Southern California Hidden Gems Off the Beaten Path

---

Southern California is home to many beautiful hidden gems. Our list features destinations that tourists often overlook. Some are in town, while others are way off the beaten path.  Check out these hidden gems if you want somewhere unique and a little less of a tourist stop for your next road trip.

---

Escape To The Ojai Valley, California For A Romantic Getaway

The Ojai Valley is an area in Ventura County, California. Its hub is the City of Ojai, one of the smallest towns in the county, with just over 8,000 residents. The city is located a few miles up Highway 33, about 12 miles inland from Ventura and the coast. Outdoor recreational activities are a large part of the culture in the valley. Los Padres National Forest provides opportunities for camping and outdoor escapes. Matilija Creek is a favorite spot for locals to splash under waterfalls, backpack, and soak in a hot spring. Ojai Valley website.

Wrigley Botanical Gardens, Catalina Island Hidden Gem

Wrigley Botanical Gardens are located on Catalina Island, a popular day trip off Southern California about 22 miles from Los Angeles. The gardens are one of the island’s main attractions, featuring a stunning monument to William Wrigley Jr. The gardens have nearly 38 acres of lush greenery. Quiet pathways make for a relaxing outing that requires minimal time and effort. The gardens’ flora is sweet-smelling for those only out for a stroll, and the views are breathtaking. Website.

Palm Springs, California Moorten Botanical Gardens

A hidden gem in the Palm Springs desert, the Moorten Botanical Gardens is the perfect destination for anyone who appreciates desert flora. The gardens allow guests to stroll and view this vast and fantastic collection peacefully. It is a great—and shady—spot to wander or sit and enjoy the more than 3,000 varieties of desert plants designed in concentrated habitats along a well-marked natural trail. Garden website.

Sherman Gardens Corona: Exotic Plants & Charming Restaurant

It’s no surprise that Sherman Gardens is regularly ranked as the top attraction in the pretty California town of Corona Del Mar. This hidden gem covers over two acres of land packed with flora and fauna from around the globe. Wide brick walkways link the gardens, conservatories, patios, and fountains, making everything easily accessible to elderly or disabled guests. The Fern Grotto houses over 40-year-old staghorn fern specimens. Website.

Point Dume Malibu Beach: Hidden Cove & Planet of the Apes Film Location

Point Dume Nature Preserve has one of the best views across the Southern California coast. On a clear day, you can see the Malibu coast and Santa Monica. The preserve is 32 acres and has several fenced trails. On the North side of Point Dume, there is a small and secluded beach known as Pirates Cove. This beach was used to film the final scene of the original Planet of the Apes movie in 1968. Nearby Zuma Beach is also well worth a look while visiting Point Dume.

Laguna Niguel Botanical Preserve: Dog-Friendly Paradise

Niguel Botanical Preserve is a hidden gem four miles inland from the Pacific Ocean along Crown Valley Parkway. The garden covers a little over 18 acres of Crown Valley Community Park. The preserve is on a hillside with trails featuring incredible views of Saddleback Mountain. Parking and admission to the garden are free. It is also one of the few botanical gardens in Southern California that is dog-friendly. Niguel Botanical Preserve website.

Coachella Valley Preserve is a Beautiful Desert Oasis

Coachella Valley Preserve is just a short day trip from Palm Springs. Here, you can leisurely walk through a natural oasis in the middle of the desert, work up a sweat under the sweltering desert sun, and then retire for a cool drink in the shade of a gorgeous palm tree oasis. Over 28 miles of trails lead to a wide range of habitats, most of which are well-marked. Some have picnic areas atop beautiful vistas overlooking the surrounding valley. Visit the website.

Whitewater Preserve: Take a Nature Walk or Enjoy a Picnic

Once the Whitewater Trout Farm and Hatchery home, the Whitewater Preserve near Palm Springs has become a Southern California Wildlands Conservancy sanctuary. It abuts the San Gorgonio Wilderness and is part of the 33,000-acre Sand-to-Snow Preserve System.  It is also a fantastic destination for a picnic or to enjoy one of the many programs sponsored by the Preserve, including guided nature walks, star parties, and nature photography classes. Preserve website.

Palos Verdes Peninsula: Put On Your Hiking Boots

If you’re a hiking enthusiast, you should explore the over 1,600 acres of open space on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The area is home to ten of the largest preserves, which offer stunning views of rolling hills, steep canyons, and rocky outcrops. Moreover, you’ll experience the Pacific’s natural habitat. Rancho Palos Verdes owns a part of the peninsula, but the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy manages it.

China Ranch Date Farm Near Death Valley, California

An oasis is hidden in a desert valley. The China Ranch Date Farm is off the beaten path and worth a side trip on your next journey across the Mojave Desert as you wander down into this little palm-lined haven between Death Valley and the Dumont Dunes. The date farms gift shop exhibits and artifacts from early Indian sites and archeological digs, the pioneer families in the area in the early 1900s, and the mysterious Chinese man who is thought to have settled the Mojave Desert Canyon. China Date Farm website.

