All in Southern CA

  1. Woman standing and taking a phone photo of the view at Briar Summit Preserve in Los Angeles

    Secret Vistas

    2021 has a few secrets up its sleeve, including three hikes with overlooks and vistas that are less traveled. Just you and a new point of view! Here’s to a year of new perspectives.

    VIEW
  2. Woman standing in Joshua Tree National Park overlooking Palm Springs

    Top 10 of 2020

    In a year that was a rollercoaster of challenges, one thing felt a little more stabilizing: the great outdoors! We found respite and were able to re-energize in local parks and trails. Closing out 2020, we're sharing the top 10 best outdoor adventures of the year in Southern California. Onward to 2021!

    VIEW
  3. Woman walking trail overlooking the Pacific Ocean at Hawk Hill in Marin County

    Team Favorites

    Thank you to our 2020 team for bringing the great outdoors home in a most challenging year. Meet our contributing content producers and get ideas from their personal favorite California adventures.

    VIEW
  4. Sponsored
    2024-11-13

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

    View
  5. A couple walking the Levee Trail and looking at the painted Rock Snake at Lake Elsinore

    Hikes of Hope and Optimism to End 2020

    End 2020 on a more optimistic note. Hike among painted Rock Snakes with inspiring messages placed on trails, or search for hidden painted rocks filled with messages of gratitude.

    VIEW
  6. Woman Hiking at Trebek Open Space in Los Angeles County

    LA Hikes Honoring Local Legends

    Take a hike in memory of a few local legends we lost this year—from a Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural walk to hiking Trebek Open Space and exploring a trail near one of Eddie Van Halen’s haunts.

    VIEW
  7. Sunset Hike in Ascot Hills in Los Angeles

    Sunset Hikes for the Holidays

    Shorter days may leave you feeling in the dark, but there’s a bright side: sunsets! They're beautiful this time of year. From Los Angeles to San Diego, soak in the sun on any of these three hikes.

    VIEW
  8. Man hiking in redwoods at Carbon Canyon Regional Park in Orange County

    Thankful for the Great Outdoors

    Wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving. This year we're more thankful than ever for the great outdoors. Explore some local wonders outside this weekend. Here are a few ideas to get you going.

    VIEW
  9. Meaderies in Southern California

    You've Got It Mead!

    Beer and wine are common holiday staples, but we’ve got some sweet secrets that are worthy of some buzz: three hikes close to some of SoCal’s top meaderies (aka “honey wine”). Beeline for them.

    VIEW
  10. Urban Art and Food Hike in Los Angeles

    Feast on These Urban Hikes

    These three urban hikes with food bonuses take you to hidden parks, historic fig trees, big views, mural art and magnificent landmarks. Gobble them up!

    VIEW
  11. Redwoods Hikes in SoCal

    SoCal's Secret Redwoods

    Redwood groves in SoCal? Yes! And they’re the perfect respites if you need some space to clear your head or just look up and revel in awe. Here are three places to wander among the local redwoods.

    VIEW
  12. LA Arboretum

    Halloween Hikes!

    It's a boo-tiful time of year! Head out on any of these hikes in gardens and forests and hidden trails infused with the Halloween spirit, including tricks and treats and ... who ghosts there?!

    VIEW
  13. Urban Hike from Cesar Chavez Park to Petco Park in San Diego

    Home Run Hikes

    In the spirit of the World Series, these three hikes are a grand slam for getting outdoors, gaining great views, checking out some baseball landmarks, and enjoying food, wine, and beer, too. Home run!

    VIEW
  14. Sonoma County Great Outdoors Boon Hotel and Spa

    Uncork These Adventures!

    Discover Sonoma County's coastal hikes, hidden beaches, secret redwoods, tent-cabin stays, and vineyard bike rides. Come for the wine, stay for the outdoors!

    VIEW
  15. Sponsored
    2024-11-13

    Yes, Seattle!

    Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...

    View
  16. Leo Carrillo State Park Hike and Beach

    Malibu Hike-in Beaches

    A beach or a hike? How about a beach hike? Malibu's got both, and then some! Here are three coastal where you get million-dollar Pacific views and quality beach time too.

    VIEW
  17. Los Encinos State Historic Park

    Simple Waterside Escapes

    Enjoy a riverside stroll, dining outdoors in a state historic park, and paddling an oasis in one of LA's most lovely recreation areas.

    VIEW
  18. Hike to Bronson Caves and a Labyrinth in Griffith Park LA

    Hikes & Garden Walks with Hidden Labyrinths

    Meditative, contemplative, and sometimes just simply fun, these hikes and garden walks with hidden labyrinths allow for a little levity and contemplation in nature.

    VIEW
  19. Hike Joshua Tree National Park

    Hikes for a Fresh Perspective

    Hazy days make one thing very clear: a renewed appreciation for blue skies! From the desert to the coast, here are three view-tiful hikes for gaining a fresh perspective when the air improves.

    VIEW
  20. Colorado Bridge in Pasadena

    Hike to These Iconic Bridges

    Hike to some classic bridges, with great scenery and secret gardens, too. Here are three beautiful and historic bridges in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Pasadena.

    VIEW
  21. Emma Wood State Beach and Ventura Estuary

    Keep Cool Outdoors This Weekend

    Keep things cool on a hot summer day with beaches, beautiful murals, a SUP excursion, and the namesake lake with a banner view of the Hollywood Sign.

    VIEW
  22. Sierra Nevada Lake Camping California

    Four Goodness Lakes!

    Enjoy the Sierra Nevada's most refreshing assets: lakes! Here are four lake camping destinations in the Sierra Nevada where you can escape for some lounging, paddling, and hiking.

    VIEW

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

    View

  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View

  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

    View

  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

    View

  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    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.

    View

  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View