There’s the obvious: the beach. What else in this big, beautiful state is worth going to while the weather’s still great(er than usual)?
US Open of Surfing — Until July 28
The Vans US Open of Surfing is going on now on Huntington Beach. In addition to surfing's best men and women, there's also BMX and skating competitions, art and live music, including a Modest Mouse performance — all for free.
Source: usopenofsurfing.com
Catalina Island
The most populated of the Channel Islands, Catalina Island includes the little town of Avalon, a lot of golf carts, great scuba diving, a herd of wild buffalo (for real) and a monument to the Wrigleys, of gum fame. It's just an hour's ferry from various Los Angeles ports, or you can splurge and take a helicopter.
Source: Doug van Kampen / via: Compfight
Hollywood Forever Cemetery Film Screenings — Saturday nights through August 24
Each Saturday night through the summer's end, Cinespia hosts great, picnic-friendly screenings of classic and cult movies at Los Angeles' Hollywood Forever Cemetery. (Coming up: Caddyshack and Back to the Future.) In a similar vein, check out this summer's diverse concert lineup at the Hollywood Bowl.
Source: cinespia.org
Breweries
There's no better time than summer to get to know some of the state's many craft breweries: from Santa Rosa's Russian River to Buellton's Firestone Walker; from Petaluma's Lagunitas to San Diego's Green Flash. Escondido's Stone Brewing will host their 17th Annual Anniversary and Invitational Beer Festival August 15 – 17.
Source: craftbrewingbusiness.com
