Siskiyou County sits at the northern top of California, right in the middle the state, and is bisected by the 5 highway. The county is rugged and wonderful, with some of the best hikes you can do in California. With the Trinity Alps Wilderness on one side and Mt Shasta and the caves of Lava Beds National Monument on the other, you could easily spend a lifetime exploring the wilderness in this part of the state. While this is by no means a complete list, and it focuses more on the easier hikes for those just getting into hiking, there is something for everyone in Siskiyou County and on this list. The list is in order of length, and let’s jump right into it.

This post was sponsored by Discover Siskiyou but all opinions are my own.

Video

Here is a video I made on all these hikes.

Hedge Creek Falls

Hedge Creek Falls is an easy stop in the town of Dunsmuir that is great if you are looking for a way to stretch your legs on a road trip. The hike is around a half mile round trip, but it is scenic and steep in some sections. The trail leads down to a waterfall on a series of switchbacks. When you get to the waterfall, you can continue on the trail behind the water and over to the other side. It is unique to be able to go behind a waterfall like this, and it is one of those hikes that I have done many times and still love coming back to do again. If you are short on time, it is the most accessible introduction to the area you can find, and a spectacular waterfall to see after only 10 minutes of hiking.

Box Canyon

Box Canyon is a fun, family-friendly hike right near Lake Siskiyou that is a little over a mile round trip. The trail begins next to the Box Canyon Dam, and it takes you downhill as you parallel the creek next to you. Unfortunately, there are only short glimpses of the stream as most of the hike is shaded with lush trees. One of the highlights is all the old abandoned cars that you will see around the halfway point. Apparently, this part of Shasta used to be a dumping ground for cars, and there are dozens of them in different levels of deterioration along the trail. As you pass them, the trail continues through the beautiful trees and eventually ends at a small rock outcropping from which you can almost see the creek. It’s a nice path that never seems too busy in the area.

Spring Hill

The Spring Hill Trail is located minutes from downtown Mt Shasta and is another excellent short hike for a quick road trip stop. The trail leaves from a parking area across the street from the Sacramento River Headwaters, and it climbs 650 feet to the top of Spring Hill. Along the way, there are benches to sit and relax at that look out towards Mt Shasta. This is a fantastic hike, and the views are stunning if it is clear. Do note that the views at the top are not very good, so the best views are on the way up. My favorite part of the trail is the view at Rocky Point, so consider taking the short hike to Rocky Point on the way back down the hill.

Lava Beds National Monument

Lava Beds National Monument was hard to place on the list as the hikes there are all varying lengths, and you will want to do many of them if you make the drive out to the eastern part of the county. Lava Beds is impressive and features dozens of caves that you are free to explore with unique features like cave-ins that let in the light, a cave with almost a full mile of darkness, and one that has a golden appearance on the cave ceiling. You can drive the cave loop and get out at any you are interested in or check-in with the visitors center, and they will tell you some of the best for your ability level. Be sure to bring a flashlight though! I recommend you do Skull Cave, Sunshine Cave, and Sentinel Cave, but you will have fun doing any of them.

Hidden Lake

I didn’t want to not have the Trinity Alps Wilderness on this list, but most of the hikes there are long and remote, so they require a lot more effort than the average hiker will want to put in. That being said, the easiest way to get a taste of the Trinity Alps Wilderness is on the Hidden Lakes Trail. This trail is 2 miles round trip and takes you up to a stunning high-altitude lake. The area did get burned in a fire in 2021, so the path can be hard to find, and it is not as scenic as it once was. That being said, it is a fascinating area to explore, and the lake will probably make you want to spend more time in this unique part of the state.

McCloud Falls

Heading to the town of McCloud in the southern part of the county, this hike is around 4 miles round trip and takes you to three waterfalls. The hike starts at the lower falls and follows the McCloud River as you head up to the other two waterfalls. My favorite is Middle Falls, which is as stunning as it gets for a California waterfall, but all three are worth seeing. If you don’t want to hike, you can also drive between the three, but if you’re going to see Middle Falls from the base, you will have to hike down to it from the overlook. Spend some time here, it is an excellent spot for a half-day, and in the winter, you can even snowshoe to the falls if that is something you are interested in.

Lake Siskiyou

Lake Siskiyou is another great hike for all ages as it can be as long as 7 miles to get around the whole lake, or it can be short if you simply want to park at one of the lots and hike around. The lake is spectacular and has so many amazing views that it is worth exploring. If it is clear, you will see Mt Shasta towering above you as you make your way around the west side of the lake. Be sure to also go across the fantastic pedestrian bridge they have in the northeast section of the lake. It is great to see an awesome bridge like this just built for pedestrian access and is a unique feature on the trail. Let me know what your favorite part of the lake is in the comments.

Castle Dome

Castle Dome is located in Castle Crags State Park, a stunning and often overlooked state park right on Highway 5. The park has an amazing collection of craggy rocks as the focal point, but it is hard to see them without a lot of work, which is why the park doesn’t get a lot of visitors. The main hike takes you through a lush forest and up to the park’s main feature, Castle Dome. Castle Dome is a massive granite monolith that you can only summit with ropes but which looks across at Mt Shasta on a clear day. Even if you don’t want to climb to the top, the trail takes you up to the rocks and lets you explore to your heart’s content. However, it is a tough hike, with the last mile climbing over 1,000 feet on uneven stones. The views from the top easily make it worth it though. I heard there are more great hikes in the park so let me know if you have one I should try next time!

Mt Shasta

I know that most people watching this video (or reading this post) probably won’t want to undertake the mammoth hike that is Mount Shasta. Still, I wanted to include it as it is iconic and the focal point of Siskiyou County. This 14,000-foot volcano is most often climbed in the late spring when the weather is more favorable, and there is still some snow cover, making the climb more technical yet easier to traverse. We did it in 2018 over two days, and it was one of the best and hardest California adventures I have ever done. Some of the highlights were seeing the mountain’s shadow as we were hiking the Red Banks section, standing on the windy summit, and getting to glissade down some of the steeper parts at the end. If you are interested in the full climb, there is another video on my channel detailing it.

There you have it, some of my favorite hikes in Siskiyou County. Hopefully you can check out a few of these and that you fall in love with the area like I have. Let me know what I left off in the comments!

Hotel recommendation

Inn at Mt Shasta

The Inn at Mt Shasta is a great home base for exploring Siskiyou County. The hotel recently went through a renovation and it is a a fun and modern spot right in the heart of Mt Shasta.

Check it out

The post 9 Great Hikes to Do in Siskiyou County appeared first on California Through My Lens.

The Indian Canyon area of Palm Springs is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, who lived along the creek that runs through the canyons and used the water to grow their crops. The area is still part of the Agua Caliente Indian Reservation, and it is home to the largest California Fan Palm oasis in the world. Hiking here is a pretty magical experience as you can walk for miles without leaving the shade of the palm trees, something you would never expect to see in the desert of Palm Springs. Here is all the information on the two most popular trails so that you can check them out as well.

Getting There

From Downtown Palm Springs, you will take South Palm Canyon towards the mountains. Note the bend where South Palm Canyon leave from East Palm Canyon and continues south. After 3 miles, you will arrive at the pay station and can pay your fee to enter the park. 

Once in the park, you will see signs that direct you to Palm Canyon and Andreas Canyon; here is the information on both. Also, on the way to Palm Canyon you can see the Split Rock in the photo above.

Andreas Canyon

Andreas Canyon is a great family-friendly hike at only a mile round trip and about 100 feet of elevation gain.

The trail begins next to a remarkable rock formation called pride rock and next to some bedrock mortars historically used to grind food.

The trail then continues under the palms and along the Andreas Creek. 

The trail was stunning, with a good amount of water in late April and lots of shade.

The official website states there are over 150 species of plants in this half-mile area, and I wouldn’t doubt it.

Eventually, the trail reaches a locked gate for the Andreas Club, and you can either head back the way you came or head up a little on a path that looks across towards the palm. 

There is no shade on this path, but it is nice to see the palm oasis from both ways. 

You will eventually make it back to your car and can continue to Palm Canyon.

Palm Canyon

Palm Canyon is a longer trail, especially if you take the Victor Trail, which takes you up to look down on the oasis.

We started the trail by heading down into Palm Canyon and walking among the palms.

You can walk over a mile from here without leaving the tree’s shade. 

It is an excellent hike for a family as it is shaded and has a nice creek you are walking along. I can’t wait to bring my young twins back to this trail.

We just walked through the canyon and enjoyed all of the views.

Seeing the massive collection of palms reflected in the creek is beautiful.

The trail will split with the Victor Trail at the one-mile mark. You can take this trail or head back through the canyon you came up.

Victor Trail

The Victor Trail leaves the canyon quickly with a decent elevation gain (over 300 on this portion of the trail). 

I enjoyed making this a loop as the elevation gain gave you some stunning views down into the Palm Canyon area from above. 

The trail goes along the ridgeline with some good drop-offs on one side, looking over the oasis.

Note that there is no shade on this portion of the trail, so you will want to avoid it in the heat of the summer.

As you make it back to the parking area, the trail adds about a quarter-mile as it winds its way back.

You don’t have to go back this way, but I enjoyed making it a loop and seeing more of the canyon.

These are just a few of the popular short trails in the area, but there are dozens more if you want to see more of Indian Canyons. Let me know what your favorite spot is in the comments, and you can see more Palm Springs recommendations here.  

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Knotts Berry Farm has a yearly event that runs for about a month and spotlights the tiny fruit that has become synonymous with the theme park. The boysenberry was first grown in Anaheim, CA, and then it was given to Walter Knott, who created Knotts Berry Farm. He grew it and developed it for commercial use, and purchasing boysenberries became a big part of visits to Knotts over the years. The festival now takes the love of boysenberry to a new level with dozens of dishes that all make use of the fruit. Here is all the information on the festival in 2022, and let me know if you have any questions in the comments..

The Boysenberry Festival

f you want to visit the festival, I would recommend going on a weekday as the park is less busy. If you want to experience the event fully then you should buy a tasting card. 

When I went in 2022, they were $50, or $45 if you had an annual pass, and they allowed you to get six different tastings.

