Lifestyle
Hike from Santa Monica to San Diego without a tent. Here’s how to go inn-to-inn.
Approaching Laguna Beach on the hike from Newport Beach to San Clemente.
(Tom Courtney)
This charming stroll will transport you back to the 1930s, through popular Laguna Beach, with its throngs of tourists and stylish art galleries, to Dana Point, where fishing tourism is big business, and finally San Clemente, equally known for its regal Spanish architecture and surf spots.
As you amble past the rocky shores, you’ll glimpse seabirds, crabs, lobsters and seals. Here you can swim some of the finest beaches Orange County has to offer, so pack your bikini and swim trunks.
One of the best parts about this hike is getting off the sand and venturing up into the Dana Point Headlands Conservation Area, a 60-acre area with a preserve and a trail system. The trails are flanked by protected fields of unique native plants and animals (the Courtneys and I saw an adorable illustrated sign warning us to stay quiet, because the Pacific pocket mouse might be sleeping nearby), and you’ll be treated to shimmering views of the ocean as you loop through the preserve.
“There are so many beautiful gardens along the Southern California coast, but few protect the native habitat,” Heidi Courtney says. “It is thrilling to hike through the preserve with over 150 native plants and animals. Birds and other pollinators flock to salvia, buckwheat and yarrow. The dramatic silver-leafed Dudleya were blooming gloriously.”
Day 1: Newport Beach to Crystal Cove: 7.2 miles
The route: Start your day by perambulating lazily around the historic Dory Fleet Market, checking out the crab and seafood offerings. For early risers, the market opens at 5:30 a.m. Snag a cronut at the 24-hour Seaside Donuts Bakery or an açai bowl and a Nutella croissant at the Newport Coffee Co., which opens at 6:30 a.m. Powered by caffeine, begin your hike along the beach or the paved walking path to Palm Street, where you’ll turn left. Head toward the harbor, then take the $1 ferry to Balboa Island. Turn right on South Bay Front after departing the ferry, then turn left onto Marine Avenue and cross the bridge to the mainland. Turn right on Bayside Drive, then walk along that street past the yacht clubs and Coast Guard station, turning right on Fernleaf Avenue, which will take you up to Ocean Boulevard. There, you’ll turn left and head down the stairs across from Heliotrope Avenue to Corona Del Mar State Beach. From here, you can make it all the way to Crystal Cove if the tide is low; otherwise, walk on Ocean Boulevard, take a left on Poppy Avenue, take the PCH and head down the paved trail just past Pelican Point Drive, all the way to the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District.
Crystal Cove Beach Cottages on the hike from Newport Beach to San Clemente.
(Tom Courtney)
Where to stay: The Crystal Cove Beach Cottages are a charming collection of 1920s and 1930s cottages and the site of such Hollywood films as 1920’s “Treasure Island.” (If you can’t get reservations here, start early and combine the hikes for days 1 and 2 into an 11.8-mile hike). The cottages are first come, first serve, so book well in advance. You can get a dormitory-style room for $50 to $146 per night or splurge on a cottage to yourself for $228 to $320 per night.
Where to eat: Order ahi tacos, fried calamari and clam chowder at the Beachcomber, itself a quaint cottage with outdoor seating and spectacular sunset views.
Day 2: Crystal Cove to Laguna Beach. 4.6 miles
The route: Go as far as you can on the beach until cliffs block it, about 1.7 miles, then scramble up the hillside to the PCH, continuing along the sidewalk until you hit Crescent Bay Drive. Make a right and head to the end of the drive, where you’ll take two staircases down to Crescent Bay. If low tide is your friend, hike past picturesque rocky points, looking for tide pools full of sea creatures along the way; if not, climb the stairs just before Crescent Bay to the road and take the first right, cut through Heisler Park, where, depending on the time of year, you’ll find flower gardens exploding with roses, birds of paradise and deep blue Pride of Madeira, then take the stairs at the end to Laguna Beach. Consider an extra day’s stay in Laguna Beach to partake of all the pleasures it has to offer, including live music, dozens of indie art galleries and, if the timing is right, the Pageant of the Masters, where costumed actors re-create classic and contemporary paintings to the tune of a live orchestra.
