California Bucket List

Why: This awe-inspiring public art installation brings new beauty to the light of dawn and dusk.

What: “Dividing the Light” (2007), one of several dozen Skyspaces worldwide by artist James Turrell, is an elevated metal frame perched above an outdoor courtyard. A mesmerizing light show begins at dawn and dusk when the frame is illuminated with colored light, enhancing the sky’s own changing hues.

The Skyspace is a part of the Pomona College Museum of Art. For Turrell, an L.A. native and alumnus of Pomona College (’65) and Claremont Graduate University (’73), this campus installation is a homecoming of sorts, and the only public Skyspace in Southern California.

Turrell is an avid pilot and considers the sky his studio, material and canvas, and his Pomona College training in perceptual psychology informs his play of light, space, and human perception.

Skyspace programs begin one hour before sunrise and 10 minutes before sunset. The evening program lasts about 40 minutes. Check a listing of current exhibitions and “Art After Hours” days that may make a Skyspace and museum twofer possible.

Where: The Draper Courtyard (between the Lincoln and Edmunds buildings) at 600 N. College Way on the Pomona College campus in Claremont, 34 miles northeast of downtown L.A.

How much: Free

Info: James Turrell Skyspace

The swan boats of Echo Park Lake.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: The hotter it gets, the more sense these pedal vessels make.

What: The artificial lake in Echo Park goes back to at least 1870. The boathouse and pedal boat operation go back decades. And the place has been dramatically upgraded in the last few years, beginning with a draining and cleaning in 2011-2013. The paddle boats operated by Wheel Fun Rentals are now shaped like swans and the larger ones hold up to five people or 1,400 pounds. (These boats look a lot like the historic swan boats in Boston Common, which also go back to the 1870s.)

Head out for an hour of pedaling and drifting, not necessarily in that order, and imagine the early 20th century days when Aimee Semple McPherson was preaching in the Angelus Temple next door and these hills were crawling with communists, socialists and spiritualists.

The boat rentals are open daily all year from 9 a.m. until sunset. On the hottest days, try edging right up to the edge of the fountain in the middle of the lake – you’ll be coated with mist or (if there’s a breeze) pelted by diagonal rain. The last rentals go out an hour before sunset. (One night in July, a young man broke in and took a paddle boat for a forbidden ride. It did not end well.)

The eatery, Beacon, opened in January 2017 with a menu that’s longer, more intriguing and a little pricier than the average public park snack shack. The communists don’t live here anymore.

Bonus option: Fishing is allowed, with a license.

Where: 751 Echo Park Ave., 2 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: The swan boats rent for hourly rates of $11 per adult, $6 per minor. Everybody gets a life jacket. A sampling from the Beacon menu: kale and avocado burritos ($7), a crab and gouda sandwich ($13), salmon toast ($10), Beacon Burger ($15), lemonade ($3). Beacon is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Info: Wheel Fun Rentals, Beacon

A pedaler’s view of Echo Park Lake.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

The Giants have played in AT&T Park since 2000.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Whether you’re for the Giants or against them, you can root for a home run into the bay here — something you won’t see at any other major league baseball stadium. In fact, you can see bits of San Francisco Bay — distant wharves, cargo ships, maybe a few kayaks in McCovey Cove — from many of the 41,915 seats in AT&T Park. And in a city that’s not always easy for families, this park is full of kid-friendly features.

What: The Giants have been based in San Francisco since 1958, but they only started winning championships here after this ballpark opened in 2000. (Beyond center field you’ll see banners celebrating the team’s World Series victories in 2010, 2012 and 2014, and a few more from the earlier New York years.)

Builders worked hard to reduce the winds that made the old Candlestick Park a nightmare for anyone fielding a fly ball — and largely succeeded. In fact, experts often rank this park first or second among the most pleasant in the major leagues.

But there’s no banishing the gulls.

At the end of every game, thousands of the scavenging creatures come swooping in to feast on leavings in the bleachers. Ushers try to fend them off, but the situation is basically “Field of Dreams” meets Alfred Hitchcock. Hang around for a few minutes to catch the spectacle.

Gulls after a day game, AT&T Park, San Francisco.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Where: 24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, 382 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Most tickets $9-$282. Single-game tickets here.

Info: San Francisco Giants, San Francisco Travel

Hollywood Land, Disney California Adventure

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: If somebody asked you to compress the best of California into 72 acres, make it abundantly kid-friendly and persuade thousands of people to spend long hours and big money there, you might crack under the pressure. (Admit it, you’re already uncomfortable.)

That was Disney’s mission with this park. And Disney failed … at first. But since that awkward debut in 2001, when attendance fell far short of expectations, the park people have been steadily changing and fixing this place. Even if you’re skeptical about all things Disney (as some people are), you’ll probably get a kick out of this cartoon version of our state.

What: Most of the park’s rides, restaurants and photo ops are all about idealizing California, including Hollywood Land (who’s ever seen such clean streets and tidy storefronts in the real Hollywood?); Pacific Wharf (a mix of Cannery Row in Monterey and Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco); and Grizzly Peak (a nod to Yosemite and the tall trees of Northern California). But other features these days reach far beyond state lines.

When I dropped in a few days ago, the park’s marching bands and mariachis were joined by drummers, dancers and musicians from around Asia, gathered to celebrate Lunar New Year. Rides in A Bug’s Land and Car Land were full of grinning guests, as was the Soarin’ Around the World ride — which replaced Soaring (over California) in 2016 — and the Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: Breakout! ride — which replaced the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in 2017. This summer, Paradise Pier is scheduled to become Pixar Pier.

Meanwhile, California Screamin’, Mickey’s Fun Wheel and Grizzly River Run were closed for refurbishment. Check before visiting to see what’s open and what’s not.

Where: Right next to Disneyland and Downtown Disney, California Adventure, 1313 Disneyland Drive in Anaheim, is 26 miles southeast of downtown L.A.

How much: Passes start at $97 (ages 10 and above; before taxes) for a one-day Value Ticket. Standard parking $20.

Info: Disney California Adventure

Disney California Adventure

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

On the western slopes

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: It’ll quicken your pulse, drop your jaw and demand your full attention. There’s no more dramatic passage from Central California’s blond hills to the Big Sur coast than this 24-mile route.

What: Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, a winding, two-lane highway, begins in the Salinas Valley countryside north of Paso Robles, next to the often-overlooked Mission San Antonio de Padua and the Army’s Ft. Hunter-Liggett. From there it creeps through forest and chaparral to the crest of the Santa Lucia Mountains, about 2,800 feet above sea level. Then for 7 miles, via dozens of switchback turns, it wends its way down the western slopes to Big Sur.

It meets Highway 1 at Kirk Creek, about 4 miles south of Lucia.

Mission San Antonio de Padua

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Motorcyclists have loved Nacimiento-Fergusson Road for years. When a mudslide and reconstruction closed Highway 1 at Mud Creek for more than a year in 2017-2018, many more cars found their way to this alternative, as well.

In normal times, with Highway 1 open, you can usually count on thin traffic on Nacimiento-Fergusson.

The road’s westernmost 7 miles, descending via multiple sharp turns to the coast road, are as spectacular as can be — and might start a three-alarm panic attack if you’re afraid of heights. (When a route is featured on www.dangerousroads.org, you know it’s special.)

Given the absence of lights or guard rails or cellphone reception, I’d never try it after dark. On my midday drive in December, I took care to ignore the views until I’d safely pulled into one of the many turnouts along the way. (For a tamer ride with similar scenery, take Highway 46 west from Paso Robles to Cambria.)

Where: To reach the eastern end of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, exit Highway 101 at Jolon Road, about 23 miles north of Paso Robles. Follow Jolon Road west, then turn left onto Mission Road, continue 4 miles, then turn left onto Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. Because the road passes through the Army base, drivers may need to show license, registration and proof of insurance.

Give the drive at least two hours from the 101 to the 1. You don’t want to be in a hurry here.

How much: Free.

Info: www.dangerousroads.org

Grand Park, Dec. 31, 2015.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Every real downtown has a park to serve as urban backyard, and Grand Park is more proof that L.A.’s downtown is getting realer by the day.

What: The 12-acre park connects the Music Center at the top of Bunker Hill with City Hall at the bottom. (Yes, you can go to City Hall’s 27th floor observation deck and it’s free). The park isn’t really new -- there’s been open space for decades on these blocks between government buildings. But a dramatic redesign in 2012 put a far better spin on the area, and it doesn’t hurt that neighboring Cathedral of our Lady of the Angels arrived in 2002, Disney Hall in 2003 and the Broad Museum in 2015.

Besides its welcome green expanses and flanking playground and dog-run areas, Grand Park includes a fountain (with splash pad for kids), an adjacent Starbucks, plenty of places to sit and a busy schedule of holiday events and live shows. Picnicking is encouraged. Protesting is permitted. Food trucks come for lunch most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. There’s midday yoga on many Wednesdays and Fridays. In October and November, the park hosts Día de los Muertos altars and art; in November and December, holiday lights.

And on New Year’s Eve -- well, the 2016-17 party (free and alcohol-free) included three stages, DJs, live music, dancing, inflatable art, and light projections. Expect more of the same this time.

Where: between 200 N. Grand Ave. and 227 N. Spring St., at the core of downtown L.A.

How much: Free. It’s easiest to arrive via Metro. But there’s parking nearby in Lot 10 (entrances on Broadway and Hill Street between 1st and Temple streets), priced at $3.50 per 15 minutes up to a $20 maximum per weekday, $10 per day on weekends, evenings and special events.

Info: Grand Park

Women’s March, Grand Park, January 2017.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: McWay Falls, the splashiest attraction in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, roars down 80 feet from granite and redwoods to a creamy Big Sur beach and implausibly turquoise cove. It’s the cascade that other waterfalls want to be. It’s also a perfectly impossible California destination, because you can’t stand under these falls. There’s no safe way to the beach.

What: The hike is more of a stroll, really. It’s about half a mile, mostly flat. (And the rest of the park remains mostly closed because of mudslides and other damage done by the Soberanes Fire of 2016.) Once you’ve passed through a short tunnel under Highway 1 and made a right turn, you’ll soon be standing on a rocky perch where a house once stood, looking south to the beach and falls.

This is an invitation to chill. For one thing, the trail has ended. Also, like Yosemite Falls — which led off our California Bucket List project on Jan. 1 — McWay Falls is a sort of perpetuity made plain. The water keeps coming, even if it’s in short supply elsewhere. And the cell reception is so rotten that you’ll probably never get an Instagram photo posted from here.

So have a seat. Notice that there’s a great view to the north also. Think about all the writers and composers (beginning with James Joyce, Richard Wagner, Al Green and Teeny Hodges) who have chosen to start and end their works with running water. Or think about nothing.

Where: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, mile marker 35.8 in Big Sur, 37 miles south of Carmel, 286 miles northwest of downtown L.A. Highway 1 is expected to remained closed at Mud Creek (27 miles south of McWay Falls) through September 2018. That means travelers from the south have two options. One is to detour from Highway 101 north of Paso Robles via Jolon Road and the 24-mile, narrow, winding Nacimiento-Fergusson Road (a star on dangerousroads.org). The other choice is driving up to Salinas on the 101, cutting over to Carmel, then coming back south on Highway 1.

How much: $10.

Info: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Looking north from the McWay Falls Trail.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Simplicity and complexity meet in the Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, and the marriage is a harmonious celebration of architecture and intellect.

What: The 1895 Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, a national historic landmark in Pacific Heights, is an Arts and Crafts building designed by several architects, including Bernard Maybeck, who created the Palace of Fine Arts at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 in San Francisco.

Inside the walls are rustic redwood, found often in Arts and Crafts buildings and consistent with the Swedenborgian appreciation of natural objects, according to the 1969 book “Here Today: San Francisco’s Architectural Heritage.” The chairs are maple, “made by hand, without the use of nails, and their seats were woven of tule rushes from the Sacramento River Delta,” the book says.

In the fireplace in the back, the andirons become small crosses, and the crackling fire (and recently installed radiant heat) make the church a warm and welcoming spot for quiet contemplation, especially on chilly San Francisco days (which is most of them).

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

It’s also a reminder of the man whose desire to understand Scripture caught fire when he was in his 50s. Emanuel Swedenborg was born Jesper Svedborg in 1688 in Stockholm. In “Swedenborg: An Introduction to His Life and Ideas,” author Gary Lachman describes Swedenborg as the “Scandinavian Da Vinci.” He was a scientist, poet, writer, mystic, statesman, inventor and biblical scholar.

After Swedenborg’s death in 1772 in London, societies took root that were devoted to contemplating his thoughts and works; the Bible is the center of these. These organizations made their way across the pond by the late 1780s, and the New Church (sometimes called New Jerusalem) began to spread in the United States.

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

Notable Swedenborgian churches include the Wayfarer’s Chapel in Palos Verdes, designed by Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. The younger Wright was said to have taken his architectural inspiration for the chapel, dedicated in 1951, from Northern California’s redwoods.

Where: The Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco, 2107 Lyon St , is about 385 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Cost: Free. Services are at 11 a.m. Sundays. Office hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays; knock to gain entry to the church.

Info: Swedenborgian Church of San Francisco

Why: If you’re intimidated by the word “spa,” Glen Ivy is the place for you. It feels accessible, not exclusive, meaning you can sit back and relax.

What: Which is what you want to do. There are 19 pools to try, including the mineral pools, the star attraction in the early days of the late 1800s when you could soak in them for 25 cents.

Today, you start by getting a locker for your street clothes and putting on your swim suit in a well-appointed area that includes changing rooms, showers and big, lighted mirrors where you’ll find hairdryers you’ll want later in the day.

Glen Ivy’s 12 acres include a float pool and a large pool if you want to exercise. But my new favorite features are the hot and cold plunge pools. (Try switching three times between them and stay in each pool for a minimum of 30 seconds. It doesn’t sound like long until you’re in the cold pool.)

The former Café Sole has been replaced by the new Ivy Kitchen, offering light but satisfying meals. (No starvation tactics here.)

And, of course, you can find the usual spa treatments (extra charge but no pressure; appointments advisable) including the underground Grotto, where skin hydration is the goal ($25 upcharge).

Save Club Mud for last. You paint yourself (and your hair) with “mud,” which is California red clay, then go bake in the sun. Before you turn into tandoori chicken, you brush it off and rinse or wash it off in the outdoor showers if you’ve used a tad too much. One note: Beware of bees, which are attracted to the mud. Make sure you you’re wearing your sandals.

