All Stories from Southern CA

• 

  Kayak the Clam Cave

  Kayaking the seven sea caves in La Jolla Shores is a blast, if you can make it past the “guards”—that is, a bunch of playful sea lions! The helpful guides at Hike Bike Kayak Advent

  View
• 

  Big Time Hike

  This is the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite. We recommend this grand tour hike at 7.5 miles which includes a spectacular overlook.

  View
• 

  Your Private Cabin Is Calling

  A private cabin in Yosemite tucked among sugar pines? Yes please! The brand-new Explorer Cabins at Tenaya Lodge make your next Yosemite getaway even more relaxing. Each standalone

  View
• 

  Easiest Best Hike in the World

  Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

  View
• 

  Rob A Peak!

  Great panoramas don’t all require epic hikes. A 3.5-mile (round-trip) trek up to 1,152-foot Robber's Peak in Santiago Oaks Regional Park gets you gorgeous vistas of Orange County,

  View
• 

  Peters Canyon East Ridge Loop

  For an inspiring example of a land’s resilience after wildfire, hike the trails Peters Canyon Regional Park in central Orange County.

  View
• 

  Seven Bridges Paddleboard Tour

  SoCal has plenty of surprises in its abundance of mountain trails, but there are some other pathways to explore, like those on the Pacific Ocean! For a bounty of aquatic adventure,

  View
• 

  Solstice Treasure

  Solstice Canyon is itself a hidden treasure, but the Sostomo and Deer Valley Loop Trail is a treasure within the treasure.

  View
• 

  Big Sycamore, Big Views

  The coolest part of the Big Sycamore Canyon Loop Trail in Point Mugu State Park? Every stretch offers something new, from rocky bluffs to grassy valleys, coastal views to majestic

  View
• 

  El Moro of the Story

  El Moro Canyon Loop Trail in Crystal Cove State Park offers a leg workout, canyon views, ocean views—and, ta-da!—beach access. The challenging 5-mile (round-trip) loop trail passes

  View
• 

  Tahoe Trio of Lakes

  Three alpine lakes, superb views, and shoreline camping for soaking it all in … Loch Leven Lakes is pure Tahoe wilderness. This 7.2-mile out-and-back in Tahoe National Forest is great for a long day hike, or a weekend of adventure camping among this trio of crystal waters.

  View
• 

  A Frame for the Sky

  It’s just a 1.5-mile (round-trip) hike on an out-and-back trail to reach Vanalden Cave in the Santa Monica Mountains, an impressively large sandstone chamber.

  View
• 

  Dripping History

  This 5-mile (round-trip) hike in Orange County's Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park leads to Dripping Cave in Laguna Nigel.

  View
• 

  Holy Batcave!

  Explore Hollywood history in the western end of Griffith Park on a hike to Bronson Caves. On your way, stop at a rock labyrinth for a little contemplation.

  View
• 

  Give It the Islip

  With a name that could suggest slipping and falling off a cliff, Mount Islip (pronounced “eye-slip”) may sound like a peak to stay away from. But the hike to the 8,251-foot summit

  View
• 

  Kicking Butler

  When you reach the fire lookout tower that crowns 8,535-foot Butler Peak, you reach a 360-degree panoramic view that captures the grandeur of SoCal’s most epic mountain ranges—the

  View
• 

  Cowabunga, Cucamonga!

  You’ll get your heart pounding and your muscles burning with the challenging adventure that is Cucamonga Peak. The summit is one of the tallest peaks in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the 12.1-mile trek pulls no punches.

  View
• 

  Laguna Campground

  Star travelers can find dark skies and solitude for stargazing only an hour away from downtown San Diego at Laguna Campground in the Cleveland National Forest. Go on a weeknight to

  View
• 

  White Tank Campground

  Heaven for star buffs: the best campground in Joshua Tree National Park for night-sky viewing, in a place named an International Dark Sky Park, with a full-on observatory just minutes away! White Tank Campground is at 3,800 feet in the eastern part of the park.

  View
• 

  Grin and Big Bear It!

  Summer in Big Bear means only one thing: Get out on the lake! The best way, of course, is to rent a canoe, so you can paddle, sightsee, and rekindle summer camp memories all at the

  View