Southern Promise

Come for the food, stay for the beaches

Everyone loves a triumphant winner. Which is why competitions in food supremacy between cities and regions are always couched in such combative terms: throwdowns, smackdowns and...

Town and Country

Taking in all of San Diego County

The 5 is a freeway we’d prefer to spend as little time on as possible. Which is why we take trips to San Diego County rather than only the city itself (click here to see our...

Ventura's Pearl

A trip to San Buenaventura State Beach

We love our local oysters. The Lunas, Blondes and other oysters raised by Carlsbad Aquafarm are bivalve delights, but slurping them at their freshest, on the street at the Santa...

Cider House Rules

Keeping tradition alive in Oak Glen

History is tucked away behind a stack of boxes labeled "CALIFORNIA APPLES" at Law's Cider Mill. There, you'll notice a motorized cast-iron cider press, a mid-century relic that...

Northern Bounty

Skip the L.A. markets and head for Santa Barbara

The Central Valley may be the nation's breadbasket, but those who frequent the Los Angeles farmers' markets know that Ventura and Santa Barbara counties also contend for that...

SLO Down

Escape to the San Luis Obispo County coast

When considering San Luis Obispo County as a travel destination, wine-rich Paso Robles is the preferred place for food lovers. We're drawn to another part of the county, however:...