Many tourists flock to well-known destinations in Southern California like San Diego, Disneyland, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara. Give your next summer gathering a little something special with a picnic party that’ll make you the envy of the neighborhood. These are all great places to visit, but if you’re looking for somewhere different that’s a bit off the radar, check out the following incredible destinations:
The Channell Islands
My husband and I have
lived in California most our lives, but somehow missed these spectacular
islands that are classified as one of the U.S. National Parks. After
seeing some stunning photos on the Internet, we took a short boat ride
to Anacapa Island from Oxnard as part of a weekend anniversary trip.
If
you decide to go, be prepared and bring supplies. This trip is for
adventurous people in good physical shape. You will need to climb 157
stairs to the top of this rugged little island where there is no food,
services, water, or flushing toilets. Now, I HATE outhouses, but I’m
telling you – the views of the rocky shoreline, massive cliffs, and
jagged peaks were worth it. You can easily hike around the rim of the
island in just hours with Inspiration Point a grand reward for your
efforts.
We visited in June when bursts of bright wildflowers
covered the small island and thousands of adorable baby sea gulls were
to be found around every corner. Just beware of their protective mamas
who will swoop at your head if you get too close.
We returned a
couple of years later and visited the larger Santa Cruz Island for an
exciting kayak tour of the historic sea caves. On the boat ride there we
saw a whale and two large schools of dolphins. The waters can be rough
at certain points, but the caves were amazing. This was a
once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Some people consider these islands
desolate, but if you have an adventurous spirit and love nature, the
Channell Islands are considered the Galápagos of North America.
The Huntington Botanical Gardens
This
is yet another stunning place that we failed to visit for decades.
Located in Pasadena, the magnificent estate is home to more than a dozen
spectacular gardens spread across 120 acres. Hard to say which garden
is the most dazzling, but the Japanese Garden, the Rose Garden, and the
California Garden are a few of my favorites.
We didn’t even get a
chance to check out the art galleries. The Huntington Art Gallery,
houses 18th- and 19th-century British paintings, sculptures, and
decorative arts, and includes the famous Blue Boy. And to my shame as a
writer, we did not visit The Huntington Library itself, one of the
largest and most complete research libraries in the United States.
Next time.
Ventura County Wine Trail
Napa
may get all the attention as wine country in California, but my husband
and I enjoyed sipping our way through the coastal rolling hills near
the seaside town of Ventura. We visited two of the nearly 20 wineries
and tasting rooms.
You can book one of the many wine tours
offered. However, we decided to get a map and explore on our own.
Beginning in Ventura at the junction of Highway 1 and Highway 101, we
drove up Highway 33 toward Ojai.
Surprises await on this somewhat
lonely but charming road – from the “USA’s Smallest Post Office” to the
last place anyone saw James Dean alive. Our favorite find was Old Creek
Winery which felt like returning to a simpler place and time where
friendly folk and dogs welcomed us. We enjoyed our purchased bottle of
wine and a picnic outside on tables enjoying the Americana view.
By
the way, both Ojai and Ventura are worthwhile stops with charming inns,
luxurious spas, and bed & breakfasts along with a wide array of
outdoor activities. In the summer time, the Ventura Harbor Village is a
hubbub of activity with festivals and live music on the weekends.
Laguna Beach
This
charming beach town is located halfway between Los Angeles and San
Diego. With over 20 different scenic coves, this beach area offers
everything from surfing, paddle-boarding, snorkeling, kayaking, and
whale watching excursions.
Just beware, the surf can be rough in
places. As a teenager, I decided to body surf despite the churning
waters and wiped out on a massive wave (think Beach Boys’ song:
Heheheheheheee wipe oooout!). Actually, I blame the Beach Boys for this
entire mishap since they went and romanticized this whole surfer chick
thing with songs I grew up on like Surfer Girl. SO their fault.
However,
the scenery can’t be beat. Add ultra-chic restaurants and shops and
one-of-a-kind art galleries and you get the picture. There’s even a Baby
Boomer Club with Saturday Night dances. Every summer, they host the
Laguna Woodstock where baby boomers party like its 1969.
Heisler
Park is a good place to start, located just north of the main beach,
with an easy half-mile stroll along a paved path with spectacular views
of the coastline and the soothing sound of crashing waves. You can take
one of the paths to the beaches and tide pools. Benches, picnic tables,
and barbecues abound where you can enjoy the magnificent views. Hubby
and I had a picnic on one of the grass areas and it was perfect!
