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Aerial Tramway. Some 54 miles of trails await, including a tiring but nontechnical route up to the San Jacinto Peak (10,804ft). Palm Springs itself delivers fantastic hiking in winter among the palm groves of the Indian Canyons and Tahquitz Canyon. In the cooler months, hiking is also excellent in Joshua Tree National Park with its trippy lunar landscapes of trails skirting giant boulders, palm oases and the shaggy trees that seem to have leapt from a Dr Seuss book. Death Valley landscapes are harsh but surprisingly unhellish, ranging from rugged canyons to sand dunes, shady valleys to windswept mountain tops.

Though Orange County has been mostly developed, you can find good day-hiking in places such as Crystal Cove State Park in Newport Beach. If you’re heading to Laguna Beach, check out the West Ridge Trail, where you can enjoy gorgeous ocean views while trekking along a ridgeline high above the picturesque little town.

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And it’s not only gray whales that make appearances. Blue, humpback and sperm whales, and tons of dolphins, can be seen frolicking offshore through the summer and fall, but these spottings are not to be as predictable as the grays.

The whales tend to stay closer to shore on their southbound leg, so your best chances of catching a glimpse are in December and January. You can try your luck while staying shore-bound – it’s free, but you’re less likely to see them and you’ll be rather removed from the action. Point San Vicente on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in LA, San Diego’s Cabrillo National Monument and Cavern Point on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park are famous viewing spots, but you could get just as lucky somewhere else.

Spotting a whale from a distance is fun but not comparable to the excitement of seeing one up close during a whale-watching trip. Half-day trips (from $20 to $35 per adult and $15 to $20 per child) range from 2½ to four hours, and all-day trips range from $75 to $100, with some including meals. Look for a tour that limits the number of people and has a trained naturalist on board. Don’t forget binoculars.

Choppy seas can be nauseating for some landlubbers. To avoid seasickness, sit outside on the second level – not too close to the diesel fumes in back. Over-the-counter motion-sickness pills (eg Dramamine or Bonine) are effective but will make you drowsy. Acupressure wristbands work for some people, as does chewing ginger. Staring at the horizon, though, will likely give you little relief, no matter what you’ve heard.

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Since its introduction in 1997 the National Forest Adventure Pass has raised almost $25 million. The funds are used to improve facilities, trails and signs; increase public safety; clean up graffiti and litter; and other projects.

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CYCLING & MOUNTAIN BIKING

Strap on your helmet! Southern California is superb cycling territory, no matter whether you’re off on a leisurely spin along the beach, an adrenaline-fueled mountain exploration or a multiday bike-touring adventure. Avoid the mountains in winter and the desert in summer. Be aware of your skill and fitness level and plan accordingly.

Southland cities are not terribly bike-friendly, Santa Barbara and Palm Springs being exceptions. Mountain bikers will find fine destinations in the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles as well as Crystal Cove State Park and Aliso & Woods Canyon Park in Laguna Beach. Speed freaks sing the praises of Snow Summit at Big Bear Lake.

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For information on freeway access for bicyclists, a guide to bicycle touring in California and to download free maps, go to www.cabobike.org.

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Fabulous paved beach trails include the South Bay Trail in Los Angeles, the path from Huntington State Beach to Bolsa Chica State Beach in Orange County, and the beachfront bike path along Cabrillo Blvd in Santa Barbara.

Bikes are usually not allowed in designated wilderness areas and are limited to paved roads in national parks. An exception is Death Valley National Park, where Titus Canyon makes for