Winter Sands

Some winter wonderlands are filled with sand. Here are three great ways to celebrate winter with secluded beaches, lively tide pools, and sunset bonuses.

Week: 01.19.2016
Regions: Southern CA

Green Space to Sea Space

Ocean Panoramas from Heisler Park

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Green space meets sea space at Heisler Park in Laguna Beach. Spanning 32 acres, the park meanders with pathways and greenery fanned with palms and a statue of a humpback whale. It's also one of the best vantages of ocean panoramas. Take it a step further on the southernmost stair
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48 Hours on the Central Coast

Winter Getaway 2016 to San Luis Obispo County

People say that California has it all. Perhaps there'’s no truer representation of that than San Luis Obispo County. From the dramatic coastline to the green hills, seaside villages, and two world- class wine regions, San Luis Obispo County is all that'’s good about California! W
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Snap, Crackle, Crystal Cove

Tidepool at Crystal Cove

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Legendary California author John Steinbeck once noted "it is advisable to look from the tide pool to the stars and then back to the tide pool again." And there might be no place better to take this advice than at Crystal Cove State Park beach, where seemingly endless sand meets p
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Calm in Carlsbad

Secluded Beach in Carlsbad

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San Diego is famous for having some of the world's most beautiful beaches. So, how do you find a less populous shoreline to explore? At the intersection of Carlsbad Boulevard and Cerezo Drive in the north county coastal town of Carlsbad exists a rare stretch of sandy solace veile
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

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  2. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

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  3. Sugarloaf Ridge State Park waterfall hike in Sonoma Valley

    Sweet as Sugarloaf

    Right in the heart of wine country there’s plenty more than wine flowing right now, with an oft unheralded waterfall that surges to an exuberant spectacle from all the recent rain.

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  4. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Rise and Shine Zabriskie Hike

    The sunrise at Zabriskie Point makes a grand entrance, with the light ascending slowly and washing over the golden badlands. It’s signature Death Valley. It’s also a great starting point for one of the Valley’s marquee hikes.

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  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

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  3. Woman on Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Death Valley National Park

    Starry Night & Dark Sky Adventures

    You don’t have to stay out all that late to experience eminent stargazing at Death Valley National Park. The park's been given the highest ranking of darkness by the International Dark-Sky Association. Here are a trio of amazing ways to witness the mesmerizing night sky at Death Valley:

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  4. Woman at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tree Grove in LA

    LA's Memorial to MLK

    The 400-acre Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is home to trails, lawns, picnic areas, and—at the park’s highest point, overlooking LA’s skyline—the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Tree Grove.

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