I had an amazing experience at Divers West! I have always wanted to scuba but it was a little scary…read moreto me, but my teenage son and I decided to do it together. I'm so glad we chose Divers West! The owner Javier is personable and helpful, and I learned so much from him and bought some great gear. (Support your local dive shop!) Our instructors were incredible - we had Mark Kempe for the pool dive instructions, and Emerson Martínez for the ocean dives. Mark has been diving forever it seems and he got us off to a great start. And Emerson has tons of experience and we felt very confident with him in the ocean and at Catalina. Our dive master Reed was fantastic - I confess I got a little panicked in the ocean when water got in my mask as I descended, and Reed came back up with me and got me totally calmed down and talked me through it all, and I was able to descend like a pro. Thank you, Reed! You made all the difference. I feel like a whole new world has opened up to us!! Hint: if you have a big roller bag, bring it instead of the bag you get from Divers West! The gear is so heavy and even though we pay to have it transported on Catalina Island, it was just so heavy to bring from the car onto the ferry, off the ferry to the transport truck, and then back again at the end of the day when you're so tired. Just toss the DW bag with all its gear into the roller bag and you will be so happy. You're gonna love this dive shop! ps I also heard about the group Sole Searchers in Pasadena that meets once a month for dinner and plans bunches of trips together. Fun!

I had such an amazing experience with my first time ever diving. Signing up for the class from the…read morewebsite is easy and navigating around the course is simple as well. Even if you are completely new to diving, the courses very well prepare you for what to expect and possible hazards that you could encounter. Some basics: -Get a mask that fits -You'd need to experiment with different fins that match your swimming style. -Get the hose with a valve, you'll need it when youre hitting the real waves. -Buy the boots with the extra layers; your feet and fins will thank you. -Always use defog every time you can because it will fog every time it could. -Remember to breathe. -Have a separate bag for your valuables. My class' instructor was Mark Kempe, and he was the most personable person I've ever interacted with. He loves talking about VR (Half-Life: Alyx) and software - he loves that stuff. He also used to fly planes, ride bikes - pretty much everything - he's done it. Javier, the owner, is such a cool guy too. Tons of fun experience to share and encourages you to join them, too. He likes flight simulator games. haha We started off with 2 days of pool diving. We got familiar with our gear, practice basic skills, we even got to play around with the extra air we have left to get comfortable. Same thing was with day 2 - we picked up where we left off and we just had the rest of the time to continue practicing the skills that we could improve on. Day 3 - it was at Veterans Park, Redondo Beach. It was raining too, and it added to the already fun trip. I felt very comfortable with what ive learned in the pool and i was actually pretty excited for our first open water dive. Got to see an octopus. Remember, to walk on your feet until you cant walk anymore and then put your fins on. Dont be afraid of the open water and stay close with your buddy. Day 4 - CATALINA! When you get to Catalina, USE THE TRANSPORT SERVICE - its SUPER WORTH IT. They will pick up and load one bag and transport it to and from the dive site and they will even store it for you until you are ready to leave - it will save your back and it will save your energy. At the dive site, you dont even have to go far to see the beautiful stuff - its right there when you hit the water! Mark even saw a technical diver with the advance gear and had him show us how it works and how its different. I think that person was a technical level diver and he also explained everything very well. WE GOT TO SEE THE BLACK SEA BASS!!! OMG. I cant wait to make new friends and go on more dives. This opens a whole new world of opportunity and adventure for me, and its only going to get better and more fun from here.

LA Conservation Corps "Paddle the River" is a great organization to inquire about using kayaks to…read morenavigate parts of the Los Angeles River. In order for a water way to be protected by the Environmental Protection Agency, it must be proved to be navigable, and Paddle the River reinforces the safe keeping of our only major waterway from pollution by industries, illicit dumping, etc. LA Conservation Corps provides other excellent services by employing young people who need jobs & provides job training skills for those who really need those skills that they may not have acquired earlier in their education. Some of us were not skilled in maneuvering a kayak even after an initial briefing. So one of the staff members patiently towed the kayak with the person in it upstream. Of course, downstream, the kayak could just float back to the point of origination. All the other staff members were also friendly, helpful, attentive to what needed to be done. This adventure is for kayaking beginners so advanced participants will consider this course to be a breeze. This was my first time on the LA River downstream from the Tillman Water Reclamation plant which also provides water for the Japanese Gardens as well as water for the LA River in the San Fernando Valley. Traversing the river at that point, it seems natural w/ trees lining its banks, herons & other water birds, quietness where only the occasional bird call can be heard & light, gentle breeze can be felt. Hard to believe that sometimes only a few hundred feet away hidden behind steep river banks or dense brush that parking lots & buildings abound. Great way to sample another multifaceted aspect of Los Angeles on a leisurely weekend afternoon. If there is time before or after, visit the Japanese Gardens w/ views of the "Star Trek Academy" just a mile or so away. 4 Yelp stars.

