Pauma Valley, California

For a peaceful escape, visit the Balboa Park Botanical Building and Lily Pond in San Diego. Built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, this serene spot features vibrant water lilies and lotus blossoms in a shallow reflecting pond. The Botanical Building, one of the world’s largest structur...

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion in San Diego, California, is home to the world's largest outdoor organ, played weekly by one of only two civic organists in the U.S. Visitors can enjoy free one-hour Sunday concerts at 2 p.m., rain or shine, performed by San Diego’s civic organist. For evening or spec...

Ocean Beach Dog Beach is considered "The Original Dog Beach" and one of the first leash-free dog beaches in the U.S., according to city's website.  There's something really magical about being at a beach during sunset, and even up to an hour after sunset can still cast beautiful light on the wat...

This hike will be about going from the Bellview Trailhead to Dove Lake and back. Note that once you get to Dove Lake there are numerous offshoots that can take you in different directions (you can follow the road into the Dove Canyon housing community, take a paved road back to the Bellview parki...

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park area is a 68-acre park on the western edge of Point Loma. The cliffs overlook the Pacific, creating a great spot to take in the sunset. If you head to the parking lot off of Sunset Cliffs, you can get a great view from Pappy's Point. Try to get there a bit before the su...

San Diego has so much outdoor adventure to offer! After exploring and playing all day head over to Ocean Beach to catch the sunset with a packed picnic at Sunset Cliffs. The cliffs are pretty vast, but filled with lots of spectators. It can be a bit trafficy getting in and out around sunset so gi...

Entering Mt San Jacinto State Park via the Palm Springs Aerial Tram is one of the easiest ways to get into the wilderness area.  Purchase your ticket and ride to the station where you'll be able to walk out the backdoor and onto the trail. In order to get to Cornell, your route finding skills wil...

John Muir once wrote, "The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth!" So it's no surprise that this is a sought after destination for hikers and climbers alike.  Named after the fact that most climbers use the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway to reach this...

The best time to go to Fonts point is right before the sun sets. It is located in the desert, so be sure to dress warmly and bring a blanket or two. In order to get to Fonts Point, you'll have to drive through roughly 4 miles of sand and rocks (8-miles roundtrip). 4x4 is strongly recommended, bu...

First, you'll be parking in the parking lot for the dog park. It's free parking and there are roughly 40 spaces, so there is plenty of parking. I've never seen more than 20 cars here at any one time. Once parked you'll find the trail head/ start on the northwest side of the lot (opposite the dog ...

Even though I am quite familiar with this spot, I doubt that most San Diegans have sat in the benches at this little park to take in the sunset, sunrise, or spectacular views of downtown San Diego. I'm absolutely positive that most out-of-towners have no idea that this little gem exists. I want t...

If you're ever driving on the 5 between San Diego and Los Angeles and traffic is miserable (always), consider making a stop at Dana Point to check out the tide pools. The best place is behind the Ocean Institute which offers plenty of free parking and a short walk behind the building will quickly...

Ocean views the whole time, plenty of wildlife and different species of native plants make this short hike beautiful. With the hike being short enough to complete in the afternoon after a day at the beach you can see a beautiful view of the coastline north and south. There is plenty of parking in...

At the summit, your work will be rewarded with stunning views from downtown San Diego all the way to Mexico. You can also see the surrounding mountain peaks and the Sweetwater Reservoir.  This is a great hike to do at sunset - but bring a headlamp / flashlight for the hike back down. This trail ...

This is a great stop when passing through the Anza Borrego Desert. The drive is very scenic, and passes through Sunrise Highway. Once you turn off the road, it's a very short drive up the hill where you will find a large spot to leave your car. There is a service gate that you can't drive through...

Coronado Central Beach in San Diego is a 1.5-mile-long, wide sandy beach set against the backdrop of the iconic Hotel del Coronado. It’s popular for swimming, surfing, sunbathing, and beachcombing. The flat terrain is ideal for skimboarding and walking, attracting families who often spend the ent...