All "Relaxing" Stories in Southern CA

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  Harveston Season

  Temecula is known as the wine capital of Southern California, and it also has some comparably appealing locales reminiscent of picture-perfect Napa neighborhoods. One such charming

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  Wild Side of the Vines

  If you’re looking for a walk on the wild side without getting too far from wines, head to Temecula Creek Trail Park for a 2-mile (round-trip) jaunt with an option for further explo

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  Grape Connections

  Stroll, sip, and swirl, in whatever order you please. Temecula’s wineries are best explored by foot in the fall, when temperatures are warm but not sizzling and autumn paints the l

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  Beers to You!

  First comes hiking, then comes beer! Good news, the hiking leads to the beer at Big Bear Lake, where its annual Oktoberfest stays open until midnight on Saturdays and until 5:30 p.

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  SUP 'n' Sip

  Crowned Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Wine Region of the Year? Lodi is hot on the vine trail. But wine isn’t the only thing flowing here: The Mokelumne River is a nature-lover’s oasis tha

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  Sunset's Up!

  San Diego is famous for its coastal views. And it doesn’t get much better than the Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma. The vistas along this less-traveled stretch of coastline (Ocean Beach is more populated) are some of the most spectacular in the Golden State. Get on the scene via a 3-mile (round-trip) hike.

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  La Jolla Joy

  On the San Diego bucket list: La Jolla Cove. The problem: It’s on everyone’s bucket list! And it leads to parking mayhem. The solution? Take the route that’s a good workout, with e

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  Shore Thing!

  Beach hop from pier to jetty on a 6-mile (round-trip) journey infused with classic beach culture. The trip starts at Pacific Beach Pier (aka Crystal Pier, after the classic cottage

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  Just Dune It!

  Coastal wildflowers are still going strong at Manchester State Park in Mendocino County, where dune-top hiking trails colored in baby blue eyes and purple lupine dance across the n

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  Lake County Lush-ious

  Wildflowers aren’t the only things dotting the emerald-green rolling hills of Clear Lake. Wineries have been popping up all over the mountain ridgelines and sun-soaked valleys of t

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  Mission Possible

  The Old Mission is a popular visitor spot in Santa Barbara, but many visitors are unaware of what lies beyond this stately historic landmark, on the east side. The 10-acre Mission

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  Jetty for La Jenelle

  The La Jenelle was a 467-foot luxury cruise liner before retiring to Port Hueneme Harbor with plans to become a floating restaurant. Then a severe storm ripped her from her mooring

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  Suiho-en

  Never has an area downwind from a water treatment facility been so worth a visit for its utopian beauty. The Japanese Garden hidden within the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is ca

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  Best Dam Ever

  The backdrop for many films, it was at the Sepulveda Dam just south of Burbank Boulevard that an eye-patched Kurt Russell played Snake Plissken in the 1981 cult classic Escape from

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  Bowtie Occasion

  There's no blacktie required for attending your next art instalation opening: this is purely a Bowtie affair! The Bowtie Project is an 18-acre park in Glendale filled with art inst

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  Splendor in the Marsh

  Many years ago if Marsh Park had been on Tinder, it might have gotten a pretty swift left swipe. But not today! This little gem along the LA River underwent a massive makeover a fe

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  Cupid Classic

  Elysian Park holds the title of oldest in LA and is home to Dodger Stadium. And Wildflower Trail is one of the best hikes in the area (bonus: it’s dog-friendly, for those whose Val

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  Stroll and Sip

  Picking a beach on the Central Coast is like deciding which flavor to go with at a homemade ice cream shop: There are so many good choices! You really can't go wrong, but if you're

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  Stroll and Sip

  Picking a beach on the Central Coast is like deciding which flavor to go with at a homemade ice cream shop: There are so many good choices! You really can't go wrong, but if you're

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  Calm in Carlsbad

  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 C

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