Where to stay: Book a room or bungalow with a private patio at the Pacific Edge Hotel ($201 to $250, weekdays, $209 to $274 weekends), a modern stay right on the busy main street of Laguna Beach with views of the ocean from many rooms.
Where to eat: The all-day Deck on Laguna Beach (try the juicy mahi mahi sandwich) and the upscale seafood spot Driftwood Kitchen are both just steps from the hotel.
Day 3: Laguna Beach to Dana Point. 9.5 miles
The route: Sip your morning coffee as you watch some of the best surfing along the 200-mile SoCal Coast walkabout, with experts farther out catching waves up to 10 to 15 feet. Tread the sand of Laguna Beach past Halfway Rock to Cactus Point, the latter a rocky promontory with a tunnel near the surf line. Say goodbye to the beach for now just before Cactus Point, ascending the stairs with a black railing to Pearl Street and then turning right on Ocean Way. Turn left on Moss Street and right on the PCH, right on Victoria Drive and then take the stairs to wide, sandy Victoria Beach. Curve around Golf Island, a narrow peninsula with a hefty rock. Hike to Aliso Beach, heading up the stairs to the cliffs if the tide is high; there you’ll find the Lost Pier Cafe, a snack bar with burgers and other casual food. Round Aliso Point to a second set of stairs, which will take you up to West Street. Turn right on the PCH and stroll to Ritz Carlton Drive. Turn right and walk past the Ritz-Carlton (or you can stay the night, adding three miles to Day 4’s hike instead — and $2,000 to your budget). Take the stairs at the end of the parking lot to Bluff Park and Salt Creek Beach Park, then hike along the shore past a paved roadway that juts onto the beach. You can’t continue on the shore because of the cliffs at Dana Point, so take the stairs .3 mile before Dana Point. At the top, head straight up Ocean Front Lane and turn right on Dana Strand Road. Walk it until it ends, passing through a metal gate that will take you directly into Dana Point Preserve and its visitor center. After a brief stop there to learn about the preserve’s flora and fauna, turn right onto Cove Road and make your way to Dana Point Harbor.
Where to stay: The Dana Point Marina Inn ($125 to $175 weekdays, $144 to $279 on weekends), a modest motel with a small pool and free continental breakfast.
Where to eat: Chomp into crispy Alaskan cod and chips under the heat lamps at Jon’s Fish Market, a cafe that’s a seven-minute stroll from the inn.
Day 4: Dana Point to San Clemente. 6 miles.
San Clemente State Beach.
(Tom Courtney)
The route: Today’s hike takes you along a strip of wide sandy beaches. You’ll go from Doheny State Beach to Capistrano State Park to Poche Beach to San Clemente City Beach.
Start your day by heading from your hotel back to the shoreline at Doheny State Beach. If the tide is low, you’ll be able to wade across San Juan Creek and follow the shoreline all the way to San Clemente Pier. If it’s high tide, and you’re blocked by the seawall protecting the beach development near Poche Beach, head away from the beach toward the Amtrak rails, carefully stepping over them, and onto Park Lantern, walking along that street until it becomes Coast Highway Protected Trail. Alternatively, you can follow a paved bike path from Doheny State Beach to the pier.
Where to stay: The Casa Tropicana Inn ($289 weekdays, $339 weekends) at the San Clemente Pier.
Where to eat: Make your way down the picturesque pier at sunset and request a patio table at the Fisherman’s Restaurant and Bar, where burgers, poke bowls and local Left Coast amber lagers satisfy big appetites.
Mara is a single mother of two in Minnesota. She and her family have depended on SNAP benefits to make ends meet.
