Kirsten Anderberg's
SOUTHERN CA URBAN ADVENTURES

Welcome to my Urban Adventures Index Page! You can search here for fun things to do in the Southern CA area by geographic area (Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Clarita, etc.), or type of adventure (historic place, geologic interest, spiritual experience, beach/ocean, desert, etc.), or by the name of the place/adventure (Staircase Beach, Foster Bowl, Paradise Cove, etc.).

I have come to value "play" in my older age and have found a wealth of fun all over the Southland that I would like to share with people. Many of these places I learned about as a child growing up in the Los Angeles/San Fernando Valley/Santa Clarita Valley areas, some of them I stumbled upon by accident, others I discovered via word of mouth...Most of the adventures I enjoy have something to do with history or nature. Often people come to the L.A. area and are overwhelmed with ads for the same 20 attractions, while Southern CA has so much more to offer people than amusement parks and shopping centers. We have world-class museums and performance halls, there are islands and mountains and the ocean and deserts...

Below are some of the places I have written about on my Urban Adventures webpages. And make sure to check out the index pages for more adventures, they are arranged by geographic area, type of adventure, and name. Enjoy!

"The Staircase Beach" in Malibu, CA is a secluded public beach that gets its name from the steep and winding path one takes from PCH down to the beach. (Photo: K. Anderberg, March 8, 2010)

The Pacific Coast Highway ("PCH") has been long noted for its beauty as it passes through Malibu. Malibu is composed of beautiful, relatively undeveloped canyons throughout the Santa Monica Mountain range to the east, and has gorgeous cliffs and beaches to the west facing the Pacific Ocean. Malibu can be rather confusing for someone attempting to just visit a Malibu beach. There are many public beaches throughout Malibu, and each has its own flavor. "The Staircase" is a surfers' favorite, and when I have been there I have seen people windsurfing and also surfing there. The beach is very rocky and the tide can come in close to the rock cliff, so be careful of the tides!

Anacapa Island

Anacapa Island is located about 17 miles from the city of Ventura, CA. A 1 1/2 hour boat ride out to the island is often met with schools of dolphins, pelicans, seals, sea lions and otters, and even whales. Parts of Anacapa are currently open to the public, and camping is available though the National Parks Services.

Tower at WSHart Park in Newhall, facing east, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background (Photo: K. Anderberg, Jan. 29, 2008)

Road Runner up on Ridge Route 1/4 mile north of Castaic, CA (Photo: K. Anderberg, 2009)

A San Fernando Mission billboard circa 1961. This photo is from the San Fernando Valley History Digital Library.