Bernardo Winery 100 Years of History

Bernardo Winery is 25 miles north of downtown San Diego and has produced wine for over 100 years. On the grounds, along with the winery, are little wooden cottages that serve as shops and include such artisans as goldsmiths and glassblowers. The winery is a beautiful and historical place. Bernardo Winery hosts various events throughout the year, including concerts and craft fairs. They offer a wine-tasting menu featuring about 20 wines, primarily from local wineries and a few from northern California. Visit Website.

King Richard’s Antique Center Whittier, California

King Richard’s Antique Center is the largest antique store in California, located in a former citrus packing house. This three-story vintage center offers just about anything. Independent sellers curate many store sections, and if you ask, you can often negotiate when buying a specialty item or multiple pieces. The building itself is well over 100 years old. It was built in 1903 as a citrus packing warehouse and converted to its current state as King Richard’s Antique Center in 1979. Visit Website.

Laguna Lake Park Fullerton: Orange County Hidden Gem

Laguna Lake Park is a beautiful, relaxing lake in the middle of Fullerton. Activities include fishing, picnicking, and hiking. The 7-acre lake is surrounded by mature trees that provide plenty of shade. Park benches are situated around the lake, where you can sit and enjoy the view. Laguna Lake is a beautiful hidden gem in Orange County, California, perfect for a family outing, a mountain bike ride on the Fullerton Loop, or a long, relaxing hike in the nearby trails.

Cornell Winery On Famous Mulholland Highway

The Cornell Wine Tasting Room is located along Mulholland Highway in the former town of Cornell. Its motto is “Drink Local Wine.” The tasting room offers a variety of wines made from grapes grown in the Santa Monica Mountains. Right next to the Cornell Winery is The Old Place restaurant. It serves breakfast on weekends and dinner throughout the week. The Old Place is not your typical restaurant, with only four booths and bar seating; it’s quite the opposite. Cornell Wine Company.

Bates Nut Farm Valley Center, California

Bates Nut Farm is in an oak-filled valley near Valley Center, California, making it a great family day trip. Finding the farm is all part of the adventure for first-time visitors to the nut farm. Bates Nut Farm has something for everyone and is a perfect destination for a day trip from San Diego or the Los Angeles area. The farm store offers nuts, fruits, candies, packaged delicacies, and locally-grown produce. There is also a petting zoo and gift shop. Bates Nut Farm Website.

Motte Historical Car Museum Riverside County, California

Suppose you are looking for a unique venue for a special occasion or quick day trip getaway. In that case, check out the Motte Historical Car Museum in Menifee, a small town in southwestern Riverside County. Once a produce market, Leon Motte built the barn that houses the museum in 1985 from salvaged materials.

Los Alamos California Central Coast

Los Alamos is about 50 miles north of Santa Barbara and about 20 miles south of Santa Maria on Highway 101. Most motorists drive by this beautiful little wine-country town, never realizing what a unique gem it is. There are more than antiques to enjoy in Los Alamos. If art, wine tasting, or fine dining are more your cup of tea, Los Alamos has something for you, too. Wine tasting and tours are available, some by appointment and some during regular business hours at various wineries in the surrounding wine country.

Adamson House Museum

Adamson House Museum ranks among California’s most magnificent homes. It is a mini Hearst Castle, Los Angeles style, on Malibu Beach. One of the first quintessential Californian-style houses, this quasi-mansion was initially constructed for the Rindge–Adamson family, who owned and operated the well-known Malibu Potteries.

Treasure Island Park

Treasure Island Park Laguna Beach is one of the most beautiful parks in Southern California. The park sits directly in front of the 30 acres of five-star Montage Resort. A paved pathway runs along the top of the cliff, offering fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean.

Crystal Cove State Beach

Crystal Cove State Park has one of the most beautiful beaches in Southern California—three miles of pristine beach plus over 2000 acres of park. The main point of entry is the Crystal Cove Historic District. Crystal Cove Beach cottages were built during the 1920s.

Korean Bell of Friendship

The Korean Bell of Friendship only rings five times a year: on New Year’s Eve, Korean American Day (January 13), the national independence day of the United States (Fourth of July), Korean Liberation Day (August 15), and every September in celebration of Constitution Week.

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum

Cabot’s Pueblo Museum is one of Southern California’s most unique buildings. It all started with one man’s dream. He was an extraordinary individual who worked hard and traveled to many places. He wanted the desert to be beautiful for his family and everyone.

California Citrus State Historic Park

California Citrus State Historical Park – The moment you step out of your car, you are hit with the sweet smell of orange blossoms and treated to a fast sight disappearing from the Inland Empire. The park is situated on a hilltop with mountains and some of the remaining orange groves in the Inland Empire.