Caroline Yang for NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Caroline Yang for NPR
Although Mara is unemployed, she is busier than ever.
When she is not taking care of her two children, Mara is at her desk applying for jobs. She is surveying her belongings to see what she can pawn off to buy toiletries. Or she is sifting through bills, calculating which ones can wait and which need to be paid right away.
Soon, Mara, a single mom in Minnesota, may have another task on her busy schedule: figuring out how to afford food for her and her family.
That’s because of new work requirements for people receiving aid from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps.
“It would be so beyond hard” to lose SNAP benefits, Mara said. “Without SNAP, there’s no funds for food.” Mara asked for her last name to be withheld given the stigma tied to receiving government assistance. She is also worried that speaking publicly will affect her chances of getting a job.
Previously, SNAP recipients with children under 18 were exempt from work requirements mandating that recipients work, volunteer or participate in job training at least 80 hours a month. But now, under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, that exemption only applies to those with children under 14 — which is how old Mara’s youngest child turned in December.
“It would be so beyond hard” to lose SNAP benefits, Mara said.
Caroline Yang for NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Caroline Yang for NPR
The Trump administration has argued that the mission of the nation’s largest anti-hunger program has failed.
“SNAP was intended to be temporary help for those who encounter tough times. Now, it’s become so bloated that it is leaving fewer resources for those who truly need help,” the White House said in a statement in June.
But policy experts say the SNAP changes do not fully take into account the unique challenges faced by single parents like Mara or the sluggish job market in many parts of the country. They argue that losing food assistance will only create more barriers for recipients struggling to find work.
The timeline for implementing the new SNAP policy varies based on state and county. In Mara’s home state of Minnesota, recipients who don’t qualify for an exemption or meet work requirements will be at risk of losing assistance as early as April 1. Others may have more months depending on when they next need to certify they are eligible for benefits.
Over 100 job applications
Mara imagined she would have a job by now.
It was August when she was let go from her part-time administrative assistant role due to her workplace restructuring. Since then, Mara estimates that she has applied for over 100 positions. She has also attended job fairs and taken free workshops on resume writing.
She has been working since high school, she said, but “ I’ve never been out of work for more than one month, so it’s very difficult.”
Mara spends time working at the computer at CareerForce, a resource for job seekers in Minnesota, on March 4.
Caroline Yang for NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Caroline Yang for NPR
Although she misses her old job, Mara said it didn’t pay enough to support her and her kids, so she relied on SNAP benefits.
Many recipients are part of the low-wage labor market, where job security is often unpredictable and turnover tends to be high, according to Lauren Bauer, a researcher at the Brookings Institution who has studied SNAP extensively.
“SNAP is supposed to be there to help people smooth that and not let the bottom fall out when they experience job loss,” she said. “And this policy doesn’t account for that at all.”
Mara’s lowest point came in November when the government shutdown led to disruptions in SNAP benefits. Not only was she searching for a new job, but she was constantly figuring out where to get her family’s next meal.
“I might be looking for food stuff during the day when I should have been looking for a job,” she said. “Then, I’m trying to make up that time in the evening after my kids go to bed.”
During the pause, Mara turned to food banks, which revealed other challenges. First, food pantries do not always provide enough for an adult and two growing teenagers, she said. Second, they often lack gluten-free foods, which is essential for her daughter who has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that causes digestive problems if gluten is consumed. Gluten-free products tend to be more expensive.
If Mara loses access to SNAP again because of the new work requirements, she fears another stretch of long days spent looking for the right food and enough to feed her family.
“I would be so reliant on looking for food shelves or food banks,” she said. “There would not be time to even live.”
“We’re going to see increases in poverty. We’re going to see increases in food insecurity”
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that roughly 2.4 million people will lose food benefits in a typical month over the next decade as a result of the new SNAP requirements — including 300,000 parents like Mara with children 14 or older.
