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All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA

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    The Highway of Waterfalls

    Ready for a totally refreshing road trip? Hit the Highway of Waterfalls! This stretch of road in Southern Oregon travels alongside the wild and scenic section of the North Umpqua River—and more than a dozen waterfalls.

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    Sleeper Hit

    It's all about the water, and the camping, at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest, a High Sierra reservoir perfect for kayak explorations and pitching your tent lakeside..

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    Duck, Duck, Goose!

    Try to get a first-come, first-served campsite at one of the Lakes Basin’s lakeside campgrounds. We love Goose Lake Campground, where there are just 14 sites and no motorized boats.

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    Simply Amazing Road Trip

    Don’t overthink it, just go! Southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin is a hidden gem just north of the California border. This adventurous region makes savoring summer and fall easy with abundant outdoor recreation.

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    National Parks Road Trip: Circle of Discovery!

    Love national parks? Love road trips? Combine the two on one fabulous Circle of Discovery route in Northern California and Southern Oregon! This itinerary features 7 national parks with wondrous features.

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    Farm to Tent Cabins

    The hardest part of staying at Willow-Witt Ranch will be leaving. This sprawling 445-acre property in Southern Oregon is part organic farm, part campground, part wellness retreat, and wholly relaxing.

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    Gone Rogue!

    If one thing can make you feel like a kid at summer camp, it’s spending a day on the river, rafting, floating, cannonballing off cliffs—eureka! One of the best rivers in the West to float is the Rogue River.

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    Hot Springs With a View

    People love a good hot spring. And Umpqua Hot Springs in Southern Oregon is a marquee attraction. You're perched on a mineral deposit above the flowing beauty of the North Umpqua River.

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    Grizzly and Great Views

    You probably won’t see a grizzly bear on the hike up Grizzly Peak, but you will see locals on this 5.3-mile lollipop loop trail with panoramic mountain views and meadows of wildflowers.

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    All Roads Lead to Rogue

    Idea for your next road trip: Go Rogue! The Rogue Valley in beautiful Southern Oregon has some of the state’s best hiking, swim holes, and wineries, and the charming historic towns of Ashland, Medford, and Jacksonville.

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    Rock of Ages

    Relaxing walks can be filled with wonders, and this one on a college campus should not be taken for granite. Follow the pun by wandering the campus of one of the world’s top scientific institutions, Caltech—home to a best-kept geological secret.

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    Ideas for Mother's Day

    Create arrangements from what is already growing in your yard (or in between the cracks of your sidewalk). Make make beautiful bouquets from a variety of weeds, grasses, and plants.

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    Skate Date

    Ice skating in the land of palm trees? That's so LA, and we love it!

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    Cave Culture

    Cave Landing, a craggy headland between Avila Beach and Pismo Beach, is a storied stretch of the Central Coast that stirs potent reveries in the beholder.

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    Stone Cold Escondido

    Escondido is Spanish for “hidden,” but its adventurous ales and tasty trails are right out in the open. It’s home to the not-so-secret Stone Brewing and a hike that’s just a stone’s throw away.

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    Grin and Big Bear It!

    Summer in Big Bear means only one thing: Get out on the lake! The best way, of course, is to rent a canoe, so you can paddle, sightsee, and rekindle summer camp memories all at the same time. If you pick up your canoe at Captain John’s Marina in Grout Bay, you’re near Stanfield…

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    Splash Landing

    The Splashing Eagle Waterpark at Lake Hemet proves waterparks aren’t just for kids. This action-packed floating waterpark, just offshore in the 470-acre lake nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains, presents plenty of adult-size challenges. Challenge 1: You have to swim through the…

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    Right on Target!

    Grip, aim, draw, release: That’s all there is to archery! Not really, but a visit to Orange County Archery in Mission Viejo before or after a nearby hike will put you in a zen-of-archery mood, and maybe recall some summer camp exploits. Your admission fee covers an hour and a…

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    Midtown Magnificent

    Stunning murals, outstanding craft beer, a lively industrial district, and farmers markets filled with tasty fare and artisan flair … it’s all happening in Sacramento! Take a stroll through the lively Midtown neighborhood and you can view some of the capital city’s best artwork…

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    You Up for Yorba?

    Skip the overcrowded brunch joints and go al fresco with Mom at Orange County’s Yorba Regional Park. What’s on the menu? Picnic sites, bike trails, lake fun, and more, spread across 140 acres in Santa Ana Canyon. Pack up a picnic basket filled with your outdoorsy mom’s favorite…

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