"When you start separating people from their rivers, what have you got? Bureaucracy!" - Jack…read moreKerouac, On the Road Begun in 2011 by the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, Paddle the LA River is the first non-motorized boating pilot program authorized by the US Army Corp of Engineers to operate on the Los Angeles River at the Sepulveda Recreation Basin. They offer two tours: a 1.5 mile long one-way tour that takes approximately 2 1/2 hours and a short roundtrip that takes about 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Tickets are $25 and $50, respectively, plus nominal fees and available via their website. In addition, the Hidden Los Angeles website occasionally announces additional tickets as dates become available. I did the long tour today and loved it. The kayaking itself is easy since you go with the flow of the river and the guides help you across the shallows (which is a lot of fun in and of itself). Along the way you'll almost certainly see egrets and ducks if not turtles, fish and heron. While pretty scenery, the real import of the program is in coming to appreciate the ways in which the taming of the river came to allow Los Angeles into becoming the megalopolis that it has become. Also, it's a reminder of the wilderness that still exists in and around this county of 10 million residents. For lovers of LA, this is a must-do if you're able to get a ticked during their short July-September season.

Twelve years ago, I walked into Ocean Safari already certified but honestly not a diver yet. I'd…read morehad a bad certification experience at another shop a couple of years earlier, and it completely destroyed my confidence. My gear sat untouched for two years because I was scared to dive again. Eventually I worked up the courage to walk in and ask to join a local dive trip, I had my card, so I figured I should be able to do it. Somehow Gabe, Soo, and the team recognized exactly where I was and never once made me feel embarrassed about it. They patiently filled in the gaps in my training, helped me work through the things that scared me, and gave me the confidence I'd been missing all along. Looking back, it feels like they quietly re-certified me without ever making me feel like I had to start over. That changed everything. Diving went from something I was afraid of to one of the great passions of my life. With Gabe's mentorship and encouragement, I eventually moved overseas and spent a few years working as a scuba instructor, something I never would have imagined when I first walked into that shop. Over the years, Ocean Safari has become so much more than a dive shop. It's a community and a second home. My parents learned to dive here. Years later, I brought my boyfriend in to get certified, and he's now my husband. We still dive with Gabe, Soo, and the Ocean Safari family regularly. They gave me the confidence I needed to actually become a diver, introduced me to lifelong friends, and gave me a community that still feels like home. Thank you, Gabe, Soo, and everyone at Ocean Safari. You've had a bigger impact on my life than you'll probably ever know.

I have used a handful of shops around SoCal over the last ten years. These guys are the only ones…read morewho have never let me down. We found them initially in search of a new wetsuit that no other shops had in my size at the time. When we arrived and my wife saw the suit I was getting, she insisted on the same new one also! Very professional. Have had my gear serviced here twice. Both times every thing came back timely, in perfect working order. I cannot recommend this shop enough, I drive 90 minutes each way to make certain the job gets done right. We do our diving in the Caribbean so when something isn't right, it creates a significant issue. We have used 3 other shops nearby before we found Ocean Safari, and 3 times we had issues a long way from home. Thank you again for your professionalism and dependability. .

Not enough reviews on the fishing guides out here! We were a bit worried about cold calling a…read morecharter guide, because I've heard some horror stories. Talked to a close friend who's a guide in Utah and he said he'd heard good things about captain John so we pulled the trigger. My wife and I went out with captain John today. He was a great guy and we really enjoyed our time with him. We went for a half day trip, and John spent a lot of time helping me look for a shark since I've always wanted to catch one. He was even able to help me catch a little tiny one which was fun for us even though it may not be for people that catch lots of sharks. We caught fish constantly all day. Id say we must have caught at least 20-30 fish in our half day all varying in size and color which was fun too. His deckhand Ulises was a stud too. Fun dudes to hang out with and definitely would suggest booking with them! It's a safe bet.

