September 9, 2015

Beach Adventure

Written By Admin

Don’t let the title mislead you and have you rushing to put on your sunscreen and swimsuit to relax the day away to the sounds and sights of a Californian beach. 

While a beach, or aptly beaches, will be visited for a totally different experience, we at LA Active Adventures promise you a unique experience beginning with a drive through the hills. 

Most films today carry the logos of Paramount, Warner Bros, Sony, Dreamworks or Universal to name a few. The majority of these studios are built and set within the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. 

But long before green screens enabled film makers to avoid costly relocation film costs, if John Wayne wanted to ride his horse up into the hills in search of Indians, no downtown city back lot or stage could recreate this, so the filmmakers had to head to the mountains (hills)!!! 

Ever seen classics such as ‘Never Say Die’ with Bob Hope (1939) or ‘The Good Fellow’ (1943), or more recently, ‘Van Helsing’ (2003) and ‘The Lake House’ (2006)? 

Well, one of our stops is a hidden well kept secret that, due to its location, is normally never covered on a usual Hollywood tour nor can be found on any studio website. 

From the late 1920s until the late 1950s, this site was being used almost fulltime with crew and actors setting up camp here. 

The TV series ‘Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman’ starring the actress Jane Seymour was filmed here. Fortunately for you, most of the set is still standing. So forget the 21st century for a while, with a quick change into some costume pieces provided by LA Active Adventures, you’ll fit right in! 

Please, whatever you do, don’t fight over who gets to be the Sheriff! The jailhouse is already pretty crowded! 
Fantasy quickly resorts to reality as we slop on some sunscreen and head out of the hills towards the expanse of blue sea, and just in time for lunch too! 

After a short walk up a sandy path, we’ll take time out to sit, while enjoying a picnic and taking in the spectacular view from this advantageous point in preparation for the next stop of this adventure. 

This hike is less a journey down a rugged trail than a leisurely exploration of California’s coastal areas, although the climb down is far easier than the one up! 

But would you want to miss it? 

The tide pools that we will explore hide many a creature which are normally seen in an aquarium, but today you get to see them not only up close and personal but in their natural habitat. Huge starfish grip around and under rocks in anticipation of the returning tide. You will see mussels clustered together, crabs darting in and out of view in search of food and shade. In the distance you will hear the clanging of a nearby buoy, which provides a resting place for sunbathing seals ’til they dive back into the water. 

Though whale watching season is usually between January and March, if you are lucky enough there is a good chance of spotting dolphins swimming close to the shoreline.

Before we head home, take off your shoes and cool your feet in the sea, or take a stroll down the beach, find a shady spot to sit, and gaze out into the distance where you can see the island of Catalina. Some adventurers have been known to take a quick nap! 

Enjoy! “Sweet dreams are made of this” as Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics once sang.