Summer is just around the corner and what better way to spend your day than by getting outside and exploring a little? Here, in Los Angeles, we are fortunate enough to have A MILLION different adventures to go on. Here are some our favorite ways to spend our free time in our own backyard.

8389 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90048

While Magnolia Bakery is known for its Sex and the City-approved cupcakes, it’s the bakery’s creamy banana pudding that’s really its showstopper. If you haven’t tried it, trust us — this is going to easily become your new favorite dessert. (courtesy of: POPSUGAR.com)

1925 Las Virgenes Rd, Calabasas, CA 91302

An 8 mile in-and-out, exploring the lower canyon sections of Malibu Creek State Park. Lots of stream-side scenery, a few man-made lakes, spectacular Santa Monica Mountains scenery, and lots of side-trails make this an excellent area for a day hike or overnight. This has been and continues to be a popular place to shoot TV and movies — there are still a few remnants of the old M*A*S*H set here — and the creekside pools and rock formations are popular places for swimming and rock-climbing. (courtesy of: modernhiker.com)

                            Copyright: The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108

The Botanical Gardens are an ever-changing exhibition of color and a constant delight. Covering 120 acres, more than a dozen specialized gardens are arranged within a park-like landscape of rolling lawns. Among the most remarkable are the Desert Garden, the Japanese Garden (pictured above), the Rose Garden, and the Chinese garden. The camellia collection is one of the largest in the country. Other important botanical attractions include the Subtropical, Herb, Jungle, and Palm gardens.   (courtesy of: huntington.org)

 

6838 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028

The legendary El Capitan Theatre made its debut on May 3, 1926, as “Hollywood’s First Home of Spoken Drama.” and has been fully restored to its original elegance, boasting a Spanish Colonial exterior and a colorful and lavish East Indian interior designed by San Francisco architect G. Albert Lansburgh. The El Capitan Theatre experience often includes exclusive preshow entertainment, prop & costume exhibits, and many other fun surprises! (courtesy of: elcapitantheatre.com)