Free Spots to Explore in California

Prospect Park

Prospect Park

Wave Organ

Harmony Borax Works

Lake 1

punta cabras

Punta Cabras

Garden of Eden

Mission Historical Park

Niguel Botanical Preserve (4)

Niguel Botanical Preserve

Big Falls (4)

Big Falls

Golden Canyon

Norco Powerhouse (9)

Norco Powerhouse

Alum Rock Mineral Springs

Dune Trail Hazard Canyon Reef (12)

Dune Hazard Trail/Canyon Reef

Chumash Painted Cave (6)

Chumash Painted Caves

Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point

japanese friendship garden

Japanese Tea Garden

Indian Vista Idyllwild

Indian Vista Overlook

Pirate’s Cove

Black Hill Trail is a beautiful hike overlooking Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo. Make your way through eucalyptus and oak groves to a gorgeous panoramic view!

Black Hill Trail

Donner Pass Summit Tunnel

Mount Diablo has some beautiful historic hiking trails you can take including the Rock City Wind Caves trail which winds you through a slot canyon & lookout point

Rock City Wind Caves

Manzanar Internment Camp

The mysterious Mozumdar Temple stands high in the San Bernardino mountains overlooking the town below. You mst make your way through the woods to find it!

Mozumdar Temple

Visit the Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley. These hardened salt pans are roughly textured and quite the spectacle to see!

Devil’s Golf Course

Explore the beautiful Valley View Loop Trail which will lead you to the top of Fremont Peak. Every inch of this hike will take your breath away!

Fremont Peak

Visit the beautiful Treasure Island and Goff Cove during your next visit in Laguna Beach

Treasure Island Beach

Satan's Castle burned down in a mysterious fire after accusations of satanic practices, underground tunnels and molestations arose

Satan’s Castle

Tucked away in the Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park lays a piece Santa Cruz' crumbling history: the Pogonip Historic Limekilns.

Pogonip Historic Limekiln

The Gaviota Hot Springs are less than a mile hike through a shaded trail which will lead you to the light, milky blue pool with smells of sulfur permeating.

Gaviota Hot Springs

The Cottonwood Charcoal Kilns were built to provide charcoal to the nearby Cerro Gordo mine on the other side of Owens Lake. 

Cottonwood Charcoal Kilns

A short hike in Crestline will take you to an unbelievable heart-shaped rock and small waterfall. This is a beautiful hike great for the entire family!

Heart Rock & Seely Creek Falls

Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail is one of Idyllwild's easier hikes but still packed with beautiful views and scenery. Great for the entire family!

Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail

The Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley are quite a sight to see! This is a great spot to photograph and enjoy the sunrise or sunset.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

Montaña de Oro State Park is a beautiful, coastal park with a stunning shoreline. With over 8,000 acres to explore, this is great for beach-goers, hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.

Montaña del Oro Bluff Trail

Land of Medicine Buddha provides classes and space for group and personal retreats, on a forested piece of property at the foothills of the Santa Cruz

Land of Medicine Buddha

The mysterious Jack-o-landia is surrounded with rumours of buried bodies and a hermit owner. We got to the bottom of it all. Check it out!

Jack-o-Landia

Get a glimpse of Venice, Italy through the historical canals in Venice Beach!

Venice Beach Canals

The mysterious Hole-in-the-Wall Ring Trail in the Mojave Desert is so beautiful and unique! The name Banshee Canyon, where this hike is located, is named the cackling wails that blow through the canyon.

Hole-in-the-Wall Ring Trail

Noguchi Garden in Orange County is a compact, minimalist sculpture garden intended as a representation of the state of California.

Noguchi Gardens

The Gaviota Wind Caves in Santa Barbara offer a unique, scenic hike high up in the hills. Explore ancient caves formed by high winds!

Gaviota Wind Caves

Take a quick hike to one of Lake Tahoe's massive waterfalls, Lower Eagle Falls

Lower Eagle Falls

Hike to the majestic Calla Lily Trail in Big Sur! To witness the beauty of these blooms you must make it into the small time slot when they're blooming.

Calla Lily Trail

Step into a magical wonderland in this interactive meditation cave in the heart of Joshua Tree. Bob's Crystal Cave is unlike anything you've ever seen!

Bob’s Crystal Cave

Nojoqui Falls trail is a quick hike to an 80 ft. waterfall at Nojoqui Park in Santa Barbara. Step into a surprisingly thick forest for quite a treat!

Nojoqui Falls

Hike the amongst the lush Santa Cruz redwoods in the Byrne-Milliron Forest. We saw newts and a ton of banana slugs during our hike!

Byrne-Milliron Forest

Since the early 1920s, 150 movies and about a dozen television shows have been filmed at Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills

Hike Walker Canyon in Riverside County. This is one of Lake Elsinore's top trails for wildflowers and filled with colorful beauty in spring!