The landscaping makes it all very pretty and it feels all very real, which is refreshing if you’re weary of L.A. artifice.

Where: 25000 Glen Ivy Road, Corona; (888) 453-6489, about 60 miles southeast of downtown L.A. (Set aside at least 90 minutes to get there.)

How much: Go on a weekday when it’s less expensive ($49 for the day Mondays-Fridays, averaging 300 guests). Saturdays, Sundays and holidays it’s $68 and about 700 people will be there. Through Feb. 28, hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It’s open an hour later from March through May. Check on summer hours.

Info: Glen Ivy Hot Springs

Why: The Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum in Carlsbad is novel and quirky – and proof that good things come in small packages.

What: The collection includes painstakingly crafted, remarkable miniatures, many with moving parts. There are cars, planes, engines of all sorts, ships, thumb-sized guns and knives, and much more. These are not the plastic model car kits from your childhood; for example, there’s an eye-popping version of a 1932 Duesenberg SJ that has more than 6,000 custom-made parts and is said to have taken more than 10 years to finish. The folks who built these tiny wonders spent decades perfecting their craft.

There are hundreds of works from around the world on display, and docents to describe the intricacies and makers of each. Try to time your visit to coincide with a tour of the machine shop/engine room for a little extra oomph.

Although it’s not geared for the toddler crowd, the museum, a few miles east of Legoland, can be an inspiring second stop for families with kids who like to build things. And while you’re in the neighborhood, you could make it a triple play with a bonus stop at the nearby Museum of Making Music, where visitors have the chance to play musical instruments.

Where: Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum, 3190 Lionshead Ave., Carlsbad; 95 miles south of downtown L.A.

How much: Free. Open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Machine shop/engine room demos are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

Info: Miniature Engineering Craftsmanship Museum

Why: Like the Grand Canyon or the northern lights, the majestic Rose Parade needs to be seen in person to be really appreciated. On a bright SoCal morning, the colors, detail and craftsmanship come alive. And throughout December, there are some intriguing pre-parade opportunities for volunteers.

What: One of L.A.’s finest freebies, the Rose Parade steps off at 8 a.m. every New Year’s morning (unless the holiday falls on a Sunday, in which case it is bumped to Monday). We won’t even bother describing it, since like the “Wizard of Oz” or a Super Bowl, everyone has probably seen it on TV.

In person, though, the parade’s splendor, precision and pageantry make an early wake-up call worth it. It’s almost a rite of passage for Southern Californians, some of whom spend the night along the parade route.

The parade has more rules than the Vatican.

• Do not pass the blue “Honor Line” painted on the street.
• No tents, sofas or boxes.
• Unoccupied chairs are not allowed.
• No roping off public areas.

And that’s pretty much just the main stuff. Here’s a full list.

But don’t let them ruin your fun. The parade, after all, is one the best family-friendly events in the area, and they’re just protecting that.

To be a part of it all, join in on the float building in the days and weeks before the parade, when the flowers are being supplied and volunteer help is needed.

On parade day, get there before sunup to be sure of a place along the route.

Tickets in the grandstands are another option.

Be sure to dress in layers, because the temperatures will range from frosty to blistering as the day progresses.

Here’s a little insider’s trick that you won’t believe until you see it. If you wait till the 8 a.m. start time, the crowd will be in place on the route and there is virtually no traffic. Pay the $20 parking fee at a random gas station along Walnut and join the fun. You won’t be in the first row, or maybe even the first 10. But the floats are so high, you’ll be able to see them well. About an hour into the two-hour parade, the crowds will begin to relax and spots open up for even better viewing.

It’s a wonderful experience, hassle-free, and a great way to kick off a New Year.

Where: Pasadena, about 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

How much: Free

Info: Rose Parade

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: The Mission Inn, which dates to the 1870s, stands in the middle of Riverside the way Bruce Springsteen stands in the middle of the E Street band. It fills a city block. And since the early 1990s, the hotel has been putting together an ever-more-lavish Festival of Lights. At last count, about 5 million lights.

What: For six weeks at Christmastime, the landmark hotel switches on all those lights and invites visitors to stroll through the property, including a tunnel where faux snow falls. (This year’s festival runs Nov. 24 through Jan. 6.)

The line to walk the property can get very long — and the traffic and parking situation in the blocks around the hotel can seem downright devilish. But most folks are in a good mood, and the festival includes live music, horse-drawn carriages, funnel cakes, Santa Claus photo ops and more. To see more lights and skip the line, book a dinner reservation at the Mission Inn Restaurant (one of several on the property) and you may land at a courtyard table, surrounded by Spanish Revival architecture that’s more ornate (and with more Tuscan influence) than you’ll see at any of California’s 21 actual missions.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

And yes, there’s a reason the decorations seem to be in motion: Besides lights, the halls and walls have also been festooned with about 200 angels, gnomes, polar bears, many of which move, in the same halting, semi-spooky way that Honest Abe moves in Disneyland’s “Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.” It’s a scene.

And speaking of presidents, be sure to peek at the hotel’s Presidential Lounge and its portrait of Richard Nixon, who was a 27-year-old attorney when he married Pat Ryan at the hotel in 1940. (There’s also a tower, a rotunda, spa, all sorts of artworks and artifacts and a museum next door that traces the inn’s history through expansion, bankruptcy, renovations and resurgence.)

Where: 3649 Mission Ave., Riverside, 55 miles east of downtown L.A.

How much: It’s free to walk the hotel property during the Festival of Lights. Dinner main dishes at the Mission Inn Restaurant run $15-$42. (I can recommend the Italian sausage pasta and the pan-seared salmon.) Rooms for two start as low as $199 in slow months (like January), $329 or more in December.

Info: Mission Inn

The inn’s Presidential Lounge.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

There’s a gingerbread hotel in the inn’s lobby.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: John Steinbeck was born in Salinas, Calif., a farming community that lacks the cachet of neighboring Carmel and Monterey. But, then, neither of those towns produced a man who went on to win a Pulitzer, a Nobel and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. To be in in Steinbeck’s hometown is to be reminded that, as fellow author F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “genius is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind.”

What: Steinbeck’s birthplace home and the National Steinbeck Center tell the tale of the man whose “Grapes of Wrath” is often thought to be the Great American Novel. The community of his youth — he was born here in 1902 — was this rich, rural farming area in the Salinas Valley, and his labors alongside migrant workers in the sugar beet fields of nearby Spreckels informed many of his works, including “Of Mice and Men.”

He attended Stanford but never graduated, and he struggled to establish himself, but in 1935, his book “Tortilla Flat” finally put him in the public eye. His subsequent books included “Cannery Row,” “Sea of Cortez” and “East of Eden” and, of course, “Grapes of Wrath,” about which he wrote, “It isn’t the great book I hoped it would be.” The story of the Joads, fleeing the Dust Bowl of Oklahoma and arriving in not-quite-as-billed California, won the Pulitzer in 1940.

You can have lunch at the Steinbeck House, the Queen Anne style home where he grew up, then stroll the two blocks to the National Steinbeck Center, which somehow captures and conveys the challenges of his writing life.

One of the central pieces of the center is Rocinante, the 1960 GMC camper pickup he drove on a 10,000-mile road trip as he scoured the country seeking its essence. The resulting book, “Travels With Charley” (Charley was his poodle), chronicles what Steinbeck saw as a country in sometimes uncomfortable motion.

The center, which turns 20 in 2018, also does not shy away from the controversy that arose from the author’s portrayal of farm workers’ lot in life in “Grapes of Wrath.” His books infuriated growers — some places banned them — and he turned his back on his hometown.

But as if to prove you can go home again, Steinbeck, who died in 1968 in New York City at age 66, is buried in Salinas.

Where: The Steinbeck House is at 132 Central Ave.; lunch is served 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays; reservations at (831) 757-5806. The National Steinbeck Center is at 1 Main St., about 305 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. The center is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.

How much: $12.95 for adults; $9.95 for seniors, students, military, teachers and Monterey County residents; $6.95 for children 6-17; children 5 and younger admitted free.

Info: National Steinbeck Center

Why: Because Wolfgang Puck, who likes to work the dining room, might stop by and personally sprinkle lemon juice on your perfectly grilled fish. “There, better?” he asks. Of course it is.

What: A meal at Spago is as L.A. as the Hollywood sign — and a tad tastier. The landmark restaurant is where Puck made great food fun again.

Originally on Sunset and now in Beverly Hills, Spago is synonymous with creative, attentive and amazing dining.

(Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

(Mariah Tauger / For The Times)

“At the original Spago on the Sunset Strip, [Puck] created what later became known as casual fine dining, a movement that 35 years later still dominates the restaurant world,” wrote Times restaurant reviewer Jonathan Gold.

And thus, a nationwide food craze was born.

For food lovers, the menu itself is an adventure. Portions are generous, and the service is perfectly timed. And though the dining room is packed and buzzy, you can have a conversation here, unlike so many restaurants these days.

At lunch, the go-to standard is the house-cured smoked salmon pizza topped with dollops of caviar. Also pay attention to the veal wienerschnitzel, so tender you could cut it with your thumb. Grilled fish comes off the grill in that 10-second window when it is neither too swimmy nor too dry.

Just don’t forget the lemon.

Where: 176 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, about 13 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

How much: How much you got? For most of us, this is a special occasion restaurant. Lunches for two start at around $100 and quickly reach $200. Dinners for two will run $150 and up, before wine or cocktails.

Info: Spago

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Because two Bali Hais are better than one. Brush up on your Rodgers and Hammerstein (“Bali Hai may call you / Any night, any day”), then come away to this San Diego tiki icon, the Bali Hai restaurant.

What: Tiki bars have been a Southern California phenomenon for generations, and San Diego — with its sunny days, palm trees, ocean views and strong Navy heritage — is a perfect fit for the kitschy fad, tiny umbrellas and all. Starting in the 1930s, faux-Polynesian themed bars and restaurants sprang up in the cross-border region from Tijuana to San Diego. The tiki scene started to dwindle in the 1960s, and despite a resurgence of sorts, most of the old cheeky palaces have faded away.

But not Bali Hai. At age 63, it’s still proudly shaking its hula skirt, aided by a waterfront location, fun ambiance and, yes, seriously powerful mai tais.

Ambiance first: As you approach the restaurant/bar, the first thing you’ll notice is “The Goof” on the roof, a playful tiki that stands guard over the domain below. At the front door, Mr. Bali Hai, a large wood sculpture, greets guests.

Inside, there are about a hundred Polynesian artifacts on display, including masks, weapons and tools. The large bar and dining room have dark wood columns, a wood-beam ceiling and large windows with great bay and city views.

The Pacific Rim-inspired menu features such items as Hawaiian tuna poke, chicken adobo steam buns, Spam carbonara, pork belly katsu and Chinese garlic noodles, and holdovers such as Huli Huli chicken and coconut shrimp.

But for my money, the experience isn’t complete without a rum-based cocktail. There are plenty to choose from, but my favorite is the “World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai,” a potent drink that proudly has “No Juice Added” and mixes aged light and dark rums, Trader Vic’s orgeat syrup, a dash of Triple Sec and a splash of sweet and sour.

Where: 2230 Shelter Island Dr., on Shelter Island, about 5 miles west of downtown San Diego, 120 miles southeast of downtown L.A.

How much: Dinner main dishes from $19 to $30; Sunday brunch, $40. Classic cocktails are under $10.

Info: Bali Hai restaurant

San Diego Bay, from Shelter Island

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Since 1938, Lawry’s the Prime Rib has been the place for indulgence and celebration. It’s where people spend their birthdays, anniversaries, congrats-on-your-promotion dinners and holiday parties. And where football players competing in the Rose Bowl go for the Beef Bowl.

What: Walking through the heavy gold doors is like walking into a time machine. Through the other side is a magical place where people still dress up, spotless glasses sparkle on crisp white tablecloths and the plush booths make you feel like the most important person in the world.

The idea was to create a version of the English restaurant Simpson’s in the Strand, where cuts of meat fit for a giant are served from trolleys. But Lawry’s founders Lawrence Frank and brother-in-law Walter Van de Kamp (of the Van de Kamp bakery empire and Tam O’Shanter Inn) had grander plans for their restaurant, starting with the meat carts.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

Lawrence designed the stainless steel carving carts the restaurant is known for — the ones that glide through the dining room carrying Flintstones-sized cuts of meat — to be, well, impressive. And they are. As are the meat carvers, who don medals showing they are part of the Royal Order of Carvers (a title that requires six months of training).

Each prime rib dinner comes with its own show of sorts: Servers wear the same style of “brown gown” uniforms they wore when the restaurant opened, and they pour dressing from up high into spinning metal bowls of salad tableside. When you order your prime rib, you do it directly from one of the shiny carts, and it’s sliced to order.

There are smaller cuts of meat, but treat yourself to the Diamond Jim Brady (16 ounces), named for millionaire Jim Brady, who was known for eating massive amounts of food. All of the prime rib dinners come with the spinning salad, a scoop of mashed potatoes, a ladleful of gravy and a wedge of Yorkshire pudding. If you don’t finish it all — you probably won’t finish it all — ask for a doggie bag. The restaurant claims to have initiated the idea, along with valet parking.

There are Lawry’s the Prime Rib locations in Las Vegas, Chicago and Asia. The original in Beverly Hills is home to a comfortable lounge and excellent bar snacks. This is where you can order a martini kissed with prime rib-stuffed olives and find complimentary “snacks” that could easily replace your dinner appetizers.

Arrive a little early for your reservation, grab a seat in one of the cushy lounge chairs, order a martini, then take turns filling your plate with cocktail meatballs and salty potato chips the size of drink coasters. Go for it. Indulging to your heart’s content is encouraged.

Where: 100 La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, located on Restaurant Row, about half a mile south of the Beverly Center, about 10 miles west of downtown L.A.

How much: Prime rib dinners start at $41, and you can add a lobster tail for $15. Dessert and starters are extra. Drinks in the bar/lounge area are $13 to $17. The restaurant is busier on the weekends, and reservations are recommended.

Info: Lawry’s

A visitor views a Mike Kelley artwork at the Hauser & Wirth gallery. .

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: About 20 minutes ago, it seems, this was a derelict industrial zone with a few brave bohemians squatting in old factories along the railroad tracks — the kind of place where Quentin Tarantino would film a squalid murder. Then more artists and architects arrived. Then the entrepreneurs and developers. In another 20 minutes, it’ll be Soho West.