When they say tastings, they really mean it as we had three people and two toddlers, and everyone got to try a lot of each dish. I was surprised by how generous the portion sizes were for the price. Here are the six dishes we chose.

Meatballs in a Boysenberry BBQ Sauce on mashed potatoes

Boysenberry Cowboy Chili with Mac & Cheese and a Frito Garnish

Boysenberry Filled Donut Open Faced Chicken Sandwich topped with a Bacon Jam and Arugula

Elote with a Boysenberry Butter, Mayo, and Cotija Cheese

Boysenberry Beer

Boysenberry Pie Bar

I was honestly surprised by how good all of the dishes were. I expected them to be lower quality than they were, since we were at an amusement park, but my group really enjoyed them.

For us, the highlights were the chili with mac and cheese, the elote, and the pie bar.

We spent about an hour walking around the different booths and selecting our six items. Even though it was a Friday, there was not much of a line at any of them.

Eating is the central part of the festival, so after doing that you can ride any of the regular rides and experience the park as you would like. My family has annual passes, so we had a blast just coming down for dinner and trying many of the dishes. If you get a chance to go let me know what you think the best dish was in the comments!

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It is hard to beat Orange County beaches and ice cream shops with summer right around the corner. I already covered beaches in a previous post here, so this short post is all about some of Orange County’s best and most unique ice cream shops. I have visited many ice cream shops over the years and this list is some of my favorites in the Orange County area. Here are all the shops in alphabetical order. Be sure to let me know what I left off in the comments!

Hans Homemade Ice Cream

Hans has been a local favorite since 1972 in Orange County, and it feels like you are visiting an old-time ice cream parlor. They make all of the ice creams in house, and they rotate frequently. It’s just classic ice cream here, which I love. Also, the mint ice cream sandwich with oatmeal cookies is a personal favorite of mine as well. 

HoneyMee

HoneyMee sources all of their milk for their smooth soft-serve ice cream from California dairy farms, and they top the ice cream with locally sourced honey and honeycombs. It is as simple as it gets, but it is tough to beat good quality honey on top of nice ice cream. Plus, if you want to get crazy, they have affogatos served with either coffee or matcha. It’s an excellent spot for a unique dessert.

House of Chimney Cakes

House of Chimney Cakes is a popular Instagram foodie spot with a sweet bread cone that is the official dessert of the country of Hungary. They pile the cone high with delicious soft serve and then add all sorts of toppings to create one-of-kind ice cream cones. You can even watch them make the chimney cakes after you order. It is close to Disneyland and is a great stop after a day of exploring the park.

Joe’s Italian Ice

Joe’s Italian ice is a must-visit spot in Orange County, and it is home to some of the best Italian Ice I have ever had. There is always a line, but you will understand why when you visit. Everyone is friendly here, the storefront has an old-school cool, and it is just ridiculously good. I have had many flavor combinations but it is hard to beat strawberry lemonade. 

Popbar

Popbar is also located close to Disneyland, and it is a famous New York shop that was brought to the west coast. The ice cream here is gelato on a stick, and then they dip it in your choice of chocolate and roll it in the toppings you select. It’s different from the rest of the spots on this list, but it is a great grab-and-go ice cream in a fun Southern California food hall. My favorite is the Green Tea Kit Kat creation. 

Salt & Straw

Salt & Straw started in Portland, Oregon but now has a few Southern California locations. The Orange County location is in Downtown Disney, and it is a popular spot for a scoop of ice cream while at the park. Salt & Straw has some of the most unique flavors you have ever seen, with five new ones rotating every month. When I say unique, I mean it as they have had ice cream with bugs in it and often have goat cheese and even smoked ham in their rotating flavors. The ice cream here is so good that I will try anything they make.

Saffron & Rose

Saffron & Rose is a Persian ice cream parlor that has been making ice cream for almost 50 years at their LA location. The Irvine location is much newer, but the ice cream is just as good. Seriously, I never knew how much I needed Persian ice cream in my life, and I highly recommend you go down and give it a try. It is so simple and flavorful that I rarely leave without a pint. I recommend the white rose. 

Sweet Rolled Tacos

The last spot on this list is Sweet Rolled Tacos in Garden Grove. Rolled ice cream has been popular for a while, but this shop took it a step further by making rolled ice cream and then putting it in a taco and adding some toppings. I love watching them make it after I order, and I can easily say that it is not just a gimmick but actually tastes fantastic. It is the dessert taco you never knew you wanted, and the flavor combinations often change, making it new every time you go in. 

The post 8 Orange County Ice Cream Shops You Need to Try appeared first on California Through My Lens.

Meadowlark Dairy is a historic spot in Pleasanton that has been serving the community for over 100 years. I was shocked to see how popular this little neighborhood market was when I visited on a Monday afternoon, and I am bummed it took me so long to get here after trying the ice cream. Meadowlark is one of those places you don’t find anymore in California, and it is a must-visit if you are even remotely close to the area. The ice cream here is excellent, as the line that is pretty much always in front of the store will tell you. Here is all the information on this fantastic California spot.

Getting There

Meadowlark Dairy is located one block off First Street in Pleasanton. It is easy to find as you will no doubt notice the line. You can either drive through and get your ice cream, or park along the street and use the walk-up line. I recommend walking up; then, you can take your ice cream over to the park and eat on one of the park benches.

Meadowlark Dairy

On my recent trip to Tri-Valley, I went to Meadowlark Dairy twice, and I would have gone more if I had the time.
I showed up around 3 PM two days in a row, and it was packed on both a Sunday and Monday.

I was a little worried about the line, but it went incredibly fast, with dozens of workers taking orders and grabbing ice cream.

The six main flavors are always there, and other flavors rotate depending on the season.

On my first trip, I tried blue cookie dough, which was great, but I got orange and vanilla swirl on my second trip, and this was the way to go. It tasted like a creamsicle, and it was awesome.

A medium is more than enough for most people. I tried both the medium and the large. The large was basically the height of my head; it was a lot of ice cream.

After paying for your cone, I recommend taking it over to the park across the street to enjoy.
Not much else to say about this spot, other than it is not something you want to miss on your visit. It is just fun historic California, and you won’t regret it. Find more spots to visit in Tri-Valley here, and let me know what you think in the comments.

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The Tri-Valley is a collection of cities located about 35 miles east of San Francisco that is home to renowned museums, fantastic hiking trails, historical points of interest, and many highly reviewed restaurants. I spent a weekend exploring the towns of Danville, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Livermore and was greeted by much more than I expected, thoroughly enjoying my time in this special part of the state. Did you know they even have the longest-running lightbulb in the world?? I collected many of my favorite spots in this list to make the most of your time in the Tri-Valley. Check it out, and let me know what I left off in the comments that you enjoy in the area.

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Visit Tri-Valley, but all of my opinions are my own.

Livermore

Livermore is the largest city in the Tri-Valley, and because of that, it has lots of restaurants, a great downtown to explore, and many hiking trails. Livermore is where I stayed while I was in the Tri-Valley area, so I got to know the city pretty well. Here are some of my favorite spots in Livermore.

Downtown Livermore

I spent many mornings and nights in the downtown area as it has shops, restaurants, a movie theater, and more. Parking is easy around downtown with street parking and many parking lots. Just grab a spot and explore Downtown Livermore.

Livermore Murals

Downtown Livermore has a large collection of murals covering many buildings. There are more than 15 of them today all around the downtown and surrounding areas. I love seeing murals when I visit new cities, and they had some great ones here. If you want to see them all, you can find each location on this site.

Centennial Lightbulb

The Centennial Lightbulb is the Guinness Book of World Record’s longest burning lightbulb. It has been burning for 120 years and is still going strong in the Livermore Fire Station. It is inside the fire station, so you can only visit when someone is there to show you the lightbulb. You can see the lightbulbs webcam here, if you want to make sure it is still burning from the comfort of your home. 

Sutherland Distillery

Sutherland Distillery has been in Livermore for almost a decade, and it sources many of its ingredients from local farmers. You can set up an appointment if you would like to try their many different spirits. My favorite was the rye.

Del Valle Regional Park

This park encompasses over 4,000 acres and features dozens of miles of hiking and biking trails and a large lake with fishing and boating opportunities. It is especially charming during the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom.

Livermore Restaurants 

Donut Wheel

I always try to find new donut shops when I visit a city, and Donut Wheel was my find in the Tri-Valley. It is a typical mom-and-pop donut shop with a continuous line and classic donuts. It you like donuts like me, then check it out.

The Press

The Press was the biggest surprise during my visit to Livermore. I had gotten coffee there before, which was great, but I got a chance to try the food on a recent trip. They have “toastinis” which are slices of toast with different toppings, and you can mix and match two flavors. I had the avocado toast and egg with the strawberry caprese, and both were magical.

Posada

Posada specializes in contemporary southwestern cuisine that includes influences from many different cultures. It is an excellent spot for lunch with friends or a nice dinner out. Get the sangrita, a mix of Sangria and Margarita, and you cannot go wrong with the mahi-mahi tacos and watermelon salad. It is the most ordered item here, and it is easy to see why.

Uncle Yu’s at the Vineyard

Uncle Yu’s at the Vineyard serves up “innovative Asian cuisine” and is a fantastic upscale restaurant in Downtown Livermore. It is an excellent place for a date, and I loved the “Aged Orange Peel Beef” dish. It was flash fried and had a sweet and spicy flavor. One of my favorite things I ate in the Tri-Valley.

Story Coffee

Story Coffee is your spot if you are looking for a traditional coffee shop with fantastic drinks. Plus, it is right next to the Livermore Mural, which is fun to see as well.

Pleasanton

Pleasanton is a great spot to spend the night while in Tri-Valley. It is the closest town to the San Jose Airport (if you are flying in), and the downtown area is just as walkable as Livermore and Danville. Plus, it has the Meadowlark Dairy, one of my favorite places in the Tri-Valley area.

Downtown Pleasanton

Downtown Pleasanton comprises six blocks of shops, coffee, restaurants, and museums. It is centered around the Pleasanton arch, an often photographed spot in the city. Parking is easy with lots of street parking and a few lots, so it is another excellent downtown to explore.

