Hostels Along California’s Coast

Coastal hostels offer a welcome alternative to campgrounds and hotels as you explore California’s Coastal Trail. Imagine brisk walks on the CCT while staying at a cozy, perhaps historic, hostel with an ocean view. Cook hot meals in a well-lit kitchen, sleep in a comfortable bed and meet friendly people from around the world. Each…

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California’s Coastal Conservancy

California’s Coastal Conservancy is a state agency that protects and improves coastal and San Francisco Bay natural resources and helps the public get to and enjoy the coast. It works in partnership with local governments, other public agencies, nonprofit organizations and private landowners. The Coastal Conservancy has undertaken more than 700 projects along California’s 1,100-mile…

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Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

The 150,000-acre Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA), established in 1978, preserves the region’s unique ecosystems and rich cultural and natural history. This beautiful, diverse area, bounded by Mugu Lagoon and the Oxnard Plain on the west, Conejo Valley and San Fernando Valley on the north, and the coast on the south, reaches all…

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Channel Islands National Park

On clear days a tantalizing vision appears as you hike the Santa Barbara or Ventura coastline. Five islands comprising Channel Islands National Park rise from the blue Pacific Ocean, sparking curiosity about what’s out there. While the five islands lie between 10 and 40 miles across the sea, extensive information about the park dwells few…

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The Case Against Shoreline Armoring

Shoreline erosion occurs as a natural process. The planet’s surface shifts in a dynamic, ever changing interplay of wind, water and earth. This constant movement plays out most dramatically and rapidly on the shoreline, creating circumstances for disaster. Crashing waves, exposed geology, fresh air, sandy beaches, and vivid scenery attract millions of people to the…

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