California news, stories & travel reviews
I think of Borrego Springs as Baja Palm Springs – all the heat without the glitz – and it’s more fun getting to. I love a Sunday drive down County Road S22 into the valley …
Verdant East Canyon tucks into steep, north-facing slopes just below the crest of the Santa Susana Mountains. The canyon receives an average of about 20 inches of rainfall annually — just enough, in an environment …
“The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might... ‘O, Oysters, come and walk with us!’ The Walrus did beseech. ‘A Pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach...’” – from …
Walking up the dirt-and-gravel path from the parking area, you’re greeted by a Buddha and two rusted truck corpses. Wooden bins of large rocks stand next to the stairs leading up to the store’s entrance. …
O’Melveny Park spreads over 672 acres, second on the list of largest parks within the City of Los Angeles, right after the much-more-spacious Griffith Park. Noted for its picture-perfect picnic grounds with white fences and …
For some, a visit to Lake Tahoe means time away from the frenetic scenes of everyday life. Libation in hand, it’s a time to listen to the wind waft through swaying pine trees, to enjoy …
There’s a reason why so many poets and authors have called Laguna Beach home for some part of their lives (hint: not because of the great bar scene). It’s undoubtedly charming. Artists in the early …
It’s no wonder the movie Sideways chose Santa Ynez Valley as the setting for its whirlwind wine-tasting tour. In the middle of winter, this area greets the road warrior with a promise of spring and …
“We’re going to June Lake!” We tell that to friends often – we travel to the Eastern Sierras up Hwy. 395 at least four times a year. “Where’s that?” most say. By simply describing it …
The name “Sycamore Canyon” in California geography plays a rather redundant role. How many canyons have specimens of native sycamore, and how many of those were named (either in English or in Spanish) after that …
Santa Barbara has always been one of my favorite day trips in Southern California. The Spanish architecture and beautiful setting between the mountains and ocean creates an atmosphere that never fails to regenerate my spirit. …
The jewel of San Marino, California, Huntington Library is not your typical lending and borrowing library. Its collection contains over five million books, volumes, manuscripts, photographs and other works mostly related to American and British …
On the Mount Zion loop hike, you get to discover plenty of wild territory tucked back into the steeply rising “Front Range” of the San Gabriel Mountains. Why Front Range? Because these fortress-like ramparts form …
We recently returned to a Central California beach town that’s changed significantly since our first visit about 20 years ago. Avila Beach is located in San Luis Obispo County between the county seat and Pismo …
What? Never heard of Capitola? If you haven’t yet ventured that far north, you’re missing one of the Bay Area’s well-kept secrets. A quaint, colorful village, Capitola-by-the-Sea, ten minutes south of Santa Cruz, is slightly …