What: The Arts District, a big chunk of downtown between the Los Angeles River and South Alameda Street, has actually been gaining momentum for about three decades. Now is the time to swoop in and enjoy how bright, shiny and tasty it has become. (And spare a minute to mourn the long-ago passing of Al’s Bar, once the life of the neighborhood.)

On East Third Street now, you can confront edgy and expensive contemporary art; browse a bookshop or boutique; settle into a leisurely lunch at Manuela; or bring a brown bag and have a seat in the courtyard next to the kitchen garden and chicken coop. And that’s just inside the Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles gallery complex that opened in 2016.

The bar at Manuela.

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Nearby on Traction Avenue and neighboring streets (where’s there still ample grit), you can can check out an event at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (which was built from the bones of a 1907 Santa Fe freight depot), hoist a beer at Angel City Brewery, and get sausage at Wurstkuche, a burger at Umami, dessert at Piehole or Salt & Straw — more than two dozen options, in addition to the lofts, studios and galleries that give the neighborhood its industrial-bohemian bearing.

What you can’t do is park. Every time I’ve tried, it’s been a nightmare. So now I walk. The Metro Gold Line’s Little Tokyo/Arts District station is fairly handy on Alameda between Temple and First streets.

Where: In many ways, E. 3rd Avenue and Traction Avenue is the neighborhood crossroads. It’s right downtown, less than a mile south of Los Angeles City Hall.

How much: A basic sausage at Wurstkuche costs $7. A tasty plate of persimmon, ham and burrata cheese at Manuela goes for $14. Lofts routinely fetch $1 million or more.

Info: Arts District

Traction Avenue.

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Traction Avenue.

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

(Thomas Curwen / Los Angeles Times)

Why: If Big Sur is a temple to the beauty of the California coast, then the Henry Miller Memorial Library is one of its most endearing altars, a respite from the rigors of navigating the twists and turns of Highway 1 and rubber-necking the vertiginous coastline. Beneath stately redwoods is a quiet repository of wisdom, irreverence and charm. Its proprietors say that it is the place “where nothing happens,” and yet it is where everything seems to converge.

What: Henry Valentine Miller came to Big Sur in the 1940s after nearly a decade in Paris. He was, by then, author of “Tropic of Cancer” and “Tropic of Capricorn,” which were banned as obscene in America until 1961. Naturally they sold well, and Miller soon became a hero of renegade literature, a model for William S. Burroughs, Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg. After Miller’s death in Pacific Palisades in 1980, a friend, Emil White, opened a memorial library that bore Miller’s name. With the help of the Big Sur Land Trust, the library has become a nonprofit cultural space, art gallery, performance space, bookshop and destination for artists, writers, musicians and students.

Bust of Henry Miller.

(Thomas Curwen/Los Angeles Times)

The Henry Miller Memorial Library is a reminder of the pleasures afforded by a curated bookstore. It is a place to celebrate the macho and feminist, the consensual and the iconoclastic through the pages of its eclectic collection of books. Psychedelic cumbias from Peru or the twanging guitar of the Del Tones might be your accompaniment as you browse the tables set with Edward Abbey, Joseph Heller, William Faulkner, John Fante, David Foster Wallace, Jon Stewart, Robert Pirsig and William Least Heat Moon.

Strings of paper money from around the world – offerings from international visitors – dangle from the ceiling. Posters celebrate the notable musical performances that have taken place outdoors, including Philip Glass and Patti Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Arcade Fire. Outside, an upright piano falls to ruin off the path from the highway. A typewriter gathers rust on a tree stump, and an effigy made of extension cords is crucified on a cross of computer monitors.

In other words, where nothing is sacred, everything is sacred.

(Thomas Curwen / Los Angeles Times)

Where: 48603 Highway 1 in Big Sur, which is 10 minutes south of Nepenthe, 10 minutes north of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn. Also 290 miles northwest of downtown L.A., 152 miles south of downtown San Francisco. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays through Mondays, closed Tuesdays.

How much: It’s free to browse. Donations eagerly accepted. Books for sale. Tickets prices vary for performances and programs.

Info: Henry Miller Memorial Library

Poly Canyon, San Luis Obispo.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Architects usually keep their daydreams to themselves. But among these hills on the back side of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, some students have allowed their boldest notions to romp free. And horses romp with them.

What: Cal Poly is routinely ranked among the nation’s top schools of architecture, and its students and professors started testing ideas in this canyon as early as the 1960s. Lately, there’s a spring Design Village event (April 20-22 in 2018) that brings students out to test temporary structures and sometimes sleep in them. Luckily for the rest of us, those nine acres and the rest of the canyon are generally open to the public, including dogs and mountain bikes (on the dirt road). It’s a hike of about 2.5 miles from campus to the farthest structure, but your mileage (and elevation gain) will depend on how tempted your are to probe the structures and stalk the horses.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

I wandered around on a December day when the hills were the color of straw, and at first I wasn’t so happy about all the horse turds. But once the horses themselves showed up, that changed everything. They sidled up to a water tower, then struck heroic poses on the ridge line while I prowled around assorted unconventional houses and bridges, including a geodesic dome. Yes, there was some graffiti and vandalism, but many structures have been reconditioned in more recent years. (The university calls it an “experimental construction laboratory.”)

I’d call it a great spot for photo experimentation as well. There are about 20 projects, and plenty of tree shade in the lowlands along Brizzolara Creek. After a rain, I’ll bet those grassy slopes light up neon green.

Where: The Cal Poly campus is 195 miles northwest of downtown L.A. Enter the campus via Grand Avenue (and beware of dorm construction near the entrance). Follow the campus map to the corner of Village Drive and Poly Canyon Road, then walk northeast on Poly Canyon Road, which is a gate dirt rout that follows Brizzolara Creek. After about 3/4 of a mile, you’ll see a stone arch. Step through and the canyon will open before you.

How much: On weekends, parking is free at lot H4 at Village Drive and Perimeter Road. On weekdays, it’s $5 for a parking pass at the checkpoint at the campus entrance. (I showed up on a weekday and parked at lot K-1.)

Info: Cal Poly College of Architecture & Design, Hikespeak’s trail description.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: You’ll never see another holiday display quite like it. And it sits on 4 acres in the middle of an upscale Palm Springs neighborhood.

What: The Coachella Valley, with its 80-degree December days, is a quirky place to celebrate winter holidays to begin with. And the quirks multiply once you enter Palm Springs’ Movie Colony neighborhood and approach the Irwin house, about two blocks from the old Frank Sinatra Estate. Since at least 32 years ago, when he was 12, Kenny Irwin has been driven to create epic displays from cast-off items — dreamscapes that suggest robots, space aliens and more obscure spectacles that defy description. With his father’s support (and a corps of seasonal workers to handle logistics and crowd control), Irwin’s compulsion has grown into Robolights, a seasonal landmark that combines Santa Clauses, reindeer, sleighs and gingerbread houses with little green men, skulls, dolls, hybrid creatures, reclaimed consumer electronics, half-melted toys and at least one coffin. At Robolights there are no clear lines between Halloween, Christmas and science fiction.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

From Nov. 22 through Jan. 8, the scene is lighted by thousands of bulbs and visitors are ushered along a path that leads from the front yard through a forest of fantasy in the back, then out again. A thousand visitors in a night is not uncommon. On my visit in early December, Irwin was out and about, a soft-spoken man with a skullcap, caftan, long beard and gentle smile. (Did I mention that the artist converted to Islam many years ago?)

“I’ll bet the hardware store totally loves him,” I heard one visitor say. “This is insane,” said another. Many families pose for pictures amid the luminous chaos.

Where: 1077 E. Granvia Valmonte, Palm Springs, 107 miles east of downtown L.A. But while the Robolights are lighted, the city bans nonresident parking on many streets nearby, so you’ll need to park a few blocks away. Try Ruth Hardy Park. And be careful as you walk — there isn’t a lot of streetlight illumination in the neighborhood.

How much: Free. But there’s a receptacle for donations at the entrance. From 4 to 9:30 p.m. daily.

Info: Robolights

The Robolights yard includes a pond.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Worker Alex Sanchez checks bulbs at Robolights.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Beach yoga is good for the bod, and the spirit, in ways that no cramped, sweaty studio can match.

What: All sorts of beach yoga classes are held up and down the California coast, but few are as affordable and easy as Beach Yoga With Brad and Friends in Santa Monica. No reservations required. Just drop in with $15 and a beach towel (or a yoga mat if you prefer).

Instructor/owner Brad Keimach is a Juilliard-trained classical music conductor who moonlights – or sunlights – with these yoga classes every Saturday and Sunday from 10:30 till noon. He also holds Wednesday sunset classes starting at 3:45 p.m. and lasting an hour. When the days are longer and the clocks change, he adds more weekday sunset classes.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

For almost 10 years, his beach-based classes have appealed to first-timers as well as advanced yoga buffs. They are held on the water side of Guard Tower 29, roughly on the border between Venice and Santa Monica. Paid parking is plentiful at the public lots at the end of Ocean Park or on Main Street.

Like many yoga instructors, Keimach emphasizes breathing as well as the moves and poses. He also incorporates the setting, sending students to get their toes wet at one point for a bit of spiritual spritzing.

The classes pass quickly, without pain, and without Keimach putting his hands all over the students (a too-common yoga studio experience). Looking out over the sparkly Pacific, his classes combine ocean breezes, a relaxing pace and Keimach’s soothing instructions, at a venue where space is never an issue.

Where: Lifeguard Tower 29, Santa Monica, 16 miles west of downtown Los Angeles.

How much: $15

Info: Beach Yoga With Brad and Friends

Boulangerie de San Francisco, 1909 Union St.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: Sometimes you just want to shop in a strange city. Not in the middle of a grand scene like Union Square or the Ferry Building, but along a street that feels like a neighborhood just a bit beyond your means. With Victorian mansions here and there. Hello, Union Street.

What: Union Street has had its great-shopping reputation since the 1950s. The eight-block stretch between Van Ness Avenue and Steiner Street, surrounded by the Marina and Cow Hollow residential neighborhoods, is the prime retail portion.

Many of the shops (which tilt toward apparel and beauty products) and restaurants are housed in Victorian mansions that survived the quake of 1906. One even older mansion, the pale blue Octagon House at Gough and Union, went up in 1861 and has been preserved in its residential state by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America (so it would be wrong to knock on the door and ask if this is the weed dispensary you’ve heard so much about). The society opens the house a few days a month for tours.

Among the restaurants, I can vouch for the Belgian food and beer at Belga (on Union near Buchanon Street). But there are more than two dozen. And there’s plenty to peruse at Chronicle Books (on Union between Octavia and Laguna streets).

Where: The corner of Van Ness and Union is a good place to start. It’s 1.5 miles northwest of Union Square, 383 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Free to browse, of course. Oysters at Belga, $3 each. Median home price in Cow Hollow and the Marina: about $1.8 million.

Info: Union Street

Why: Where else can you spend an hour and feel like you’ve been on a soul-replenishing spiritual retreat? At the Self-Realization Fellowship Meditation Gardens in Encinitas, you can be fully present in the moment and get in touch with your inner yogi – and do it surrounded by gorgeous gardens on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

What: The goal of the Meditation Gardens, part of a large complex at the southern end of downtown Encinitas dedicated to the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, is to “inspire you to a greater realization of the Divine Presence that lies within.” Walking up the stone steps into the lush, eclectic gardens imparts an instant feeling of serenity.

There are koi ponds and many quiet nooks with benches where you can sit. At the top of the ocean bluff is a plaque that marks the location of the Golden Lotus Temple. The temple, built in 1937 to take advantage of the incredible views, only stood for five years before the ground gave way and it had to be dismantled. Wander past the old, empty swimming pool up the tree-shrouded path to the “dry” area featuring native plants and succulents overlooking the famed surf spot Swami’s. (The beach’s name was a nod to Yogananda.) Some visitors pray, others meditate. I like to watch the surfers below and imagine them praying for good waves.

And don’t miss the Hermitage at the opposite end of the gardens, where Yogananda spent many years writing and teaching. The Hermitage, preserved as a shrine, draws followers from around the world; it is open on the first and third Sundays of the month. It was moving to see the study where he wrote his most famous work, “Autobiography of a Yogi,” which has been translated into dozens of languages.

Where: 215 W. K St., Encinitas, 100 miles southeast of downtown L.A. (Look for the three large “golden lotus towers” as you come down South Coast Highway 101.)

How much: Free.

Info: Self-Realization Fellowship

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: John Wooden was the Elvis of college basketball, a mythic, once-in-three-lifetimes figure. Pauley Pavilion was his Graceland. Along with Lambeau Field and Fenway Park, it belongs on any sports fan’s must-see list.

What: Updated and comfortable, Pauley sits on the sweeping and shady UCLA campus in Westwood. It is one of the easiest L.A. sports venues to park near ($12) and navigate.

Reopened in 2012 after a two-year renovation, the stadium now offers modern concessions, more room to roam and 1,000 more seats. Most significantly, it added a concourse, improving comfort and flow. Be ready for a lot of blue. After Dodger Stadium, this is L.A.’s second blue heaven.

(Photos by Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

But you’re here for the lore, in a place that has produced 38 All-Americans. Wooden started it all, taking over as head basketball coach at UCLA in 1948 and leading the Bruins to a record 10 national championships.

Renowned for his disciplined, values-driven approach, he created a basketball dynasty that won seven straight championships in the late ’60s and early ’70s, including 98 successive victories at Pauley.

Wooden, who died in 2010, is the first person to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame both as a player and a coach.

Though he resembled a gentleman banker more than a rock star, Wooden’s legacy lives on in the stadium he made famous. The corridors are lined with photos, timelines and a version of Wooden’s “Pyramid of Success,” a set of principles formed to help students and teams reach their potential.

Where: Pauley Pavilion, on the UCLA campus, 15 miles west of downtown L.A.

How much: Prices vary. Seats generally start at $8 for less-attractive games and $25 for popular ones.

Info: UCLA

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: For certain carnivorous Californians, a visit to this burger chain is like church, but with more calories. At the flagship In-N-Out location just south of the 10 Freeway in the eastern L.A. County suburb of Baldwin Park, of course you can drive through, as most customers do. But you could eat inside, then browse a company store, then (on the north side of the freeway) admire a non-functioning replica of chain’s first burger shack.

