It’s a glorious day in Southern California, which means it’s the perfect time to head outside and start exploring. If you love the outdoors as much as I do, you’re going to love these SoCal activities that will get you outside and breathing in some crisp, fresh air. Grab your sandals or lace up your tennis shoes and let’s get packin’! We have some outdoorsy fun to tackle today.
- The 7 Sea Caves in La Jolla
flickr/Daniel Pouliot Get out on the water and take a kayak tour of the 7 sea caves in La Jolla. If you haven’t experienced this yet you need to add it to the top of your list – it’s breathtaking!
- Oak Canyon Nature Center in Anaheim
Yelp/michael T.
Yelp/Richard L. Enjoy the wilderness for some hiking and exploring. There are four miles of trails to choose from that will take you through scenic oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub. If hiking isn’t your thing, you can check out Oak Canyons outdoor activities that will get you out in nature without having to exercise. Cinema Under the Stars and Nature Nights sound like fun for the whole family!
- Mt. Rubidoux in Riverside
flickr/Neil Kremer Take a hike on the Mt. Rubidoux trail and check out the stunning site of the World Peace Bridge.
- Mountain Biking in Big Bear
flickr/Pierce Martin It’s time to dust off that mountain bike and get out on the trails for the ride of your life in some fresh mountain air. This scenic setting is located in Big Bear.
- Horseback Riding in Griffith Park in Los Angeles
flickr/collect moments Experiencing the outdoors on horseback is always an adventure. Pictured here, a horse ride on one of the trails in Griffith Park. Did you have any idea you could have a slice of peaceful country life so close to the city?
- Torrey Pines Reserve
flickr/Bill Gracey No matter what kind of outdoors experience you are seeking, you can’t ever go wrong with the epic setting of Torrey Pines Reserve. Get out on the trail for a moderate hike and you will be in awe of the magnificent ocean view.
- Hike Cathedral Peak
Visit Santa Barbara For the extreme outdoorsy adventurer, there are plenty of tall peaks to climb here in SoCal. Like Cathedral Peak, for example. Not only is this a challenging hike, but it also has some rock climbing involved so it’s definitely a lot more challenging than your average hike. The payoff once you reach the top? Jaw dropping views from Oxnard all the way to the Channel Islands.
- Irvine Regional Park
flickr/OC Parks Head to Orange, CA and rent a paddle boat at Irvine Regional Park. You can play in the water for some fun and exercise at Orange County’s first state park that’s also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Eaton Canyon Natural Area
flickr/Tracie Hall
Yelp/Charlene F. Hiking through Eaton Canyon Natural Area is a rejuvenating way to spend the day in the outdoors. And what a treat to find this waterfall along the hiking trail. This looks mighty refreshing!
- Point Conception
Visit Santa Barbara Although there’s limited/restricted access to this historic lighthouse located on Point Conception in Santa Barbara, you might be able to see it up close and in person by hiking along the public beach at low tide. Proceed with caution and do your research in advance before you take on this outdoorsy excursion.
What kind of outdoor adventure shall we experience in Southern California today? These all look pretty fabulous to me! Let me know what other things you’d love for me to feature as I go out and about exploring SoCal. Are you digging the outdoorsy stuff? If there are specific topics you’d like to see more of, please let me know in the comments.
flickr/Daniel Pouliot
Get out on the water and take a kayak tour of the 7 sea caves in La Jolla. If you haven’t experienced this yet you need to add it to the top of your list – it’s breathtaking!
Yelp/michael T.
Yelp/Richard L.
Enjoy the wilderness for some hiking and exploring. There are four miles of trails to choose from that will take you through scenic oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub. If hiking isn’t your thing, you can check out Oak Canyons outdoor activities that will get you out in nature without having to exercise. Cinema Under the Stars and Nature Nights sound like fun for the whole family!
flickr/Neil Kremer
Take a hike on the Mt. Rubidoux trail and check out the stunning site of the World Peace Bridge.
flickr/Pierce Martin
It’s time to dust off that mountain bike and get out on the trails for the ride of your life in some fresh mountain air. This scenic setting is located in Big Bear.
flickr/collect moments
Experiencing the outdoors on horseback is always an adventure. Pictured here, a horse ride on one of the trails in Griffith Park. Did you have any idea you could have a slice of peaceful country life so close to the city?
flickr/Bill Gracey
No matter what kind of outdoors experience you are seeking, you can’t ever go wrong with the epic setting of Torrey Pines Reserve. Get out on the trail for a moderate hike and you will be in awe of the magnificent ocean view.
Visit Santa Barbara
For the extreme outdoorsy adventurer, there are plenty of tall peaks to climb here in SoCal. Like Cathedral Peak, for example. Not only is this a challenging hike, but it also has some rock climbing involved so it’s definitely a lot more challenging than your average hike. The payoff once you reach the top? Jaw dropping views from Oxnard all the way to the Channel Islands.
flickr/OC Parks
Head to Orange, CA and rent a paddle boat at Irvine Regional Park. You can play in the water for some fun and exercise at Orange County’s first state park that’s also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
flickr/Tracie Hall
Yelp/Charlene F.
Hiking through Eaton Canyon Natural Area is a rejuvenating way to spend the day in the outdoors. And what a treat to find this waterfall along the hiking trail. This looks mighty refreshing!
Although there’s limited/restricted access to this historic lighthouse located on Point Conception in Santa Barbara, you might be able to see it up close and in person by hiking along the public beach at low tide. Proceed with caution and do your research in advance before you take on this outdoorsy excursion.
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