All Stories from Southern CA

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  Stranded in Dana Point

  The key to finding an uncrowded beach in Orange County? Be willing to hike! Dana Point’s Strand lies beneath a protected coastal promontory called the Headlands, surrounded by rocky bluffs and elegant homes.

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  Malibu in Your Pocket

  La Piedra, one of Malibu’s “pocket beaches,” is the perfect sanctuary for beachgoers who don’t care to rub beach blankets with the crowds at Zuma or Paradise Cove. It’s less than 10 minutes up the coast from Zuma, but a world away from the all the frenzy.

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  Burrito Beach

  Not all hidden treasures are silver and gold. Sometimes a breakfast burrito on the beach will do just fine. X marks the spot at Buccaneer Beach in Oceanside, a city known for its c

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  Bag Los Pinos

  Bag Los Pinos! This 4,500-foot peak in southeastern Orange County’s Cleveland National Forest can be pleasantly private. Reaching it on a 5-mile (round-trip) hike is a grind, with grand rewards.

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  Island Traverse

  As the largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz also has bragging rights to two mountain ranges. For a grand (and grandly scenic) tour, lace up the boots and go on a 15-mile (one-way) backpacking trek that traverses the eastern side of the island.

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  Potato Chip Topper

  If you associate potato chips with unwanted calories, get ready for a re-education. You’ll burn a lot of energy on the hike to Potato Chip Rock—a one-of-a-kind boulder jutting out

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  Rad SUP in Malibu

  Stand-up paddleboarding and Malibu go together like sun and surf, like sugary sand and beach blankets, like Gidget and Moondoggie, like … well, you get the idea. Whether you’re new

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  Glam Paddling in Long Beach

  Sea kayaking doesn’t get any more glamorous than paddling the storybook canals around Long Beach’s Naples Island! You thread your way through calm waterways surrounded by luxury ho

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  LA Whitewater!

  As soon as you experience the thrilling whoosh of navigating Class II rapids in a whitewater kayak on the Los Angeles River, you know it for sure—LA truly has it all! Just minutes

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  High in the Angeles

  Yes, Angeleno—you can camp in beauty and solitude without having to leave LA County! Buckhorn Campground, high in the Angeles National Forest just 36 miles up the Angeles Crest Hig

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  Pretty View Campground

  Chula vista means “pretty view,” and whoever named Chula Vista Campground in the Los Padres National Forest was right on the mark. The views extend all around and even upward to th

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  Holcomb We Haven't Camped Here?

  Holcomb Valley is just a few miles north of Big Bear Lake, but this broad expanse of meadows and ponderosa pines feels far removed from all the lakeside hubbub. It’s the perfect pe

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  Kayak to a Remote Beach Camp

  Lava Wall. The name alone shouts adventure—and the place loudly delivers. This towering volcanic cliff is the backdrop to a remote beach campground on Catalina Island that you can only reach by boat.

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  Hiking Goat Whiskers Trail

  You won't sight a single goat on the 7-mile Goat Whiskers Trail loop west of Two Harbors on Catalina. You will see abundant native flora and fauna, though, on this coast-to-mountai

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  Cat's Eye View

  The most sublime wraparound vista on Catalina Island is from Cat Harbor Overlook, perched 950 feet above Two Harbors. Reaching trail's end is like stepping out onto a visionary hig

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  Seaside Cycle and Sip

  Enjoy an easy Santa Barbara bike ride and all the trimmings—which include gorgeous beach scenery and samples of local vintages. Hop on the Cabrillo Bike Path at Stearns Wharf for a

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  Hugging the Coast in San Clemente

  San Clemente is always a treat, but never more so than on this 4.6-mile (round-trip) stroll on the town’s lovely Beach Trail, with a stairway to beautiful coastal views.

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  Serene Scene

  Peace, reflection, and rejuvenation are gifts that any mother will love, and all are in abundance at the Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in Encinitas, where serene gardens overl

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  Tunnel Vision

  Don’t expect logic from oddball desert hermits! At Burro Schmidt Tunnel, that’s to our great benefit. It took 32 years for William “Burro” Schmidt to dig through a mountain in a re

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  Red, White, and Hoodoos

  “Don’t stay on the trail” sounds like an odd suggestion, but it’s the best way to explore the crimson sandstone cliffs and hoodoos that crosscut Red Rock Canyon State Park in the n

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