From the Pacific Coast to the Sierra Nevada, California offers some of the most diverse landscapes in the West. We’ve explored its redwood forests, desert parks, and mountain trails, discovering new favorites each time we visit. These stories highlight our favorite places to stay, hike, and road-trip across the Golden State.
If you want to see active geothermal features without committing to a long hike, Bumpass Hell is one of the best stops in Lassen Volcanic National Park. The trail leads to steaming vents, boiling pools, and a boardwalk that keeps you safely above the heat.
The Barber Peak Loop Trail is a winter favorite in Mojave National Preserve, offering sunshine, solitude, and varied desert scenery. This moderately difficult six-mile loop circles Barber Peak crosses washes and volcanic slopes and ends with a fun climb through Banshee Canyon using metal rings. It’s a rewarding hike with minimal crowds and big desert character.
The Panorama Loop Trail serves as a perfect escape for hikers who want to leave the crowds behind. You will climb through pinyon pines to reach a ridge with views of the highest peaks in Southern California. It requires some sweat, but the silence and the scenery make it one of the top hikes in Joshua Tree National Park.
The Gower Gulch and Golden Canyon Loop in Death Valley National Park combines the best geology of the park into one manageable trip. You get to walk through narrow canyons and look out over the valley floor from the badlands. It is a solid choice if you want to see the famous yellow rocks and old mining sites without spending the entire day on the trail.
The best time to see Yosemite’s waterfalls is May and June, when snowmelt brings peak flows, roaring falls, and classic Valley views.
If you’re planning a California road trip, Highway 395 deserves a top spot on your list. Running along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountains, this 150-mile stretch from Bridgeport to Lone Pine is packed with classic small towns, alpine lakes, ghost towns, and even the oldest living trees on Earth. We’ve driven this…
What It’s Really Like to Stay in Yosemite National Park’s Tent City After years of talking about it, we finally did it—we stayed at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park. And let us tell you: it was a little rustic, surprisingly comfortable, and a whole lot more fun than we expected. We’ve visited Yosemite many…
The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park’s iconic lodge, opened in 1927 and remains a must-visit for its stunning National Park Rustic architecture and rich history. Nestled in Yosemite Valley, it blends beautifully with Half Dome and Glacier Point towering above. A perfect stop, even for just a visit!
Death Valley’s Racetrack Playa is a surreal destination where rocks mysteriously slide across a dry lakebed, leaving long trails behind them. After a bumpy 28-mile journey on a rugged gravel road, we found ourselves in this remote, peaceful wonder, captivated by the strange tracks etched into the earth.