Leo Carrillo Ranch Carlsbad California

Hidden in a canyon and surrounded by houses is Leo Carrillo Historic Ranch. Actor Leo Carrillo once owned this former working ranchero and restored it by Carlsbad’s city to look much as it did over a century ago. The ranch is a 27-acre park featuring stunning hand-crafted adobe buildings, windmills, and other historic structures. Visitors can take self-guided walking tours of the building’s exteriors and park grounds during the park’s regular operating hours. A complimentary brochure can be obtained at the parking lot, visitor center, or Hacienda.

Malibu Creek State Park Santa Monica Mountains

Malibu Creek State Park is a hidden gem in the Santa Monica Mountains. There are seven thousand acres of beautiful running streams, old oak and sycamore groves, and arid chaparral-covered hillsides, perfect for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, mountain bike riding, and camping.

Quail Hill Loop Irvine, California

Quail Hill Loop Trail Day Hike Irvine, CA, is part of the City of Irvine open space preserve. The trail is slightly over 2 miles long and perfect for a family hike. There is ample free parking at the trailhead, and if you bring your cell phone, there is an audio tour. For a longer hike, the Shady Canyon trail is a six-mile loop to the entrance of Boomer Canyon and back. Dogs are allowed on the Quail Hill Trail and Shady Canyon Trail but not on the Boomer Canyon Trail.

Newport Back Bay Loop

The Back Bay area of Newport Beach describes the inland area connecting Upper Newport Bay with Newport Harbor. This is the place for you if you seek a peaceful retreat to observe nature without straying too far from the city.

Japanese Gardens Van Nuys

Tucked between a water reclamation plant and a golf course, the Japanese Gardens in Van Nuys is a delightful reprieve from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. One of the most interesting facts about the gardens is that they have been used as a backdrop for many films and television shows. You may recognize the building in the above image as Starfleet Academy. Japanese Garden is among the top ten public Japanese gardens in the United States. The garden was designed by Dr. Koichi Kawana, who designed more than a dozen significant Japanese gardens in the United States.

Paradise Cove Along the Malibu Coast

Paradise Cove is located in Malibu Beach, California, and has been the backdrop for numerous movies. Paradise Beach Cafe has indoor and outdoor seating. Specializing in seafood, the Cafe’s most popular dishes are the hot combo platter and iced seafood samples. Paradise Cove is situated in Malibu Beach, California, and has served as the backdrop for several movies and commercials, such as Lethal Weapon 4, Charlie’s Angels, The Rockford Files, and a few Gidget movies filmed in the late ’50s and early ’60s.

Goleta, California Santa Barbara’s Hidden Neighbor

Avoiding the urban sprawl of other southern California cities, Goleta is a less expensive alternative to its easterly neighbor, Santa Barbara. And while there are many things to do in Goleta, visitors’ main draw is the area’s beaches. Goleta beaches are typically less crowded than Santa Barbara’s, and Goleta Beach Park is the ideal destination for a quiet family day trip or a romantic weekend getaway. Known for its 1,500-foot-long fishing pier, the park provides a 29-acre outdoor playground, popular for bicyclists and families out for a stroll. Goleta website.

Los Olivos, California Central Coast Hidden Gem

Named for the Spanish word for ” olives,” Los Olivos is also the gateway to the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail. The trail stretches north from downtown and winds through over two dozen beautiful wineries and vineyards, each with its tasting room. This charming historic town is known for its art galleries, boutiques, wine stores, and landmark stagecoach stop housing, which date back to the early 20th century. Los Olivos is a serene and rejuvenating destination or a gateway to the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, a scenic route that winds through picturesque vineyards and wineries.

Bennett’s Honey Farm: The Fascinating World of Bees

Bennett’s Honey Farm is located about one mile off Highway 126 in Fillmore, California. The sign for the honey farm is easy to miss but well worth the effort to find. While the honey processing facility is not open to the public, there is a small store where visitors can taste and purchase honey. Bennett’s Honey Farm is a solar-powered operation that produces more power than it uses, resulting in close to a zero-carbon footprint operation. The staff is made up of members from local community families, with some representing the third generation working in the honey business.

Richard Nixon Library and Memorial Garden

The farmhouse where President Nixon was born is just a few steps away from his final resting place in the Nixon Memorial Garden. Inside the library, a main gallery takes visitors on a journey through history and allows them to explore many exhibits. Although the Nixon Library is not nearly as large as the Reagan Library, it boasts excellent exhibits and beautiful gardens tucked away in the Orange County town of Yorba Linda, California. Nixon Library website.

Cayucos by the Sea: A Hidden Beach Getaway

Cayucos by the Sea is often overlooked by beachcombers driving up and down California Highway One between Morro Bay and Cambria. However, this hidden gem provides visitors with a relaxing central coast getaway. Cayucos is one of California’s best-kept coastal secrets, located on the beautiful Estero Bay on the Central California Coast. Moreover, it’s a more affordable alternative to nearby Cambria and Morro Bay. To the south lies Morro Bay, and to the north is the world-famous Hearst Castle.

Green Valley Lake: San Bernardino Mountains