Remarkable SoCal Destinations Worth Exploring
Whether a local or tourist, almost everyone knows Southern California's most popular destinations. But what about the lesser-known sites and wonders that capture the region's rich history and culture? Here are some remarkable spots across Southern California that are worth exploring.
Five Places in Southern California Where You Can Still Explore the Victorian Era
For the right price, you can actually buy, restore and live in your own Victorian home in areas like Boyle Heights, West Adams and Angelino Heights! But if you’re not inclined to make such a huge commitment to living the Victorian lifestyle, here are five great Victorian house museums where you can, for a time, surround yourself with the customs and décor of the era ruled as much by Charles Dickens, Jane Eyre, corsets, and hoop skirts as by the Queen herself.
Where to Find the Mojave's Greatest Ghost Towns
Some of our Southern California ghost towns are buried so deeply in our national parks that you can only hike to them. Others are just a mere blip on the GPS, noted with a historical marker and maybe a shoetree or some other folk monument of its former life. But here are six ghost towns in the Mojave Desert that you can easily visit by car, really see something and maybe even meet some people (though not many).
The Fascinating History of the Massive Pyramid and Granite Monuments in the California Desert
The drive from California to the Arizona border on Interstate 8 can be an uneventful one until you reach a 21-foot, pink-marble pyramid curiously erected in the Sonoran Desert. If you pay a few bucks to enter the striking structure, you get to stand on a dot on a bronze plaque and make a wish. You are at the “Official Center of the World.” This whimsical experience is embedded into the fabric of Felicity, California, a 31-year-old unincorporated community in Imperial County.
A Guide to Art Deco Los Angeles
If you imagine yourself walking in the footsteps of Zelda Fitzgerald … and if you’d like nothing more than to kick up your heels to the Charleston or the Foxtrot in some “Roaring Twenties” garb, celebrating the magic of the Jazz Age … then it’s time to immerse yourself in all the Art Deco that this great metropolis has to offer.
Where to Find SoCal's Historical Decorative Tiles
There are too many tile-tastic places in Southern California to list them all here, but you can narrow down your choices by following the paths of these five great tile makers. Using this as your guide, you can explore the legacy of the California tile industry that was hewn from the very geology hiding underfoot to the craftsmen who are carrying on the tradition in more modern ways.
Where to Find the Lost Cities of L.A.
California may be famous for its ghost towns, but you don’t have to travel as far north as Gold Country, Death Valley, or even the Mojave to see one. Here are five great lost cities within arm’s reach (or an hour-long drive) from L.A., and what to look for when you visit.
Five Geological Wonders to See in SoCal
Whether you’re a rock hound, a gem enthusiast, or just a lover of geology, here are five of the best places to explore the ancient geologic record of southern California.
Where to Experience Island Life in Southern California
Here are five of the best southern California islands to channel your inner Gilligan and live as a castaway for a few hours or even a day or two — from backcountry camping to Hollywood resort town glamour.
Backbone Trail: Day 1
Musician and outdoorsman Butchy Fuego prepares for his first day on the Backbone Trail at his home in Echo Park before heading to the trailhead at Will Rogers State Historic Park. Along the way, Butchy learns about beekeeping from Eli Lichter-Marck, founder of Eli's Bees along the banks of Rustic Canyon Creek.