In San Francisco's Mission District, touring Clarion Alley murals

The fantastical murals of San Francisco's Mission District are an intriguing dialogue between artists and their city that you can easily...

Dog-friendly Del Mar a relaxing getaway outside of race season

If you know anything at all about Del Mar, it's that the seaside town north of San Diego is the place to play the ponies. The horses aren'...

Old California and good grub in San Juan Capistrano

What an appealing slice-of-life California town, an easy day trip by car or train. Come for the history, stay for the food. This restaurant-...

California hotels hosting culinary classes and events

Hungry for a change of pace? Eat, drink and indulge your need to escape during a foodie weekend, a tasty trend sweeping the hotel industry.

The best egg dishes at popular destinations across America

For me, the egg hunt didn't stop when I became an adult.

Celebrating the life of the well-traveled Pat Nixon

As the wife of an ambitious politician, Pat Nixon had her hands full. Besides keeping up with Richard Nixon's various political...

A dry season is expected for wildflowers in Southern California

Right about now, tiny goldfields and purple mat should be erupting in carpets of color on the desert floor at Joshua Tree and Death Valley...

Will outdoor fun dry up in parched California?

How dry we are. By late last month, precipitation was half the normal level in California, and snow runoff was 35% of average, state figures...

A golden spirit stills shines in Randsburg, Calif.

I half-expected to hear someone shout, "There's gold in them thar hills," as I rolled into Randsburg, Calif., which sits just off Highway...

Visiting out West? Here's a SoCal traveler's cheat sheet

For most of the last 20 years, it’s been my job to leave Los Angeles and bring home tips on travel elsewhere. But let’s face it:...

Palm Springs revival has deals for a song (or close to it)

The Rat Pack lives again — or at least Palm Springs, once the party pad of Sinatra and the boys, does.

Southern California Close-Ups: Going Hollywood

Pity the rubes. Those wayward tourists who dawdle in their cars and tour buses along Beachwood Drive, enraging the locals as they...

Ski reports and forecasts for Southern California and the West

First, a little question: Does anybody hedge their bets the way a weather forecaster does? Predictions for this winter call for another La...

At Mammoth Lakes, snowshoeing and teens are a good mix

Mom: "OK, let's go. Time to try something different — we're going snowshoeing this afternoon."

Kern County's rich oil field of history

Anywhere else, linking an aromatic cup of coffee and a gooey glob of oil would quickly kill a restaurant.

Hotels get into beekeeping business

— Thanksgiving dinner guests at Carmel Valley Ranch can expect the Central California resort to serve a honey of a meal.

Old Sacramento gives up some watery secrets during tour

Reporting from Sacramento—Old Sacramento creates a convincing picture of life in the Old West. Historic storefronts line lumpy brick...

San Francisco's over-the-top underground

San Francisco isn't really an underground kind of place. We don't go in for noir the way L.A. does. And unlike New York, we don't...

Hot tips on California's premier racetracks

California is home to more racetracks than any other state, with four dominant tracks and a dozen lesser venues, such as state fairs,...