All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA

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  Mission Possible

  The Old Mission is a popular visitor spot in Santa Barbara, but many visitors are unaware of what lies beyond this stately historic landmark, on the east side. The 10-acre Mission

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  Jetty for La Jenelle

  The La Jenelle was a 467-foot luxury cruise liner before retiring to Port Hueneme Harbor with plans to become a floating restaurant. Then a severe storm ripped her from her mooring

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  Suiho-en

  Never has an area downwind from a water treatment facility been so worth a visit for its utopian beauty. The Japanese Garden hidden within the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is ca

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  Best Dam Ever

  The backdrop for many films, it was at the Sepulveda Dam just south of Burbank Boulevard that an eye-patched Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken in the 1981 cult classic Escape from

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  Bowtie Occasion

  There's no blacktie required for attending your next art instalation opening: this is purely a Bowtie affair! The Bowtie Project is an 18-acre park in Glendale filled with art inst

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  Splendor in the Marsh

  Many years ago if Marsh Park had been on Tinder, it might have gotten a pretty swift left swipe. But not today! This little gem along the LA River underwent a massive makeover a fe

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  Cupid Classic

  Elysian Park holds the title of oldest in LA and is home to Dodger Stadium. And Wildflower Trail is one of the best hikes in the area (bonus: it’s dog-friendly, for those whose Val

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  Stroll and Sip

  Picking a beach on the Central Coast is like deciding which flavor to go with at a homemade ice cream shop: There are so many good choices! You really can't go wrong, but if you're

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  Stroll and Sip

  Picking a beach on the Central Coast is like deciding which flavor to go with at a homemade ice cream shop: There are so many good choices! You really can't go wrong, but if you're

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  Calm in Carlsbad

  San Diego is famous for having some of the world's most beautiful beaches. So, how do you find a less populous shoreline to explore? At the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and C

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  Snap, Crackle, Crystal Cove

  Legendary California author John Steinbeck once noted "it is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again." And there might be no place be

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  Green Space to Sea Space

  Green space meets sea space at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach. Spanning 32 acres, the park meanders with pathways and greenery fanned with palms and a statue of a humpback whale. It'

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  Canals Less Traveled

  If the only holiday bling you think you'll see in Venice is the shiny muscles of bodybuilders on the boardwalk, you're only partly right! Tucked away from this hustle, bustle, and

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  Hidden Hermosa

  One of the best views of the downtown skyline is in the Historic Filipinotown of Echo Park. The 11-acre Vista Hermosa Park is just a mile from the heart of downtown, yet feels an oasis world away.

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  The Pinot Express

  Some wine flights are just more exciting than others. Add some ho-ho-holy smokes to your next sip and swirl with one of wine country's biggest thrills: zip-lining high above the vi

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  From Gold Rush to Wine Crush

  There's a new rush happening in the beautiful foothills of Amador County, and it's not for gold. Wine is the current cash crop—with deep historic roots in this part of California.

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  Fantastical Fig Trees

  In a land of redwoods and sequoias, it's a bit unexpected that a residential street tucked in one of LA's toniest Westside neighborhoods is home to some of the most impressive-look

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  Bottle Drive!

  The High Desert northeast of the San Gabriel Mountains may not have the same grandeur as desert regions like Joshua Tree and Death Valley, but with a little digging, its own quirky

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  L.A. Confidential

  For Angelenos on a quest for fall foliage this November, the best advice might sound borrowed from the vernacular of an Eastern spirituality guru: Look inward, not outward. In this

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  Hot Springs Delight

  What to do when the temperature drops? Heat things up! Sierra Hot Springs in Sierraville is just the place. Open 24 hours, the property sits on the edge of a golden meadow and 700

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