Channel Islands National Park, California

The Ventura River and Ojai Valley Trail, effectively the same trail, is a gorgeous 32 mile trail that runs from Seaside Park in Ventura to downtown Ojai. It runs along and across the Ventura River and through the Ventura Canyon, with views up and down numerous side canyons and ravines. The trail ...

Surfer's Point aka Ventura Point is a well-known kite boarding/surfing (and surfing) spot due to its (when conditions are right) great wave quality, favorable wind direction (sideshore with occasional side-off), friendly locals, rider capacity, and a nearby point break with. When conditions are e...

The Rincon Trail between Ventura and Santa Barbara is part of the wonderful Pacific Coast Bike Route, and features two-wave paved cycling lanes with beautiful views up and down the central coast. There are numerous places to stop along the way for food and relaxing, including the great seaside to...

The Ventura - Ojai - Santa Paul loop is a classic half-century loop throughs some of the most beautiful cycling roads on the Central Coast. Beginning in Ventura and heading on the off-road (but paved) Ventura / Ojai trails, this loop then heads into downtown Ojai before following Ojai Valley Road...

The Ventura Promenade is a .5 mile long biking and walking trail that runs from the Ventura Pier to Sufer's Point, eventually connecting to the Ventura River & Ojai Bike Trail. It is also part of the the larger "Omer Rains Trail" which runs some 3.5 miles to the south through Buenaventura Sta...

El Capitan Canyon is a gorgeous collection of permanent tents, yurts and cabins located across the highway from El Capitan State Beach and its campground. It's also the perfect place to ease your friends or loved ones into the world of camping. We all have that special person in our life who we'...

One of the many hidden gems near Santa Barbara, Knapp's Castle is an abandoned home built in 1916 by George Knapp. Finding the trailhead can be difficult because it's not clearly marked and the road it's starts from is long, winding and narrow. Coming from the 154, turn right on East Camino Cielo...

Arroyo Verde Park is a small parked tucked in the hills above Ventura, California, and has a network of trails running up and down the hills surrounding the valley in the center of the park. The entrance to the park is at the intersection of Foothill Road Day Road, east of downtown Ventura. There...

The Sulphur Mountain Loop is a 28 mile cycling and mountain biking loop that begins in Ventura Canyon at the Sulphur Mountain Trailhead and loops through Ojai Valley. Beginning at the Sulphur Mountain Road trailhead off Highway 33, follow the road up and over Sulphur Mountain and down until it co...

Point Mugu State Park offers some amazing rolling mountains, sweeping meadows of tall grass, and beautiful coastal views. I suggest going in the spring. I recently went, and the wildflowers were blooming everywhere. There are campgrounds available in different parts of the park that you can make ...

Note: This trail is temporarily closed. For more updates, please visit the Forest Service website for more updates.  ...If you've read most of my blogs, you'll probably notice I have a fascination for waterfalls! I've done this hike multiple times, but it wasn't until this day where I saw these ...

About 30 miles north of Santa Barbara on the 101 is a small state beach in the 90 person town of Gaviota. Most people pass right on through to San Luis Obispo or don't even make it past Goleta, but this gem is worth checking out either for a day trip or to camp for the weekend.Since it is a state...

Caves and epic views...need I say more?! That's what you'll encounter on this short 2.5 mile out and back hike to the Gaviota Wind Caves in the San Ynez Mountains, West of Santa Barbara. The Gaviota Wind Caves are a sandstone formation located 1 mile from the Pacific Ocean. One good thing about t...

Close to Ventura and Ojai, California, this spot is an easy weekend getaway from the hectic coast of Ventura. Follow Highway 33 east toward Ojai. This road will lead into the Los Padres National Forest and become very curved and sleep as it gets closer to Rose Valley. The sign for the Park with b...

...I think out of all the State Parks in the Santa Monica Mountains, Point Mugu State Park is without a doubt the best one. Maybe it has something to do with its proximity to the beach, or the endless trails and epic views, but the energy and diversity here is just so much more wild. With the par...

Take PCH through Malibu towards Oxnard and the campground will be on your left. There is no day use here and you can drive right to your campsite.During the summer, make reservations or arrive really early to nab a site. Spaces can fill up quickly.There is access to a hiking trail across PCH.