Meadowlark Dairy

No trip to Pleasanton is complete without a visit, or two, to Meadowlark Dairy. They have been selling dairy products here for the better part of a century, and you can stop by to try one of their famous ice cream cones daily. It is always busy, but the line moves fast, and there are multiple flavors, with new ones being switched out often. It is awesome, and a great way to spend a warm day in the city!

Museum on Main

While in Downtown Pleasanton, be sure to stop by Museum on Main. It is free and pretty small, but it has a great exhibit on the city’s history worth checking out.

Pleasanton Restaurants

Sabio on Main

Sabio on Main is an upscale restaurant located right off the main street. It is an excellent spot for a date with al la carte options and multiple course meals. I tried a three-course meal, and everything was fantastic that I tried. I especially liked the mussel soup, which I would never usually order. It’s a great spot for a relaxing dinner in Pleasanton.

Danville

Danville is the furthest north of the Tri-Valley towns, making it the access point for Mt Diablo, one of California’s best state parks. Not to be overshadowed by the mountain, the town also has a great downtown you can explore, the Blackhawk Museum, and the Eugene O’Neill historic site, among other things.

Blackhawk Museum

The Blackhawk Museum is one of the best museums I have ever been to and easily one of the state’s best. The museum has only five exhibits, but the exhibits are immersive and stunning, with days worth of information to take in if you are interested. You should not leave the Tri-Valley area without visiting this museum, and it is worth the visit to the Tri-Valley by itself. Here is more information on my time at the Blackhawk Museum.

Eugene O’Neill Historic Site

Eugene O’Neill is one of the USA’s most prolific playwrights. He wrote some of the best plays of the 20th century and even won a Nobel Prize during his life. He lived for a period in Danville, and the NPS has preserved his house. You can still tour if you get a ticket in advance, and it is worth it to see this beautiful property and learn more about Eugene O’Neill himself.

Mt Diablo

Mt Diablo is the crown jewel of the Tri-Valley and can be seen from all over the Bay Area. The mountain is a commanding presence, and on a clear day, you can see hundreds of miles away from the summit. The state park that encompasses the mountain has hiking and biking trails and a scenic drive to the summit. Read more about my time there in this post.

Danville Restaurants

Danville Harvest

Danville Harvest is a delicious brunch spot in Downtown Danville. Here, the food is farm-to-table with traditional breakfast items and sandwiches. I especially enjoyed the burrata appetizer, and this is a place where you will see lots of tourists and locals congregate on a nice spring day.

Danville Brewing Company

Danville Brewing Company is my go-to spot after a day of hiking in Mt Diablo State Park. The restaurant has plenty of seating inside and out, great beers, and many fun food options. I am partial to the fuji apple melt with bacon added on. It is hard for me to order anything else since it is so good.

Lottie’s Creamery

Lottie’s Creamery is a hand-crafted ice cream parlor right in Downtown Danville. The flavors change often and include everything from key lime pie to brown sugar & apple.

Dublin

Dublin is the town I spent the least amount of time in, so hopefully, I can go back and spend more time there in the future. I did visit one of the museums though, and really enjoyed it.

Dublin Heritage Park & Museums

This park preserves many buildings from the 1800s, allowing visitors to dive into the area’s history and see how people lived during that time. If you visit outside of regular hours, you can still walk the grounds, but I recommend visiting when it is open to go into a few of the buildings.

Tri-Vally Trails (Beer Trail – Ice Cream Trail – Caffeine Trail)

The Tri-Valley does something fun that I have not seen before to encourage stops at many of the area’s best breweries, ice cream parlors, and coffee shops. They have three distinct trails (beer, ice cream, and caffeine) where you can visit a set number of participating locations and then upload your photos to a website to win a prize. You can learn more about the trails here, and you can see the mug I got from the caffeine trail above.

Hotel recommendation

Courtyard by Marriot Livermore

I have only stayed at one hotel in the area, the Courtyard by Marriott Livermore. It was a great spot that was centrally located, had a spacious room, and had a lovely bistro with breakfast and lunch options. I enjoyed having it as my jumping-off point for a weekend in Tri-Valley.

Check it out

There you have it, my favorite spots in California’s Tri-Valley area. What did I leave off that you love exploring? Let me know in the comments. 

The post Tri-Valley Things to Do: Exploring 22 Spots in Livermore, Danville, Dublin & Pleasanton appeared first on California Through My Lens.

Mori Point is a beautiful piece of land maintained by the national park service, preserving bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The area is popular for hiking and mountain biking, and it is a stunning place to spend some time enjoying the California Coast. There are many trails through the area, but my favorite is the loop trail that I did below, as it allows you to spend a good amount of time just enjoying this unique spot. The hike takes you to the bluffs overlooking Rockaway Beach, along the ridgeline, and down to Mori Point. Here is all the information if you want to hike this fantastic coastal trail.

Details

• 3 miles round trip
• 400 feet of elevation
• Free
• Small parking lot 
• All Trails link – I recommend you use this as there are no signs

Getting There

From Highway 1, heading north towards Pacifica Pier, you will turn left on Allen Road and immediately arrive at the small parking lot. This lot only has space for 8-10 cars, and it is often full. If it is full, you can sometimes find street parking on the other side of Highway 1 and walk across.

The Trail to Mori Point

From the parking area, you will head out on the bike path which goes by Mikes’s Garden.

Mikes Garden is a public garden planted as a memorial to September 11. It was maintained for a while by Mike, but as he got older (he is 94 now), he opened up the individual plots of the garden for other people to adopt and care for. 

It is a fun start to the hike, and the many gardens are beautiful.

Walking along the bike path for about a quarter-mile, you will eventually come to a break in the path that takes you into the nature area of the park.

There are no signs and many random paths here, so get an All Trails map if you want to follow the way I did.

The trail then heads up along the bluffs and looks down on Rockaway Beach, south of you.

The trail hugs the coastline as you continue to gain elevation and stunning views of the ocean below you.

This is where the trail gains most of its elevation as you continue climbing up the ridgeline. It is also steep and slippery here, so be careful.

Once you reach the high point, you will be looking down on Mori Point out in front of you. 

The views here are stunning, with the point and Pacifica Pier out in front of you.

The trail then heads downhill and passes some old mining infrastructure that has since crumbled into the mountain and become covered in graffiti.

You can see down to the cove here as you walk along it, and it is beautiful.

You will arrive at the short path out to Mori Point as you pass the cove.

Mori Point

From here, you can get amazing views back towards the cove to your left and Pacifica to your right.

I was impressed by how beautiful the views were here, and there are a few benches if you want to relax more.

The area looks down on Bootleggers Steps, a popular trail that takes you up to Mori Point from the pier. 

This area was used for bootlegging during prohibition, so it is a fitting name.

From here, the trail either heads down to the coast and back along the bike path or up and over the ridge. All Trails will take you down, but I decided to go up and over the ridge.

I headed up on the Coastal Trail and over to the Timigtac Trail (you can see these on All Trails).

There was a steep section to get to the top of the ridge, but the views over the park were stunning. It was green in the spring, which made it even nicer here.

As I crossed the ridge, I hiked back down to the bike path and followed it to my car.

I spent a lot of time on this trail as it was a stunning coastal trail with epic views. Check it out if you are in the area, and let me know what you think in the comments. 

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Monterey is a beautiful city along the California Coast that sits on the Monterey Bay and is home to many fun activities. The city was the capital of Alta California, under Spain and Mexico. It is steeped in literary history with John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, and it is home to a world-renowned aquarium, among other things. While this is by no means a complete list of things to do in Monterey and expands to the surrounding areas, it includes many of my favorite things to do in the city. Let me know what your favorite place in Monterey is in the comments, and let’s jump into it.

Cannery Row

Cannery Row is the main tourist area of Monterey and has shops, restaurants, and history for you to experience. The location was once home to sardine canning factories which was big business in Monterey in the mid-1900s. Cannery Row still has the preserved research laboratory, which inspired one of the main characters in Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. There are also some nice sandy beaches to relax at, and the whole area is very walkable. The main tourist destination in Cannery Row is our next recommendation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is often voted one of the best aquariums in the world. It opened in 1984, and it was the first-ever to have a living kelp forest on exhibit. The aquarium uses its spot on the bay to showcase many of the local marine life, and it is one of these places that you could easily explore all day. The aquarium is often busy as it sees over 2 million annual visitors. It is easy to see why though, as there are dozens of massive tanks and many events like feedings that happen throughout the day. It can be expensive for a whole family, but it is hard to think of a better aquarium you can visit than this one. 

Old Fishermans Wharf / Old Fishermans Grotto

Old Fishermans Wharf is the original pier used for commercial fishing operations from when it opened in 1870 to the 1960s. Now it is a tourist area that is the home base for many of Monterey Bay’s boat tours and has lots of stores and restaurants. It is fun to walk on this historic wharf and get views of the bay, and it has the Old Fishermans Grotto, which is a terrific spot for lunch or dinner. Old Fishermans Grotto is often named the best clam chowder in Monterey, and it has been here since 1950. I have had the chowder many times, and I can confirm that it is excellent.

Monterey State Historic Park

While at Old Fishermans Wharf, take some time to walk around Monterey State Historic Park. This park has 17 buildings and includes many significant historic structures like California’s first theater and the customs house, California’s oldest public building. You can grab a map and walk to see all of the buildings, many of which are only open during specific times of the week, if you want to look inside. It is an excellent stop for those interested in both the area’s history and California’s state history.

Monterey Moon Tree / Colton Hall

While technically part of Monterey State Historic Park, I wanted to specifically call out this building and the moon tree in the surrounding park. Colton Hall is where the California constitution was written, and it is now a museum that you can explore. In the park that surrounds it, be sure to check out the moon tree. This coastal redwood was grown from a seed that was carried to space. Sure it just looks like a typical tree, but how many other trees have you seen that have been to space? It is worth a quick stop. 

Lower Presidio

The Presidio is still an active US Army Base located right in the downtown area of Monterey. While you can’t visit the base, the Lower Presidio area is home to a small museum and a beautiful park with amazing views out towards the water. Be sure to walk up to Sloat’s Monument for the best views. The monument is interesting as it was dedicated to Commodore Sloat, a commander in the navy who claimed California for the United States. In another smaller park below the museum, there is also a statue of Father Junipero Serra looking over the bay that you can also see. 