What: Harry and Esther Snyder founded the first In-N-Out burger shack in 1948, which puts them among the first to try a drive-through restaurant. Now their granddaughter runs the company.

To taste what the fuss is all about, order a “double-double, animal-style” — two beef patties cooked with mustard, two slices of cheese and a choice of hand-leafed lettuce and tomato, plus pickles, extra spread and grilled onions.

It’s the appeal of these burgers and fries (“no heat lamps, freezers or microwaves”) that has fueled the company’s growth to more than 300 outlets. (But unlike its Southern California cousins McDonald’s, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell and Wienerschnitzel, In-N-Out has never expanded beyond the American West.)

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Though the company’s first home at San Francisquito and Garvey avenues has been leveled, the current restaurant is joined by not only a store (open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays) but a regional distribution center, the two-story campus of In-N-Out University and the replica shack, which went up in 2014. (The online store does have wider inventory than the brick-and-mortar one, including socks and surfboards.)

Where: 13850 Francisquito Ave., Baldwin Park. The company store is at 13800 Francisquito. The replica shack (free and open for selfies Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) is at 13752 Francisquito. The restaurant is 16 miles east of downtown L.A.

How much: Double-double, animal-style, $4.27.

Info: In-N-Out

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

The Museum of Neon Art in Glendale showcases the once wildly popular light form.

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Decorative and delightful, the works that light up our lives at Glendale’s Museum of Neon Art are part art and part science and all fascinating.

What: In 2015, the museum moved from downtown Los Angeles, where it had lived since 1981, to Glendale and has been lighting up lives ever since.

Pep Boys grace the entry.

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

For this you can credit the founder of the feast, Georges Claude, a Parisian who invented the neon light in about 1910.

L.A. became a hotbed of neon-ness, thanks to its desire to be the capital of the next big thing and its desire to look the part, beginning in the Roaring ’20s.

The neon at this museum, where exhibits change often enough to encourage repeat visits, is more amusing than unsavory. And as a reminder that nothing lasts forever, Manny, Moe & Jack (the Pep Boys) are not on permanent display, although the museum doesn’t have any plans to move the fellows.

Eve de Haan’s pink neon “Love Don’t Pay the Bills” is part of the “She Bends” exhibit, featuring works by women neon artists.

(Catharine Hamm/Los Angeles Times)

Through Feb. 11, an exhibit called “She Bends: Women in Neon,” takes you inside a creative funhouse of the art form, some works based on words (Eve de Haan’s pink neon “Love Don’t Pay the Bills”), some on objects (Michie Hongo’s faces on skateboard remnants).

Where: 216 S. Brand Ave, Glendale, about eight miles north of downtown L.A.

How much: Museum entrance is $10 for adults ($5 if you live in Glendale), $8 for those 65 and older, and free for those 12 and younger if accompanied by an adult.

Info: Museum of Neon Art

Wednesday morning, pluots and persimmons.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: Some of the state’s most accomplished farmers rise before dawn on Wednesday mornings and drive as much as 200 miles, just so they can set up and sell at this market. One reason: The Santa Monica Farmers Market draws some of Southern California’s most decorated (and discriminating) chefs. And the market venue happens to be a tomato toss away from the beach, a cucumber roll from the scores of shops and restaurants along the Third Street Promenade.

What: About 75 farmers set up stalls along a few blocks of Arizona Avenue, which is closed to vehicles on market mornings. If you’re coming by car, you’ll have to cope with nasty traffic and parking, even at 8:30 a.m., but once you’re afoot, life is good. In late fall, you’ll likely find dates from Mecca, apples from Cuyama, persimmons from Fallbrook, pluots from Kingsbug, oranges from Ojai, mushrooms from La Habra Heights. Consider this a reminder that for all its glitz, California remains an agricultural powerhouse. And even if you’re not going to bite into that persimmon, you’ll feel the sea breeze and hear the banjo player at Arizona and 2nd, or maybe the guitarist a block to the east.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

The market was born in 1981, and the stampede of kitchen professionals began soon after. Noting that close relationship between growers and chefs, Saveur magazine in 2016 labeled this “L.A.’s best farmers market.”

Still, it’s good to remember that other markets operate on Santa Monica’s Main Street (Sundays) and in the city’s Virginia Avenue Park (Saturdays). If you’re farther east, or you’d like more street musicians and more nonproduce merchants, there’s the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sundays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Ivar and Selma avenues.

Where: The market happens on Wednesdays along Arizona Avenue, Santa Monica, between Ocean Avenue and 4th Street from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm. On Saturdays, a smaller version occupies Arizona Avenue between between 2nd and 4th streets from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The corner of Arizona Avenue and 4th Street is 17 miles west of downtown L.A. -- which could take an hour to drive, depending on the hour and day.

How much: In late November, organic pitted Medjool dates from Mecca were $9.50 per pound. Granny Smith apples from Cuyama were $3 a pound. Fuyu persimmons from Fallbrook were $3.50 per pound. Valencia oranges from Ojai were $1 per pound.

Info: Santa Monica Farmers Markets

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Aloft near Fairbanks Ranch.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Here’s your chance to climb into a wicker basket and rise 3,000 feet above Fairbanks Ranch, to stand just below a fire-belching burner (which makes your balloon rise), to see sunset from high up, and maybe even to throw shade onto one of Bill Gates’s houses.

What: A balloon ride is a 19th century sort of thrill, and as California’s open spaces get filled in, ballooning options are decreasing. The Napa and Temecula vineyard areas still feature plenty of balloons (which usually launch in early morning, when winds are calmer and temperatures are lower). The Palm Springs and Santa Barbara wine country areas have some too. But balloons are a rare sight along the California coast, so I grabbed a chance to soar above northern San Diego County. Though balloon pilots strive to keep their aircraft above land, the views from on high include miles of ocean and the red tile roofs of countless Mediterranean-style mansions.

Rides typically last 45 to 60 minutes (depending on which way the wind blows), pilots are permitted by the Federal Aviation Administration, and it’s traditional to celebrate afterward with a glass of Champagne. In northern San Diego, it’s often a sunset operation flown by a team that started their day with a flight in Temecula.

My ride in late November, operated by Compass Balloons, featured seven passengers and a pilot. (Minimum age: 5.) We launched near the Vegetable Shop at Chino Farm, (which sells produce to some of the region’s most admired restaurants). We inflated, climbed aboard, drifted over the Morgan Run golf course, and gazed down on Fairbanks Ranch, Rancho Santa Fe, Black Mountain and Carmel Valley. As our round shadow crept across fields, hills and exclusive neighborhoods, pilot Matt Downing pointed out one of Bill Gates’ houses and another that once belonged to philanthropist Joan Kroc. We touched down smoothly about 3 1/2 miles east of where we took off.

I’m glad I did it when I did. Compass Balloons owner Evan Munnelly warns that flights in this area may cease within a year because take-off and landing spaces in the area are vanishing so rapidly.

Where: Though several companies, including Compass, Sky’s the Limit and California Dreamin’, mention Del Mar in promoting their balloon flights, the vessels usually take off and land farther inland. For my Compass Balloons flight, we met in an Encinitas park-and-ride lot (1969 Villa Cardiff Drive, Encinitas), then the crew drove us to the launch spot. Our meeting spot was 97 miles southeast of downtown L.A., 24 miles north of downtown San Diego.

How much: A shared ride (with other passengers in a basket that typically holds eight to 10 people) typically costs $150 to $300 per person.

Info: Besides the San Diego companies above, many balloon companies operate in Napa Valley, Temecula and around Palm Springs.

.

Terrace, the Med, La Valencia.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: Life can be seriously sweet at this hotel, which was built in 1926 with a big La Jolla Cove view and anchors a neighborhood of ultra-spendy shops and glitzy galleries. Since the days when Gregory Peck hosted other La Jolla Playhouse luminaries in the hotel’s Whaling Bar, La V (as many locals know the place) has offered a frothy concoction known as a Whaler. Picture a milkshake, enlivened by Kahlua, brandy, coffee, whipped cream and various mystery ingredients.

What: The 114-room hotel has long been known for its pink paint job and Spanish Mediterranean style. In the course of ownership changes, expansions and renovations, the Whaling Bar has slipped away. But its frothy legacy remains. Grab one of the 15 or so tables on the terrace of the hotel’s signature restaurant, The Med, order a Whaler for dessert, and don’t plan on operating any heavy machinery for some hours. (If you think you see a Kardashian, it may not be a hallucination; members of the family have been dropping by for years.)

Where: 1132 Prospect St., La Jolla, 112 miles southeast of downtown L.A., 14 miles northwest of downtown San Diego.

How much: A Whaler costs $14. Main dishes in The Med are priced at $15 to $24. (I can vouch for the snapper ceviche.) Rooms for two typically rent for $289 and up.

Info: La Valencia Hotel

The Whaler

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Maybe you’ve finished a hike through the Devil’s Punchbowl and you’re hungry. Or you’re looking for unexpected holiday gifts. Or you’ve been hit by a craving for deep-fried fair food and it’s not fair season. For all these reasons and more, seekers like you end up at Charlie Brown Farms near Palmdale, where all your snack/drunk food fantasies, and your dreams of owning life-size replicas of the “Blues Brothers,” collide and come true.

What: What started as a fruit stand in 1929 is now a six-acre hodgepodge of stores, a restaurant and a snack shop. The main building is a hokey cabin with advertisements for the various tchotchkes and snacks inside. From the road, it’s impossible to miss with signs that scream “collectibles,” “funnel cake,” “smoothies,” “jerky,” “Dole whip.” And just off the side of the building, an enclosed area with dinosaur statues. You may get whiplash trying to take it all in.

(Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

Once through the front door you experience sensory overload. Directly in front of you is a rack of jerky (the store boasts more than 60 kinds, including elk and ostrich).

To the right is a counter where you can order milkshakes, fried candy bars, Texas-style barbecue, funnel cakes, ice cream and a host of other foods any decent doctor would advise you stay away from. To the left, packaged nuts, candy, a room where you can fill your own honey jar, a room devoted to pickles, a room devoted to soda, a fudge counter, and all that food is mixed in with things like raccoon figurines and coffee mugs.

This is also where you can find raw frog legs for that stew recipe you’ve been dying to try. And alligator meat too. But past the fudge counter is where things really start to get weird. There are rooms completely lined with dolls from all over the world. A little creepy, but if you’re in need of a doll (seriously, any doll), this is the place to find it. The life-size “Blues Brothers” statues I mentioned earlier? They’re on the way to the doll rooms.

Out back is a patio with tables and chairs, where you can break open that package of elk jerky or come down from that sugar rush of deep-fried Oreos. You could wander around this place for hours and not see everything. But it’s sure fun to try.

Where: 8317 Pearblossom Highway, Littlerock, a 17-minute drive from downtown Palmdale and about 65 miles northeast of downtown L.A.

How much: Depends on what you’re in the mood for. Barbecue plates start around $11.50, the deep fried Oreos and Snickers are around $4 for each order, the jerky is around $8 a bag depending on the size, and the knick-knacks will range in price. If you’re not a fan of lots of people in tight spaces, plan accordingly.

Info: Charlie Brown Farms

(Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times)

Why: There are several kinds of elk in North America. The Roosevelt elk are the largest, and for years, a bunch of them have been hanging around in the meadow next to the old schoolhouse at the Elk Country RV Resort in Trinidad, which is in Humboldt County.

What: Millions of Roosevelt elk once roamed the Pacific Northwest. By 1907, fewer than 100,000 were left. Now the numbers are bigger. The lucky dozens who hang out near the RV resort seem to have a very good life. The resort, just off Highway 101, amounts to about 200 acres — tall trees, little lake, frequent fog, campsites for RVs and tents, a scenic red barn to go with the scenic red schoolhouse. Half a mile to the north is Stone Lagoon, part of Humboldt Lagoons State Park. Because temperatures along the coast are relatively mild, the elk don’t bother to migrate.

But when you show up to admire them, don’t get too close. Experts calls them “wild and unpredictable animals” for a reason: Sometimes they charge. In February and March, the males typically shed their antlers. In May and June, calves are born. From late August through mid-October comes rutting season, when wildness and unpredictability reaches a peak. And the males can weigh more than 1,000 pounds.

Elk sightings are also common in nearby Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Where: 216 Idlewood Lane, Trinidad, 36 miles north of Eureka, 307 miles north of San Francisco, 680 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Campsites run $25.50 to $40.80, but you need not sleep there to watch the elk.

Info: Elk Country RV Resort

Why: Perched at the end of the rising desert floor, Font’s Point gives

onlookers a majestic view of California’s badlands, several hundred

feet below. Though far flung, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is an expansive feast of nature well worth the time it takes to get there.

What: Font’s Point is part of a remote and sculptural landscape that was millions of years in the making. The vista’s ridge yields to a maze of sinuous channels, razorback ridges and sandy, sun-baked hills. Bring a chair, a picnic and perhaps some friends. The scene is best at sunrise and sunset when the rock formations glow with honey-dipped hues. Even better is a visit during a full moon. The accumulation of photographers at these times is a testament to the spectacle.

The brackish waters of the Colorado River and the Gulf of California

converged here long ago, making the area a dumping ground for

sediment. Today, the windswept and eroded rock is flush with the

fossils of animals and marine life that inhabited this once verdant

terrain.

Four miles of soft dirt road leads up to Font’s Point, so check the

road conditions before your departure. Depending on the road’s status,

a high clearance or 4WD vehicle may be necessary.

Closer to the park visitor center, the Borrego Palm Canyon Trail is a popular 3-mile round trip that begins with a trailhead at the end of the main campground road.

Where: In the heart of the Borrego Badlands, outside of Borrego

Springs, 168 miles southeast of downtown L.A.

How much: Free until recently. On Nov. 3, the state parks system started collecting a day-use fee of $10 per vehicle on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at the Anza-Borrego visitor center.

Info: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Newport Bay seems made of glitter. Rental boats are plentiful and the harbor is easy to navigate and full of nautical eye candy. Board an electric boat and take a breezy tour.

What: Newport Beach is the Beverly Hills of Orange County. The setting for multiple TV shows, it represents much of the California dream – giant homes and sensational yachts. The harbor, home to 9,000 vessels, is a recreational wonderland.

