Culver City, California

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.

Beach camping in California seems elusive these days, but we were able to pitch our tent just feet from the surf! We stayed for two nights and felt like we had our own private stretch of beach. First, you'll want to make reservations at www.reserveamerica.com. It was fairly easy to reserve a spot...

...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...

The Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument, established in 2019, memorializes the site where the Saint Francis Dam, built by famed engineer William Mulholland, collapsed in 1929, tragically killing more than 400 people in the middle of the night as a 150+ foot wave of water crashed through ...

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 ...

The Oak Canyon Bluebird and Wren Trail features beautiful wildflowers and is accessible year-round. The trail is well kept and offers lots of shady spots. The first portion of this hike will take you up a hill, and then to a fork. One direction will take you around a reservoir and another will ta...

The distance can vary depending on where you start. It is a 2.5 mile hike from Emerald Bay or 7 mile hike from Two Harbors or you can kayak in. There are 8 primitive campsites (6 people/ site) which means there is no running water, no supplies...you must pack in everything. The campsites are spre...

Just 30 miles from the commotion and congestion of Los Angeles, is a small island village that time seems to have left behind. You won't find the usual traffic, development, and big crowds here.  You won't find movie theaters, concert venues, hotels, nightclubs, or sporting events either. At Cata...

An island camping escape is a mere 50 minute boat ride away from the southern California coast. If you're feeling generous with your funds, you can also opt for a helicopter ride, leaving out of Long Beach and 15 minutes later landing in Catalina Island.Two Harbors campground is unique with the a...

Balboa Island, located in Newport Bay, is a fun destination on its own, but add a relaxing SUP to the mix and you’ve got yourself an adventure. There are two ways to get onto island: cross the Marine Avenue Bridge, or take the Balboa Island Ferry (directly inland from Balboa Pier and south of New...

Little Corona del Mar Beach is a secluded beach located on Poppy Avenue across Ocean Boulevard in Corona del Mar. Known as one of the less crowded beaches in the area, this spot is the perfect place to chill for the day or photograph a sunset. You will find plenty of free street parking in the ne...

In order to get to the Sunset Peak Trailhead, utilize Google Maps to take you to the location provided. There is very little parking (only a small pull off along Glendora Ridge Road), but this trail is rarely traveled, so there should be enough space regardless of the time you decide to hike! Jus...

Located near the Angeles National Forest, it's a short hike, approx. 0.75 miles roundtrip and just about anybody can go. To get there, input the intersection of Mt. Baldy Rd. and Barrett Stoddard Truck Trail into your GPS. This will bring you to a small dirt parking lot. The trailhead starts a...

On the way to Mount Baldy and within the trail system of the San Gabriel mountain range is the Stoddard Peak Trail. The Stoddard Peak Trail, which is basically the old Barrett-Stoddard fire road, goes through the Stoddard Canyon into Stoddard Flat, and then eventually leads to Stoddard Peak. The ...

Waterfalls in Orange County are far and few between, with the best lying near and inside the Cleveland National Forest. Black Star Canyon Falls are some of the best just after a rain if you are heading out during a dry time of the season you should still expect to see some water. Free parking, ea...

Located off of Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach is Crystal Cove State Park. There are three primitive sites located in Crystal Cove: Deer Canyon, Upper Moro, and Lower Moro. The site I stayed at was Lower Moro campground. All three of these sites require the backpacker to hike everything in...