Just Add Water!

Who needs a pool to lounge by this summer when you have mother nature! Hike, bike, and just relax by these lakes, rivers, and coastal settings. Verified fresh!

Week: 06.28.2018
Regions: Northern CA

America's Best Urban Hike

Hike San Francisco's Grand Walk, Sutro Baths to Crissy Field

Woman walking down the stairs overlooking the ocean on the Coastal Trail in San Francisco
Many years ago we dubbed it the “Grand Walk” and said it was one of the most scenic and stunning trails in the West. We were wrong. This is the most scenic urban hike in America!
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Hunt for the Hot Springs!

Find Hunt Hot Springs in the Shasta Valley

Wanna find hidden hot springs? Hunt for them! Tucked alongside a creek in the Madhesi Valley an hour from Burney Falls and 5 miles from the nearest town of Big Bend (population 102), Hunt Hot Springs and Kosk Creek combine for a hidden series of natural hot springs. Soaking in th
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Tramtastic Hiking!

Palm Springs Aerial Tramway Hiking Adventures

Take your hiking to new heights! The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is the world’s largest rotating tramcar. In 10 minutes you’ll be whisked over the incredible cliffs of Chino Canyon to an elevation of 8,516 feet. This is the heart of Mount San Jacinto State Park’s alpine wildernes
Visit our sponsor Palm Springs Aerial Tramway

Stairways to Santa Cruz

Explore Santa Cruz by taking its mural and mosaic stairways

Golden beaches, beautiful Pacific views, and famous surf … don’t just take the famous boardwalk to see Santa Cruz: Take the stairs! This 2.6-mile urban hike features four cool stairways through Santa Cruz’s lively downtown and beautiful neighborhoods—rich with history.
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Lake Loop

Biking around Spring Lake in Santa Rosa

Bike Ride Spring Lake Santa Rosa
The template for a perfect multipurpose park? Hundreds of acres of open space, wending hiking and biking trails, glistening lakes, and picnic spots galore. Spring Lake and Howarth Park in Santa Rosa certainly fit this bill. The two parks border each other and make up more than 50
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Pirate of the Coast

Kayak the dramatic caves in Mendocino

Mendocino’s wild and scenic Pacific waters are filled with dramatic coves and caves best explored by kayak. Push your paddling boundaries with the experienced guides of Kayak Mendocino. Their amazing Sea Cave Nature Tour explores sea caves that cut through the sheer cliffs making
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All the Ride Stuff

Biking the easygoing American River Parkway

Car-free, paved, picnic-friendly, and paralleling the river, the American River Parkway–Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail is the perfect place for exploring on two wheels. The multi-use trail stretches 32 miles from Sacramento to Folsom, hugging the river most of the way and offering
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Perles Beach Angel Island San Francisco Bay

    Secret Beach

    A hidden beach and a killer view? Those are hard to come by, but that’s exactly what you’ll get at Perles Beach on Angel Island. Bike or hike to this beautiful pocket cove.

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  2. Cinematic Sonoma

    Longer days. Golden light. Wildflowers in bloom. It’s the perfect moment to plan your spring escape to Sonoma for the Sonoma International Film Festival, March 25–29. No fuss. No sprawl. Just films, friends, fresh air, and that unmistakable Sonoma glow.

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  3. Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve

    Mellow in the Marsh

    Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.

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  4. A man is looking through his binoculars at sunrise at the Bayland Nature Preserve in Palo Alto

    Baylands Bird & Art Loop

    Combine an outdoor art walk and wildlife sightings at the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto. This 5-mile loop through Byxbee Park and the Emily Renzel Wetlands features striking installations by artists Peter Richards and Michael Oppenheimer—where the landscape itself becomes part of the canvas.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Tree Town

    Home to an estimated 21,000 trees and 100 acres of parkland, South Pasadena has earned its nickname: the City of Trees. This 2.5-mile neighborhood walk lets you experience its leafy canopy up close, winding through charming streets and three of the city’s beloved parks.

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  2. A Better Way to Baldwin

    The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook in Culver City is one of West L.A.’s most popular hiking spots, but most visitors miss the bigger picture. This 3.5-mile out-and-back along a section of the Park to Playa Trail offers a fuller experience of this gorgeous nature park with sweeping urban views and a few artistic surprises along the way.

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  3. Sponsored

    Warm Up to Winter in Reno Tahoe

    2026 is just getting started, but there’s one place already rising to the top as the best for adventure and relaxation: Reno Tahoe. The awe—and ahhhs—begin as soon as you arrive. G

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  4. A woman standing at the pond's edge at Ernest B Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles. Trees are making reflections on the pond.

    Urban Oasis Loop

    Home to the city’s Audubon Center, Ernest E. Debs' 282-acre park features a robust network of hiking trails and surprising wildlife diversity. More than 140 bird species have been spotted here. Birdwatcher or not, this 2.5-mile route makes for a gorgeous outing.

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