Southern California Close-Ups Travel Guides
These micro-itineraries bring together two or three neighboring destinations to make a single adventure. Others stand alone, like those odd, irresistible Joshua Trees out in the desert. Try a few, and maybe you'll see L.A. anew.
Carpeted with sawdust and illuminated by a jumble of neon signs, the Grand Central Market in downtown Los Angeles dates to 1917. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)December 23, 2012
Head in the clouds in the Southland's Mountains
Where is the John Muir of the San Gabriel Mountains? The Ansel Adams of the San Bernardinos? The Donner Party of the San Jacintos?
November 25, 2012
SoCal Close-Ups: A date with the Coachella Valley
Sure, you could go to the beach again. Or you could turn your back on the Pacific and head instead for a desert land of date shakes and camel races, jumbo windmills and creationist dinosaurs, native palms and gay parties, mountain views and midcentury buildings. We'll get to those details later, but by now you know we're talking about the Coachella Valley.
7:00 AM PDT, October 7, 2012
Santa Barbara County wine country
About 20 miles beyond the red-tile roofs of downtown Santa Barbara, it begins: the rolling blond hills that go indecently green in spring, the massive estates and miniature horses, the sprawling vineyards and "Sideways" scenery, the dude ranch with 10,000 acres, the old stagecoach stop with boar on the menu and bikers in the parking lot ....
August 19, 2012
San Diego's North County more than just a pretty face
Maybe you've always suspected that there was more to San Diego's North County than beach towns, rolling hills, expat giraffes and a walled kingdom of brightly colored plastic. But frankly, they had me at beach towns.
July 15, 2012
Southern California Close-Ups: The gentle and genteel Santa Barbara
If all of California had been created by a romance novelist, it would probably look like Santa Barbara -- whitewashed walls, red-tile roofs, gentle slopes, lapping waves, swaying fronds, stately churches and private estates suitable for Oprah, Rob Lowe and the crowned heads of Europe.
7:00 AM PDT, June 3, 2012
San Diego, Coronado and La Jolla
San Diego could be improved. If the county had 75 miles of beaches instead of 70. If the Padres won a World Series or the Chargers won a Super Bowl. Or if the municipal sloganeers dropped "America's finest city" in favor of "You stay classy, San Diego."
March 25, 2012
Joshua Tree National Park and Desert Hot Springs
It's a dry heat – a boulder-studded, wind-raked Mojave heat, in which rock stars lie low, artists think big, marines train, weird plants jut toward the sun like beseeching biblical figures, and climbers cling to granite walls like insects stuck to flypaper, except the climbers are way happier.
4:32 PM PDT, June 8, 2012
Going Hollywood
There's much more than stars to check out in Hollywood, where nuns, horse trails, the Magic Castle and Cirque du Soleil await.
10:30 AM PDT, June 5, 2012
Pasadena and environs
The area has its traditions, including Craftsman homes, Old Pasadena and the Rose Bowl, its greenery including Huntington Library, its Asian flare with Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants, and its fun and funky side at Eagle Rock hangouts.
10:20 AM PDT, June 5, 2012
West Hollywood, Fairfax, Wilshire, Koreatown
Highlights include the Sunset Strip, Chateau Marmont, Farmers Market, Canter's, Pink's, Fairfax, Melrose, La Brea Tar Pits, LACMA, Koreatown and the Wiltern.
10:03 AM PDT, June 5, 2012
Westside of Los Angeles
Even away from the beach, there is plenty to see.
9:47 AM PDT, June 5, 2012
The real South Bay
In Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach, you can pedal the Strand, see a Jay Leno live comedy show, explore the piers, visit a beach hangout. Also: LAX hotels, the Theme Building and Marina del Rey.
June 2, 2012
Venice, Santa Monica, Malibu
The odd humanity of Venice's Ocean Front Walk. The fun-filled Santa Monica Pier. Getty's ancient art in Pacific Palisades. The sun-kissed beaches of Malibu. The area lets you mix with the masses or take a solitary trek.
June 2, 2012
11 micro-itineraries for Long Beach, San Pedro and Catalina Island
Do you have a desire for a sea adventure in southwest Los Angeles County? Come onboard.
11:41 AM PDT, June 2, 2012
12 micro-itineraries for coastal Orange County
Sand, surf and a boat called Pilgrim: Welcome to the O.C.'s 42 miles of sun-kissed coastline. For a day or a week, here are 12 tempting itineraries.
4:44 PM PDT, March 30, 2012
San Fernando Valley
Yes, it's suburbia. Yes, it's inland from the beach. Still, the San Fernando Valley has attractions that date from the 18th century (Mission San Fernando) to the latest attraction at Universal Studios.
3:49 PM PDT, March 30, 2012
Los Angeles' park neighborhoods
Here are 10 itineraries for the Griffith Park, Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Echo Park areas.
February 20, 2011
Inland Orange County
Yep, it's home to Disneyland, but it's also the land of arts (Santa Ana), Nixon (Yorba Linda), the Ducks and Angels (Anaheim), lively Fullerton and more. Here are 10 spots to explore in the O.C.
1:52 PM PDT, March 30, 2012
Downtown Los Angeles
From Chinatown to Olvera Street to the dinosaurs at the Natural History Museum, downtown has a lot to offer.
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