All Stories from "Southern CA"

All Stories from Southern CA

Island Traverse
As the largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz also has bragging rights to two mountain ranges. For a grand (and grandly scenic) tour, lace up the boots and go on a 15-mile (one-way) backpacking trek that traverses the eastern side of the island.
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Potato Chip Topper
If you associate potato chips with unwanted calories, get ready for a re-education. You’ll burn a lot of energy on the hike to Potato Chip Rock—a one-of-a-kind boulder jutting out
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Rad SUP in Malibu
Stand-up paddleboarding and Malibu go together like sun and surf, like sugary sand and beach blankets, like Gidget and Moondoggie, like … well, you get the idea. Whether you’re new
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Glam Paddling in Long Beach
Sea kayaking doesn’t get any more glamorous than paddling the storybook canals around Long Beach’s Naples Island! You thread your way through calm waterways surrounded by luxury ho
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LA Whitewater!
As soon as you experience the thrilling whoosh of navigating Class II rapids in a whitewater kayak on the Los Angeles River, you know it for sure—LA truly has it all! Just minutes
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High in the Angeles
Yes, Angeleno—you can camp in beauty and solitude without having to leave LA County! Buckhorn Campground, high in the Angeles National Forest just 36 miles up the Angeles Crest Hig
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Pretty View Campground
Chula vista means “pretty view,” and whoever named Chula Vista Campground in the Los Padres National Forest was right on the mark. The views extend all around and even upward to th
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Holcomb We Haven't Camped Here?
Holcomb Valley is just a few miles north of Big Bear Lake, but this broad expanse of meadows and ponderosa pines feels far removed from all the lakeside hubbub. It’s the perfect pe
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Kayak to a Remote Beach Camp
Lava Wall. The name alone shouts adventure—and the place loudly delivers. This towering volcanic cliff is the backdrop to a remote beach campground on Catalina Island that you can only reach by boat.
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Hiking Goat Whiskers Trail
You won't sight a single goat on the 7-mile Goat Whiskers Trail loop west of Two Harbors on Catalina. You will see abundant native flora and fauna, though, on this coast-to-mountai
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Cat's Eye View
The most sublime wraparound vista on Catalina Island is from Cat Harbor Overlook, perched 950 feet above Two Harbors. Reaching trail's end is like stepping out onto a visionary hig
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Seaside Cycle and Sip
Enjoy an easy Santa Barbara bike ride and all the trimmings—which include gorgeous beach scenery and samples of local vintages. Hop on the Cabrillo Bike Path at Stearns Wharf for a
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Hugging the Coast in San Clemente
San Clemente is always a treat, but never more so than on this 4.6-mile (round-trip) stroll on the town’s lovely Beach Trail, with a stairway to beautiful coastal views.
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Serene Scene
Peace, reflection, and rejuvenation are gifts that any mother will love, and all are in abundance at the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in Encinitas, where serene gardens overl
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Tunnel Vision
Don’t expect logic from oddball desert hermits! At Burro Schmidt Tunnel, that’s to our great benefit. It took 32 years for William “Burro” Schmidt to dig through a mountain in a re
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Red, White, and Hoodoos
“Don’t stay on the trail” sounds like an odd suggestion, but it’s the best way to explore the crimson sandstone cliffs and hoodoos that crosscut Red Rock Canyon State Park in the n
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The Tortoise In Its Lair
The Mojave Desert’s most extraordinary creatures are rarely seen, but at the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area, you’ll have your best chance. Tortoises live in higher density i
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Take the Plunge!
Who knew that sleepy Ramona is home to an 80-foot waterfall complete with a deep, frigid pool in the midst of a lush oasis? Reach Cedar Creek Falls in Cleveland National Forest by
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Bite-Size Torrey Pines
Sometimes bite-size hikes deliver gourmet-size rewards! These coastal trails in Torrey Pines deliver astounding scenery in a park that is home to the rarest pine species in the cou
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At Play in Kate’s Place
Come for the trails, stay for the view! Kate O. Sessions Memorial Park is a dog-friendly urban park with 79 acres of open space where you can hike, picnic, toss a Frisbee, fire up
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