Gus's Jerky is a small red & white shop off the 395 covered in stickers like the backside of a skateboard. 

This gorgeous backpack is crafted using hand-loomed wool rugs from Oaxacan, Mexico. There are several colorful designs to choose from, and the leather reinforcements make it durable and built to last. 

The ghost town of Amboy was once a major stop along Route 66 until Interstate 40 was opened. The city only has 10 remaining buildings, Roy's gas station and motel cafe being the biggest landmarks. You can stop in for a Root Beer and wander through some of the abandoned hotel rooms with art installations.

Red rock canyon lies right off the 14 and features gorgeous multi-colored rock formations. The facade is swirling mix of reds and whites. The park is located where the southernmost tip of the Sierra Nevada converges with the El Paso Mountains.

Experience Mammoth Lakes for a weekend summer trip. Instead of a relaxing in a cabin with hot totties and hot tubs, switch it up and go tent camping and enjoy the sunshine under the stars. 

Elmer’s bottle tree ranch is just off highway 40 on Route 66. It’s a plot of land filled will artistic trees made from old collected bottles and found objects. Elmer inherited these bottles from his father who collected them and other antiques. He turned this junk into over 200 art installations free for all to explore.

Amboy Crater is a 6,000-year-old cinder cone volcano that rises above a lava field. I loved seeing all the plants spring up from the black lava forms. New life sprouted from the darkness.

Santa Barbara is a quick two hour drive from L.A.. Better yet, you can take the Surfliner, a train that goes through a lot of California’s major coastal cities. The Pacific Surfliner drops you off in Santa Barbara’s Funk Zone, a wino’s dream.

Two benches sit perched on a mountain facing the sea. I’ve been lucky enough to experience this on a less traveled day. It’s quiet, breathtaking, and feels so far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city below.

There are over 120 rock climbing routes on high quality volcanic rock in Malibu Creek Canyon, and it’s considered some of the best rock climbing in Southern California. 

Kern River is near Bakerfield, and highly unknown by most Angelinos (L.A. residents). It has an loads of outdoor activities like mountain-biking, hiking, tubing, white water kayak and rafting, and rock-climbing.