Easy Summer Outings

Getting outdoors doesn't have to be epic or challenging. Sometimes the easiest adventures are the most fun! From hitting the beach to hitting the trails, here are a few ways to take it easy this summer.

Week: 08.23.2018
Regions: Southern CA

Rancho PV Seaside Spree

Hiking Ocean Trails Reserve in Rancho Palos Verdes

Here’s a hike where the payoff comes with every step you take, not just in a hero view from a summit perch. The oceanside trails of Rancho Palos Verdes keep the dramatic Pacific in sight—and its breezes on your skin—all along the 5 miles of clearly marked paths of the Ocean Trail
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Griffith’s Glow

Griffith Observatory Sunset Hike

Griffith J. Griffith believed that people gained an enlightened perspective on life when looking at the skies. So true! Especially when you gaze upon a glorious LA sunset and moonrise from Griffith Observatory, that generous star buff’s gift to the city he loved.
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Five Ways to Elevate Your Summer in North Lake Tahoe

North Lake Tahoe's 5 Best Summer Adventures

1) Best Day Hikes in the State North Lake Tahoe has some of California’s best day hikes. The Five Lakes Trail rises to 7,400 feet in the Granite Chief Wilderness and connects to a series of lakes. Or opt for Shirley Canyon Falls, hiking alongside waterfalls and granite boulders w
North Lake Tahoe

No Rapids in This Whitewater

Cooling Off at Whitewater Preserve

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 stretch of land just northwest of Palm Springs. The former trout hatchery was recently renovated into a tr
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Around the World in San Diego

Visiting San Diego Botanic Garden

Ah, what wonders grow when the weather is perpetually delightful! Such is the case in San Diego, where the San Diego Botanic Garden is able to grow a ridiculous 4,000-plus species of plants in 37 acres across 30 different microclimate gardens representing pretty much the whole da
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Ride Open Spaces

Mountain Biking the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve

This five-mile fat-tire cruise in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is what mountain bikers call a middle-chainring ride—no extremes, nothing technical, but rather a gentle climb into the Simi Hills and a gentle descent on the return through an oak-studded landsca
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  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.

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  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.

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  3. 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. 

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  4. Go, Tell It on the Mountain

    Want to be king of the mountain? Head to King Mountain, the 108-acre open space preserve just above Larkspur in Marin. Despite its lofty name, hiking King Mountain proves that simp

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  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.

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  2. Sponsored

    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?...

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

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