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At the end of August in Southern California you don’t expect to find running water and a beautiful cascading waterfall – but that is exactly what we found during our hike through Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, California.

Thousand Oaks is situated at the southern end of Ventura County adjacent to Los Angeles County. The area in and around TO, as it is called by its residents, is full of parks and recreational facilities.

Our surprising waterfall was hidden within a deep valley at the park - near Avenida De Los Arboles and North Big Sky Drive intersection. Free parking is available off West Avenida De Los Arboles.

Laguna Beach is a seaside resort city that is much more than a beach town. The city is nestled amongst rolling hills and valleys overlooking the shoreline with great beaches, shops, restaurants and art galleries - giving it a distinct French Riviera allure.

Laguna Beach is a great destination for a family looking to escape the heat of the inland cities or for couples strolling along Cliff Drive overlooking the ocean.

The Getty Villa is located in Pacific Palisades near Malibu. The building is a replica of the Villa Dei Papiri which is a Roman country house that was buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

The Getty Center is located in Los Angeles and houses the main Museum, the Getty Research Institute, the Getty Conservation Institute, the Getty Foundation, and the administrative offices.

The Museum has 5 Pavilions. The Exhibition Pavilion houses traveling collections of art while the other 4 Pavilions house the permanent collections. You can find the oldest art collections at the North Pavilion while the newest collections are located at the West Pavilion.

This 1200 acres undeveloped wetlands are is a quick escape from urban sprawl where you can take a leisurely stroll, take a brisk hike, go jogging, bird watching and take lots of photos.

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is a nature reserve in the city of Huntington Beach, California. It is designated by the California Department of Fish and Game to protect a coastal wetland, with its resident threatened and endangered species. "Bolsa Chica" means "little bag" in Spanish, as the area was part of a historic Mexican land grant named Rancho La Bolsa Chica.

Big Bear Valley is well known for its winter sports fun. But after the snow melts and the skiers flee the area, a whole new adventure awaits you.

The valley and mountains around it are full for hiking and biking trails waiting to be explored, and the “Big Bear Discovery Center” is the place to start your adventure.

The San Clemente Coastal Trail is a newly completed hiking and biking trail in the city of San Clemente. The trail is a section of the planned California Coastal Trail which will parallel the beach throughout the state of California when complete.

The trail starts from North Beach next to the Metrolink train station and it runs under the bluffs, next to the train tracks with great views of the beach all along the way. The full hike is about 3 miles long (each way). The south end of the hike terminates at Trestle Beach or San Mateo Creek.

This hike is considered easy and it is great for families with small children.

It’s a park. It’s a beach. It’s a campground. It’s all of the above and much more.

San Clemente State Beach is one of the rare places where everything aligns perfectly to make your visit unforgettable. You will want to come back again and again.

The “State Beach” offers camp sites atop the bluffs with breathtaking views of the ocean. The camp has around 160 campsites which are divided into group, RV and tent areas. The campground is beautifully laid out with paved roads connecting the various areas. Each campsite has a fire ring, picnic table, shade ramada and shade trees - with drinking and washing water nearby. Bathrooms – with hot showers - are never too far.

Anaheimer Tip: This park is extremely popular. You will need to make reservations many months ahead of time. Go to ReserveAmerica’s website and book your camp sites up to a year in advance.

Better known as Surf City, it boasts the longest uninterrupted stretch of beach on the west coast. The city has a lot of attractions, parks, theaters, malls and restaurants – but let’s faces it: the main attraction will always be the beach.

There are several beaches to choose from, each one with its own personality. Some of them are managed by the city and others are part of the State Park system.

After the closing of El Toro Marine base in 1999 a great debate erupted in OC. What to do with the huge real estate vacated by the marines? Some wanted a new airport, others preferred more urban sprawl, but the forces of nature won. Now we have the Orange County Great Park.