All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA
![]()
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.
View
SponsoredForest 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.
View
SponsoredWater 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!
View
SponsoredWe 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.
View
SponsoredTram 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.
View
SponsoredGrants 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.
View
SponsoredSea 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
View![]()
Flavors of Fillmore
Fill up on Fillmore! This picturesque city in the Santa Clara River Valley is an ideal day trip for finding good nature and delicious locally grown food. Explore it all via a 5-mile out-and-back walk or bike ride.
View![]()
Mulholland's Most Majestic
Take a leisurely drive along Mulholland Drive to discover beautiful urban scenery and unexpected wild beauty, right in the middle of the city.
View
SponsoredSpring for a New Adventure
North Lake Tahoe is having a spring for the ages, with historic snow levels. This season has always been special: There are great mid-week deals, and this year the snow is going to stick around for a while—skiing until July! Make a week of it!
View![]()
Montebello Mission
Adorable animal feeding, peaceful bird watching, and delicious beer drinking? Hello, Montebello! This northeastern city has fantastic views of the hulking San Gabriels and a variety of green spaces, not to mention great spots for beer(s)!
View![]()
Oh So Whittier
Best way to explore a city? The greenway! Check out the charming town of Whittier, along with its picturesque college, by walking (or biking) its scenic 4.8-mile Greenway Trail. Bonus: Perfect post-walk brews included at Whittier Brewing Co.
View![]()
Huntington Bell Hops
In the metropolis of the northeastern cities of LA, the neighboring sprawls of Huntington Park and Bell have less-visited hidden green spaces and some cool breweries worthy of a city hop!
View
SponsoredTop Dog Destination
Redding is a pawsitively ideal destination for you and your four-legged pal. Surrounded by Shasta and Lassen and mountainous Whiskeytown, with year-round sunny days and the gleaming Sacramento River running right through it, Redding is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream.
View
SponsoredBest in Snow
There’s snow better destination for outdoor fun and events. Plumas County is a northern Sierra Nevada dreamland, with vast outdoor spaces, places, and races! Snowshoe Lassen Volcanic National Park, downhill ski at charming Coppervale Resort, and have a blast at the quirky Longboard Races.
View![Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens]()
Good Will Huntington
Trying to get your fill of art and culture can be tricky. Do you visit the science center, an art museum, or some botanical gardens? Visit all three at Huntington Library, a sprawling Pasadena-area estate that includes 120 acres of botanical beauty ranging from jungle to desert to Japanese and Chinese gardens with bridges, patios, and waterfalls. Bonus: Twilight Garden Strolls in summer!
View![Los Angeles Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park]()
Pierce Scribes
A writer’s words can last forever, but where do the writers themselves go to be immortalized? LA’s Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park is the final resting spot for many great authors (and movie stars). A stroll around the hidden 2.5-acre park lets you pay your respects to lit greats.
View
SponsoredThe Holiday Spirit of San Ramon
From a holiday ice rink and mistletoe hikes to outdoor fire pits for cozy winter nights, here’s your San Ramon holiday getaway guide
View
SponsoredBest of Shasta
When you book just a two-night stay in Redding, you’ll get complimentary tickets to Lake Shasta Caverns National Natural Landmark
ViewGetty Inspired
One of Los Angeles’s most famous landmarks is home to a floating garden that’s ahhh-mazeing. Head to the Getty Center's Inspiration Point and lush gardens.
View
Extra-Celestial Central Oregon
Some trips promise you the moon and the stars. And this one delivers in a big way, plus throws in some extra planets for your viewing pleasure. From Bend, Sunriver, and Sisters to Antelope Basecamp in the remote high desert.
Visit Central Oregon
Your Inbox to the Outdoors
Stay up to date with our weekly recommendations on where to explore locally in California.

























