SoCal Fall Road Trips

Image courtesy of Pixabay

Just because it’s fall and the weather has chilled a little bit, that doesn’t mean you can’t have yourself a little mini vacation. Living in California means we’re blessed with pretty great weather all year round which means that the weather doesn’t restrict us in the winter as much as it would in other parts of the country. (We’re looking at you, New England.) This Sunday is Take A Ride Day so hop in the car, buckle up and head on out.

The Marine Mammal Center’s goal is to expand our knowledge of marine creatures and other sea life as well as to inspire conservation of their habitats. The Marine Mammal Center focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation and then eventual release back into the wild of multiple kinds of oceanic wildlife. Located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, they are open to tours from the center. Admission is free so if you stop by, you’re free to explore the facilities on your own. For a fee, you can be led through the facilities by a docent who will impart on you knowledge gained through their time at the Marine Mammal Center. They will show you exhibits and other sights that you might not notice on your own. The Marine Mammal Center is about an hour away from our home at Montecito at Dos Lagos.

Your trip to Catalina Island will take a little more than just a car ride, since the island is 22 miles off the coast of California. The beautiful 22 mile long, 8 mile wide island is full of history and tons of attractions. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Newport Beach from Montecito at Dos Lagos Apartments and then an extra hour to travel via high speed catamaran to Catalina. Explore the diverse wildlife or take it indoors to the casino for a little bit of gambling. 12 miles outside of Avalon, you’ll find El Rancho Escondido, the hidden Arabian horse ranch. If you’re interested in the history of the island, you can check out the Catalina Island Museum to see over 60 years of cultural heritage collected by the museum. Take in over 7,000 years worth of Catalina Island history. You won’t regret taking to trip to Catalina Island for the weekend. Luckily we’re so nearby to the beautiful island.


Just because the fall season is here, that doesn’t mean we have to give up on vacations. California weather is kind to us and allows for summer activities all year round. What’s your go-to road trip in Southern Cali? Let us know on our Facebook and Twitter.