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.
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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. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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  2. Waterfalls and Wine Pours

    Cooler temps, green hills, and the return of our magnificent waterfalls! This family-friendly 2-mile hike at Uvas Canyon County Park in Morgan Hill is a great way to get the most out of a short hike post-rain.

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  3. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

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  4. Mile-Long Cataract Club

    In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

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  2. Weekend Sherpa Podcast: Take It Outside

    Adventure for your earbuds. What's new in the world of the outdoors? Listen to Weekend Sherpa co-founders discuss local hikes, beaches, bike rides, camping spots and all kinds of travel and adventure in California and beyond!

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  3. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

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  4. People gathered around a tree at an LA Park as part of the Tree Tour led by Stephanie Carrie

    LA's Tree Tour

    Los Angeles is famous for its iconic palm trees but did you know that LA is home to one of the most diverse urban forests in the world? With over 1,000 different tree species lining its streets, LA offers a unique urban canopy waiting to be explored. One of the best ways to discover it is by joining a Tree Tour

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