Easy Holiday Outings

We've had a rough couple of months, from the wine country wildfires in Northern California to the current fires in Southern California. But no fire can snuff out the California spirit. If you're looking for ways to find some comfort and a little adventure this season, here are three outings to please kids from 1 to 92.

Week: 12.14.2017
Regions: Southern CA

O Enchanted Night!

Visiting the Enchanted Forest of Light in Descanso Gardens

Prepare to be mesmerized! Holiday-season nights in Descanso Gardens are a magical interplay of lights and natural beauty that dazzle as you stroll through the Enchanted Forest of Light. Kids and adults alike will thrill as they enter 10 different themed gardens, each beckoning vi
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Keep on Truckee!

Win A Truckee Vacation

Nice and easy … that’s how your ski getaways should be! Snow doubt about it: Truckee’s your best base camp for hitting the pow, quickly! Located smack on I-80, you’re 15 to 30 minutes from 12 Lake Tahoe–Truckee world-class ski resorts plus over 100 miles of Nordic trails leaving
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North Pole Meets Inland Empire

Visiting Greenspot Farms for a Christmas Tree and Holiday Cheer

Every December night, Greenspot Farms in the tiny town of Mentone becomes a rustic North Pole, complete with live Christmas trees, Santa, holiday movies, cookies, shopping, and festive lights. It’s sure to enchant anyone with a heart softer than Ebenezer Whatsisname. The ideal ad
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Baldy View and Candy Canes Too!

Hiking Joatngna Trail in the Angeles and Visiting Logan's Candy Cane Factory

Kids getting restless? Maybe overeager for the big day? Burn off some steam with a family-friendly 0.8-mile stroll on the Joatngna Trail in the Angeles National Forest below Mount Baldy, then reward your troops by showing them how candy canes are made—and eaten! Joatngna means “v
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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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