Weekend Getaways

Like most people hailing from Los Angeles, I have a healthy love-hate relationship with the city. I grew up a "valley kid" in the suburbs of the San Fernando Valley. Downtown, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, ...

We set off one recent morning on a trip to forget suburbia: to immerse ourselves in the high desert enclaves of the Mojave and Colorado, where San Bernardino’s sprawl can no longer reach through the ...

Confession time: as a San Diego resident, it took me almost a decade to go wine tasting in Temecula. I broke the spell when my best friend celebrated her birthday at Pechanga Resort and Casino. ...

A few Saturdays ago, I spent some quality time in Los Angeles for a Dodgers game in Echo Park. I’d hadn’t been to one of their games in quite some time, but with my friend ...

When I think of Cambria, I often think of my Grandpa Bristol – outfitted in a pair of brown waders – prying large red abalones from tidepool rocks. The Bristol home was close to the ...

As someone who has primarily lived in suburbia, I find myself escaping to small-town USA when I am in need of a change in scenery. Most San Diegans head to Julian, Palomar, or Cleveland National ...

For me, the Wild West was never something that piqued my interest. The desert, cowboys, the Gold Rush, saloons; it all seemed rather dusty and trite to me. That is until I got a chance ...

"Keep close to Nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." ~ John Muir Ah, now I understand ...

Loveland Lake and Dam is a true hidden gem in the backcountry about 40 minutes drive from downtown San Diego off I-8 East. The trailhead can be easily missed if you blink once while driving ...

Oh, Joshua Tree. You are unique, far-flung and downright bizarre.... I first visited the quirky desert town several years ago and took to the creative community. While brainstorming road trip ideas one weekend, I settled ...

Springtime in the Western United States generally means snow melt and a lot of muddy conditions. It may seem like an odd time to visit a mountain town... but it's just the opposite for the ...

The Mitchell Caverns are not as large as those at Carlsbad, New Mexico, or as well known — but are local, every bit as dramatic, and come complete with a history made for movies. I ...

Heading to Las Vegas two months after the Mandalay Bay shootings – the deadliest (civilian) mass shooting in American history – you’d have to be a sociopath not to think of death. But eventually, like ...

In many different neighborhoods, L.A. is seeing a positive increase in the number of artistic and creative establishments: from hip clothing stores to shared workspaces to unique bars and cafes. Downtown, Highland Park, East Los ...

When the Baja 1000 races roll around next month (November 14–18), some Americans crossing into Mexico might be in for a big surprise. Recently, travelers crossing through the San Ysidro, Otay, Tecate, and Mexicali borders ...