Walker Canyon

In a quiet field behind the Terrace Park Cemetery in Imperial Valley lays  the remains of hundreds of unidentified bodies, all named Jane & John Doe. 

John & Jane Doe Cemetery

Artist's Drive & Palette in Death Valley

Artist’s Drive and Palette

Badwater Basin is an endorheic basin in Death Valley National Park, Inyo County, noted as the lowest point in North America 282 ft below sea level.

Badwater Salt Flats Basin

The Dorn Pyramid has towered over the Oddfellows Cemetery for over 100 years now as a masonic symbol for the remains of a mother and child.

Dorn Pyramid

Ancient Bristlecone Forest

Elmer's Bottletree Ranch is two acres of high-standing sculptures created from glass bottles and other oddities scattered around.

Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch

Hike to one of South Lake Tahoe's beautiful waterfalls, Cascade Falls. This is a fairly easy hike, under 2 miles round trip!

Cascade Falls

The now abandoned Sutro Baths was a large, privately owned public saltwater swimming pool complex in San Francisco that crumbled after an earthquake.

Sutro Bath House

Many lake hike in Bishop, Inyo County

Little Lakes Valley Trail

Pirate Tower is a castle that sits on the cove of Victoria Beach in Orange County

Pirate Tower

Visit one of the most unique bookstores in all of America. Located in Los Angeles, the Last Bookstore is a definite must-visit shop.

The Last Bookstore

Point Lobos State Reserve

Point Lobos State Reserve

Strawberry Hill in SF

Strawberry Hill

Pioneertown and Pappy & Harriets

Paramount Ranch

Paramount Ranch

Hike to an old WWII nazi sympathizer compound hidden deep in the hills of Los Angeles

Murphy’s Ranch

Highways 1, 101 & 46

Beech's Oasis is a magical oasis tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the world

Beech’s Oasis

Korean Friendship Bell

The Sunken City in San Pedro is a collapsed highway along the coast

Sunken City

Located near Griffith Park is a famous cave used in many movies

Bronson Caves

Spend a full day at the Getty: an awe-inspiring art gallery and garden, located in the hills of Los Angeles.

The Getty

The Witch's House in Beverly Hills is a unique home that has been shot in several movies

Witch’s House

Lake Shrine

Malibu Hindu Temple

Lava Beds National Monument located in the northeastern corner of the state of California, certainly is amazing.

Lava Beds National Monument

Deep in the desert lays what can only be described as a magical boulder oasis.

Boulder Oasis

Visit Santa Barbara's charming Danish Village: Solvang.

Solvang Danish Village

Knapp’s Castle

Salvation Mountain located near the Salton Sea is a colorful wonderland washed with love

Salvation Mountain

Visit the Salton Sea in Niland, a dead sea that was once a luxurious resort town

Salton Sea

East Jesus

Eagle Mountain Railroad

Let us help you plan your Trans-Catalina trail system hike!

Trans Catalina Trail System

Explore one of SLO counties beautiful botanical gardens right off highway 1!

San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden

Slab City

Mt. Rubidoux

Abandoned Homes of Salton City

Hike the tanbark trail in Big Sur, one of the most magical forests around!

Tanbark Trail

Garrapata State Park is a gorgeous ocean hike right off of highway 1 and

Garrapata State Park

Hike to a beautiful waterfall & cave in Big Sur: Salmon Creek Falls

Salmon Creek Waterfall & Cave

Visit one of the most beautiful beaches on the west coast in Big Sur

Pfeiffer Beach

Partington Cove

McWay Falls

McWay Falls

Explore one of BIg Sur's secret beaches that is also home to turkey vultures!

Los Padres Beach

Henry Miller Library

Visit the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano, built in 1786!

Mission San Juan Capistrano

Ewoldsen Trail & Waterfall

Glass Beach in Fort Bragg

Glass Beach

The limekilns in Big Sur were used to produce limestone in the early 1900's. Today you can hike to these monumental structures in the deep woods.

Limekilns

Limekiln Waterfall

Jade Cove

Architectural Design Village in San Luis Obispo

Cal Poly Architectural Graveyard

Film set where Peewee's Playhouse was shot

Cabazon Dinosaurs

bubblegum wall in SLO

Bubblegum Alley

School house where the Birds was shot in Bodega Bay

Movie Set of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”

Avila Valley Barn

Haunted spot in riverside lake elsinore for boys

Abandoned All-Boys Military School

Historic Hiking Trail in Monterey County Andrew Molera State Park

Andrew Molera State Park

The Spirit Garden was a meeting ground in Big Sur filled with music, art and nature. It has since closed but we will keep this page up in it's memory.

Spirit Garden