Guatemala is a small country with a lot of volcanoes, at least 36 of them actually. At any time there is usually one that is active which makes hiking an active volcano the top of most people's Guatemala wish list.…
Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of California's least visited parks. It is located about 5 hours north of the Bay Area, 3 hours north of Sacramento and 1.5 hours east of Redding. It's location is most of the reason…
When people think of Northern California they often just consider the landmark destinations like San Francisco and the Napa and Sonoma wine country. However, Redding and UpState California, the real northern California, is the vast area north of Sacramento all…
Before moving to Los Angeles, hiking wasn't on our regular rotation of things to do. However, we quickly learned that it was *the* thing to do in LA. With limited funds and a desire to explore as much of this…
Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Joshua Tree for me symbolized music, not a National Park. But because of the music, the park has always held a certain allure. Once I discovered how close it was to LA, it moved to the…
As much as we love to venture off to distant lands, we also love exploring here at home in Southern California. One place I had yet to visit was the small mountain town Idyllwild, popular with hippies and hikers alike.…
What do you think of when you hear Death Valley? Hottest Place on Earth. Yep. Desolate and barren. Yep. Even though Death Valley is synonymous with these images, I think that like most people, I didn't really have a clear…
Everyone seems to know that California has an abundance of national parks, but what some don't realize is that there are also a ton of really great state parks that are well worth visiting. One such park, nicknamed Pismo Beach…
Often only thought of as Southern California's place to play in the snow, Big Bear also has a wide array of activities luring visitors throughout the year. As the heat of the summer sets in, Big Bear is the perfect escape.…
We have been to Joshua tree too many times to count, but we continue to find new areas to explore. On my most recent trip, I had the opportunity to stay in Twentynine Palms near the Oasis of Mara entrance.…
Ever since I first visited Ireland in 2004 I have wanted to get to the north to see the Giant's Causeway. Even though my husband was born and bred in Dublin he had never made the 3 hour journey to the…
I have been to Joshua Tree many times, and while there is still a ton to explore on my own, I was excited to get off the beaten path with Joshua Tree Excursions during my last visit. Joshua Tree Excursions is…
Last summer we took a 10 day road trip through Arizona and Utah with our family friends from Texas. While researching that trip I came across Dinosaur National Monument in northern Utah and western Colorado. We weren’t planning to be…
The Bay Area is one of my favorite places on earth. Not just because I lived there for almost a decade, but because no matter where you turn you are surrounded by so much beauty. The abundance of beautiful scenery,…
A visit to the Big Island of Hawaii isn't complete without a trip to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Having the opportunity to see a real live active volcano in person was one of the main reasons in going to Hawaii…
You managed to pack up the car, bundle up the kids and hit the road for snow tubing at Mountain High. Whew! Congrats. Oh but wait, now you have arrived only to discover that it's either sold out for the day…
Did you notice this year's Tournament of Roses Parade theme? Have you seen the commercials? If so, you probably already know that 2016 is the 100th anniversary of the national parks system. If not, it's a huge deal and is…
Joshua Tree has become one of our favorite go-to trips - either as a day trip or for a last minute weekend getaway. Through our many visits, we have found a few trails that we return to again and again. Below…
Every month Charles Fleming, the author of the popular Secret Stairs: A Walking Guide to the Historic Staircases of Los Angeles and Secret Walks: A Walking Guide to the Hidden Trails of Los Angeles hosts a walk somewhere in Los Angeles. Some walks are…
Driving back from Yosemite, not quite ready for our trip to end, we checked the map to see if there was anywhere else we could stop for a day or two. It was then that we realized how close we…