The Duffy, a popular brand of rental boats, is an excellent way to see it all. Available at a half dozen rental places around the harbor, the slow-moving vessels are as easy to operate as a golf cart.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

A popular route is around Lido Island, the thumb-shaped isle on the western side of the harbor, where the bridge leaves plenty of space. Note that many of the bridges surrounding neighboring Balboa Island are too low to accommodate the surrey-topped electric boats. A lap around Lido takes about an hour, a typical rental period.

Or, head east past the Fun Zone on Balboa Peninsula, past Balboa Island and toward the mouth of the harbor. You’ll be warned not to go near the outlet, since the electric boats aren’t built to handle bigger waves.

Pontoons, kayaks, paddle boards and powerboats are also available at rental locations around the harbor. Boat Rentals of America, on the peninsula near the Fun Zone, offers walk-up rentals, but recommends reservations for weekends, no matter the time of year.

Where: Newport Beach is in Orange County, 46 miles, or 90 minutes, from downtown L.A.

How much: Duffy electric boats that accommodate up to eight passengers rent for about $85 an hour.

Info: Boat Rentals of America or Newport Beach Boat Rentals

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: It’s a vintage warehouse down by the port, full of artists, designers and makers, neighbored by a craft brewery. And you’re not done with your holiday shopping yet.

What: Crafted was born five years ago, as the “maker” movement began to bloom nationwide. It’s open Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and the first Thursday night of every month in the L.A. Port’s Warehouse 10, built in the 1940s. When I stopped by in mid-September, there were about 50 vendors in place, hawking iPhone photo prints, snacks, sculptures, succulents, textiles, vintage reconditioned furniture, soap, you name it. Outside, the San Pedro Festival of the Artists was in full swing-- one of many special events that use picnic tables and patio space between the old warehouses.

Pop Kustom Shoppe, Crafted.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Since 2016, the artisans have been joined by Brouwerij West, a craft beer operation and tasting room that fills about half of Warehouse 9. On weekends, there’s usually a food truck (or two or three) on hand, and often live music.

Coming eventually: a food hall in the other half of Warehouse 9.

Where: Warehouse No.10, 112 E. 22nd St., San Pedro, 26 miles south of downtown L.A.

How much: Parking and admission are free.

Info: Crafted

Brouwerij West.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Any way you look at it, General Grant stands tall. First of all, it’s a massive sequoia, one of the largest living things in California. Moreover, the White House has named this “the nation’s Christmas tree.”

What: General Grant is 268 feet high, the base of its trunk is 107 feet around. In 1925, Central Valley resident Charles E. Lee (an officer of the Sanger Chamber of Commerce) asked President Coolidge to have this giant sequoia in the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon designated the national Christmas tree. In 1926 the president complied. Ever since, the Sanger Chamber has staged an annual Trek to the Tree, drawing hundreds of people each year for a winter program that typically includes songs and prayers. No tinsel, no lights. Just the tree as it has stood for about 2,000 years, and a wreath contributed by park rangers.

This year’s event will be Sunday, Dec. 10, at the base of the tree. and it’s a free admission day in the park. For reservations or information on shuttle buses to the site, contact the Sanger Chamber of Commerce by phone at (559) 875-4575 or by e-mail at sangerchamber@gmail.com.

Whether you reach General Grant in holiday season or not, you can impress the other tree-lovers by pointing out that in 1956, Congress gave General Grant another distinction, naming it the nation’s only living national shrine in honor of the men and women of the Armed Forces.

And if you really love the idea of big trees with high ranks, make a bonus stop at the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park. It’s bigger, about 275 feet high. In fact, it might be the world’s largest living thing, depending on how you quantify coral reefs, fungus networks and redwoods.

Where: General Grant stands along a 0.8-mile paved loop trail from the General Grant Grove parking lot in Kings Canyon National Park. The grove is 245 miles north of downtown L.A. And it’s more than 6,000 feet above sea level, so snow is common in winter. Be sure to check weather and road conditions before driving into the area.

How much: Admission to Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks (which operator jointly, as if they were single unit) is $30 per car for up to seven days.

Info: Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks

Snow Summit

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Why: SoCal offers the chance to ski and surf on the same day. This would be the snowy part of such a mountains-to-the-beaches day.

What: Bear Mountain and Snow Summit are two slices of the same cake. Two miles apart, the sister resorts are the crown jewels of the town of Big Bear, a couple of hours from the bustle of the big city.

Big Bear is three hours away from downtown Los Angeles, and a world apart from the strip malls and gas stations that muck up much of Southern California. Spring, summer or fall, this alpine lake resort town offers plenty of activities, including boating, hiking and zip-lining.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

But in winter, its twin ski resorts really come alive. If you think of Southern California as all palm trees and bikinis, visit Big Bear after a winter storm, when the place is buried in several feet of snow and looks like a Christmas card.

In what they offer, the two resorts are very similar, though Summit has the better terrain park. Lift tickets are good for both resorts, and buses run between the two resorts all day. Combined, the resorts offer 27 lifts and four high-speed chairs serving almost 60 runs.

The resorts are just a few minutes from the village, where restaurants, shops and a movie theater await visitors.

The resorts have begun making snow and opened Dec. 8.

As with all mountain visits, note that conditions can change quickly, and chains are usually required on the twisty roads during any significant snow fall.

Where: Big Bear Lake is in the San Bernardino Mountains, in San Bernardino County. It is 97 miles east of Los Angeles.

How much: Advance purchase lift tickets start around $75.

Info: Big Bear Mountain Resorts

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Rugged coast. Big sand spit. Half-forgotten road. Blufftop perch. Despite all these assets, this dramatic corner of Northern California doesn’t get that many visitors. So you’ll probably have it to yourself.

What: Your gateway to the Klamath River Overlook is Requa, a hamlet -- the memory of a town, really -- along the Highway 101 south of Crescent City in Del Norte County. Its main landmark is the Historic Requa Inn, a rustic riverside lodging and restaurant that dates to 1914. If you can work out a way to eat dinner and spend a night there, do it. But don’t stop there. Continue west 1.5 miles (no RVs!) on ramshackle Requa Road (which becomes Patrick J. Murphy Memorial Road on some maps) until there’s no more road, and no more land. That will put you at the Klamath River Overlook. Drink it in. And if it’s May or June, scan the ocean for gray whales. Rangers say they often linger to feed in the waters spilling from river to sea

This bluff is part of Redwood National and State Parks and it includes a modest picnic area. There’s a steep Lower Overlook Trail that will take you about a quarter-mile down the slope, exposing further views. There’s also a Coastal Trail to the north -- follow it for 2.7 miles and you’ll reach Hidden Beach.

But the wide view from the picnic tables may well be plenty for you. There’s something mesmerizing about it -- maybe it’s the moving water. There’s also a good chance of a stiff, cold breeze or fog, just about any time. Bring layers.

Where: Klamath River Overlook, 61 miles north of Arcata, 339 miles north of San Francisco, 713 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: No entry fee.

Info: Redwood National and State Parks

(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

The entrance at the Van Buren Drive-In.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: What could be more of a California experience than a Hollywood double-feature viewed from the comfort of your car?

What: In the 1950s, drive-in movies were a staple of American pop culture. These days, they are a novelty. One of the last remaining hot spots lives on at the Van Buren Drive-In in Riverside.

Put the kids in their PJs and pack up the lawn chairs for a fine family getaway at the Van Buren. Opened in 1964 on the site of former orange groves, the three-screen drive-in remains a vibrant local hangout at half the price of your local multiplex. You can even bring your own food.

On weekends, arrive 45 minutes before show time to ensure a decent spot, especially if you’re going to sit outside in your lawn chairs. By showtime, the three lots serving the three screens resemble tailgate parties, with families wrapped in blankets and settled in for a double feature.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

SUVs or pickups often pull in with the tail hatch facing the screen, so kids with blankets or sleeping bags can turn the experience into a slumber party.

There’s the traditional snack bar, and prices are fair, at least by movie theater standards. But waits can be 20 to 30 minutes on weekends. Check here for express pickup.

Keep in mind that you’re experiencing a rare phenomenon these days. Once numbering 4,000 across the country, drive-ins are now down to 400 or so. Catch one while you can — not just for the sense of nostalgia, but for a memorable evening at a very fair price.

Where: 3035 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, 55 miles southeast of downtown L.A. Plan on a drive of 90 minutes to two hours in evening traffic.

How much: Admission is $9 per person; children ages 5 to 9, $1. Major credit cards and debit cards accepted. Open seven days a week. No pets.

Info: Van Buren Drive-In Theatre

Chocolate tart, Ad Hoc, Yountville

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Yountville is a sleepy, genteel little town in the heart of Napa Valley, population about 3,000. And Thomas Keller, one of this nation’s most admired chefs, has three restaurants in Yountville, on the same street. Or four. Or five, depending on how you count.

What: Keller, raised and trained in Florida and New York and renowned for his high standards, has also cooked in acclaimed kitchens in France and Los Angeles, and he has operations in New York and Las Vegas as well. (His Bouchon in Beverly Hills is scheduled to close Dec. 31.) But since he opened the French Laundry in 1994, Yountville has been the seat of his California empire. With three Michelin stars and a nine-course chef’s menu, The French Laundry may be the most celebrated restaurant in the state, and it’s surely one of the priciest.

Ad Hoc, Yountville

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

But the chef has give us options. Bouchon opened in 1998, offering French bistro fare. The Bouchon Bakery followed in 2003. In 2006 came Ad Hoc, devoted to American comfort food in a casual setting. (Its humble-brag slogan: “for temporary relief from hunger.”) Ad Hoc’s menu changes daily to take advantage of fresh ingredients, but it’s all built around the chef’s choice for a four-course family-style meal, which includes favorites like pot roast and barbecue. I came before 6 p.m. on buttermilk fried chicken night (a Monday), and found myself in a happily clamorous dining room, surrounded by families, confronting more food than I could eat. (I enjoyed the casual feeling, and I liked the chicken well enough. But I actually enjoyed the salad and cheese courses more — livelier flavors.)

Bouchon Bakery, Yountville

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Either before or after eating in Yountville, stroll Washington Street. At 6640 you’ll find the French Laundry, fronted by an unassuming, two-story, stone-walled building with minimalist kitchen addition and its gardens across the street. You can even peek through the kitchen window, a long slit that reveals the team laboring fiercely over that evening’s dishes. Next, at 6534 Washington, you pause by Bouchon (French bistro fare) and the yellow awning of Bouchon Bakery (6528 Washington), whose snacks are the most affordable way to sample Keller’s empire.

A few blocks farther south at 6476 Washington, you reach Ad Hoc, which has nine seats at the bar in addition to its many tables (open Thursday through Monday). And behind Ad Hoc, neighbored by picnic tables, is Addendum, an auxiliary space that serves box lunches to go on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Where: Ad Hoc, 6476 Washington St., Yountville, Ca., 55 miles north of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, 411 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: The nine-course dinner at the French Laundry: $310-$325 each. The four-course dinner at Ad Hoc: $55.A box lunch from Ad Hoc Addendum: $16.50.

Info: Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, Yountville Chamber of Commerce

The French Laundry’s kitchen window

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Napa Valley has close to 500 wineries. Castello di Amorosa is the only one housed in a 107-room castle that was built in accordance with 13th century Tuscan aspirations.

What: Owner/designer Dario Sattui completed this spectacle, a 15-year project, in 2007. Besides its five towers and the barrel-vaulted retail and tasting area (which never seems to end), it’s got a great hall and chapel, each with evocative murals. There’s said to be a torture chamber below. Depending on your mood, you might expect a “Da Vinci Code” villain to round a corner at any moment, or Orson Welles in mid-soliloquy. Or one of the Monty Python guys, clopping coconuts together.

Not surprisingly -- given the Tuscan blueprint of the place -- the Castello di Amorosa wines are made in the Italian style. The winery suffered no damage in the wine country fires of October.

Where: 4045 St. Helena Hwy., Calistoga, Calif., 70 miles north of San Francisco’s Ferry Buidling, 425 miles northwest of L.A. City Hall.

How much: Adult admission (which includes wine-tasting) begins at $25. For children the rate is $15-$20 (and there’s grape juice to taste). Tours (which include rooms you can’t reach just wandering around) cost $40-$95.

Info: Castello di Amorosa

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Fountain, Indian Springs, Calistoga

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Calistoga is the answer to the question of what to do in the Napa Valley when you’ve had enough wine. It’s a little, old resort town full of hot springs, so between wine-tasting excursions (and maybe the occasional bike ride) you can float listlessly in a steaming pool, untroubled by the faint scent of sulfur because you can feel the stress evaporating from your body.

What: Samuel Brannan, a brash, controversial figure who became one of California’s first millionaires in the Gold Rush, founded Calistoga in the 1860s, counting on the area’s springs to draw tourists from San Fancisco. (In fact, he built a rail route from Vallejo to Calistoga, and the current Napa Valley Wine Train rolls on the Napa-St. Helena portion of that old route.) It was a clever impulse. The town (population: about 5,300) lives on as a resort escape, with hideaways like Calistoga Ranch, Dr. Wilkinson’s and Indian Springs (perhaps the oldest continuously operating pool and spa facility in the state) all relying heavily on their hot springs.

Though the Napa/Sonoma wildfires of October drew near, they never reached the town of Calistoga, and it remains handsome as ever. In early November, I spent a night and stepped from the chilly morning air into the Olympic-sized, 102-degree, steam-cloaked pool at the 17-acre Indian Springs resort. It was pleasant. In 2015, the resort added a restaurant (Sam’s Social Club, which has fascinating, colorful mural over the counter) and grew from about 40 rooms to 115. Many of the interiors still have that just-upgraded, ready-for-the-magazine-photographer look.

Where: Indian Springs, 1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 73 miles north of San Francisco’s Ferry Building, 427 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: In winter, Indian Springs rooms for two usually start at about $239 per night.

Info: Visit Calistoga, Indian Springs

The main pool, Indian Springs, Calistoga

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: If you’re going to fully appreciate this valley and its globally admired vineyards, it’s better that you’re not driving. And on the Napa Valley Wine Train, you have the chance to dine in style while the miles and wineries roll past.

What: The train covers about 18 miles, running north alongside Highway 29 from the city of Napa through Yountville and Oakville to St. Helena. Along the way, depending on what you sign up for, you may stop to taste at one to three wineries, eat a three-course meal on board, and be back where you started in three to six hours. It’s expensive but so very comfortable.

