All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA

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  Not Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden

  Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below.

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  Bluffing Good Time

  Accessible right from town, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is pretty much mandatory. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.

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  Beach to Town by Hidden Stairway

  A hidden stairway makes this adventure as easy and fun as a walk on the beach. Thank Beth’s Stairs, a hidden wooden staircase connecting Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park to the charming town of Mendocino.

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  Wine Down, Dine Out in Paso

  The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  Path of History Walk (+ Food Bonuses)

  Monterey’s 2-mile yellow tiled, multilingual Path of History is a do-it-yourself stroll among some of the area’s most interesting, beautiful, and culturally significant sites, including through the Old Town, past Mexican-era adobes, and to the beautiful Royal Presidio Chapel.

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  Hike Elkhorn Slough Reserve

  Elkhorn Slough Reserve is one of California’s few remaining coastal wetlands. Go on a hike and marvel at one of the state's largest coastal salt marshes, a valued habitat for birds, plant life, sea otters, and marine mammals.

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  Dune It Right

  Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Monterey's Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. And it often glows golden toward sunset.

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  Deeper Meanings

  The Monterey Bay Aquarium brings wonder, inspiration, and education to visitors, including its excellent "Behind the Scenes" tour and outstanding new bilingual exhibit, Into the Deep/En lo Profundo.

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  Ponto Perfection

  It's no secret that San Diego County is a treasure trove of sandy shores, so when you find a hidden, less-visited stretch of sand, it feels special. And the first time you visit South Ponto Beach in Carlsbad, you feel like you’ve struck gold.

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  Sponsored

  The Unexpected Wonders of Monterey

  One of the world’s best teachers? Mother Nature. And one of the best destinations to learn from her? The Monterey Bay Aquarium. Spend a few hours at the Aquarium, then take your pick of self-guided walks...

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  Bucks Up!

  Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

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  Sponsored

  Taste of Monterey (the Sustainable Way!)

  Food for thought: Get a taste of Monterey this fall! And do it the sustainable way, with the Monterey Bay Aquarium as your basecamp.

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  Sponsored

  Medford's Made for Summer

  Located in the heart of Southern Oregon’s sublime Rogue Valley, Medford is a road-trip basecamp made for summer getaways!

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  Ballona Beach Hopper

  This easygoing bike escape is proof that you don't have to drive for hours to feel the vast benefits of nature. The Ballona Creek Bike Path is part of the “Park to Playa Regional Trail,” a 13-mile network connecting parks and open spaces from Baldwin Hills to the Pacific Ocean.

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  Sponsored

  Forest Bathing By Land & Sea

  Spend time in nature at and around the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Surround yourself with the tranquility of the Aquarium’s swaying Kelp Forest exhibit; then soak in more serenity hiking in a magical redwood forest in Carmel Valley or Big Sur.

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  Sponsored

  Water You Doing This Summer?

  It’s a best-kept secret in the northern Sierra and we’re gushing about it. Fun and friendly Plumas County has only three traffic stops, more wildlife than people, and over 1,000 lakes, rivers, and creeks!

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  Sponsored

  We Dream of Ashland

  Dreaming of your next amazing getaway? Dream like a local—an Ashland, Oregon local! This beautiful mountain town is a vacation dream come true, with outdoor adventures right in town and all around.

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  Sponsored

  Tram Ticket to Hiker's Paradise

  Ready to elevate your next outdoor adventure? The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway is your ticket to Mount Jacinto State Park and over 50 miles of scenic hiking trails.

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  Sponsored

  Grants Your Wish

  Enchanted Forest, Cathedral Hills, the Lavender Trail, Supernatural Chocolates … sounds like storybook material, but it comes to life in Southern Oregon’s beautiful Grants Pass.

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  Sponsored

  Sea It All This Spring!

  Go deeper on your next adventure! Monterey Bay Aquarium allows you to go Into the Deep. Be mesmerized by the flashy, iridescent, and adorable creatures in the ever-evolving, fully bilingual exhibit

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