Dennis the Menace Park

Dennis the Menace Park is one of the best children’s play areas you will find. The play area has an entire train engine right when you walk in and a famous tiger fountain that has been in many photos over the years. The playground has slides, a maze, tunnels, and other spots for kids to explore, and if you are traveling with a family, you do not want to miss it. This park was created over 50 years ago with the help of Hank Ketcham, who started the popular comic, and it is an excellent way to introduce your family to the fun history of Dennis the Menace.

The following few recommendations leave the downtown area to visit a few fun spots in the surrounding region.

17 Mile Drive

17 Mile Drive is a paid scenic drive that takes you to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and along the stunning coast. The drive has many different numbers that refer to specific areas along the route and allow you to learn more about the region. While it does cost, it is stunning, and it is a fun half-day adventure stopping at many of the viewpoints and just soaking it all in. The Lone Cypress is a great spot for photographers, with a cypress tree growing out of the rocks and standing all by itself. If you have a half-day to explore, this is a great adventure.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve

Point Lobos sits basically at the entrance to the Big Sur coastline, and it is one of the best state parks in California. While the park is not that big, it features miles of coastal trails with stunning views. My favorite trails are the Cypress Grove Trail and the Bird Rock Trail. There are often sea lions and seals on the rocks and beaches below many trails. Plus, the area has a lot of history, including the whalers who once lived along the coast. If you like hiking, you must visit Point Lobos while in Monterey.

Monarch Grove Sanctuary

In the neighboring city of Pacific Grove, you can find a preserved forest that provides a sanctuary for monarch butterflies. The butterflies typically visit the area from November to February, and if you happen to be there when they are, you should stop by. It can be hard to see them if they are further back in the preserve, but it is crazy to see the clumps of hundreds of butterflies all hanging together from some of the trees. It is a special event to see in the Monterey area.

Before ending this post, I wanted to share two food spots I love in Monterey. 

Lou Lou’s Griddle in the Middle

First up, Lou Lou’s Griddle in the Middle is a delicious breakfast restaurant on Municipal Wharf 2. This tiny spot has been serving up their famous Hubcap Griddle Cake, a pancake so big that it overflows the plate, for years. It was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and I always stop by for breakfast if I am in the area. I think they have lunch too, but I have never been. Let me know how it is in the comments if you have.

Revival Ice Cream

My last recommendation is Revival Ice Cream, one of California’s best ice cream places. This spot makes small-batch ice cream with local ingredients and has won awards for its unique flavors. If you have never been, then you must order the Bees Knees. It has local honey, beeswax, and honeycomb candy. I have never ordered anything else here since it is so good.

So there you have it, my favorite places in Monterey. Let me know what I left off in the comments!

The post 12 Things to do in Monterey appeared first on California Through My Lens.

Santa Cruz is a coastal California city right on the northern part of Monterey Bay. The city has been a popular place for arts and pop culture for decades and has a fun, relaxed vibe for a weekend of exploring. I have spent a lot of time here and love the history of the boardwalk and the close vicinity to the redwoods. Here are all of my favorite spots and let me know what I left off in the comments. You can see my full Santa Cruz city guide here as well.

Video

Here is a video of all these recommendations.

Santa Cruz Boardwalk

The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is the top attraction in the city of Santa Cruz. The boardwalk is California’s oldest amusement park, which opened in 1907. It is still going strong, with summer weekends packed with people enjoying the weather and rides. The Giant Dipper is an especially amazing piece of history, as the wooden roller coaster has been running since 1924 and is a blast to ride. It is a fun stop in Santa Cruz for the whole family.

Santa Cruz Wharf

Next to the boardwalk, the Sant Cruz Wharf is a large pier built in 1914 that is drivable and has multiple restaurants. The pier is fun to explore, with great views looking back at the boardwalk and over towards Lighthouse Point. My favorite spot to eat on the wharf is Stagnaro Bros Seafood. I recommend getting the clam chowder and the fish tacos there. Plus, they have a fish market if you want to pick something up.

West Cliff Drive

Next up, head over to West Cliff Drive and take the scenic drive along the city’s western portion. While there, stop at Lighthouse Point and check out the surfing museum if it is open. This is also a great area for a pleasant coastal stroll, the beach, or watching the surfers out past the point. It can be hard to find parking, but it is an excellent spot for a summer day.

Natural Bridges State Beach

At the end of West Cliff Drive, you will reach Natural Bridges State Beach, one of the most picturesque views in Santa Cruz. This beach is stunning and has a large natural rock arch about 20 feet out into the water. The beach is worth visiting itself, but for photographers, the arch is a fantastic spot for sunset photos. There used to be two arches here, but the other broke in a storm in the 1980s. There is only one arch now, but it is worth seeing by itself, and it’s a great spot in Santa Cruz.

Wilder Ranch State Park

Heading on from Natural Bridges, Wilder Ranch State Park is another excellent spot to hike in Santa Cruz. This state park preserves a historic ranch part of a Mexican land grant in 1839. You can still see one of the old adobe buildings while you are there and walk past many of the newer ranch buildings as well. The main highlight here is the coastal trail, which takes you towards the bluffs and lets you walk along them. The coastal views are stellar here, and even though I have been many times, I always enjoy going back to see it again.

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park

Santa Cruz Mission State Historic Park is another historic park in the city that preserves an adobe building once a dormitory for the Santa Cruz Mission. You can walk through the building, and see displays about life during that time. There is also a nice picnic area outside with a view out towards the ocean. While you are there, you can see a replica of the Santa Cruz mission. This mission is one of the 21 Spanish California missions, and even though it is not original, it is still unique to see. 

Downtown Santa Cruz

Heading back into the city, park your car and explore some of downtown Santa Cruz. Here you will find shops, restaurants, and historic buildings as you walk down Pacific Avenue. A few of my favorite spots to eat here are Pizza My Heart, a chain that sells pizza by the slice and is pretty great. You can get a shirt and a slice of pizza for $7-$8. The other spot I love in downtown Santa Cruz is Penny Ice Creamery. The ice cream here is stellar, and they have a marshmallow topping that they burn onto the top of the ice cream, which is pretty hard to beat as well. 

Mystery Spot

Heading a little out of the city, the Mystery Spot is a must visit in Santa Cruz and a historic and fun adventure in the city. The Mystery Spot is a mystical area of altered reality or a clever collection of optical illusions, whatever you believe. Either way, it is a blast to explore, and the tour is a lot of fun for the whole family. Plus they give you a sticker to take with you when you leave. Book a tour in advance though, as it often sells out.

Henry Cowell Redwoods

Fifteen minutes from downtown Santa Cruz, you will reach the redwoods, and one of the best ways to explore them is to hike through Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. The park preserves some old-growth redwoods, which are massive and awe-inspiring to see. The one-mile loop trail is great for the whole family and takes you up close to some of these gigantic trees. There is a parking fee to visit here, but the trail is one of the best 1-mile trails you can do along the coast to experience these fantastic natural wonders. 

Roaring Camp Railroad

Next to Henry Cowell Redwoods is Roaring Camp Railroad; you can actually visit both of them with the same parking fee if you walk over from the state park to the railroad. Here you can take a 1-hour ride into the redwoods on a steam train, and it is such a unique experience to have along the California Coast. The train takes you deep into the forest and even uses switchbacks to gain elevation as you make it up to a lovely grove. At the halfway point, they let you explore a little bit and see the train up close. It is a fantastic half day adventure and another spot you want to book in advance if you go.

UC Santa Cruz Arboretum

UC Santa Cruz is a destination school that people from all over the world come to attend. The school has a fantastic arboretum with over 2000 different plant species and which overlooks the ocean. There are miles of trails here that weave in and out of various gardens, and it is both relaxing and beautiful. One of my favorite gardens is the aroma garden which is full of plants that smell good, and it is next to the succulent garden, which is fantastic as well. This is an excellent spot if you are looking for a relaxing way to walk and experience the Santa Cruz area. 

Donnellys Chocolates

On the way back from the arboretum, be sure to stop at Donnelly’s Chocolates. This small chocolate shop has been voted one of the best chocolate shops in the world by National Geographic, and it is pretty incredible. They have all sorts of chocolates you can purchase, but I usually go with the ice cream bars. Honestly, they are some of the best ice cream bars I have ever had. The Sea Salt Caramel is especially impressive. I doubt you will be disappointed if you pick one up.

Walton Lighthouse / Seabright State Beach

My last recommendation for this list is a visit to Walton Lighthouse and Seabright State Beach. If you are looking for a great beach to spend the day at, this is a good option. I love it for watching the sunset and for exploring the historic Walton lighthouse. Walton Lighthouse was built in 2002 to replace an older lighthouse that people thought was an eyesore. The new lighthouse is beautiful and sits out on the jetty’s edge. It is a fun walk if you are spending the day at the lighthouse and a great spot for sunset photography. 

There you have it, my favorite spots in Santa Cruz. Let me know what I left off in the comments!

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Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is one of the most beautiful places along the California Coast. The small state park at the north end of the Big Sur takes all of the beauty of Big Sur and then combines it into one small area. There are a half dozen trails to explore and each one is more beautiful than the last. While I haven’t explored them all, I have done enough to fall in love with the place, here is all the information on what I have seen in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve.

Details

• Cost: $10
• Day Use Area – 8 AM – 5 PM
• Dogs are not allowed
• Location: 62 Point Lobos, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923

Getting There / Permits / Parking

Point Lobos State Park is located on Highway 1 about 5 minutes south of Carmel. You access it from Highway 1 and as soon as you turn you will see the pay station to pay for your permit.  There is parking at each of the trailheads but it can be popular on the weekends in the summer and the parking lots are pretty small. I would recommend getting there early so you are sure to get a spot.

History

Point Lobos is a beautiful stretch of land situated in between multiple marine sanctuaries. The park has been called the crown jewel of the California state parks system and it is easy to see why when you visit. Point Lobos has a long history, dating back 2,500 years, when the Ohlone people group used to harvest abalone in the area. The California state parks system bought the land in 1933 which would become the main portion of the park. They continued to add to the park with donations and purchases of more land and the park now has about 400 acres.

