Aside from the beach and the awesome weather, what else is there in Southern California?
I'm tired of always seeing the same ideas of what to do in SoCal: go to Disney, Hollywood, Santa Monica... Sure, they're fun and wonderful! Really, SoCal has so much more than that.
1. Try local food businesses.
SoCal is thriving with small businesses owned by locals. Located in Paramount, CA Horchateria Rio Luna is a restaurant that offers Mexican treats and drinks with an American twist. San Diego was blessed with Underbelly, a ramen noodle and Japanese restaurant that will leave your tummy wanting more. If you're feeling a little bit more upscale, family-owned Miro's Restaurant in Palm Springs will not disappoint with their European inspired food. A trip can't be complete without flavor-rich and savory food, Annapoorna in Irvine offers an extensive menu with all kinds of Indian food.
Chain restaurants are good, sure. If you really want to get to know the individualism and soul of Southern Californians start by trying the local food. Tip: Visit a local taco shop for Southern Californian's beloved carne asada fries and California burritos. You won't be disappointed.
2. Take advantage of the California desert.
Quite opposite from the beach is the arid desert, but this isn't a downfall for Southern California. In fact, this adds more variety of what you can do during your visit. The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park offers many wonderful activities as well as the opportunity to see diverse wildlife and wildflowers. Activities are such as RV camping, hiking and biking trails, campsites for different size groups, picnic areas, Jeep tours, off-roading, and much more.
3. Scuba diving and snorkeling.
Okay, okay, I know I said I would mention stuff aside from the beach. However, we usually associate the beach with laying down on your towel, and maybe kayaking, so I think that perhaps scuba diving and snorkeling would be out of the box. Mind you, scuba diving does require for you to go to lessons and get a license, but if you have the time or already have a license, it's worth it. SD Expeditions, located in La Jolla, offer amazing dives and you'll probably see a lot of cool stuff in there. If the party night life doesn't interest you, SD Expeditions also offers night dives!
4. Visit different amusement parks.
While Disneyland will always remain my one true love, there are other great amusement parks. Located in Buena Park, CA is Knott's Berry Farm, which as the name may reveal, started out as a farm owned by Walter and Cordelia Knott. This amusement park has numerous rides, many kid friendly rides and amazing food and jams that are the Knott's family recipes. A bonus feature of this park is during Halloween season it becomes Knott's Scary Farm. In Carlsbad you can find Legoland, and also as the name might reveal, it's an amusement park full of Legos. This amusement park is perfect for those who grew-up playing legos and for children.
5. Visit historical sites.
The Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is a historically-rich place, the houses and buildings are from the 1800's and continue having the European settlement vibe. This is a very popular location because of the activities it offers, from Mexican restaurants to a haunted house, the possibilities are many. The California Citrus State Historic Park celebrates the importance of citrus in California's agricultural industry. This park offers tours where you can also do citrus tasting.
6. Go hiking.
Recently, Southern Californians have grown a liking towards hiking. Hiking trails not only offer a challenge, but also amazing views. Here are the top 10 hiking trails in SoCal, according to JoshMc in California Through My Lens.
• Hollywood Sign.
• Devil's Punchbowl.
• Mt Baldy
Many more are listed in the California Through My Lens link above.
The activities in SoCal are endless, regardless if they are the most popular or underrated, find what will make your trip an amazing experience. If you come to California, there's no way you'll be disappointed! I mean, Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg said so too.
