A Comprehensive Guide to California’s 20 Remarkable National Forests
The National Forest Foundation has declared July 8 to 14, 2024, as National Forest Week. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the 20 national forests in California, which protect a whopping 20.8 million acres of federal land. The Golden State comes second only to Alaska in national forest acreage. California’s national forests cover […]
The Ultimate Summer-in-California Bucket List
(+ a free printable “Summertime in California” bingo card!) School’s out and summer is officially here, so it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy all that the sunniest season has to offer. In California, we’re spoiled with incredible opportunities for outdoor fun, from beach days to mountain hikes, and sometimes just a nice neighborhood stroll. […]
Reasons to Visit (or Skip) LA’s Venice Beach
Venice is a weird beachfront neighborhood of Los Angeles. Whether it’s good-weird or bad-weird, and whether or not Venice Beach is worth visiting, is entirely subjective. For some visitors, the beachfront neighborhood with its famous boardwalk is an absolute must-see highlight of Southern California. For others, there are probably quite a few more appealing destinations […]
Places to Play: Olompali State Historic Park
Before it was one of the Bay Area’s prettiest state parks, the oak-strewn mountainside of Olompali saw thousands of years of Coast Miwok culture, the indulgences of a wealthy ranching family, and the highs and lows of a counterculture commune. Olompali State Historic Park is in Marin County, just off US-101, 3 miles north of […]
A First Timer’s Guide to Malibu, California
Malibu, a city hugging 21 miles of coastline in Los Angeles County, has a magical appeal that’s far greater than that of its most famous attributes. The millionaires’ homes, legendary surf scene, oceanfront restaurants and the Pacific Coast Highway – these are not the sources of Malibu’s magic. Rather, they exist because of it, in […]
Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach Embraces the Beauty and Bounty of the Oxnard Coast
By J.C. Thomas California’s celebrated coastline is 1,264 miles long, yet there are only a handful of true oceanfront resorts in the entire state. Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach stands out even among such rare offerings – it’s the only all-suite beachfront resort in California. Located on the edge of Oxnard in Ventura County, the […]
Museum Monday: Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park
On the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Richmond, California, is Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park. The park preserves and explores the history of the “Rosies,” some 6 million women who entered the nation’s industrial workforce during World War II. Thousands of these women worked at Richmond’s Kaiser Shipyards, where […]
Enjoy Lake San Marcos, S’mores and More at Lakehouse Resort
By J.C. Thomas San Diego County is known all around the world for its major tourist attractions, near-perfect weather and natural beauty. It’s hard to believe that any hidden gems remain among the region’s immensely inviting cities, beaches and mountains. Yet, the city of San Marcos and its same-named lake remain mostly off the typical […]
Get Yourself to Graceland, the No. 1 Must-See Attraction in Memphis
Elvis Presley could have lived anywhere in the world, but even at the highest peak of his fame he devoted himself to Memphis. Elvis was born 100 miles away in Tupelo, Mississippi, moved to Memphis with his family at the age of 13, and rose to stardom in the city alongside rock ‘n’ roll itself. In […]
Experience the Magic and Music of Memphis, Tennessee
The city of Memphis, Tennessee, has adopted the tourist-drawing tagline “Home of the Blues,” with “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll” as a close runner-up. Memphis Tourism opts for an all-encompassing “Home of Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll.” With a heritage that includes the very genesis of multiple genres, Memphis is fueled by the magic […]
A First Timer’s Guide to Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is the No. 1 place to go for anyone with a rosy, rom-com-like vision of a Los Angeles vacation. It’s a sunny, lively, visitor-friendly beach city that feels familiar even if it’s your first visit. Santa Monica is genuinely walkable and bikeable (a rarity in Southern California). It’s more urban than Malibu, more […]
Explore Exposition Park, a Remarkable Los Angeles Landmark
Exposition Park, a 152-acre urban park in a South Los Angeles neighborhood also named Exposition Park, is one of the top visitor destinations in all of Southern California. The park’s most famous landmark is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, a historic venue that hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1932 and 1984, and will again […]