Whaler’s Cabin

The park has removed almost all evidence of human establishments on the land other than the historic whalers cabin that was turned into a museum which discusses the whaling history in the area which is fascinating to learn more about. The whaler’s cabin was built in the 1850s and the Carmel Whaling Company operated it from 1862 to 1879. Whales were harpooned off the coast and brought into the cove where they could be processed. There used to be 10 other cabins in the cove and the last resident moved out of the cabins in 1983.

This museum is accessed via a short trail from the Whaler’s Cover parking area if you are interested in visiting it. Do be sure to check whether it is open before you go though as it has some revolving hours that change with the season.

Scuba Diving

Scuba Diving is a popular recreation in Point Lobos. I have seen many people going out to scuba dive in Whaler’s Cove, but I have not done it myself so I can’t really comment on it here. Let me know if you have been in the comments and what you thought about scuba diving at Point Lobos.

Point Lobos Hiking Trails

I have done many of the parks most popular trails, and you can click the image below to read more about each of them. There is also a trail that goes around the entire circumference of the park if you are looking for something that will give you a full introduction to the coastal sections of Point Lobos. If the parking lots are filled then people will often park along Pacific Coast Highway and walk in, utilizing this trail to visit the entire park via foot.

Cypress Grove Trail

The Cypress Grove Trail is the most popular in the park as the trail takes you through a stunning cypress grove and provides dozens of coastal viewpoints along the way. This trail was my introduction to the park and after hiking it I have returned many times to do the trail again. I love hiking it in the morning when the light is coming through the trees and relaxing at the viewpoints to watch the waves crash over the rocks below you.

Sea Lion Point Trail

Sea Lion Point Trail is a short trail that leaves from the same parking lot as the Cypress Grove Trail. It has no trees, so the coastal views are unobstructed, but it is not as good as Cypress Grove. It is a short trail though and there are often sea lion to see when you make it to the point, so if you have the time there is no reason not to add this trail on as well.

Bird Island Trail

Bird Island Trail is the other popular hike in the park. The parking lot for this trail is tiny so get their early, but the trail is magical. The trail hikes up to coastal bluff that you walk along to get to an area known as China Cove. Here you can see a stunning cove below you that almost always has seals and sea lions relaxing on the sand.

The trail then heads around to an access point for Gibson’s Beach before arriving at a look out for Bird Island. If you go when the birds are there, this island is literally covered in them. There is also an arch you can see in the water on this trail.

Cabin Trail

The Cabin Trail leaves from the Whaler’s Cove parking area and it heads up to Cannery Point, which is another great viewpoint in the park. From there it hikes around the hillside and back to the Whaler’s Cabin Museum. You can also walk up the road to make it shorter but I like taking the trail as I love this park and want to experience as much of it as I possibly can.

Where to stay when visiting Point Lobos

Camping

There is not a campground in Point Lobos, so you have to stay outside of the park.

Hotels

I recommend staying in Carmel-By-The-Sea or Monterey. Both are close to the park and both have lots of good hotel options for a weekend exploring the coast. Here is a list of hotels in Carmel and in Monterey.

Let me know what you think of Point Lobos and if there is a trail I should hike that I left off.

The post Point Lobos State Natural Reserve: Stunning Coastline, Cypress Groves & Elephant Seals appeared first on California Through My Lens.

It’s Its is one of my favorite ice cream brands and one that I have been eating for most of my life. I didn’t even realize that their factory was in San Mateo until recently, so I made it a point to visit the factory and indulge in some of their famous ice creams on my last trip to the area. It was a great road trip stop, and I highly recommend it, especially if you are a fan of the brand like I am. Here is all the information.

Details

• Open 11 AM – 4 PM weekdays
• $2 for an ice cream
• A few parking spots right outside

Getting There

From San Jose, you will head north on the 101 to exit 419B. From here, you will turn left, then another left on Burlway Road. It’s Its Factory is right at the end of the road. There are a few parking spots right outside, and people don’t often stay long.

It’s Its Ice Cream Factory Store

The store is tiny with a counter to serve the ice cream sandwiches, a mural showing the brand’s history, and a small merchandise area.

I have been a fan for so long that I picked up a shirt while there.

Then I moved on to the ice cream. They had vanilla, mint (my favorite), strawberry, chocolate, pumpkin, and cappuccino. I tried pumpkin and cappuccino as those were the two you could only really get at the factory. Both were great, but mint is still my favorite.

The mural along the back shows how the brand began in 1938 on the coast of San Francisco. Then, in the 1970s, the factory was opened in San Mateo, where they are now.

There isn’t much else to see here, but if you are a fan, this is a great road trip stop. Check it out if you get the chance, and let me know what you think in the comments. 

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Interstate 5, also known as I5, is the main highway along the west coast that runs from Mexico to Canada, crossing California, Oregon, and Washington on its 1381 mile journey. While most people use the route to drive as fast as possible to get to their destination, it does have a lot of fun places to stop if you have the time to get off the highway a little bit. On this list, I am covering 17 places to stop on I5 and purposely skipping Los Angeles and San Diego area stops as posts that cover those areas. Lets jump into it and let me know what I left off in the comments.

Vista Del Lago Visitor Center

As you leave the greater LA area and head towards the grapevine, a great stop is the Vista del Lago Visitors Center. This building sits above Pyramid Lake and the California Department of Water Resources runs it. It has many fun, interactive exhibits on water and the state’s connection to it. It also has a deck with beautiful views out over Pyramid Lake, making it an excellent place to get out and stretch your legs.

Fort Tejon State Historic Park

Next up, Fort Tejon State Historic Park sits right at the top of the pass before heading down into the valley. There is a small parking fee here, but the state park is fun to explore and well preserved. The park has the remains of an army outpost that was used from 1854 to 1864, and it has multiple buildings, including a barracks and a house that you can walk through. It is a beautiful and historic area that is hardly ever busy, so it is a fun stop on the drive. 

Tejon Ranch

It is hard to beat Tejon Ranch if you are looking for lunch. Located about 10 minutes from the last stop, it has dozens of places to eat and an outlet mall that you can shop at. I am partial to Chipotle or In-N-Out, my go-to stops here. Be warned; this is one of the busiest areas on holiday weekends.

Tule Elk State Natural Reserve

The Tule Elk State Natural Reserve is located about 5 minutes off the highway. This park has dedicated land that protects a herd of tule elk. These elk used to be prevalent in the area but were hunted almost to extinction. Through the work done here to preserve them and relocate them, the elk are now thriving around California. Note that I have been here many times and never seen anything, but on the last trip, I got to see the elk close up and it is was well worth the stop. 

Bravo Farms

Like Tejon Ranch, Bravo Farms is another go-to stop on the long drive from Los Angeles to Sacramento. Bravo Farms is pretty amazing for every member of the family. There are antiques to see, lots of souvenirs to shop, a restaurant, an ice cream parlor, and a great children’s play area. There is an In-N-Out off the same exit as well. I never pass bravo farms when I am on a road trip, even if it is just for a restroom break; the place is just fun to see. 

Harris Ranch

Harris Ranch is the largest beef producer in the state of California, and you will no doubt see the cows as you drive through the area. The ranch property expanded to a hotel and restaurant in the 1980s, and it has become one of the most popular spots for an overnight stay on the drive. The restaurant features fantastic steaks and is often in the top 100 busiest restaurants in the United States. My dad and I ate at the restaurant and stayed on the property, and it was a great meal and a nice place to stay with a massive pool right in the middle of the property.

Old Sacramento

As you enter Sacramento, here are two fun road trip stops. You can see 14 more in the video linked in the description. First, head to Old Sacramento. Old Sacramento is a major tourist attraction in the city, with some of the restored buildings dating back to the 1800s. The area has shops, restaurants, museums, and the beautiful Sacramento Tower Bridge. Plan to spend a little time here just walking along the water and exploring the historic district.

California State Capitol

If you are traveling on a weekday between 8 and 5, you should also stop to see the state capital, which is only 5 minutes drive from Old Sacramento. The capitol grounds are beautiful and have plants from all over California on display. You can also go into the capitol and see the gorgeous rotunda and walk the halls to see all of the different California counties on display. It is a stunning building, and it is a fun weekday road trip stop. 

The Olive Pit

After leaving Sacramento, I tend not to stop again until I get to Corning. The Corning Olive Pit is one of my go-to road trip stops that I have been doing for years. The Olive Pit has hundreds of different kinds of green olives with all sorts of fillings, but the highlight for me is the raspberry almonds. I never leave without grabbing a bag. There are lots of other snacks here for your road trip, so it is worth a stop to grab something.

Sundial Bridge

Leaving Corning, it is about an hour to Redding, an excellent place to spend the night, and that has all of the restaurants you would expect in a city of this size. For me, the Sundial Bridge is the best road trip stop in Redding. This bridge was built in 2004, and it crosses the river without touching it and has a full sundial on one side. The bridge is fun to see both at day and at night when it is lit up. Next to the bridge is a great museum if you are traveling with kids which can easily pass a few hours. 

Shasta Dam

As you leave Redding, the Shasta Dam is an interesting place to stop if you want to go a little off the highway. A scenic drive takes you through the hills and gives you some great views of the dam and the lake behind it. As you get closer to the dam, you can stop at the visitors center to learn more about it as well. It is the eighth tallest dam in the USA, and it was built in 1945, so it is an engineering feat that is well worth seeing.

Shasta Caverns

As you head north on I5, keep your eyes peeled for Shasta Caverns. If you have the time, this is a fantastic place to visit. The caverns are located on the other side of the lake, so you have to take a boat over to other side, then a bus up to the cave where you can take a tour. It is more of a half day adventure, but it is a unique thing to do in California. 

Yaks on the 5

As you make it to the town of Dunsmuir, Yaks on the 5 is a great place to stop for a meal. Don’t expect it to be healthy but do expect it to be tasty. The burgers here come with everything from piles of cilantro to garlic and you can get their famous lavender ketchup on the side to go with. The sticky buns are also excellent here, and it has been voted one of the best restaurants in the USA by Yelp a few years in a row. Let me know what you think in the comments if you go. 

Hedge Creek Falls

Hedge Creek Falls is located only 5 minutes up the road from Yaks, and it is a fantastic waterfall hike for the whole family. The hike is short as it heads down to the impressive waterfall. When you get there, you can walk behind it, which is unique, and there are many opportunities for great photos here. Note that it is downhill the whole way there, so it is uphill on switchbacks to get back out. 