Gina Plata-Nino, the SNAP director at the nonprofit Food Research & Action Center, says many of the affected recipients will be single mothers who make up a majority of single parent households in the U.S. She added that the changes target a group that often lacks or struggles to afford a support system to help care for their children.
“How can they have a full-time job when they need to pick up their children [for] various activities?” she said. “And they are working — just not enough hours because they need to be there present for their children.”
Mara shops for groceries at a local discount grocery store.
Caroline Yang for NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Caroline Yang for NPR
The new law also imposes work requirements on veterans, homeless people, young adults aging out of foster care, and able-bodied adults without dependents from ages 55 to 64.
It also toughened the criteria for waiving work requirements for recipients in areas with high unemployment. Previously, there were multiple ways to determine a weak labor market and secure a waiver. Now, it only applies to places with an unemployment rate above 10%. (Alaska and Hawaii have a different measure.)
For those who fail to meet the work requirement, SNAP provides assistance for up to three months within a three-year span. But Bauer from the Brookings Institution argues that it is not enough and the impact of SNAP changes will be widespread.
“We’re going to see increases in poverty. We’re going to see increases in food insecurity. We’re going to see increasing strain on the charitable food sector,” she said.
Mara holds her favorite anchor ring, which carries the inscription, “God for me provide thee.”
Caroline Yang for NPR
hide caption
toggle caption
Caroline Yang for NPR
As anxiety hangs over her head, Mara tries to put on a brave face for her children. She does not want them to worry, explaining that her recent struggles have reminded her how tough life can get as an adult.
“I remind them it’s not their responsibility and they’re not accountable for me or for what’s happening,” she said. “I say, just know you get to be a kid.”
Dylan Dreyer
Savannah Will Likely Come Back … Just Not Sure When
Published
TMZ.com
Dylan Dreyer is giving a small update on her embattled “Today” co-host, Savannah Guthrie, as the search continues for Savannah’s mom, Nancy — telling TMZ she does believe she’ll likely return to the show at some point.
We caught Dylan leaving NBC Tuesday afternoon, and she said while she thinks Savannah will come back, the timing is totally unclear — adding everyone at the show is simply giving her the space she needs because they care about her so much.
TMZ.com
Dylan also reflected on Savannah’s emotional visit to the “TODAY” studio last Thursday, saying the hug they shared was something they both really needed in that moment.
Catch the full clip — Dylan says the visit was incredibly emotional, adding Savannah clearly wants to get back to some sense of normal life … she just doesn’t quite know how yet.
Still, Savannah managed a few smiles during the brief stop by the studio, doing her best to keep moving forward during an incredibly tough time.
TMZ.com
As we reported, Nancy was taken from her Tucson home in the middle of the night on February 1. She was last seen entering the house just before 10 PM on January 31 after dinner with her daughter Annie and Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni.
Kevin Kline plays actor Richard Bean, and Laura Linney is his sister-in-law Kristen, in American Classic.
David Giesbrecht/MGM+
hide caption
toggle caption
David Giesbrecht/MGM+
American Classic is a hidden gem, in more ways than one. It’s hidden because it’s on MGM+, a stand-alone streaming service that, let’s face it, most people don’t have. But MGM+ is available without subscription for a seven-day free trial, on its website or through Prime Video and Roku. And you should find and watch American Classic, because it’s an absolutely charming and wonderful TV jewel.
Charming, in the way it brings small towns and ordinary people to life, as in Northern Exposure. Wonderful, in the way it reflects the joys of local theater productions, as in Slings & Arrows, and the American Playhouse production of Kurt Vonnegut’s Who Am I This Time?
The creators of American Classic are Michael Hoffman and Bob Martin. Martin co-wrote and co-created Slings & Arrows, so that comparison comes easily. And back in the early 1980s, Who Am I This Time? was about people who transformed onstage from ordinary citizens into extraordinary performers. It’s a conceit that works only if you have brilliant actors to bring it to life convincingly. That American Playhouse production had two young actors — Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon — so yes, it worked. And American Classic, with its mix of veteran and young actors, does, too.
