Los Angeles is probably the most target rich Adventure-Zone in its endless list of attractions. One could spend ten years researching any one of its many-faceted tourist profiles. But, Adventure-Crew endeavors to mix it up in each Adventure-Zone and Adventure-Loop by offering cross platform adventuring.
There are some of the most famous and exotic national parks within driving distance of L.A., as well as including some of the world’s most famous and pioneering entertainment industry enclaves. Because of the region’s varied and rich entertainment environment, Adventure-Crew will only highlight a few top venues in each Adventure-Loop presentation; revisiting the Los Angeles Adventure-Zone continually in order to do it justice. Remember, Adventure-Crew was born out of the need to promote America’s national parks; so outdoors will always be our main focus.
If you want more of a Hollywood/Film Making/Night Life/Glamour vacation planner, then just do a Google search for your desired poison and off you go. But, the Adventure-Zones are mostly about the great outdoors.
The Los Angeles Northwest Adventure-Loop.
Heading towards the northwest out of Los Angeles, find where the I-10 terminates at The Pacific Ocean.
Southern Terminus of the Pacific Coast Highway GoogleEarth
This is a great starting place for an Adventure-Loop for a few reasons; 1) everyone in the area knows where that is, so you won’t get lost. 2) It doesn’t matter whether you’re coming from The Holiday Inn one block away, Dodger Stadium in the center of the city,
Dodger Stadium GoogleEarth
or all the way from Jacksonville, Florida where the other end of the I-10 is attached, The Pacific Ocean is a pretty hard “land-mark” to miss, and 3) the western terminus of Interstate 10 just happens to be the very beginning of the famous Pacific Coast Highway.
1. Santa Monica is where you really are, and this is truly the beginning of the northern beaches of L.A. On your left, as you exit the tunnel of the Santa Monica Freeway and head north on The PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) is Santa Monica State Beach and Will Rogers State Beach.
2. In about 10 miles you’ll enter the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area near Malibu.
Santa Monica Mountains NRA NPS
Malibu is one of the most unique and elite towns in the world. Truly, just getting out of your car to get a latte at Starbucks on Cross Creek Rd, one could run into one of the hundreds of stars and dozens of superstars that live near the beach or up in the canyon.
Malibu californiaimage.com
3. As you drive north out of Malibu on hwy 1 (still the PCH) you’ll notice The Channel Islands out in the Pacific. There is a visitor center on the mainland at Ventura.
Channel Islands Adventure-Crew.com
Continuing north on 101/1/PCH, in just a couple of miles, there is the Ojai (Oh'-hy) Freeway heading east, up into Ojai Valley. Ojai is an interesting place to visit including the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa and the Lake Casitas Recreation area, all just outside of the southern reaches of Los Padres National Forest.
4. In 20 miles or so is another elite enclave called Santa Barbara, or “The South Coast” as many locals call it. You are now 100 miles north of L.A. and are at a great place for the wealthy to live and the rest of us to watch them. The Paparazzi love to hang out here. Sometimes the best way to find a superstar’s home is to just look for the photogs camped out in front of some white, stucco, castle looking mansion. There is also the winter film celebration called the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Santa Barbara alearneralways.blogspot.com
But, the best thing about Santa Barbara is the photo ops. From the 101 take exit 98a or 99 and head west towards the water. You’ll find Shoreline Dr and Cliff Dr. From here, there are numerous places from which to shoot the sunset, or just the awesome views of the Pacific and its beaches and cliffs.
5. Also near Santa Barbara is the Lake Cachuma Rec Area up Hwy 154.
Within 10 miles north of Santa Barbara, is Goleta and Naples. Then, in another handful of miles you can choose between staying on Hwy 1 or shooting up 101. These two highways overlap and run parallel all the way up into the redwoods coast at Legget, California roughly 400 miles to the north where Hwy 1 is no longer necessary as the 101 stays as close to the coast as reasonably possible from there to Canada.
6. So, at this fork in the road near Lompoc, Hwy 1 takes you through Vandenburg Air Force Base and Lompoc, California, while 101 bypasses it all. Both highways are scenic, but Hwy 1 is just slower and more scenic.
7. Staying on Hwy 1 will take you to the ocean side of Pismo State Beach, which is a little ways south of the town of Pismo Beach, and Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.
8. A few miles up the 101 at San Luis Obisbo, you need to get off at exit 202a which is Marsh Street. Follow it for ten blocks and turn left on Santa Rosa Street which becomes Hwy 1.
9. You will be driving some of the most scenic coast line in western America on your way to Big Sur in about 80 miles. On the way you’ll pass through Morro Bay…
Morro Bay pics4.city-data.com
… many angles of which have produced award winning photos for locals as well as visiting shooters.
Big Sur is a true outdoor gem.
Big Sur deetjens.com
Big Sur is one of the world's premier destinations for outdoor adventure that includes outdoor game, fishing and photography. There are many good places to stay in the Big Sur area.
This terminates the northern most point of our Northern Adventure-Loop Los Angeles. One of the beauties of an out and back Adventure-Loop along California’s coast is that there are so many things to see and do along the way, it doesn’t matter whether you are continuing north up to the San Francisco Loop (coming soon) or, just heading back to the L.A. area, you won’t be disappointed. Each turn offers a new adventure. Each day begins a fresh look at California’s coast.
Another unique element of America’s west coast is that either travel direction, north or south is equally mysterious and exciting. Heading north uncovers the thrill of the Northwest wilderness of which Big Sur is one of the furthest southern stars. The gold rush years, early pioneering, native American culture and the fishing industry are all there to uncover. Heading south journies towards the homes of the rich and famous, Hollywood stardom, theme parks, southern beaches, palm trees and surfing, Spanish-American architecture and culture.
Either direction brings you close to some of the best national parks in the world. From the north coast redwoods and Mt.Lassen to The Channel Islands, Yosemite, Death Valley and the gate way to The Grand Canyon among several others. The west coast has got to be one of the most exciting places to vacation or live.