Hidden Gems
13 places · Spots most visitors never find
Laguna Beach, CA
Victoria Beach and Pirate Tower
A secluded beach featuring the iconic La Tour tower, a 60-foot concrete turret built in 1926 as a private staircase to the beach. The tower resembles a medieval castle structure and sits dramatically against the shoreline. At low tide, rocky tidepools and reflective sand pools surround the base.
Laguna Beach, CA
Table Rock Beach
A small beach named for a large flat rock formation that extends into the ocean, creating a natural platform above the surf. The beach is backed by eroded sandstone cliffs with layered geological striations. Tidepools surrounding the table rock formation harbor diverse marine life including starfish and hermit crabs.
Yucca Valley, CA
Pipes Canyon Wilderness
A 4,227-acre wilderness area managed by the Bureau of Land Management in the transition zone between the Mojave and Colorado deserts. The area features Joshua tree forests, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and granite outcrops. Pioneertown Mountains Preserve provides a maintained trailhead with access to the wilderness.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Etiwanda Falls
Etiwanda Falls is a seasonal waterfall accessible via a 3.5-mile round-trip trail through the North Etiwanda Preserve. The 50-foot cascade flows most dramatically after winter and spring rains, descending over granite boulders in a narrow canyon. The surrounding coastal sage scrub and alluvial fan habitat provide foreground interest against the San Gabriel Mountain backdrop.
Encinitas, CA
Annie's Canyon Trail
A narrow slot canyon carved through ancient marine sedimentary rock within the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve. The trail passes through a tight passage where hikers can touch both canyon walls simultaneously. The layered sandstone walls display millions of years of geological history visible in cross-section.
La Jolla, CA
La Jolla Sea Caves (Sunny Jim Cave)
A series of seven sea caves carved into the sandstone cliffs along La Jolla's coastline, with Sunny Jim Cave being the only one accessible by land via 145 steps through a hand-dug tunnel. The cave opens to the ocean and frames natural light dramatically. The other six caves are accessible only by kayak.
Big Bear Lake, CA
Bluff Lake Reserve
Bluff Lake is a small natural meadow lake managed by the Wildlands Conservancy at approximately 7,500 feet elevation. The reserve protects a rare mountain meadow ecosystem with seasonal wildflowers and a population of the endangered southern rubber boa. The shallow lake reflects surrounding ponderosa pines and is especially photogenic during fall color.
Redlands, CA
Lincoln Memorial Shrine
The Lincoln Memorial Shrine in Smiley Park is the only museum and memorial west of the Mississippi dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. Designed by architect Elmer Grey and completed in 1932, the octagonal limestone building features a distinctive Romanesque-Egyptian style. The surrounding Smiley Park provides a mature tree canopy and adjacent reflecting pool.
Lake Arrowhead, CA
Deep Creek Hot Springs
Deep Creek Hot Springs consists of several natural geothermal pools along Deep Creek in the Mojave River watershed within the San Bernardino National Forest. The springs range from 100-108°F and sit beside the cold creek, creating steam effects in cooler weather. The area is accessed via a 4-mile trail through a rocky desert canyon with dramatic geological layering.
Twentynine Palms, CA
49 Palms Oasis
A desert oasis featuring native California fan palms accessible via a 3-mile round-trip trail in Joshua Tree National Park. The oasis sits in a sheltered canyon fed by a natural spring. The contrast between the lush palm grove and surrounding barren hillsides is striking.
Joshua Tree, CA
Joshua Tree Milky Way - Quail Springs
The Quail Springs picnic area in Joshua Tree National Park offers dark skies with minimal light pollution, making it one of the most accessible astrophotography locations in the park. Joshua trees and granite boulders provide excellent foreground subjects for night sky compositions. The park is a designated International Dark Sky Park.
Carlsbad, CA
Carlsbad Lagoon (Batiquitos Lagoon)
A 610-acre coastal lagoon and ecological reserve that supports nesting populations of California least terns, snowy plovers, and great blue herons. The lagoon trail on the south shore provides views of calm water with bird activity and native coastal sage scrub. Morning light across the still water creates excellent reflection opportunities.
Huntington Beach, CA
Huntington Beach Wetlands
A 132-acre coastal wetland preserve located along the Santa Ana River mouth and Brookhurst Marsh, providing critical habitat for migratory and resident shorebirds. The preserve features a network of levee trails and interpretive signage along restored tidal channels. Early morning mist often settles over the channels, creating atmospheric conditions for moody landscape photography.