What is it about forests that make us feel interconnected? The minute you step into the deep forest there’s a thick kinetic energy bouncing off every organism from plant to insect to animal, and suddenly you’re a part of it; a strong living force kept contained in the confines of canopy and trunk.
If anything is true about California, it’s that the decades old promise of laid back, easy living in the sun, sand, and surf is alive and well. And of the vitally important things it will teach you, the first is how to slow down, and chill out.
It had been two hours since we last stepped foot on land. My arms had begun to tire; I laid my paddle across my lap and allowed myself to drift. My surroundings were vast – steep rolling bluffs thick with lush green pines, shrouded in a hazy sea mist and set to the enormous backdrop of a boundless grey sky. Where the bluffs met the sea sat rugged cliffs and pebble stone shores dotted with driftwood and thick green-brown seaweed. Deep breaths, I reminded myself- meant to both revive my depleted energy, and take in the intoxicating sea air of the unbelievably untouched western coast of Canada where I found myself.
City life can be a drag sometimes. Luckily, escaping the grind and smog of Los Angeles in favor of wide open spaces, breezy beach towns, and beautiful landscapes is easy.
Here are five of our favorite weekend escapes that are all within about 2 hours of LA. Pack up your beach bag, camp gear, or rent an airbnb for two nights at any of these close locales to relax and explore for the weekend, and return to the city feeling refreshed and energized.
Heralded as one of Hawaii’s best islands, Maui is a tropics-lover and outdoor-adventurer’s dream.
Known as the Valley Isle for it’s deep, rugged, and lush green topography, the island offers spectacular nature, an array of active sea and land adventures, and a distinct and vibrant culture singular to the Hawaiian islands.
