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05/17/2010 01:35:23 PM · #1 |
Taking the family to Disneyland in California in July.
I get one day for a photo excursion. Looking for suggestions for good nature/landscape shots within driving distance from LA/Anaheim area. More hills and mountains than beach scenes.
any ideas?
Thanks in advance!
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05/17/2010 01:45:29 PM · #2 |
David
If you have a full day, Joshua Tree is a good trip. Stay away from the peyote though - a day trip ended up being a whole weekend for me. |
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05/17/2010 01:50:35 PM · #3 |
Just head Northeast. ;)
If you want mountains, a day trip up to Wrightwood in the Angeles Nat'l Forest is just the ticket.
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05/17/2010 08:28:29 PM · #4 |
| Do you realize how hot it will be there in July? Good scenery at the Devil's Punchbowl and Vasquez rocks ( you've probably seen dozens of car commercials and at least one old Star Trek having been filmed there). |
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05/17/2010 08:32:06 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by franktheyank:
Do you realize how hot it will be there in July? Good scenery at the Devil's Punchbowl and Vasquez rocks ( you've probably seen dozens of car commercials and at least one old Star Trek having been filmed there). |
I live in Houston.
I go to LA in August to get away from the heat. I did read that the desert gets pretty warm, more so than in Orange County. |
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05/17/2010 09:19:53 PM · #6 |
Drive south on the 405, cut inland at San Juan Capistrano on the Ortega Highway (74, I believe) and work your way inland and up to Mount Palomar, check out the observatory. Nice country back there. Coming through on the Ortega Hwy you'll find yourself working your way down to a valley floor along some sheer bluffs, it's a very famous hang gliding site, above "lake Elsinor", though as far as I know Elsinore's pretty depleted water-wise lately. There's a pretty cool place to eat at the edge of the bluffs just beore you start down. If you're lucky weather-wise, and get an early enough start, you'll be able to get killer pics of the SoCal back country in the early morning light from that bluff...
R.
ETA: From Anaheim, you can reach that bluff in, I think, about an hour and a quarter. There's a much faster route through the Chino hills on 271 then south in the valley to Lake Elsinore, but it's nowhere near as nice a drive. The Ortega Highway is one of the great driving roads in Southern Cal, if you're into having fun at the wheel :-)
You can also head east through Hemet to Mountain Center and then up through Idylwild to Mt. San Jacinto Park, that's beautiful country and nice and cool if it's hot in the valleys. This is the same park that the tramway from Palm Springs goes up to, on the other side.
Message edited by author 2010-05-17 21:27:02.
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05/17/2010 09:55:33 PM · #7 |
Thanks all, good stuff.
Robert, I'll try to mapmthat route, may need some help ;-) |
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05/17/2010 11:17:25 PM · #8 |
i'd agree with Robert as that highway 74 route is very beautiful. you can take it all the way to Palm Desert as a matter of fact.
Another idea that might be cool is to trace the Stage 6 route of the AMGEN Bike race (which is being run this friday btw, which is why it's in my mind). it takes you through the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains, starting in the high desert at Palmdale and ending at Big Bear Lake, high in the San Bernardino mountains. Its 135 miles and very beautiful. The mountain pictures i've been taking as challenge entries were taken from a point on that route. |
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05/18/2010 12:07:29 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by scarbrd:
Originally posted by franktheyank:
Do you realize how hot it will be there in July? Good scenery at the Devil's Punchbowl and Vasquez rocks ( you've probably seen dozens of car commercials and at least one old Star Trek having been filmed there). |
I live in Houston.
I go to LA in August to get away from the heat. I did read that the desert gets pretty warm, more so than in Orange County. |
Temps in Los Angeles in August are near the 100's, often times over the mark. If you do take Highway 47 through the Temecula Valley, Lake Elisnore area you are sure to reach temps in the 100's. It has great scenery...but it is hot!! San Bernadino, and Riverside counties are desert scenery, and the Palm Springs area is beautiful, but really hot, with the average temp above 110 in August. |
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05/18/2010 12:39:11 AM · #10 |
so i think it was last summer that i went to CA, and lets just say, the first real day of being outside and enjoying the sun, that i hardly ever get feel in WA, i got sick because i didnt drink enough water. So my recomendation for you and your family is to drink LOTS of water. It was not fun... Have fun btw!
oh and try to see the red wood forest/trees. The kids might not like the idea at first, but it can be a humbling time standing amung the huge living things. and cool pics too. =]
Message edited by author 2010-05-18 00:40:49.
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05/18/2010 12:48:07 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by ScooterMcNutty:
so i think it was last summer that i went to CA, and lets just say, the first real day of being outside and enjoying the sun, that i hardly ever get feel in WA, i got sick because i didnt drink enough water. So my recomendation for you and your family is to drink LOTS of water. It was not fun... Have fun btw!
oh and try to see the red wood forest/trees. The kids might not like the idea at first, but it can be a humbling time standing amung the huge living things. and cool pics too. =] |
what she said |
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05/18/2010 01:53:42 AM · #12 |
| I'll be driving down there in July also, taking the Utah route from WA |
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05/18/2010 01:57:17 AM · #13 |
how many kids? what are driving? how old are your kids? This is all VERY important. atleast to make sure that your kids complain the least amount. being cramped in the backseat of a prius is NOT fun. >:(
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05/18/2010 03:44:48 AM · #14 |
I second the Idyllwild recommendation. Since there are no ski lifts there it's much less "touristy"- more of an artist community. It will be much cooler up there than almost anywhere in SoCal. The drive up is beautiful, there's multiple galleries in the town and there's a couple of picturesque lakes and meadows near the town along with a large variety of hiking trails for every experience level. Also some very yummy restaurants ( Cafe Aroma is my favorite, "The Mountain" is AWESOME as well- but more for special occasions $$, or just enjoy a margarita at La Casita)
Alternately you can head out towards palm springs and take the aerial tramway up to the other side of the mountain. You'll be higher up, so it will be even cooler. Just keep in mind that there's no town or amenities outside of the tram station's restaurant/gift shop at the top. Very beautiful though- and the tram ride is way cool. :)
If you do end up heading either the Idyllwild or the Tramway route drop me a message. I live in Idyllwild and volunteer as a Forest Service Ranger up in the wilderness there, so I'll have the latest conditions and probably can recommend some good areas to shoot.
If you are thinking of staying closer and heading towards the beach instead there are some beautiful nature parks just north and also inland of the art town of Laguna Beach. Careful of heading to the beach on a weekend- it can be VERY crowded. |
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