All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA

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  The Champion, My Friends!

  If visiting one of the tallest Christmas trees in the world doesn’t put you in the holiday spirit, nothing will! We’re actually talking about Big Bear’s Champion Lodgepole Pine—a w

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  Arboretum Season

  All is not always calm this time of year, but peace reigns at Fullerton Arboretum, a quiet 26-acre oasis in the middle of urban Orange County. It’s on the campus of Cal State Fulle

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  Sipping Through the Valley

  Anderson Valley is best known for its pinots, but you'll find almost every kind of wine here ... so take your time. It's hard to go wrong in these parts, but here are a few winerie

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  Where to Sheep

  Located in the hills of Anderson Valley, with Adirondacks and hammocks perched perfectly for relaxation, and plenty of room to roam, Sheep Dung Properties is no ordinary name—becau

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  From Redwoods to Sea Stacks

  In the heart of Anderson Valley, Hendy Woods State Park is rarely crowded, especially in winter, and has a star attraction: ancient redwoods. There’s an easy 2-mile (round-trip) hi

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  U-pick and Hike

  Some of the most delicious anywhere grow on trees high up in the San Bernardino Mountains in the town of Oak Glen, where Los Rios Rancho, So Cal’s largest historic apple ranch, grows 32 varieties, all completely organic, and available as u-picks.

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  It's All About Pumpkins!

  Underwood Family Farms is in Moorpark, and its pick-your-own crops are alway fresh and delicious! But that’s just the start of the fun during Underwood’s Annual Fall Harvest Festival. This upcoming weekend is All About Pumpkins.

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  Pumpkin Empire

  The best part of fall? Pumpkins, of course! One of the largest pumpkin patches in the state is right here in SoCal, situated on more than 20 acres of farmland in Pomona. The rare p

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  Idyllic Lake Fulmor

  High up in the hills near Idyllwild, quaint and charming Lake Fulmor—not too big, not too small—is just right for relaxing in the cool, quiet shade. It’s not a place to go to be su

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  DTLA's Colorful Corazón

  Olvera Street is always filled with pageantry, and the historic district of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument, the birthplace of Los Angeles, is worth strolling anytime to sample traditional Mexican culture and foods and to better appreciate the city’s heritage.

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  Pools of Gold

  Montaña de Oro: The name means mountain of gold, but the real treasures here lie underwater. Luckily you don’t have to venture into the ocean to see all the cool creatures. Plenty

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  Abalone Sandwich

  The difference between tide pools and an aquarium? Adventure! You have to work a bit for the tide pools at Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes, but they’re well worth the effort. T

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  Laguna Low Down

  Looking for the best tide pools in Orange County? Grab your water shoes and a tide chart, and head to Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach! The mix of shallow and deep pools provides a per

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  Dune It on the Beach!

  Here’s where camping on the beach means … camping on the beach! Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is famous for its broad, flat beach, rolling sand dunes that seem to st

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  Down Doheny Way

  For the best beach camping in SoCal, come down Doheny way, where everybody’s gone surfin’, surfin’ USA! Doheny State Beach, that is, situated on 62 acres of coastline in Dana Point

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  Jenks for the Memories

  Name your passion! Whether it’s kayaking, fishing, hiking, barbecuing, or relaxing in a hammock beneath tall ponderosa pines—Jenks Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains is the place for a perfect lakeside summer day.

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  No Rapids in This Whitewater

  Here’s a little desert hideaway that’s a surprisingly cool escape, even when the weather’s hot! Whitewater Preserve in Sand to Snow National Monument is an oasis in a rugged stretc

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  Fancy Camp

  Wanna go rugged on the coast, minus the whole pitching your own tent and sleeping on the ground bit? Mendocino Grove is spot-on for upgrading your roughing-it experience, with beautifully appointed tent-cabins set across the bluffs overlooking Mendocino Bay.

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  Dreamy Winery

  For relaxation, valley views, and some delightful wines, Hill Top Winery in Valley Center is a dreamy setting—literally, because it represents a family’s dream of turning a 30-acre

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  Accomplished Mission

  Coastal breezes blow and church bells toll as you approach Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, a peaceful and serene national historic landmark and crucial piece of early

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