And it’s got complicated history. The rail route, first laid in the 1860s, had fallen idle by the 1980s. To get the new wine train rolling in 1989, its owners had to outmaneuver many Napa locals who feared a tourist invasion would ruin the affluent community’s character. Skip forward now to 2015, when the train’s management drew a storm of criticism for ejecting a group of guests, mostly African American, who were accused of being too loud.

The view from the train, near Yountville, in early November.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

In late 2015, new owners took over the train. Then wildfires flared in October. They missed the train track, Highway 29 and the wineries along the route, but killed at least 41 people and destroyed thousands of homes and scores of businesses in Napa and Sonoma counties.

By the time I showed up in early November, almost none of the damage was visible from the train. Napa was still in the early stages of recovery and the train was about half-full — unusual for the time of year. As for my journey, it was a sunny day, the countryside was gorgeous, the meal pleasant. The distant, fire-blackened hills to the east were barely discernible beyond the green and red vineyard rows, the shade trees and the nearby slopes.

Where: McKinstry Street Station, 1275 McKinstry St., Napa, 46 miles north of San Francisco, 402 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Most day trips run $206-$329 per person, which includes lunch and wine-tasting.

Info: Napa Valley Wine Train

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Dim sum counter, Market Restaurant, China Live.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Nobody likes to say so, but a lot of San Francisco’s Chinatown looks tired these days. And many of the area’s best Chinese restaurants are scattered among the outer suburbs where so many affluent Chinese American families live. So it’s a happy surprise to see China Live bring new energy and higher style to the neighborhood with a combination of design-intensive eating and shopping options. Its mission: “to demystify Chinese ingredients and recipes while educating guests on the rich history and influence.”

What: China Live opened in March 2017, near the frontier between Chinatown and North Beach. The main downstairs space, the Market Restaurant and Bar, is full of long wood tables under a semi-raw concrete ceiling. Picture an Apple Store with steaming, edible merchandise, neighbored by open cooking areas, beckoning counters, a bar and adjacent retail rooms stocked with artisan teas, kitchen tools, condiments, shapely candles, jewelry and such. The restaurant’s menu is mostly based on sharing small dishes, so you might wind up with a medley dinner of fire-roasted sweet white corn, Dungenes crab spring rolls and Sheng Jian Bao (SJB) pan-fried pork dumplings.

Market Restaurant, China Live.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Near the entrance is the casual Oolong Cafe. Upstairs waits a more exclusive restaurant offering private, pricey dining in elegant rooms befitting a royal in hiding. It’s called Eight Tables by George Chen (dinner only; tasting menu: $225). There are also a pair of bars upstairs, including the Gold Mountain Lounge and one called Cold Drinks -- one of those hip hideaways that seeks to be popular by maintaining quasi-secrecy.

Where: 644 Broadway, San Francisco, 380 miles northwest of downtown L.A..

How much: Together, the three dishes above cost about $40. Most cocktails $13-$15.

Info: China Live

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

A 1,033-pound pumpkin on display at Oxbow Public Market in Napa.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: This market and food hall, set above a fetching bend in the Napa River, is a short stroll from downtown Napa, a block from the headquarters of the popular Napa Valley Wine Train, a block from the COPIA center for wine and food education. Much smaller than San Francisco’s food-centric Ferry Building but placed near the starting point of many popular Napa adventures, this foodie acre (about two-thirds the size of a football field) is a point of convergence for locals and tourists and a one-stop reminder that this wine country does more than make wine.

What: The Oxbow Public Market opened in 2007, just in time to suffer from a national recession, the closure of COPIA (since rethought and reopened by the Culinary Institute of America) and construction-related disruptions of local traffic. Now those troubles are in the rear-view mirror, and a stroll around the marketplace introduces you to plenty of wine products but also duck tacos (at C Casa); American comfort food (Gott’s Roadside); local seafood (Hog Island Oyster Co.); and assorted local fruits and vegetables (Hudson Greens & Goods).

On my early November visit, Hudson was showing off a 1,033-pound pumpkin. There were also plenty of signs thanking the first-responders for their work fighting that region’s wildfires in October. (Though many homes and about two dozen wineries were lost or damaged in those fires, the vast majority of the area’s 500 wineries had reopened by Nov. 8.)

Besides browsing at the market, you can also rent a bike at the automatic Spinway stand just outside and pedal seven miles along the Napa River to Kennedy Park and back; or just toodle down 1st Street in downtown Napa, where the new, 183-room Archer Hotel is expected to open in December.

Where: 610-644 1st St., Napa, 46 miles north of the San Francisco Ferry building, 401 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: C Casa tacos run $4.75-$9. Spinway bike rentals start at $9 per hour.

Info: Oxbow Public Market

Oxbow Public Market, Napa.

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

State parks interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee in the Immigration Station museum on Angel Island.

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

Why: It’s a handsome, green island in San Francisco Bay, popular with sailors, cyclists and hikers, just south of high-toned Tiburon. And from 1910 through 1940, it was something like a western Ellis Island, processing about half a million immigrants, including most of the 175,000 Chinese immigrants who arrived during those years. But those were not happy years.

What: While immigration agents at Ellis Island were admitting most European arrivals within a few hours, the objective on Angel Island was “to exclude new arrivals.” Especially the Chinese, who were routinely held for weeks or months in crowded, dirty conditions. Historians say most eventually gained admission by claiming family connections to U.S. citizens -- but only after lengthy interrogations and often denials and later appeals.

The old Immigration Station barracks, a mile’s hike from Angel Island’s main dock, joined the state park system in 1963 and was bolstered by a restoration and upgrade in 2009. If you arrive during the 20-22 hours per week that the Immigration Station is open, rangers can point you to the poetry etched (in Chinese characters) on the wooden barracks walls by immigrants as they waited in dire conditions, sleeping three deep on bunk beds. More than 120 poems were carved into the walls.

“Sadness kills the person in the wooden building,” says one.

“Once you start to see it, you’ll see it everywhere,” said state parks interpreter Casey Dexter-Lee. Of roughly 200,000 annual visitors to the island, Dexter-Lee said, about one in ten gets to the Immigration Station,

To get there on a weekend day under the current ferry schedule, take the 9:40am Blue&Gold ferry from San Francisco’s Pier 41 to Angel island, arriving 10:05. Hike or ride a rental bike to the Immigration Station. (The well-signed, mile-long walking route includes 144 stairsteps.) Get lunch at the Cove Cafe. There’s a 4 p.m. ferry back to Pier 41. (Or if you’re in hurry, there’s one at 12:30 p.m.)

Where: The island is just south of Tiburon (in Marin County), 5 miles north of Alcatraz, 6 miles north of San Francisco’s Pier 41, about 390 miles northwest of downtown L.A.. The Immigration Station is open Wednesdays through Sunday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., staying open to 4 p.m. on weekends from May through October. For details on planning a tour or holiday scheduling, send an email to: tours.angelisland@parks.ca.gov

How much: The Blue&Gold Ferry from Pier 41 charges $9.75 each way for travel between San Francisco and Angel Island. Admission to the Immigration Station is $5 per adult; guided tours are $7.

Info: Angel Island State Park

Museum exhibit, Angel Island Immigration Station

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Angel Island Immigration Station.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Newcomb’s Ranch belongs in any roadhouse hall of fame. It’s a rough-hewn old place dating to 1939 that has survived rock slides, arson fires and snows that reached to the roof. That it still exists is a bit of a miracle. That this mountain hangout is only an hour or so from downtown L.A. is also a dash of good fortune. It might be the quickest way to feel a million miles away.

What: On weekends, Newcomb’s Ranch is more than a restaurant/bar, it’s a showroom of L.A.’s best and most dazzling motorcycles. Most of the action takes place in the parking lot, where the owners of the heavy metal — bikes and sports cars — line up their trophies. The vibe is casual and family-friendly.

Inside, you’ll find a restaurant that is better that it has to be, given the lack of any competition on this remote, wiggly highway in the Angeles National Forest.

In winter, look for the fireplace in the main dining room, across from the pool table. The rest of the year, stay outside, where the real show is. The patio tables are plentiful, and the staff moves quickly through breakfast and lunch. (Newcomb’s closes at 4 p.m.)

The menu is basic. The best value is a half-sandwich-soup combo for $7.99. The Ortega burger ($12.49) is an after-market version of the basic cheeseburger, but with bacon and mild Ortega peppers. The chicken tenders ($11.99) are enough to feed two, and arrive crispy and hot.

Newcomb’s is also popular with the hiking and camping crowd. Ten minutes up the road is Buckhorn, a first-come, first-serve Alpine campground dotted with redwoods. Even closer, two miles up the road, is Horse Flats Camp Ground, which is more arid but with some fascinating rock formations.

But it’s those blingy bikes you probably came to ogle, in the shadow of a sturdy old roadhouse that never quits.

Where: Angeles Crest Highway, 41 miles northeast of downtown L.A. Open Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed the rest of the week.

How much: Meals from about $7.

Info: Newcomb’s Ranch

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

The House Cappuccino at Tosca Cafe

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: In an Italian American neighborhood full of dim, old bars and moody Italian cafes, this might be the most stylish of them all. If you’re a cocktail person, order the House Cappuccino, watch the barkeeper make it in the gleaming silver espresso machine up front, and prepare for a pleasant little jolt.

What: That warm jolt is bourbon, Armagnac, chocolate ganache and assorted secret ingredients. Like the atmosphere in deep, dark Tosca, the House Cappuccino goes back some decades. The place opened in 1919. My bartender told me the house used to quietly spike drinks for North Beach regulars during Prohibition, when Tosca had to pretend it was just a cafe.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

In any event, this space has changed and it hasn’t. New owners brought in celebrated chef April Bloomfield — and built her new a new kitchen — in 2013 and reintroduced Tosca to the world as a place for great food to match its noir charm. The floor is still checkerboard. The juke box still includes Sam Cooke, Dolly Parton, Nina Simone, Frank Sinatra and the “Anvil Chorus” from “Il Trovatore.”) On the menu is wild Italian arugula, grilled polenta and Berkshire pork chops.

Where: 242 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, 389 miles northwest of downtown L.A. Open 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily.

How much: $12 for the House Cappuccino. Main dishes $18-$31.

Info: Tosca Cafe

( Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times )

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: Telegraph Avenue might not be tidy. And the sign that says “Drug Free Zone” is not especially convincing. But this neighborhood next to the UC Berkeley campus is knee-deep in revolutionary memories and recycled pop culture riches — especially used books and old records.

What: You could start by browsing Moe’s, the bookshop at 2476 Telegraph Ave. founded in 1959 by the late Moe Moskowitz and his wife, Barbara. It’s got new, used and rare books on four levels — the rarest are locked up on the top level.

Then move down a few doors to the new and used books and music at the Mad Monk Center for Anachronistic Media at 2454 Telegraph. (“No digital media!” proclaims its website.)

Or cross the street and dive into Rasputin Music and Movies (which shares ownership with Mad Monk) at 2401 Telegraph. Or try Amoeba (yet more music and movies) at 2455 Telegraph. If you don’t wind up buying that 1971 John Fahey album you never knew you needed, or that quirky biography of W. Eugene Smith you never knew existed — well, you’ve failed to catch the spirit here.

Also, if you’re a student of the ‘60s, you might need a quick stroll through People’s Park (half a block away at 2556 Haste St.), where many lost souls remain. But there will be no browsing at Cody’s bookshop (a gathering place on Telegraph from the 1960s to 2006) or debriefing at Cafe Mediterraneum (1957-2016).

You can, however, linger a minute to inspect history of the Free Speech Movement as portrayed in a great mural (“A People’s History of Telegraph Avenue”) at Telegraph and Haste. And if your burrito at Han’s Bistro (2498 Telegraph) is like mine was, it will be massive and flavorful.

Where: The corner of Telegraph Avenue and Haste Street is three blocks south of the UC Berkeleycampus, 380 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Free. About $6 for the burrito.

Info: SFGate’s neighborhood profile of Telegraph Avenue

The mural at Telegraph and Haste

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Why: For more than a century, and with mixed results, Southern California developers have been trying to create versions of Venice, Italy. In Long Beach, it has actually worked. Year-round, singing gondoliers guide their vessels through the upscale Naples neighborhood. Late in the year, the scene becomes a holiday mirror of water and lights.

What: Gondola Getaway operates one-hour voyages out of the Belmont Shore area seven days a week. Some of the gondoliers sing, others bring along recorded music. Either way, it is a romantic escape, and popular for birthdays and anniversaries. Groups and couples get separate boats, meaning they won’t be placed with strangers.

The gondolas are not pushed with a pole, as many assume. The vessels are rowed, using techniques learned in Italy.

This time of year, the lights go up, drawing even more crowds. Nights can be frosty but the canals themselves often provide protection from the winds. Still, dress in layers. High heels are discouraged. Blankets are provided.

Appetizer plates such as meats and cheeses can be arranged in advance, or passengers are allowed to bring their own. No beverages are provided, so it’s BYOB for wine or other refreshments.

Reservations are taken by phone and fill up quickly in summers and around the holidays. Have a second or third option available on dates, as well as credit card and other info.

Where: 5489 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, 28 miles south of downtown L.A.

How much: $100 for first two guests and $30 for each additional passenger up to six. Bigger gondolas and pricing available for groups. Tips usually range from 15% to 25%, and are at the discretion of the passenger.

Info: Gondola Getaway

The Benny Green Trio in the Joe Henderson Lab.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: This is a fresh, sleek building in the city’s long-gritty, lately gentrifying Hayes Valley neighborhood, and it’s devoted to jazz appreciation and education, with two performance spaces. The SFJAZZ Center opened in 2013 and calls itself “the first stand-alone structure in the country built specifically for jazz.”

What: Forty years ago, San Francisco had plenty of jazz haunts. Now many have closed (though these remain). So it’s fortunate that SFJazz has come along.

It’s got a 700-seat space (the Robert S. Miner Auditorium) and a 100-seat space (the sidewalk-adjacent Joe Henderson Lab, where I recently saw the Benny Green Trio swing with precision through a night of piano-based bebop). It also presents shows elsewhere around town and gets performers such as Kurt Elling, Christian McBride, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Dianne Reeves, Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau.

And in April, it added a lounge with a small-plates menu, B—Side. So you can make a night of it.

SFJazz is just a few blocks south of the city’s War Memorial Opera House and Davies Symphony Hall. The 2017-2018 season includes more than 300 performances.

Where: 201 Franklin St., 382 miles northwest of downtown L.A. B-Side (b-sidesf.com) is open Wednesday through Sunday nights.

