The former estate of American humorist Will Rogers, this beautiful historic state park is a wonderful place to reconnect with nature. Pack a picnic and enjoy a day in the sun.

Palihouse Santa Monica is a sumptuous yet quirky boutique hotel in a revamped Spanish Colonial mansion. You will feel entirely at home as soon as you enter thanks to the cosy interiors. Rent a bike from the hotel and cycle all the way to Manhattan Beach.

On a sunny day (and you've got plenty to choose from in LA), hike the 4 mile trail out to the ruins of the Murphy Ranch. Built in the 1930s by Winona and Norman Stephens, this popular viewpoint has a dark history as the home of Nazi sympathisers. These days, it's been reclaimed as a monument of sorts - honouring those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.