American Classic begins with Kevin Kline, as Shakespearean actor Richard Bean, confronting a New York Times drama critic about his negative opening-night review of Richard’s King Lear. The next day, Richard’s agent, played by Tony Shalhoub, calls Richard in to tell him his tantrum was captured by cellphone and went viral, and that he has to lay low for a while.
Richard returns home to the small town of Millersburg, Pa., where his parents ran a local theater. Almost everyone we meet is a treasure. His father, who has bouts of dementia, is played by Len Cariou, who starred on Broadway in Sweeney Todd. Richard’s brother, Jon, is played by Jon Tenney of The Closer, and his wife, Kristen, is played by the great Laura Linney, from Ozark and John Adams.
Things get even more complicated because the old theater is now a dinner theater, filling its schedule with performances by touring regional companies. Its survival is at risk, so Richard decides to save the theater by mounting a new production of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, casting the local small-town residents to play … local small-town residents.
Miranda, Richard’s college-bound niece, continues the family theatrical tradition — and Nell Verlaque, the young actress who plays her, has a breakout role here. She’s terrific — funny, touching, totally natural. And when she takes the stage as Emily in Our Town, she’s heart-wrenching. Playwright Wilder is served magnificently here — and so is William Shakespeare, whose works and words Kline tackles in more than one inspirational scene in this series.
I don’t want to reveal too much about the conflicts, and surprises, in American Classic, but please trust me: The more episodes you watch, the better it gets. The characters evolve, and go in unexpected directions and pairings. Kline’s Richard starts out thinking about only himself, but ends up just the opposite. And if, as Shakespeare wrote, the play’s the thing, the thing here is, the plays we see, and the soliloquies we hear, are spellbinding.
And there’s plenty of fun to be had outside the classics in American Classic. The table reads are the most delightful since the ones in Only Murders in the Building. The dinner-table arguments are the most explosive since the ones in The Bear. Some scenes are take-your-breath-away dramatic. Others are infectiously silly, as when Richard works with a cast member forced upon him by the angel of this new Our Town production.
Take the effort to find, and watch, American Classic. It’ll remind you why, when it’s this good, it’s easy to love the theater. And television.
4Warn Weather Alert issued for Wednesday morning in Metro Detroit — What this means
Court document details attack on SF mayor’s bodyguard as Lurie responds to incident
Cowboys Team Doctor Played Role in Maxx Crosby-Ravens Trade Debacle
2-year-old boy bitten in face by two pit bulls in Miami Gardens backyard, police say
Shay Maloney’s overtime goal lifts Boston Fleet to road victory
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
EXCLUSIVE: ICE says El Paso detention facility will stay open under new contractor after $1.2B deal scrapped
Von der Leyen ‘acting outside of competence,’ Araud tells Euronews
Wheelchair curler Steve Emt’s path from drunk driver to three-time Paralympian
Map: 2.3-Magnitude Earthquake Reported North of New York City
Trump stirs GOP primary drama with visit to Massie’s Kentucky home turf
-
Wisconsin1 week agoSetting sail on iceboats across a frozen lake in Wisconsin
-
Massachusetts1 week agoMassachusetts man awaits word from family in Iran after attacks
-
Pennsylvania6 days agoPa. man found guilty of raping teen girl who he took to Mexico
-
Detroit, MI5 days agoU.S. Postal Service could run out of money within a year
-
Miami, FL7 days agoCity of Miami celebrates reopening of Flagler Street as part of beautification project
-
Sports7 days agoKeith Olbermann under fire for calling Lou Holtz a ‘scumbag’ after legendary coach’s death
-
Virginia7 days agoGiants will hold 2026 training camp in West Virginia
-
Culture1 week agoTry This Quiz on the Real Locations in These Magical and Mysterious Novels