How much: $25-$105

Info: SFJAZZ

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Big Trees Trail, Sequoia National Park.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Big trees, long walks, granite rocks and scampering marmots are fine any time. But a dusting of snow -- and the challenge of hiking in snowshoes -- gives the landscape a new feel.

What: You never know with the weather these days, but Sequoia, 5,000 to 8,200 feet above sea level, has gotten plenty of snow over the years. Rangers lead 1-mile snowshoeing walks in the Giant Forest area on weekends when conditions are right. (They’ll even provide free snow shoes -- the old-fashioned kind, made of wood and sinew.)

At some point, odds are good you’ll be reminded that the sequoias all around you are generally thicker than the tall redwoods on the coast. So even if the redwoods are taller, the sequoias can still lay claim to the title “world’s largest trees.” You can’t beat a hike at their feet with snow all around.

If you’d rather hike on your own, you can rent snowshoes at Lodgepole Market, about 2 miles from Wuksachi Lodge, or bring your own. Last time I tried it, our group stayed inside the park at the Wuksachi Lodge, which opened in 1999. The lodge often offers overnight-and-showshoe-rental packages in winter. Don’t go out without a trail map.

Cross-country skis are also available. Sequoia’s sibling park, Kings Canyon, also offers similar programs, along with overnight stays at the John Muir Lodge (buit in 1998).

Where: Wuksachi Lodge, 64740 Wuksachi Way, Sequoia National Park, 227 miles north of downtown L.A.

How much: The going rates for adult snowshoe rental in Sequoia are $14.50 for half a day, $18 for a full day. For children’s snowshoes, the rates are $8 and $12.

Info: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

The set-up for “Hamilton,” 2017.

(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Long before any show starts in this Art Deco gem, the drama begins.

What: The Hollywood Pantages Theatre opened on Hollywood Boulevard in 1930. Through the decades it has hosted movies, vaudeville shows, the Academy Awards (in the 1950s) and, for the last 40 years, live theater. “The Lion King,” “Wicked,” “The Book of Mormon,” “Hamilton” — all played here.

Since its last major renovation, in 2000, the 2,703-seat venue has been steeped in Art Deco details. The lobby alone is almost worth the price of admission, with grand chandeliers, star patterns in the ceiling and dramatic stairways at either end.

Outside, notice the sordid neon splendor of the Frolic Room bar’s sign next door (and possibly the beery scent of the Frolic Room itself). The storied corner of Hollywood and Vine is about 100 feet to the west and the Hollywood/Vine Metro stop is almost as close.

Where: 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, 6 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: That varies widely. For the production of “Stomp” that’s due in April, 2018, seats are as low as $47. During the August-December run of “Hamilton” in 2017, resale prices often began above $300 per seat.

Info: Pantages Theater

The Pantages lobby during previews of “Hamilton” in August, 2017.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Powell Street near Union Square.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: High-end shoppers, scruffy buskers, baristas on break, kids, codgers, cops, robbers, jaywalkers and fast-talkers -- everybody shows up in Union Square sooner or later. Bring a hot drink, find a comfortable seat and drink it all in.

What: Union Square, which fills a single square block, is the epicenter of San Francisco tourism. It’s surrounded by a shopping district in which Macy’s vies with five other department stores (and dominates them all when it comes to holiday displays); the Westin St. Francis Hotel tends to high-dollar travelers and the Kimpton Sir Frances Drake tends to only-slightly-less-high-dollar travelers.

The square’s 2.6 acres (once a site of sand dunes) were set aside in about 1850, and its name came from the pro-Union demonstrators who massed there during the Civil War. After various updates through the years, the space has less grass than it once did, but more heart-shaped artworks (one at each corner) and more seats. and there’s a pricey parking garage underneath.

If you’re in the square after dark, there’s a good chance you’ll hear a street musician or even an entire band -- probably stationed at the busy northwest corner, close to the passing cable cars.

In winter the square puts up a massive Christmas tree and menorah, holiday lights and a skating rink (Nov. 1, 2017, through Jan. 15, 2018). In other seasons, you might find an art show, a free concert or a big tent signifying a private party to which you aren’t invited. No worries -- all those neighboring shops and department stores will be happy to have you.

Where: In the rectangle surrounded by Powell, Post Stockton and Geary streets, three blocks north of the Powell St. BART station and the Powell/Market cable car turnaround. It’s 381 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Free. Or $8,897 if your company wants to throw one of those private parties.

Info: Union Square

( Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times )

Why: The people at Dong Phuong Tofu know their way around the soybean. In their headquarters in Westminster — a.k.a. Orange County’s Little Saigon — they make and sell a wide variety of tofu products, which play a starring role in Vietnamese cuisine. The inventory is so fresh that items are often warm on the shelves.

What: Dong Phuong’s top man, Tony Dang, started making tofu at the age of 7 in his native Vietnam. In 1991, he opened Dong Phuong Tofu in Westminster, selling to stores and restaurants across the Southland. Today the reach is nationwide — but thanks to the small grocery outlet next to the tofu-making facility, locals can still get the goods straight from the factory floor.

Besides the company’s own products, the store offers other specialty Asian items. Lining the shelves are Dong Phuong soy milk, tofu pudding and white tofu cake (in plain, mushroom onion and lemongrass chili varieties), packaged and ready to take home. Or try the tofu cake fried up and offered cafeteria style in the store. The tofu pudding, served with fresh ginger syrup or coconut milk, is especially alluring.

As you savor the silky smooth texture and freshness, remember that all tofu products at Dong Phuong Tofu are made with non-GMO soybeans.

Where: 15022 Moran Street, Westminster, 32 miles southeast of downtown L.A. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

How much: From $1 for fried tofu to $3.50 for pandan-flavored tofu pudding.

Info: No website. You’ll need to call (714) 894-7002 or show up in person.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: The Malibu Pier is just what you’d expect from this small, wealthy, health-conscious community: No cotton candy, no amusement rides. Instead, it offers first-rate food in a setting that lets the surfers and sunsets entertain you.

What: The pier’s history goes back to 1905, when it was used to ship hides and produce from the surrounding ranches. It’s been knocked around plenty in all the years since, but like a prize fighter it keeps bouncing back.

The landmark pier was closed as recently as the 1990s, and reopened relatively recently, in 2008. Repairs are ongoing.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

But the pier remains a camera-ready view spot on any visit to Malibu. Its most recent restaurant tenant is Malibu Farm, which runs full-service dining and bar at the base, and counter service at the end of the pier.

As with anything in Malibu, it is hardly bargain rate. Yogurt and granola breakfast will run you $10 and burgers lean toward 20 bucks.

Yet, unlike most pier food, which runs to corn dogs and popcorn, what you’ll get here is a carefully curated, healthy meal made with fresh local ingredients. Standout menu items include spaghetti squash lasagna and veggie paella.

Don’t rush inside, because the best tables are outside along the rails on the right side, where you’ll enjoy that hazy, bluish Malibu view. The bar faces the wrong way – toward the highway -- but offers up a pretty good selection of wines and craft beers.

It all makes for a memorable meal on this rustic, breezy, sun-splashed old pier.

Open daily, 6:30 a.m. to sunset.

Where: 23000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, in Los Angeles County, 28 miles west of downtown L.A.

How much: Free

Info: Malibu Pier; Malibu Farm

On the Metro Expo Line.

(Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Why: While you were stuck in traffic, Los Angeles passed its Peak Automotive moment. So if you’re alert to where the L.A. Metro Rail system’s subways and light-rail cars can take you, you’re probably saving time, finding fun and recognizing the story of a great urban transformation. Take the Red Line from the San Fernando Valley to Hollywood and miss the crunch on the 101. Take the Gold Line from Chinatown to Pasadena and miss the crunch on the 110. Take the Expo Line from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica and miss the crunch on the 10. Whatever route you take, you’ll be joining a great urban transformation.

What: In 1993, the Metro people -- formally, the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority -- opened their first subway segment, a few miles of the Red Line between downtown and Hollywood. Now there are 93 light-rail and subway stations along 105 miles of track, including the beach-friendly Expo Line Santa Monica segment that opened in 2016. Bikes are allowed on Metro Rail trains any time (with a few rules, of course).

And there’s more coming. Between now and 2024, the Purple Line is scheduled to reach 9 miles west from Hollywood to Westwood, making for easy access to LACMA and UCLA in a zone often plagued by dismal traffic.

Where: As this map shows, much of Los Angeles County

How much: Standard fares on the Metro Rail system are $1.75 per ride or $7 per day or $25 per week.

Info: L.A. Metro

Along the Metro Rail Green Line.

(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: From the wilds of western Fallbrook to the shores of Oceanside, this is the biggest Marine base on the West Coast. And it’s yours. As a civilian, you can bowl at Leatherneck Lanes, ride a horse from Stepp Stables, hunt, fish, golf and suit up for weekend paintball combat for ages 10 and up.

What: Camp Pendleton goes back to 1942. Most civilian Californians think of it as a vast forbidden zone that separates San Diego and Orange counties. And it does cover about 195 square miles of bush-covered coastal hills (and a few lakes). But with just a little advance planning, you can make parts of it your playground. What surprised me most was the chance to fight mock battles (using paintball gear) every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

The paintball/Airsoft/Splatmaster territory covers more than 30 acres, including “two close-combat action houses with 15+ rooms, a village marketplace, and real military tanks and vehicles,” according to a promotional website.

But I didn’t have a platoon to play with, so I bowled. Leatherback Lanes is open daily with 40 lanes, a restaurant and rack after rack of balls, carefully sorted by color and weight. Taking advantage of midday discounts on a recent Wednesday, I paid a mere $2 to bowl a game in rental shoes.

To get on base, civilians are asked to fill out a form at least seven days in advance. But first-timers can often gain get in on shorter notice, so long as you call ahead and bring ID.

Where: The main entrance to Camp Pendleton is along Interstate 5 at the edge of Oceanside. Once you’re past the gate, the main road, Vandegrift Boulevard, will carry to you straight to both paintball and bowling.

How much: Bowling at Leatherback Lanes is $3-$6 per game, and it’s usually $3 to rent shoes. The paintball civilian Alpha package includes gun and mask rental and 200 rounds for $44.

Info: Camp Pendleton Base Access

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: The Santa Cruz Boardwalk is a throwback to the days when amusement parks peppered the beaches of California. Now only a few are left, often in barely recognizable form (Belmont Park in San Diego, for instance). But Santa Cruz, whose first casino opened in 1904, still has some gritty magic going on.

What: The boardwalk’s attractions include the wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster (opened in 1924); about three dozen rides and attractions; assorted games; wacky snack food; and a carousel from 1911. It’s all arrayed along a mile of sandy beachfront, with the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf (whose pilings are beloved by sea lions) about 1,000 feet to the west.

Some consider this boardwalk the oldest amusement part in the state. The coaster and carousel were declared national historic landmarks in 1987, the same year that the film “The Lost Boys” made splendid and disquieting use of the site as a venue for teenage vampires. These days the movie is a cult favorite; Visit Santa Cruz in 2017 published a “Lost Boys” locations map.

Rides are open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day and on weekends and holidays the rest of the year. The arcade, miniature golf, laser tag and bowling stay open daily year-round. (Like the rest of Santa Cruz, it gets chilly.)

Where: 400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 76 miles south of San Francisco, 341 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: An all-day rides wristband costs $36.95. It’s $7 to ride the Giant Dipper.

Info: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

Why: You can almost hear the “MASH” choppers coming over the ridge at Malibu Creek State Park, which features hiking trails to the show’s outdoor site, shady canyons and plentiful creeks and ponds.

What: Malibu Creek State Park, in the Calabasas area north of Los Angeles, offers a vast selection of hiking options, including some that touch TV history and some ranch buildings once owned by Ronald Reagan.

With craggy cliffs, creeks and cool, dark ponds, it invites exploration, and probably appeals more to children than most trail systems do. Along the way, look for bundles of mistletoe hanging from the sycamores.

(Jenna Schoenefeld / For The Times)

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

For a solid workout, take Crags Road, and walk into a shady valley toward Forest Trail. On the left, the reservoir. Continue on to the filming site for “MASH” (1972-1983). The distance from parking lot to the TV site is about two miles, much of it uphill.

Once there, explore the remnants of one of television’s most popular shows, including an old jeep and an ambulance, in a setting that stood in for the show’s Korean War exteriors.

On the way back, veer to the right for a tour of Malibu Creek’s water features. The dark ponds are lush and shady and a huge relief from the afternoon heat. It’s a wonderful location for a game of hide and seek, or just a picnic and a nap.

As if that’s not enough, Malibu Creek is also the site of SoCal’s toughest trail run. Bulldog, a fire road located entirely inside the park, climbs nearly 1,800 feet over almost 4 torturous miles. The entrance to Bulldog is off the main trail in the park, Crags Road, just past the “MASH” site.

The park has a rich history, and was once a busy center of Chumash life. The park was also used to film “Planet of the Apes,” and much of the land was donated by Bob Hope, Ronald Reagan and 20th Century Fox.

Where: 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, Calif., 34 miles west of downtown L.A., in Los Angeles County. From the 101, exit on Las Virgenes Road, head south to the park entrance just past Mulholland Drive.

How much: Parking $9 for three hours, $12 all day. Note: No dogs on trails.

Info: Malibu Creek State Park

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: The food, a spicy marriage of Korean and Mexican cuisine, tastes great. And the backstory is the stuff that contemporary California is made of: Young buddies hatch a scheme, rig up a truck, start tweeting and build an empire by fusing Korean, Mexican and web cultures. Now co-founder Roy Choi is one of the city’s most famous chefs.

What: Born in 2008, the Kogi empire now includes three trucks (code names Roja, Verde and Naranja, which roam the coast, the valleys and Orange County); three taco stands; and three Chego! restaurants. The blackjack quesadilla is a potent introduction to the Kogi way: flour tortilla, pork bellies, Korean chili paste, cheddar cheese, Jalapenos and a host of supporting ingredients.

As Times restaurant critic Jonathan Gold writes in his latest list of 101 favorite L.A. restaurants, Kogi “is cheap, unbelievably delicious and unmistakably from Los Angeles, food that makes you feel plugged into the rhythms of the city just by eating it.” Accordingly, in October when L.A.’s Eric Garcetti made the traditional mayoral World Series wager with his Houston counterpart, he offered up Kogi BBQ and Golden Road brew if the Astros should win.

