If there's one thing that defines southern California, it's the beaches. Yes, most beaches will be overcrowded and loud on Labor Day weekend, but no trip to Southern California would be complete without a day at the beach. Family-friendly Santa Monica Beach and pier and eclectic Venice Beach might not be the region's most attractive beaches, but they're LA staples and can't be missed. Moving south, Newport Beach is known for its body surfing opportunities, Manhattan Beach attracts a younger crowd looking for a hopping nightlife, and Laguna Beach is world famous for it's Orange County location, sprawling mansions and white-sand shoreline, though it can be a bit crowded. If you plan to be in the San Diego area and prefer empty beaches, check out Capistrano Beach Park. The upscale town of La Jolla is home to La Jolla Beach. Other San Diego beaches include family-friendly Mission Beach and Coronado Beach, consistently considered among America's best beaches.
Because of the warm weather, Labor Day weekend is a good time to explore some of Southern Caliornia's non-desert parks. Most California State Parks feature hiking trails, horseback riding trails, nature trails, bird and wildlife-watching, summertime interactive activities for both children and adults and both primitive and developed camping. RV and tent camping reservations can be made in advance online, and it's recommendable that you book your site at least a few months in advance if you plan to stay at any of Southern California's state parks during Labor Day weekend. Some of Southern California's state parks include Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Malibu Creek State Park, Palomar Mountain STate Park, Topanga State Park and Torrey Pines State Park.
Southern California's cities are known for their prime beach front location, their Spanish colonial influences and their laid-back, friendly natives. Santa Barbara, north of Los Angeles, is famous for it's Spanish colonial style mansions, historic landmarks, hiking opportunities, as well as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which attracts over 50,000 people every year. The sprawling city of Los Angeles is the United States' second largest city and is famous for tourist destinations such as Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive and Hollywood landmarks such as the Kodak Theater and the Hollywood sign. Just be sure to rent a car, as getting around LA by public transport or foot is a nightmare. Perhaps best known for being home to the San Diego Zoo as well as to a Spanish-style Old Town, San Diego is just 20 minutes north of the U.S.-Mexico border and is the perfect spot to spend the day at the beach or indulge in some tasty Mexican food and margaritas.
Napa and Sonoma may be America's best known wine growing regions, but Southern California has a surprising number of wineries and vineyards, many exporting their wines all over the country. Most Southern California wine regions are centered around the San Diego, Los Angeles, Ventura, and Temecula areas. The dry climate is reminiscent of that of other important wine growing regions like Spain and Portugal, the Temecula Valley wine growing region is particularly attractive with its low rolling hills and wide variety of mostly small, family-owned and operated wineries and vineyards.
Labor Day weekend in Southern California's desert regions can mean uncomfortable and unsafe temperatures, so it's best to stick to the coastal region during the summer months. Southern California is quite sunny and warm in summer; bring plenty of sunscreen and drink plenty of water. If you plan to hike or participate in outdoor activities in forested areas, bring along the bug repellent, as well as appropriate hiking shoes and clothes. Also, remember that Southern California is an extremely popular vacation destination, and hotel rooms and campsites tend to fill up quickly.
