California Active and Adventure Vacations

California Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Other Guides for California

Top Active and Adventure Destinations In California

Travel Guides In California

Pacific Coast Active and Adventure States/Provinces

Active and Adventure Travel Destinations

Beach at sunset in Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara at sunset, California (Corbis)

Top California Active and Adventure Destinations




Photos



Feature Articles

  • Struck
    outside
    Rod Liberal was climbing in the Grand Tetons when the worst happened—a flash of lightning blasted him and a group of his climbing friends, leaving one dead. What's life like after high voltage rips through your body? You don't want to know.
  • Snow Report 2005
    outside
  • Worldwide Wild
    outside
    California, Maine, Alaska, British Columbia, Montana/Alberta
  • California's Secret Stash
    outside
    The Big River's been saved—and just in time. Here's how to enjoy the northern coast's newest playground and its spectacular environs.
  • March Parks and the Outdoors Travel Guide

Trip Ideas


Practical Advice

  • Fix a Busted Tire with a Buck
    outside
    Flatten your bike tire on a thorn and you can patch the inner tube or swap in a new one—no problem. Damage the tire itself (say, by tearing your sidewall on a sharp rock)—much bigger problem. Here's a quick field solution to keep you on the roll.
  • How to Build a Bomber Anchor
    outside
    To set up your own anchor for a climbing top rope (or slackline, or car stuck in a ditch), all you need is a 20-foot piece of webbing, a carabiner, and a tree.
  • Fix a Flat
    outside
  • Welcome to Home Rental Country: The Refuge of the Un-Hotel
    Take the brand-name anonymity out of your next foray into the vacation world by getting the scoop on finding the best homes away from home.
  • Adventure Travel 101
    GORPTravel’s Kate Tucker and Linda Long answer our burning questions about the tao of adventure travel


GORPTravel Trips


Gear

  • Complete Gear Archives: Day-Hiking, Backpacking, and Trekking
    From in-depth gear review articles and Gear Guy Q&A highlights to the latest—and past—entries in Outside magazine’s award-giving Summer and Winter Buyer’s Guides, a detailed overview of all things hiking.
  • Complete Gear Archives: Paddling
    From in-depth gear review articles and Gear Guy Q&A highlights to the latest—and past—entries in Outside magazine’s award-giving Summer and Winter Buyer’s Guides, a detailed overview of all things paddling.
  • Complete Gear Archives: Climbing
    From in-depth gear review articles and Gear Guy Q&A highlights to the latest—and past—entries in Outside magazine’s award-giving Summer and Winter Buyer’s Guides, a detailed overview of all things climbing.
  • Complete Gear Archives: Cycling
    From in-depth gear review articles and Gear Guy Q&A highlights to the latest—and past—entries in Outside magazine’s award-giving Summer and Winter Buyer’s Guides, a detailed overview of all things related to cycling.
  • How I Came to Know and Love the Backcountry
    The Basics of Telemark Skiing

Fitness

  • Mountain Athlete
    outside
    Jackson, Wyoming
  • Chalk It Up
    outside
    Experience is the key to mountaineering prowess, but high-altitude fitness makes all the difference on summit day
  • Blitzing the Backcountry
    outside
    Turn your winter fitness routine into a brand-new adventure
  • The Rowbike
    outside
    Video
  • Saddle Up
    outside
    Spring is here. Time to wipe the cobwebs off your bike, oil your chain, and kick your fitness into a new gear. Here's how.


Attractions

Half Moon Bay State Beach
95 Kelly Avenue
Half Moon Bay, California 94019
Description: A highlight of the charming little town called... Read More
Active Expert Rating
Not Yet Rated
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel

Mystery Spot (The)
465 Mystery Spot Road
Santa Cruz, California 95065
Description: The name says it all. This is a mysterious,... Read More
Active Expert Rating
Not Yet Rated
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel

Art Institute of Southern California--Ettinger and Reynolds Galleries
(Art Institute of Southern California)
2222 Laguna Canyon Road
Laguna Beach, California 92651
Description: This formidable art school and its galleries are... Read More
Active Expert Rating
Not Yet Rated
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Gay and Lesbian travel


advertisement

Great Hotel Deals in Sonoma, CA

compare rates

Hotels

from: $70 compare hotel rates
Comfort Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway
4994 Bullion St.
Mariposa, CA 95338 Map
Active Expert Rating
3.0 out of 5
3.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel

Marina International Hotel
4200 Admiralty Way
Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 Map
Active Expert Rating
3.0 out of 5
3.0 out of 5
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Active and Adventure travel Beach travel

from: $385 compare hotel rates
Malibu Beach Inn
22878 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90265 Map
Active Expert Rating
Not Yet Rated
Traveler Rating
Not Yet Rated
Recommended for:
Beach travel Gay and Lesbian travel


California Active and Adventure Destinations

California Active and Adventure Travel Guides

advertisement


take me fishing
Select a state:



advertisement

Travel Interest Guides

spring driving guide
Spring Driving Guide
Top itineraries, family-friendly asphalt-obsessed exploration, global four-wheel touring, tips, photos—it's all here.
interactive gift guide guide
Interactive Gift Guide
Surprise your active-minded, travel-obsessed mom with some of the best gear ever profiled in Outside magazine.
family guide
Family Guide
Our esteemed travel experts have chosen the best places, hotels, and attractions to make your summer family outing the best ever.
beach guide
Beach Guide
Whether you dive, kiteboard, windsurf, or just strive to perfect the art of sun-bathing, our experts have got the spot.