Where: The trucks keep moving. A Twitter feed, @kogibbq, keeps 152,000 followers in the loop.

How much: $8 for a Blackjack quesadilla, $2.50 for a spicy pork taco.

Info: Kogi BBQ

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Because the Pechanga casino, by some measures the largest Indian gambling resort in California, will give you that Vegas sensation without requiring a drive into Nevada. Or because the Pechanga resort is a milestone in the long, dysfunctional relationship between California’s native peoples and its colonizers.

What: You name a game, they offer it. They bring in performers such as Smokey Robinson, Ali Wong and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. They call bingo in a vast upstairs room full of blue and green fiber optic lights. It’s Vegas -- except that you’re in Riverside County, among the rock-studded hills, wine country and Temecula suburbs. And in the display windows along the casino walls, you see baskets, pots, bows, arrows, arrowheads and harsh old photos -- reminders that this is a reservation where life was hard.

You probably won’t quintuple your money (as I did in 20 seconds at the slots). But you will be reminded just how much the world has changed since 1884, when Helen Hunt Jackson decried Indian suffering in her novel “Ramona;” and since 1987, when the nearby Cabazon and Morongo bands of Mission Indians won the U.S. Supreme Court decision that effectively launched casino gaming on California tribal lands.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

That precedent is why the Pechanga resort stands today, lights blinking, bells ringing. It has about 4,300 slot machines, more than 154 tables games, that 700-seat bingo room upstairs, a golf course, more than a dozen bars and restaurants and 522 hotel rooms. And an additional 568 rooms and a new spa and pool complex are due to open in late 2017 or early 2018.

Though poverty and poor health remain challenges in the state’s native communities, Indian casinos (including the Morongo Casino outside Palm Springs) rake in an estimated gross of $7.9 billion yearly in California and northern Nevada.

Where: 45000 Pechanga Pkwy., Temecula, 90 miles southeast of downtown L.A.

How much: The buffet dinner (prime rib, pizza, pasta, Spanish rice, oysters, Chinese broccoli, smoked salmon, grilled quail, collard greens, etc.) is $26.99-$32.99, depending on the day. Rooms for two typically start at $169 on weekday nights, about twice as much on weekends.

Info: Pechanga Resort & Casino

I bet a dollar, won $5, and spent it all (and then some) on the buffet.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

Why: Because who says pie isn’t a meal? Apparently many of us can eat pie all day long, especially when visiting the apple-centric and scenic hamlet of Julian.

What: This might be a small spot in the mountains of San Diego County, but there’s a lot going on. You could explore mining history (gold was found here in the 1870s and Eagle Mining Co. offers tours); take an apple or pear orchard tour; hike and picnic amid the pines and manzanitas; or shop collectibles and crafts as you stroll past historic homes and old-time stores. But for some of us, Julian is fundamentally a chance for a dessert tour.

In the early 1900s, growers found Julian a fine place for apple trees. Today, it’s all about the products made with apples – especially the pie.

Walking the compact downtown, it’s hard to pass up delectable scents wafting from the bakeries. Among our favorites: the apple mountain berry crumb with cinnamon ice cream at Julian Pie Co. and the sugared pie crust cookie (which reminded my spouse of the ones his mother made) at Apple Alley, a homespun bakery and cafe.

Where: About 4,200 feet up in back-country San Diego County, 138 miles southeast of downtown L.A. The town is reachable from north and south by State Route 79 or from the vast Anza-Borrego Desert (to the east) on State Route 78.

How much: How hungry are you? Whole pies (fresh or frozen) range from about $15 to $25.

Info: Julian Chamber of Commerce

Cider-tasting, Julian.

(Don Bartletti/Los Angeles Times)

Why: Mindfulness is hard, monkey-mind the bane of modern life. Constant interruptions from work, families and phones keep us from our true selves, or so the mystics say. But what about – wait, hold on a second, oh yeah – just completing a thought without distraction? Some getaways promise peace and quiet. Tassajara, the famed Zen center located deep inside the Santa Lucia Mountains, delivers. Its zendo, cottages, baths and trails are a tonic for what ails us.

What: From late April or May through September, visitors join students and monks who live year-round at the end of a 14-mile dirt road that rises out of the Carmel Valley, snakes along a precipitous ridge line and drops into a beautiful sycamore- and oak-clad canyon. It’s Shangri-La with a California twist. Reservations are made through the San Francisco Zen Center, and while the atmosphere may seem a little forbidding (no cell coverage, limited electricity, a modest dress code, no pets), the staff is friendly and hospitable. The 2018 season will be April 26-Sept. 9.

Accommodations range from cottages of river stone to clapboard cabins, from a yurt to a dormitory with communal dining. (Tassajara is famed for its breads and lavish vegetarian fare.)

Time slows inside the canyon as the sun clocks from east to west. Guests wander shady paths from the meditation hall to the swimming pool, from a spacious yoga studio to the Japanese-style bath house. Daily Zen services, instruction and occasional lectures are open to everyone. Special retreats – classes on creative expression, spirituality, ecology and yes, mindfulness – are offered throughout the summer season.

Where: Tassajara is located at the end of the Tassajara Road, which begins in Jamesburg, located off G16, the county route running between Carmel and Highway 101. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended, and a shuttle van is also available for guests who don’t want to make the hourlong drive.

How much: Most rooms for two run $251-$446; rates vary by day of the week and occupancy. There are also dorm rooms and cabins that accommodate up to six guests. The day use rate is $34 per adult.

Info: Tassajara Zen Mountain Center

Why: Now you can immerse yourself in the Midcentury Modern house that famed photographer Julius Shulman vaulted to icon status, a symbol of 1960s sophistication. His alluring black-and-white photo shows two well-dressed young women lounging in a glass-walled living room while the house appears to precariously perch on the edge of a mountain.

What: Pass through the front door of architect Pierre Koenig’s Stahl House — also known as Case Study House No. 22 — and prepare to gasp. Before you is a dazzling view that sweeps uninterrupted across the Los Angeles basin, from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica Bay and, on a clear day, beyond to Catalina Island. Laid out immediately at your feet is a courtyard consisting of a sleek, angular pool surrounded by smooth concrete. This is the first “room” you enter.

Wandering around the rest of the site doesn’t take long. It’s a small two-bedroom/two-bathroom. What does take time is absorbing the visuals of the place. The structure is post-and-beam but built with steel (instead of wood), glass and concrete. Because most of the walls are windows, it makes for jaw-dropping panoramic views and light-filled rooms. My suggestion is as soon as you finish exploring the place, take a seat somewhere and just gaze for as long as you possibly can. Then exhale. It’s tranquil up there.

Koenig, the man behind this transparent home, was a Northern California boy who studied architecture at USC. On his way up to modernist stardom, he met with Clarence “Buck” Stahl, a family man who had made an international-style model of a house he wanted built on his West Hollywood hillside property. Koenig was natural fit for the job with his predilection for affordable, industrial materials. He was also a risk-taker — willing to take on a site some considered unbuildable. In 1960, the home was completed. Today, it’s considered a masterpiece of Midcentury Modern design.

Tours take place three times a day: mid-afternoon, late afternoon and evening. The owners allow only a small number of guests per visit. A docent is there to answer questions and inform.

Where: 1635 Woods Drive, Los Angeles, about 200 yards north of the Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, about 10 miles northwest of downtown L.A.

How much: Tickets run $35-$90 depending on what time of day you attend a tour and with how many people. Demand is high, so schedule your tour at least eight weeks in advance, especially during the summer months. Also, be ready for some stiff restrictions on photography.

Info: Stahl House

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

Why: It’s amazing how few L.A.-area restaurants celebrate the outdoors. Geoffrey’s in Malibu does. There’s hardly a bad table in this special occasion venue, where the ocean is almost as close as your wine glass.

What: A little fancy, yet hardly stuffy, Geoffrey’s has long been a go-to Malibu restaurant for anniversaries, proposals, birthdays and wedding showers.

(Chris Erskine / Los Angeles Times)

The patio restaurant is super busy in summer and over the holidays, making a warm November day an excellent time to go for a leisurely lunch – it stays open through the afternoon, with a brief pause from 3:30 to 4 p.m., as it resets for dinner. But linger at your table; this isn’t a place to rush you out.

At dinner, gas pits light up the night. On this cinematic stretch of the northern Malibu coastline, in the afterglow of a California sunset, with the fire dancing nearby, there’s hardly a more romantic getaway.

The cool Pacific chills the evening, so bring a jacket or sweater. If you forget, your server will offer a blanket. It makes the restaurant open to the elements and cozy at the same time.

What to order? Geoffrey’s offers a modest but interesting menu, served in satisfying portions: paella, steaks, seafood. The kitchen is quick, and scallops come out sizzling -- big and round as your coffee cup, on a bed of foie gras risotto. The crème brulee, big enough for two, arrives over a chocolate hazelnut base.

Where: 27400 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Calif., about 35 miles west of downtown L.A.

How much: Lunches from about $15, but most $25-$30. Dinners from $28, but most entrees around $40.

Info: Geoffrey’s

The back of the house.

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

Why: If you need to be convinced that the delight is in the details, a visit to Casa del Herrero in Montecito will make a believer out of you. If you’re already a believer, you’ll be in your element.

What: Casa del Herrero (House of the Blacksmith), a 1925 home designated a National Historic Landmark in 2009, lets you peek into California, Spanish and Moorish homes and history. George and Carrie Steedman (pronounced sted-man) of St. Louis decamped to build their Spanish Colonial Revival dream house on 11 acres. If its design looks familiar, it’s because architect George Washington Smith designed nearly six dozen homes and some commercial buildings in the area. Their collaboration was like genius squared.

The side door.

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

The courtyard entrance, where a Spanish-tiled fountain gurgles, brings visitors to the front of a house that looks disappointingly plain. Not to worry. Open the door and you’re transported to southern Spain and its Moorish influences. The rooms reflect an Iberian shopping spree that filled the house with 13th and 17th century furnishings, tapestries and more.

Not all the objects could be used for their original purpose, so parchment pages from a 15th century Gregorian chant choir book became lampshades; a door designed for a sacristy in a small town outside of Seville, Spain, goes to a linen closet.

The living room adheres to the notions of entertaining not in the 1920s but in Spain: Chairs line the walls, and tables in the middle are used for refreshments. It is no wonder the Steedmans did much of their entertaining outside.

The gardens — the outdoor rooms, really — reflect a panoply of influences, some European, some Californian, some practical and some aesthetic, and they provided ample floral fodder for Carrie Steedman, whose more than 300 flower-designing ribbons hang in an area her husband set aside for her in his workshop.

George Steedman’s genius is most evident in that workshop, his version of a man cave. His fortune came from manufacture of munitions in World War I, and his abilities with metal translated into the creation of numerous touches, including finials he copied, then cast here; silver chargers used in table settings that he created and engraved; a barbecue grill that could be disassembled and reassembled for easy transport to the back grounds for a cookout. House of the Blacksmith indeed.

How much: $25 a person; children 10 and older are allowed. Tours by reservation (which can be done online) at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Where: 1387 E. Valley Road, Montecito, about 95 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

Info: Casa del Herrero

Why: This is one of the grand cemeteries in the world -- in setting, in scope, in star power. Step inside Forest Lawn Glendale and honor the memories of Elizabeth Taylor, Walt Disney and Jimmy Stewart, among dozens of other famous names.

What: California in spirit, with wide lanes and sunny vistas, Forest Lawn Glendale is a far cry from the grim graveyards seen in most places.

The 300-acre cemetery dates to 1917 when Hubert Eaton took it over in hopes of celebrating eternal life. It hosts funerals, art shows and weddings. Ronald Reagan married Jane Wyman in one of its chapels.

Grab a map from the info booth as you enter the lush and hilly cemetery. Out of respect for privacy, the map will not guide you to the stars’ graves, but other resources offer maps.

Disney resting place

(Catharine Hamm / Los Angeles Times)

Still, finding celebrity resting places in the expansive cemetery is a bit of a scavenger hunt.

From the front gate, follow signs to the wonderfully gothic Great Mausoleum, where Elizabeth Taylor is buried and honored by a giant angel at the end of the hallway. L. Frank Baum, of “Wizard of Oz,” fame is buried to the west of the Great Mausoleum, with a hefty tombstone.

Michael Jackson? He rests in a private section not open to the public.

But Jimmy and Gloria Stewart are marked by humble graves that are open to public viewing – though not easy to find.

As you face the Wee Kirk O’ the Heather chapel, they reside up the hill to your left: space 2, lot 8, small markers near the statue of a man holding an arrow.

Clustered at the Freedom Mausoleum, you’ll spot the graves of Walt Disney, Spencer Tracy, Errol Flynn, George Burns and Nat “King” Cole.

Where: 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale, Calif., about 15 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, in Los Angeles County.

How much: Free

Info: Forest Lawn Glendale, (323) 254-3131

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

Why: If death is inevitable, capitalism is inexhaustible and Los Angeles is Los Angeles, it should be no surprise that the L.A. County coroner has a gift shop. And let’s face it, you’re curious.

What: The Skeletons in the Closet gift store opened in 1993 (at about the time homicides in the city were reaching historic highs). Nowadays the homicide rate is far lower, but the retail continues. Beach towels (with body outlines), barbecue aprons, mugs, office supplies, lanyards and more (see below) -- this shop has you covered, so to speak. The goods are gathered just off the lobby of the coroner’s headquarters in Lincoln Heights, a 1909 red-brick building that once served as a hospital.

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)

At least one other city has a coroner’s gift shop. Still, this is a rare inventory in arguable taste. (For the weeks leading up to Halloween, body bags are offered.) For the record, the shop’s management says the store exists “to promote how fragile life is and create awareness and responsibility toward one’s actions.”

Speaking of which: On your way into and out of the shop, remember to be quiet and respectful: Many of the building’s visitors are there in connection with the death of a family member.

Where: 1104 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, one block northwest of the L.A. County-USC Medical Center, 2 miles east of downtown L.A. Open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m.

How much: Baseball caps, $15. Mugs, $12.95-$15. Lunch coolers, $21. Beach towels, $35. Welcome mats, $30. License plate frames, $20. Key chains, $4-$5. Lately, the shop has added anatomy models too -- “more educational stuff,” said manager Edna Pereyda.

Info: L.A. County medical examiner-coroner

(Christopher Reynolds/Los Angeles Times)