Mt Shasta

As you leave Dunsmuir, you will make it to the town of Mt Shasta, which has the famous volcano with the same name. If it is clear, you can see it peeking out from the highway as you drive, and there is a signed overlook where you can get a good view. If it is clear, I would recommend getting off in the city to grab some coffee or something to eat and soak in the views of this 14,000 foot peak. If you want to know what it is like to climb it, you can see that in another video I made when Amie and I climbed it. 

Sacramento Headwaters

While in the town of Mt Shasta, head over to the headwaters of the Sacramento River. The headwaters are located in a small park at the edge of town and are signed, so it is easy to find them. It is impressive to see the small beginnings of this massive waterway that carves through most of the northern part of the state. It is a quick stop, but it helps to put it into perspective. 

Yreka Dragon

The Yreka Dragon is the last California stop on this list. The statue sits on the east side of the freeway as you leave the town of Yreka. Keep your eyes peeled for it and pull entirely off the road if you want to see it. It is a fun piece of public art, and it is beautifully situated with the stunning landscape that is all around it. 

All that is left in California is the Welcome to Oregon Sign. I always stop for a photo with these signs when on a road trip. Let me know what you think of these stops in the comments!

The post 17 Interstate 5 Road Trip Stops from Los Angeles to Sacramento and the Oregon Border appeared first on California Through My Lens.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History is one of the city’s best museums. It spotlights the area’s vast culture and history through exhibits on everything from the Chumash Native Americans and ecology of Santa Barbara to insects and dinosaurs. It is an excellent spot for the whole family and has some of the best diorama-type displays I have seen. Plus, when you pull up in the parking lot, you will see a complete blue whale skeleton as well, which is pretty hard to beat. Here is all the information if you want to check it out.

Details

• Cost: $17 for adults, $11 for kids (as of 2022)
• Hours: Everyday 10 AM – 5 PM,  Closed Tuesdays (as of 2022)
• Location: 2559 Puesta Del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Getting There

The museum is located close to the Santa Barbara Mission. If you go past the mission, you will see signs directing you to the museum entrance. There is a large parking area here that you can use for your museum visit. 

Santa Barbra Museum of Natural History

After paying your fee to enter the museum, you can browse the six different exhibit halls, each with its own focus. Here is a little about each.

Chumash Life

The first exhibit I went to was on Chumash life & culture. It had an extensive collection of Chumash artifacts. It was well done and was a great introduction to the people group that I have heard so much about when in this area of California. 

Earth and Marine Sciences

Behind this exhibit, you can see one of the museum’s most popular artifacts, the skeleton of a pygmy mammoth. 

What’s crazy about this skeleton is that it was dug up on one of the Channel Islands. It’s wild to think about these creatures on the island. 

There was also a lot of information on ocean life here as well. The exhibits were unique in that most museums have actual water tanks and live fish, but this museum had elaborate dioramas of kelp forests and intertidal areas with sea life displayed in them.

It felt much older but was cool to see and one of the museum’s highlights for me (there are many of these dioramas in the mammals and bird halls). 

Santa Barbara Gallery

This gallery has lots of information on the Santa Barbara area and its geology and animal life. 

There is a bug section in the back with a hundred or so bugs displayed in a large exhibit, ranging from butterflies to beetles. 

Mammal Hall

Moving on, the mammal hall is one medium-sized room with ten or so displays of taxidermied mammals on display in the dioramas mentioned above.

They have everything from bears to deer in here. It is a well done and interesting way to display the animals. It doesn’t compare to the number of birds they have in the next area through.

Bird Hall

I was blown away when I entered this exhibit, as it had probably over a hundred taxidermied birds on display in the many glass exhibits. 

It was crazy to see how many birds they had here, and it was a great way to learn about them.

There was even a section with just different bird eggs and a bunch more dioramas with varying birds in them.

The many kids I saw in this section were overwhelmed with what to look at, and I can see why, there was just so much to see. It was really cool though.

Dinosaur Area

The last area I visited at the museum was the back garden which had some dinosaurs situated in the shade of the trees.

These dinosaurs were animatronic, and both moved and growled. It was easily one of the most popular areas of the museum, and it was a lot of fun.

The back garden is beautiful with a small creek that runs through it and lots of big trees. I imagine it would be a great area to have a cup of coffee and relax while exploring the museum.

I have visited many museums in Santa Barbara, and this is easily one of the best. It has many unique exhibits and is fun for children and adults. Check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments. 

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Santa Barbara is a beautiful California coastal town situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains on Pacific Coast Highway. The city is full of fun places to explore, ranging from historic landmarks and museums to beaches and hiking trails. Santa Barbara is a loved destination for a relaxing weekend and draws visitors from around the United States and abroad. I have spent a lot of time in Santa Barbara over the years, and here are my favorite places to explore in the city. Let me know what I left off in the comments. 

Video

Here is a video of the recommendations, or read on for all the information.

Sterns Wharf

Sterns Wharf is the large pier that juts out of the Santa Barbara coastline. The pier was built in 1878, but it has suffered lots of damage from storms, earthquakes, and fires since then. The pier is one of the few drivable piers in California, and it has lots of parking, so you can grab a spot and explore the historic wooden structure. It houses multiple restaurants, with my favorite being the Santa Barbara Shellfish Company. It is also home to the Sea Center, which is a great spot to learn about the ocean life in the area. Overall, the wharf is just a historic part of California that is a blast to explore in Santa Barbara. 

Lil Toot

While at the wharf, consider taking a ride on Lil’ Toot if it’s running when you are there (usually the weekends). This small ship is a local favorite and great for young children. The boat is painted yellow, has a smiley face, and has a fun whistle. It is just a glorified water taxi, but it is a blast, and sometimes it goes out to see seals on its way over to the harbor. It is just fun to be out on the water, and it will give you some great views of the pier as well. Do note that you can only buy a one-way ticket, and based on the line, you might have to wait for a few rounds if you want to ride it back. When it drops off at the harbor, it is right at our next recommendation, the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

While this museum is not very big, I love it, and as it has a lot of fun exhibits. The museum has a Fresnel Lighthouse Lens initially used in the Point Conception Lighthouse that is prominently displayed and worth the visit just to see. Surrounding the lens, there are exhibits on surfing history, the Chumash Native Americans, commercial diving, and the oil rigs that dot the landscape. When I last went, they even had scavenger hunts for small children to do while exploring the museum, which is a fun idea. Don’t forget to go to the 4th floor when you are there for a great view over the Harbor.

Walk to Point Castillo

While you are at the harbor, consider walking to Point Castillo. This is an excellent activity for the whole family as it is paved and flat. The walk takes you along all the restaurants and shops along the harbor and out towards the jetty. During high tide, you may even see the water crash up against the wall here, but most of the time, the walk is peaceful and beautiful with the sand on one side and boats on the other. When you get to the end, you can sit on the whale-shaped benches and soak in the views of Sterns Wharf right in front of you. If you don’t want to hike, this is a great and active option in the city.

El Presidio de Santa Barbara

Next up, the Presidio is a state historic park that showcases the last Spanish fort, built in 1782. The site preserves two of the original adobe structures and has restored two others. You can see the padres quarters, the chapel, kitchen, and other buildings in the fort. It’s a great area to visit to learn more about the Spanish influence on the area, and it is pretty crazy to see this historic structure right in downtown Santa Barbara.

Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara is probably the most popular tourist attraction in the city. It is one of the 21 Spanish California Missions, and is one of the most beautiful to see. The mission was founded in 1786 and was the 10th mission created. Today you can tour the mission and the grounds, with some of the popular spots to see being the fountain, the cross outside, and the chapel inside. The chapel still holds services and is closed when a service is happening. In the back, there is a cemetery with one of the largest fig trees I have ever seen as well. I have been many times but always enjoy going back and walking the grounds.

Morton Bay Fig

Speaking of fig trees, the next recommendation is to visit Santa Barbara’s Moreton Bay Fig Tree near the railroad depot. This fig tree is truly massive and is said to be the largest fig tree in the United States. The tree has been designated a historic landmark, and it really must be seen to be believed. According to the most recent measurement, the base of the tree is around 41 feet in circumference, and I wouldn’t doubt the claim after walking around it. It is an easy, quick spot to stop in the city.

Moxi

While at the Moreton Bay Fig, and if you are traveling with younger kids, consider heading over to the Moxi, known as The Wolf Museum of Exploration and Innovation. This spot is fun for kids of all ages but especially fun for those a little older. The museum is full of fun exhibits like a massive Lite Brite, giant guitar, and all sorts of interactive innovations. Also, the rooftop is an awesome spot for views out over downtown Santa Barbara. My kids loved running around and seeing the exhibits but were a bit young to appreciate it fully. I can’t wait to spend a half-day here when they are a little older though.

Court Lookout

While in downtown Santa Barbara, walk up State Street and visit the Santa Barbara Courthouse. The grounds of this historic structure are stunning, and I have seen multiple weddings here when I have visited. I recommend grabbing some coffee at Handlebar and just walking around and soaking it all in. The courthouse also has an overlook in the clock tower that you can go up to if it is open. It hasn’t been open with the pandemic though, so I am not sure when it will open again.

Funk Zone

Santa Barbaras Funk Zone is a trendy area right off the main downtown drag. The district is home to coffee shops, art galleries, restaurants, and wine tasting. It is fun to walk around and see the “slow down for the funk” signs along the street and the beautiful murals on many of the buildings. They have fun events here like holiday pop-up bars and live music during different times of the year. I especially love Dart Coffee, which has a fantastic outdoor seating area right in the middle of the Funk Zone. The area is constantly changing, and it is always worth going back to see what is new. 

Shoreline Park

Shoreline Park sits along the coast and is a long skinny park with almost a mile of coastal views. The park features walking paths, a children’s play area and many benches. It is a great spot for a morning stroll and has some truly stunning views of the Channel Islands on a clear day. If you want to visit the beach, you can find Leadbetter Beach on one side and 1000 Steps Beach hidden on the other side. Research how to get there if you want to go, and don’t go when the tide is high as the beach is pretty much gone. Shoreline Park is an excellent spot for a leisurely morning in Santa Barbara. 

