Southern California in December

[mike_boone]

Hi all.

 

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I'm taking a business trip out to the Los Angeles area in a week and I'm planning on having a couple weekend days to explore and take pictures. I'm looking for uncrowded areas with good landscapes and some wildlife.

 

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I'm probably going to go to either Joshua Tree NP or the Channel Islands NP, but I'm open to suggestion.

 

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Is it a good/bad time to visit either of these places? Will they be so crowded on the weekend that it'll ruin the experience?

 

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With respect to the Channel Islands, which island would you recommend and how expensive is it to get there? Is this the time of year to see whales there?

 

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With repsect to Joshua Tree, where should I go in my two day timespan and where should I spend the night. I'd love to camp, but there's no way I'll be able to lug my tent gear out west for such as short trip, so a cheap motel nearby would suffice.

 

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Thanks for the info!

<A HREF="http://boonedocks.simplenet.com/mike">Mike</A>

[mitch_mcconnell]

Mike,

 

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I have never been in December, but the last two trips I made to LA

I went to both Newport Back Bay (in Newport Beach) and to Bolsa Chica

Lagoon in Huntington Beach. Both are great spots for shorebirds and

ducks. You may get Black-necked Stilts, Avocets, long-billed curlews,

scoters, etc.

 

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These locations are about 30-45 minutes south of LA, so you might be

able to get these in during your business trip, then go elsewhere on

the weekend.

 

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Good luck,

 

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Mitch

[frank_kolwicz]

Weekends in the desert parks are crowded and Joshua Tree is the favorite of the fraction of 11 million people in LA who are interested in the outdoors. Last Thanksgiving I called around to get a camp spot in J.T. and was advised that all the camps would be packed by that morning and I would have to get there by evening Wednesday to have a chance. Try to make and confirm motel reservations well in advance.

 

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Don't overlook Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the relatively nearby Salton Sea wildlife refuges as another possibility.

 

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The Channel Islands are not crowded, but then, they are across 40 miles of potentially very rough water from the mainland, out of Ventura. Angelenos also prefer sunshine (the desert) to clouds and rain along the coast and the islands.

 

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Good luck.

 

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Frank

[lightcraftsman]

Joshua Tree is worth the trip despite the crowds on weekends. Search at http://www.switchboard.com and look for motels in 29 Palms, CA. The main worry this time of year is weather, especially with El Nino active. You may want to reconsider the Channel Islands if you don't like rough seas. The National Park Service has a good web site for Joshua Tree at http://www.nps.gov/jotr, including tips on what to see, hiking trails, weather etc.

[matt_plunkett]

For scenics, I'd recommend either Joshua Tree NP or Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. I was in A.B. 6 weeks ago and it was really greening up nicely. There's a ton of cheap motels within an hour or so of Joshua Tree, especially on the south side by palm springs.

 

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I wouldn't miss the sunrise if you can get out of bed that early. Bring a grad ND filter if you have one too. . .

 

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-Matt

[stanley_mcmanus]

If you have the time you might consider driving north up the coast. Visit Santa Barbara and maybe go all the way up to San Luis Obispo (sp?). Lots of nice rolling hills, beaches and so on.

 

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Or drive out North of the San Bernidino Mountains to the Devil's Punchbowl.

[b.j._segel]

The Channel Islands NP is one of the least visited national parks, so you won't find huge crowds there, even in the middle of the summer. I'm not sure how easy it will be to get there in December. Transportation to the islands is provided by Island Packers out of Ventura Harbor (about 65 miles north of LA). Call them at (805) 642-1393 to find out what kind of service they offer at this time of year. (The ocean doesn't look to user friendly these days.) The closest, and therefore most frequently visited, is Anacapa Island. You can usually expect to see marine life, including whales, on the way over. I can't really remember for sure, but I think a day trip costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 (don't quote me on it).

<P>If you don't want to go that far afield you could go hiking in the Santa Monica mountains--that is if it's not pouring rain, which it is right now.

<P>Have fun.

[tom_ellis]

You might give Catalina some thought. Easy to get to from Long Beach or Newport and if you go up around Two Harbors it's nice and isolated. There is buffalo on the back side, some wild pigs I think, and down around Goat Harbor there are some bald eagles. Enjoy!

[Jim_Tardio]

I'd forget about the Channel Islands this time of year because of the weather...El Nino conditions here, but Catalina is an option because it is closer to L.A. and the boats run all day on the weekends.

 

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Joshua Tree is a good destination, also...about 2 hours from L.A.

 

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Other nearby spots include:

 

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--The Palm Springs aerial tramway...a good place to spend about half a day.

 

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--Big Bear Lake...about 3 hours from L.A.

 

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--Idylwild....in the mountains right above Palm Springs..you could probably do Joshua Tree one day an Idylwild the next.

 

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--Farther north there's Venice Beach...a different kind of wild life.

 

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--Or if you're really ambitious, it takes about 3-4 hours to get to Sequoia National Park...leaving early Saturday morning and returning Sunday night would give you 2 days there.

 

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Just some thoughts.