Rose Valley Falls, Ojai

For my birthday, my husband and I visited Ojai because we heard about the great hiking trails in the area.

We stopped by Bart's Books to purchase a map, but ended up whiling away hours perusing through all the used books. There are even books for sale on shelves lining the exterior of the building. Customers are asked to pay by an honors system. A sign reads "When closed, please throw coins in slot in the door for the amount marked on the book."

By the time we decided to head out, it was pretty late, so we settled on the one-mile, round-trip hike to Rose Valley Falls, a two-tiered waterfall that cascades about 300 feet over a sandstone cliff. Apparently, the waterfall, located outside of Ojai, is the largest in the Los Padres National Forest.

We drove the 15 miles out of Ojai on Highway 33 and turned off on Rose Valley Road, continuing another three miles to a road that forks off to the right and leads to Rose Valley Campground. There is no sign for the campground, but the road is located before the Rose Valley Work Camp. The trailhead is clearly marked inside the campground. Along the way, be sure to purchase an Adventure Pass at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center (all vehicles are required to display it).

We enjoyed hiking along the shaded trail, which follows a creek to the lower portion of the waterfall. I think we chose the perfect time to visit the falls -- in the spring after an especially rainy winter -- because there was a decent amount of water trickling over the mossy cliff.

Griffith Park

Ever since we moved to L.A. four years ago, my husband has wanted to visit Griffith Park Observatory.

I decided to surprise him with a trip to the observatory that combined a hike through the park.

We started at Fern Dell Drive off of Los Feliz Boulevard. Walking away from Los Feliz Boulevard, we followed a man-made creek and crossed wooden bridges to reach the trailhead, which forks to the right. As we hiked up the hill, we took in views of the Hollywood sign and downtown Los Angeles.

Once at the top, we explored the exhibits and saw the planetarium show, "Centered in the Universe." The show explores the big bang theory, black holes and our sister galaxy, Andromeda.

As a hiker and astronomy lover, it was the best way to spend a Saturday.

Sullivan Canyon

The other day, my husband and I discovered Sullivan Canyon trail, which is nicely shaded by willows, sycamore and oak trees and follows a seasonal creek.

As we hiked, we encountered numerous mountain bikers, so we constantly heard "on your left" or "on your right." We even saw a group riding what I would describe as mountain-bike unicycles, which are unicycles with rough-terrain tires.

For me, the best part of the 7.5-mile round-trip hike was finding a tree swing in a shaded grove to the right of the trail in the first half mile, and a rope swing a little further down the trail on the left-hand side. We had so much fun swinging on them that I felt like a kid again!

Directions: From the 405 Freeway, exit on Sunset going towards the beach, turn right on Mandeville Canyon, left on Westridge Road, left on Bayless, and left on Queensferry Road. There is parking, but it is limited, so read the signs carefully.

Will Rogers State Historic Park

Will Rogers State Historic Park is one of my favorite places to recreate in Los Angeles. I especially enjoy the three-mile loop that leads to Inspiration Point.

Legendary actor, humorist, columnist and cowboy Will Rogers lived with his family (his wife, Betty, and their three children, Will Jr., Mary and Jim) in a 31-room ranch house on the 186-acre property. Tours of the family's home are available Thursdays and Fridays, at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the top of the hour. Docents share stories about Rogers and talk about his art collection featuring notables Charles Russell and Edward Borein.

Today when I arrived at the park, I saw children kicking around soccer balls, throwing Frisbees and playing croquet on the large grassy lawn near Rogers' ranch house, while couples talked quietly over their picnic spreads.

Along my hike, I spotted six deer grazing next to Rogers' old horse stables. I took my time to appreciate this opportunity to see wildlife.

Once I reached Inspiration Point, I could see all the way to downtown Los Angeles, Century City, Santa Monica and Catalina Island. I have heard that Will Rogers often rode his horse to this very point.

This park, located at 1501 Will Rogers State Park Rd., is a peaceful getaway.

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park has 5 miles of trails across rocky bluffs with great views of the ocean and Catalina Island. The park features two beaches and a grassy area with picnic benches. My husband and I brought a picnic basket and enjoyed a nice lunch before hiking. As an ecological reserve, the park has spectacular tide pools. We saw a number of star fish, sea anemones and hermit crabs. The park is located at 5970 South Palos Verdes Drive, Rancho Palos Verdes.

Charmlee Wilderness Park

This past weekend, my husband and I hiked for the first time at Charmlee Wilderness Park, northwest of Malibu. It was a beautiful January day in Southern California, meaning the temperature was 80 degrees. We hiked to vistas with dramatic views of the Channel Islands and Catalina Island and picnicked in a shaded oak grove. This is the perfect hike for a sunny, clear day. The park is located at 2577 Encinal Canyon Road, off the Pacific Coast Highway. The 532-acre park includes a picnic area and has more than eight miles of hiking trails.