Farmers Market

If you enjoy going to a farmer’s market, then the Santa Barbara one is a good recommendation for you. The company that runs the market has one six days a week all around Santa Barbara County, so there is a market for you depending on what day you are there. They have all the traditional things like fresh fruit and vegetables and even meat. My favorite vendor is the pistachio company, and it is hard for me to leave without picking up a bag. 

Santa Barbara Natural History Museum

This is the last museum on this list, but as you can see, Santa Barbara has some great museums. The Santa Barbara Natural History Museum is unique and has one of the largest collections of taxidermied birds and other animals that I have ever seen. It is fascinating to see all of the animals up close like this, and the entire museum is full of these diorama-type displays that put the animals in elaborate scenes. The underwater ones are especially intricate. The museum also has a pygmy mammoth skeleton found on one of the Channel Islands and a full dinosaur display in the back area. The dinosaurs are animatronics and will move and growl, making them fun for the kids. Lastly, the museum has one of the best exhibits on the Chumash Indians that I have seen. There are a lot of artifacts and information here on this people group that were the original inhabitants of the Santa Barbara area. 

Santa Barbara Zoo

The Santa Barbra Zoo comprises only 30 acres right along the coast, and while it is small, it is still a pretty good zoo to visit. It has been voted one of the best small zoos in the USA, and it is easy to see why. The zoo has a fantastic elevated walkway that looks down on a lake and passes alongside some large bird exhibits. The zoo also has gorillas, giraffes, and lions. All of which were very active when I was there. The zoo also has a train that you can ride that takes you around the park. It is small, but it is fun for a few hours while in Santa Barbara, especially with young kids. 

Chumash Painted Cave State Park

Chumash Painted Cave State Park is located about 20 minutes from downtown Santa Barbara in the hills above the city. The drive to the site is an adventure on its own with windy roads and what is basically a one lane road. There are great views out over the city on the way up though. When you get to Chumash Painted Cave State Park, there is room for maybe two cars there, but you can see the whole area in a few minutes, so people don’t usually stay too long. The park preserves some of the best remaining Chumash Native American Rock Art, and it is beautiful to see. Because of the iron gate that protects it, the rock art is still in immaculate shape, and the designs are colorful and big. It is estimated that the art dates back to before the 1600s, but little is known of what these design mean. It is a little difficult to visit with the drive and limited parking, but it is a beautiful and well-preserved spot in Santa Barbara. 

Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens

The Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens consist of over 75 acres and is a stunning outdoor area to explore in the city. The garden focuses on California native plants with a few distinct sections like a desert and a meadow. The property also has a walking path that takes you over the small creek and into a shaded area preserved to allow visitors to experience the area’s native look. In the back, the garden has a historic rock dam made in the early 1800s to provide water for the mission. This section also has a beautiful area of redwoods, with many benches to sit and relax in their shade. Before I visited this spot, I didn’t know what to expect, but I was blown away by how beautiful it is and highly recommend it. 

Inspiration Point

While I could make a whole post on hiking in the area (let me know if you want that), the most popular spot has got to be Inspiration Point. This hike is 3.5 miles round trip, and it takes you up to a fantastic viewpoint over the entire Santa Barbara area. On a clear day, you can see three of the Channel Islands from the vantage point as well. The hike gives you a great introduction to the Santa Ynez Mountains, and if you are feeling adventurous, you can hike to Seven Falls as well. I would not recommend you do this without a GPS track and some scrambling abilities as it can be hard to find, and the path down to it is very steep. Also, note that the parking for this trail can fill up early on the weekends as it is minimal. 

Before ending this list, here are two food recommendations. Santa Barbara is full of great food, so be sure to research more than just these two spots.

Los Agaves

First, Los Agaves is one of my favorite places in California. I have been coming here for years, and it never lets me down. The Mexican food restaurant has some of the best chicken mole enchiladas that I have ever had, and I basically never stray to order anything else. Amie usually always goes with the Agaves Enchiladas with fish and shrimp, and the salsa here is excellent as well. It’s a great spot if you love good Mexican food like we do.

McConnell’s Ice Cream

Lastly, McConnell’s Ice Cream is a must visit in Santa Barbara. There are a few locations around the city, so you pretty much always have one close to you. The ice cream here is stellar, with flavors ranging from lemon and Marionberry to churros con leche. You can even split scoops if you can’t decide on just one. Let me know what your favorite flavor is in the comments. 

So there you have it, my favorite places in Santa Barbara. Let me know what I left off in the comments!

The post 19 Things to do in Santa Barbara: Hikes, Restaurants, Beaches and Museums appeared first on California Through My Lens.

The Moxi Museum in Santa Barbara is a fantastic family-friendly museum that encourages children to learn through interactive exhibits on the museum’s three floors. This museum opened in 2017 with the goal being to encourage children to learn and experience science and be creative. I took my two one and a half year olds here, and while they had fun, it would be better for kids that are a little older. That being said, I even enjoyed the museum myself, and I defiantly recommend it if you are traveling with a family in Santa Barbara, check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.

Details

• Cost: $16 for adults, $13 for kids, under 2 is free (as of 2022)
• Hours: Everyday 10 AM – 5 PM (as of 2022)
• Location: 125 State St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Getting There

The museum is located on State Street, the busy downtown area of Santa Barbara, near Sterns Wharf. You simply walk State Street over the tracks to the museum from the train station parking area. Parking can be a little challenging, but there is a big lot next to the train station that I was told could be used. Be sure to read signs and double-check this if you go.

Moxi Museum

The museum is three floors, with each floor having a half dozen or so interactive exhibits. Here are some of the highlights from the museum.

On the first floor, the first thing you see is the big guitar with strings that can be strummed. It is fun to try and play chords with your friends, and kids can run into the back area of the guitar.

There is also a thermal sensor area where you can make handprints, and an exhibit that measures how much sound you make when you walk. 

Outside of the first floor, there was a giant machine that reminded me of Plinko from Price is Right and a gadget that was like a giant vacuum-sealed maze that you could pom poms into. These were highlights for my young children as they had a lot going on to look at.

Heading to the second floor was where my favorite exhibits were. There was an exhibit where you could see how high you could jump, build a roller coaster, and even a giant Lite Brite that you could create art on.

The best spot here was an area where you could build your own car and then race it on a track. My children were too young, but I still made multiple cars and tried running them. I imagine this would be a huge highlight for many children.

Heading up to the third floor, you will arrive at the rooftop and get some great views of Downtown Santa Barbara and the ocean.

It was next to the train station, and we got to watch a train go by as well.

The exhibits up here had a lot to do with creating sounds, such as moving around small wind tunnels, spinning a column that sounded like rain, and a drum heartbeat machine. 

There was also a water pump area that was a highlight for the younger children and a few little telescopes for the view of the mountains.

Overall it was a pretty great museum in the city. We spent about an hour here, but I imagine that if you have older children who like any of the exhibits, you could easily spend 2-3 hours here having fun. Let me know what you think in the comments, and read more of my favorite spots in Santa Barbara at this guide. 

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The Santa Barbara Zoo is often voted as one of the nation’s best small zoos, and it certainly makes the most of its 30-acre property. The location is stunning, sitting right along the coast (you can see the ocean while looking at the giraffes), and it is a fun spot to explore, especially with young kids. Here is all the information on the Santa Barbara Zoo. 

Details

• Cost: $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for kids. Parking was also $11 (as of Jan 2022)
• Hours: Daily 9:30 AM – 5 PM (reservations may be required before coming)
• Zoo map of animals – https://www.sbzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Zoo-map-0121.png
• Location: 500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Getting There

From Downtown Santa Barbara, you will take the 101 South to exit 96A towards Milpas Street. Turn left on Milpas, then left on Calle Puerto Vallarta, and this will take you right to the zoo entrance, which will be on your left. There is a large parking lot, and it was an additional fee when I went of $11. 

Santa Barbra Zoo

Depending on how much you want to spend time at each exhibit, the zoo can pretty easily be seen in 1-2 hours. That being said, my family had a great time exploring as the property is beautiful, and the animals were very active. Here is some information on what we saw.

After entering, the first thing you will see are the flamingos. There were many of them, and they were pretty close to the trail, which was fun.

From there, you can head to see the snow leopard and some of the birds. The leopard was sleeping when we went by. 

The white handed gibbons were the next stop, and these monkeys were loud and active. They swung all around the trees on the small island they were living on. From there, you could go by the future home of the Australian walk-about section. There were some kangaroos here, but it was still being worked on.

Next to that, there were a few toucans and some penguins in their own respective area next to that.

Here you will move into the back part of the zoo, and there is a train that you can pay an additional fee to ride, which takes you on a circular path around the zoo. It looked fun, but we didn’t do it on this trip.

Heading towards the vultures and condors was one of my favorite sections, the Annenberg Flight Path.

This elevated walking trail took you past the large bird exhibits, allowing you even to see them in flight, and it looked out over the lake that bordered the property.

It was gorgeous, and it felt like an adventure to walk along this section.

Connecting back with the central zoo led to the three most prominent attractions: the gorillas, giraffes, and lions. Each of the three was out, eating and exploring while we were there. 

The lions were incredibly cool to see as they were sitting right next to the glass, and you could get pretty close to them.

I think they also have an extra charge to feed the giraffe, but we did not do this either. 

After spending some time with the gorillas, we headed back to the entrance, completing our time at the zoo. Overall it was a great experience for my family with lots of animals to see and an easy spot to spend a few hours while in Santa Barbara. Let me know what you think in the comments, and you can see more of my favorite Santa Barbara places here.

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The Santa Barbara Botanical Garden is one of California’s best I have visited. The main section of the garden is not large, but the simplicity is beautiful, focusing on California plants that include things like redwoods and desert plants. A stroll through the gardens is a relaxing way to spend a lovely day in Santa Barbara, and here is all the information.

Details

• Cost: $16 for adults, $8 for youth (as of Jan 2022)
• Hours: Everyday 10 AM – 5 PM
• Location: 1212 Mission Canyon Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 

Getting There

The Botanical Garden is most easily accessed from State Route 192, which travels through the northern part of Santa Barbara. From the 192, you will head north on Mission Canyon Road. It quickly splits, and you will bear right and follow signs that direct you to the garden. There is a decent-sized parking area that you can use. 

Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens

After paying your fee at the entrance, you are free to explore the property on both sides of the street, but I stayed on the main side as I was pressed for time. The other side has a viewpoint for the Channel Islands, a short trail, and a plant propagation facility.

The main section has a couple of trails that take you throughout the garden, but one area was closed when I went for some work. Even with the closed section, the garden was a highlight for me during my trip to Santa Barbara, and here were some of my favorite spots.

I headed out on the trail that went through the desert first, showcasing plants found around California’s large desert landscape.

The trail then heads into the Wooded Dell area with a fantastic bench that sits under the shaded trees.

The trail then crosses the Campbell Bridge, which goes over the creek that runs through the gardens before connecting with the Canyon Trail. 

This section is especially nice as it preserves what the area looks like naturally. It is an excellent introduction to the foliage and landscape if you are not doing any of Santa Barbara’s hiking trails. 

As you walk along the canyon trail, you will reach the historic mission dam from the early 1800s. The Chumash Indians and the padres built this dam about a half mile up the stream at the mission. 

The dam is beautiful and historic, so it was a highlight to see in the garden. Plus, we had just gotten rain, so the water was flowing pretty well. 

After crossing over the dam, you will enter the redwoods area, the most popular spot in the gardens. 

It is easy to see why, as the trail is stunning here, with massive redwoods looming over you as you walk under them. 

There are a few benches here to sit and soak in the beauty if you have the time. I plan to come back here again just to spend more time in this section. 

Completing the Woodland Trail brings you back to the meadow, a nice large open area in the middle of the gardens.

It is gorgeous when you look at it with the mountains in the background. 

Due to prior commitments, I spent about 45 minutes here, but I would have easily spent longer. It is a hidden gem in Santa Barbara worth the visit. Check it out, and let me know what you think in the comments. You can read more of my favorite Santa Barbara spots here. 

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Inspiration Point is the most popular hiking trail in Santa Barbara as it leads to a fantastic view out over the city, coastline, and the Channel Islands. The hike is moderate at 3.5 miles round trip and around 1,000 feet of elevation gain. The trail is exposed to the sun pretty much the entire way to the viewpoint, so I wouldn’t recommend it in the summer heat, but the rest of the year, it is an excellent spot for a nice hike in the city. You can also extend the trail with a visit to Seven Falls or even Bubb’s Peak. Here is all the information if you want to check it out. 

Details

• 3.5 miles (Another .5-.75 if you go to Seven Falls)
• 1,000 feet of elevation gain, more if you go to Seven Falls
• Online it says you need an adventure pass, but I am not sure if that is true. I displayed my national parks pass, which is good for many national forests (double-check this before doing it, as I may have just gotten lucky)
• Location: 1454-1498 Tunnel Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 (approx location)

Getting There

The trailhead for Inspiration Point is located in the mountains above Santa Barbara. You can find the trailhead location directly in Google Maps, which will direct you there. The parking situation here is rough, and there are only 10-12 spots max along the road near the trailhead. If you can’t get one of those, you may have to walk an extra half mile to get to the trailhead, as the remaining options are pretty far down the road. Get here early if you want to find a spot, especially on the weekends.

Inspiration Point Trail

After parking, proceed up the road to the official trailhead, noted by the large metal gate that blocks vehicle access. 

You will proceed around this gate and start the trail towards Inspiration Point.

The first mile or so of the trail is along a wide dirt road and is pretty uneventful.

There is no shade on this section, but there are great views of the ocean and the Channel Islands.

The road bends around as it continues back into the mountains.

Eventually, you will reach a bridge with a creek crossing and what looks like a small water processing area that is all gated up. 

Continuing on, you will reach a sign with a map that shows the area’s hiking trail. There is also a split here where you will stay left.

There is another split three minutes away, where you will stay left again and head onto a single track.

The single track winds around until you get a view of the canyon down below you.

The trail descends here to the creek, and it was flowing pretty well when I was there. 

This is also the split for Seven Falls (more on that later).

Crossing over the creek, you will start heading up, where most of the elevation comes in. 

As you head up, the trail goes in and out of shaded areas on a series of switchbacks.

As you gain elevation, you will get some great views of the coast again.

Eventually, the trail reaches some electrical towers that you will go under to reach Inspiration Point.

Inspiration Point

As you cross over a small dirt road, you will officially be at Inspiration Point. 

The dirt clearing has a few rocks but not much else, other than the stunning view out over the city and coastline in front of you.

This view is basically 180 degrees of unobstructed stunning coastline. You can see up Pacific Coast Highway in one direction and down to Sterns Wharf in the other. The Channel Islands and the oil rigs that dot the landscape are in the distance.

It is a stunning view and well worth the effort it took to get up here. I stayed for 15 minutes, just soaking it in and having a snack before heading back down to find the trail for Seven Falls.

Seven Falls

After getting back to the creek, I decided to try and find Seven Falls. I had a GPS track to follow, and you do not want to try and find it without one. The trail is unmarked, and it would be easy to get lost.

You can see two trails heading up from the creek; the one to the left is the most straightforward. Almost immediately, the trail heads up with many rocks in the path that make you gain elevation quickly. The trail is narrow and steep as you hike out of the canyon.

You will want your GPS track downloaded to note where the trail splits down to the falls.

When you find the split, note that it is very steep with loose dirt. 

The path is so steep that someone installed a rope to help you not lose your balance on the way down. 

If you take it slow, you will be fine, but if you don’t like this type of hiking, you want to stay away from Seven Falls.

At the bottom of the trail, you will see the first waterfall. This is the largest of the falls and is around 15-20 feet tall. It is beautiful as it cascades over the rock into the small pool below.

I scrambled up the rock to the right of the waterfall to get a view of the small falls behind it. 

These are only a few feet each, but it is fun to see them cascading down in succession.

After hanging out for a little while, I started the strenuous hike back out to the trail. Again, take your time as it is steep, then it is just following the main path back to your car. I spent a few hours hiking Inspiration Point and Seven Falls in this area, and I loved this beautiful part of Santa Barbara. Check it out if you get a chance, and let me know what you think in the comments. 

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The March Air Field Museum is a great aviation museum in Riverside that has been in existence for over 40 years and has hundreds of aircraft. The museum used to be run by the Air Force, but a nonprofit now runs it on the outskirts of the March Air Force Base. If you are interested in aircraft then it is a fantastic place to spend a half day. Here is all the information if you want to check it out.

Details

• Cost: $12 for adults and $6 for children (as of 2021)
• 9 AM – 5 PM, closed Mondays
• Location: 22550 Van Buren Boulevard, Riverside, CA 92518

Getting There

The museum is located right along the 15 Freeway. You will want to get off on the Van Buren exit and head east, and the museum is right there. You can’t miss it as you can see all the planes while driving up. There is a large parking area for the museum.

March Air Field Museum

As you walk up to the museum, you will see a few exhibits on the exterior, with one focusing specifically on the war dogs that serve in the military.

Upon entering, you can pay your fee and then explore the museum. 

The main room has a SR-71 Blackbird prominently on display, which is amazing to see and they allow you to walk around the whole thing and even up to the cockpit. Just this plane alone is worth the price of admission.

Inside, they have many exhibits from WWII. Many of the exhibits are interactive for families, such as sitting in a cockpit for photos.

As you walk through the museum, there are more exhibits on WWII with uniforms and lots of artifacts.

After exploring the interior, you can head outside to see the dozens of aircraft they have on display.

Heading south first, you can see their helicopters on display. There are 6-7 helicopters here, and it is interesting to see the progression in design.

As you walk around the exterior, you can see everything from F4 Phantoms to a B-52. 

While I don’t know a ton about planes, I have been to many air museums and this is one of the most impressive. 

The museum’s exterior area is large and has so much to see; how long it takes will depend on how interested you are in aircraft. 

I enjoyed just walking up and down the path and seeing all the different planes on display. 

After you explore the exterior, you will head back into the interior area to exit the museum. You can explore the inside more or just head to the exit. This is an excellent museum in Riverside that is well kept up and interesting to explore. Let me know what you think if you visit in the comments. 

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Dana Point Holidays At The Harbor is one of the best free Christmas light displays in Southern California. The harbor area becomes a winter wonderland with a large Christmas whale, walk-through candy cane lanes, and a popular “Merry Kiss Me” Instagram spot. It is up there with Mission Inn for the best free light displays in the area. Here is all the information.

Details

• Free
• Parking is available in the large lot but can fill on the weekends
• Location: Near 34505 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629
• You can find the map here

Getting There

The lights area is in the Dana Point Marina. You can get directions to the marina, and as you get closer, you will see lights on the trees and the harbor lights right next to the water. It is hard to miss, especially at night time. 

Dana Point Harbor Lights

After parking, you can explore the many different Christmas light displays; use the above map to find them all. It is very walkable, and there are places to get food or buy coffee. Here are some of the best displays.

Harbor Lights Sign

You will see this large sign right by the parking area as you enter. It is a popular photo spot, lit up with many different colors.

Blue Whales

Next to the Harbor Lights Sign are the two blue whales. The bigger of the whales allows people to enter into its belly for photos. There was an extensive line for this, so I didn’t get a chance to do it. The smaller whale didn’t have the photo area, but it was also fun to see. On the way to the harbor from the first two spots, you will see a lane of Christmas Trees that you walk along as well.

Surfing Santas

As you get to the harbor, you will see Surfing Santa, which welcomes you to the rest of the lights display. He is pretty fun and a popular spot for family photos.

There is also a well-lit-up tree next to Surfing Santa.

Merry Kiss Me

As you walk down to the harbor, you will see the Merry Kiss Me sign, which had the longest photo line of any exhibit here. It was a fun spot but prepare for a long wait if you want to take a photo with it.

Candy Cane Tunnels

I don’t know if these are specifically candy canes, but that is what the lights on the tunnel reminded me of. There are multiple tunnels with red and white lights on the columns and then light up stars above you as you walk through them. 

These are the main attractions at Dana Point Holiday at the Harbor in 2021, and it is a fun spot to visit that I highly recommend. Again, it is free, so it is pretty hard to beat with all the expensive light-up displays around Southern California. You can find more holiday spots here, and let me know what you think in the comments.

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