Treasure
Island Park is another great spot, located on the grounds of the
five-star Montage Laguna Beach, where the truly rich stay. Exquisitely
landscaped, several lookout benches line the easy-to-walk winding path.
Stairways and ramps lead you down to the beach, where you can walk
through a beautiful rock archway during low tide, find a spot in the
sand for sunbathing, and a large tide pool. In addition, there is plenty
of grass areas for a picnic. I’d suggest bringing some wine and cheese
to catch a romantic sunset.
Big Bear Lake
I live in the
desert, so nearby Big Bear is a great mountain escape with its gorgeous
lake and pristine forests. Boating, fishing, and hiking are just some of
the activities in this small, laid-back village.
Last summer, my
husband and I cycled around the lake, enjoyed a picnic, zipped down an
alpine slide, drove go-karts with speeds up to 30 m.p.h., and took a
ride on the scenic sky chair for terrific views. After watching people
take the chair lifts to mountain bike down the trails, we put this on
our to-do list for next time.
For the adventurous at heart, parasailing and ziplining are also available.
El Matador Beach
Looking
for a spectacular shoreline with white sands, towering cliffs, crashing
waves, and craggy rock formations in a semi-hidden location?
Look
no further than El Matador, located north of Malibu off the winding
Pacific Coast Highway. It’s easy to miss the small, brown sign pointing
toward the small parking lot at the trail-head, so watch carefully
between Broad Beach and Decker Canyon Roads. Once you find it, be
prepared to hike down a 150-foot bluff with the help of some steep
stairs.
Not for small children or those who are physically
challenged, but if you can make it down the steps you’ll be treated with
breathtaking views. The locals know about this beach and you may see
some photo shoots taking place – we did!
There is blissfully
little to do on this small but glorious stretch of beach, so bring a
picnic lunch or some wine and find a hidden nook to enjoy an incredibly
romantic setting.
Redondo Beach
By now, you’ve probably
noticed that my husband and I are beach bums. We found this beach on
accident while looking for a nearby place to stay the night before
flying out of LAX the next morning.
The Redondo Pier is a landmark
with panoramic ocean views and water activities that include harbor
cruises, seasonal whale watching, kayaks, paddleboards, and pedal boats.
Truth be known, we didn’t try any of these out, but we loved the views
from Tony’s on the Pier where we enjoyed Happy Hour!
The pier is
also home to a 16-foot great white shark affectionately known as
Georgette, on display in a large tank at Shark Attack on the Pier. If
you have grandchildren with you or are young at heart, you may enjoy the
semi-submersible yellow submarine (darn, now I’ve got the Beatles song
stuck in my head) for underwater viewing of the local sea life.
Sure beats staying at an airport hotel if you’re flying to or from Los Angeles.
Catalina Island
This
island is more well-known than some of my previous recommendations, but
a sentimental favorite. My husband and I spent our honeymoon there 40
years ago and have returned several times. This is a small, quaint
island, with no stoplights or fast food restaurants. A typical traffic
jam involves two golf carts and a bicycle built for two.
On our
honeymoon, we blissfully rode bikes around Avalon, went horseback
riding, toured the famous casino, and sunbathed on the small beach. We
also took a bus to Two Harbors, the only other village on Catalina
Island. Snorkeling, parasailing, fishing, glass bottom boat rides,
paddleboarding, Segway tours, golfing, and hiking are other popular
activities.
Decades later, we sailed our boat to the island from
Long Beach – which turned out to be one wild ride. My husband and grown
children returned again for our open-water dives to become
scuba-certified amid the famous kelp forests surrounded by the bright
orange Garibaldi fish. Next time we visit, I want to try the new
zip-line that’s 600 feet above sea level with one run that is 1,100 feet
long with speeds up to 30 m.p.h. Wheee!
As you can tell, Southern
California has so many great places to visit, it’s impossible to list
them all. But hopefully I’ve given you some ideas to get you started!
Julie Gorges is an author, freelance writer, and blogger. During the past 20 years of professional writing, she has authored three books, had hundreds of article published in national and regional magazines, and won three journalism awards. Click here as you can visit her blog at http://www.babyboomerbliss.net.
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