset and moonrise from Griffith Observatory, that generous star buff’s gift to the city he loved.
Read the full story

Garden of the Gods

Hiking the Garden of the Gods in Los Angeles

A 1-mile out-and-back trail in 23-acre Garden of the Gods threads through sandstone boulders that were natural icons of Hollywood’s Golden Age, back when this site was known as the Iverson Movie Ranch.
Read the full story

Urban Ranch Land

Visiting Orcutt Ranch Los Angeles

Though the Woolsey fire came close, Orcutt Ranch in West Hills was not touched, thankfully. The ranch is a 24-acre LA city park filled with vibrant citrus trees and lavish flowers—the perfect backdrop for wandering and pondering. And for Hollywood films. The historic adobe here p
Read the full story

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories

  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

    View

  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

    View

  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

    View
  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories

  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

    View

  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

    View

  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

    View

  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

    View