The best thing about Jumbo Rocks is you don’t have to drive anywhere once you arrive. You can walk in any direction and explore everything that the landscape has to offer. And it has a lot to offer- endless scrambling, unique Joshua trees, and every shape rock your imagination can conceive. Joshua Tree National Park …
There is nothing better than camping, especially in a great a campsite at a great campground in a great National Park. We are fortunate to be within driving distance from Oceanside to Joshua Tree National Park, and to have a schedule where we can plan ahead and book a campsite exactly 6 months before our …
Tillamook isn’t just a dairy brand but an entire city, a city that has been in the cheese making industry for over a century. Not only do they make a delicious product but they care, about the environment, the community and their employees. It is a great company. The factory has grown since we were …
Mono Lake is a 65 square mile terminal lake located right off highway 395. The preserve was created to protect the tufas, prominent calcium carbonate spires which are formed by the fresh water under the lake mixing with the salt water within the lake. Mono lake was created over a million years ago, it is …
Baker, California is pretty much only known for its giant thermometer. At 134 feet tall, it is actually the world’s tallest thermometer. The electric sign height commemorates the hottest day on record, 134 degrees Fahrenheit (in Death Valley in 1913). As we head to Great Basin National Park we stopped here to watch the digits …
Within Coachella Valley, public art is easy to come by. There are sculptures and murals from Palm Springs to Coachella, sponsored by public and private donors whose mission is to bring art to the people. To see a lot of art in one place, you can’t beat the Faye Sarkowsky Sculpture Garden. Thank you to …
It wouldn’t be a trip to the desert without a trip to Palm Desert’s Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, whose mission is to preserve, protect and restore natural environments, ecosystems and wildlife. A family membership here is money well spent. The reason we appreciate this zoo so much is because the animal experiences are more …
The Murrieta Rod Run is a two day event located in Downtown Murrieta. 100% of the proceeds are donated to Oak Grove Center, a nonprofit residential, education and treatment center for about 800 at-risk and special needs youth. Although the first Murrieta Rod Run was held a decade ago, this is my first time attending. …
Los Angeles Union Station is the largest railroad passenger terminal in the western United States. It serves about 110,000 passengers daily, and today was busier than usual as it hosted the Los Angeles Union Station Train Festival. This 52-acre transportation hub opened in 1939. It was designed by a father/son architect team, who blended Spanish …
Elvis Presley loved Palm Springs. He and his wife honeymooned in Palm Springs after eloping to Las Vegas (picture one). The house that they honeymooned and lived in for a year was known as the “House of Tomorrow”, with all of its modern amenities including a floating fireplace. The round master bedroom also floated over …
The Alabama Hills are like no where on earth, not even Alabama. But this makes since the area was not named after a place but a thing… a warship, the CSS Alabama. Today we walked Mobius Arch Loop Trail (I refrain from saying ‘hike’ since it is only 0.6 miles long). This trail couldn’t be …
Not too far from our campsite we explored what is known as the South Loop of Alabama Hills (south of Movie Road and Witney Portal Road). There are definitely less people in this area but still plenty of things to see and do. We found interesting rock formations, a creek with countless dragonflies and a …
Camping in the Alabama Hills in popular. There is no worse time to look for a campsite in the Alabama Hills than a holiday weekend, which is unfortunately when I have time to camp. After a stressful hour or two of looking for a campsite in Movie Flat, racing other AWD cars from campsite to …
California Citrus State Historic Park is a 247 acre open air museum in Riverside whose mission is to preserve citrus history. The history begins well before 1873, when the first two naval orange trees were sent by the US Department of Agriculture to a Riverside resident, but instead with the origin of the citrus plant …
Tecate, Baja California is a Pueblo Magico, a designation given by the Mexico Secretary of Tourism to cities that offer visitors a special cultural experience. There are currently 132 Pueblo Magicos in Mexico, only three of which are located in Baja California. The unique thing about Tecate is that is a border town. We park …