Meteor Shower Showtime!

A single shooting star is a thrill. Imagine nearly one a minute! That’s typical of the annual Perseid meteor shower, which will be at its peak this weekend. We have just the places to go to be awed—dark skies and cool campgrounds within an hour or two of the SoCal metropolis. A waning gibbous moon rises Saturday night around 11:45 p.m., which will wash out some of the shooters. But you’ll see plenty before then, and the brightest ones don’t care about moonlight! Even if you can’t make the big show this weekend, these are wonderful spots for star trekking or walks in the moonlight any time of year.

Week: 08.10.2017
Regions: Southern CA

White Tank Campground for Stargazing

Stargazing and Camping in Joshua Tree National Park

Heaven for star buffs: the best campground in Joshua Tree National Park for night-sky viewing, in a place named an International Dark Sky Park, with a full-on observatory just minutes away! White Tank Campground is at 3,800 feet in the eastern part of the park.
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What a Ride!

Top Bike Rides in Reno Tahoe

The perfect landscape for bike rides—gorgeous desert surrounded by incredible mountains, hidden turquoise lakes, and no cars! Reno Tahoe is an under-the-radar destination for beginner-friendly trails and epic singletrack mountain biking. Ready to kick up some dust? For beginners:
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Malibu Creek State Park

Viewing the Perseid Meteor Shower at Malibu Creek State Park

Yes, Angelenos, you can escape city lights and view the Perseid meteor shower at Malibu Creek State Park Campground—so close to the big city, but it feels like it’s a galaxy away.
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Laguna Campground

Stargaze at Laguna Campground in San Diego County

Star travelers can find dark skies and solitude for stargazing only an hour away from downtown San Diego at Laguna Campground in the Cleveland National Forest. Go on a weeknight to enjoy solitary communion with the stars, or pitch your tent over the weekend to become a part of an
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  2. Afternoon on the Island

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  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.

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  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.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

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  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...

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