I had an extraordinary day, and the captain and staff were great. They helped me bait my line and…read morehelped me take off the fish I caught. One more thing, they cleaned my fish and had a delicious dinner.

Awesome experience @ stoney point. Our guide Kelvin was awesome and very knowledgeable. Highly…read morerecommend for a great climbing experience.

Rappelling fun!! We had an early start meeting two guides and the rest of the group at the visitor…read morecenter at Joshua Tree Park. I have a fear of heights so go figure...I chose to do this, but glad I did. With that said, the guides and the others in the group were extremely supportive, fun and safe. We rappelled from two rock formations: the first I considered the practice run; the second the real deal at about 100 feet. Be ready for a full day - we met at 7:45AM and ended about 2:45PM. A few of us from the group and the guides went to lunch afterwards. It was an awesome experience, am sure to do it again and would recommend these two guides (Olga and Carlos) for anything. RP

This was definitely a medium to hard trail in the summer because of the heat and some of the areas…read morethat require one's attention as there is a hillside next to you. We started at 9am ish and I would definitely start at 7am in the future because of the heat in august. The water fall was still there! People got in and the water was refreshing and cool. We found that tadpoles were transforming into frogs in the water so I recommend mindfulness to not step on them as they learn how to properly swim! Tips from our hike and waterfall visit: - we had sufficient water and first aid kit - we took various water breaks - we added mosquito repellent as are some - we had all trails gps to help us navigate trail first time - bring shoes with good ankle support - I would bring electrolytes next time - I would do 3-4-snacks vs. 1-2 next time

Birthday Shaynanigans at Tujunga Falls !!…read more Decided to go on a little adventure on my birthday and got out of San Diego to explore Tujunga Falls. Don't forget to get an adventure pass if you plan to park alongside the road or you'll get a ticket ! It's October so the falls were DRY. Boo. I would love to go back when we get a bit more rainfall, because the waterfalls were non-existent at this time. We ended up calling it 'invisible' falls. Other than that, the hike was great ! It's about 6 miles round trip and took us about 3 hours including taking pictures and testing out a friend's drone ! He's sooo cool ! LOL. Plenty of breathtaking views and the trails were wide enough for a group of hikers. Things to note: Start early so you can avoid the heat ! This will determine how long the hike will take you ! The sun was unforgiving so be prepared ! 'Trail' and 'waterfall' signs will help guide your way ! You'll also notice cabins at the beginning of the trail. After about a mile, you'll experience more of an incline so make sure to stay hydrated. There's barely any shade on this trail so bring a hat and sunscreen as well ! Poison ivy everywhere ! I had a traumatic experience in 6th grade camp when I got poison ivy. I made sure to cover my arms and legs this time just to take precaution. Rattlesnakes !!! We spotted one !!! Eek !! Be cautious of your surroundings. Unstable log bridges !! There was barely any water so hopping on the logs was an option, but do be careful because some are barely stable. Good to have some proper hiking shoes for this. Overall, most of the crossings and lack of water made it easy to traverse. As we got closer to the falls, we found a major descent and a climbing rope which guided us towards the waterfall (or invisible fall). The rope helped aid us up and down the mountain which was great ! Once you reach the waterfall (invisible falls) you'll enjoy the much needed shade and it was a perfect spot to take a fruit break ! We packed some oranges and apples with us ! There's plenty of spots to sit, relax, and enjoy nature ! Overall, it was a pretty good workout for moderate and advanced hikers ! We definitely made a few stops to take pictures and videos of our surroundings ! It was so calm and peaceful ! Perfect time to enjoy mother nature ! We will definitely come back to experience the REAL DEAL of the waterfalls ! Go out there and hike friends !!

Pretty great. There are fire pits and picnic tables at each site. The pit bathrooms were in pretty…read moregood shape.

-First come first serve. -Trust system $12 fee paid in a…read morebox at the entrance -This campground is small and intimate which is actually really nice. -There's no water faucet on site. -Porta potty with swarms of flies living inside. Gnarly! - Not much shade!! It is so hot in June -Dogs are allowed. It was cool for a quick weekend getaway but I think Id rather drive out of LA a little longer for a campground with amenities.

We have been fishing with Jeremy and his crew for several years now. Honestly I wouldn't fish…read moreanother boat out of Los Angeles (and we've been on several for comparison). The captains are adept at putting you on the fish, the crew is polite and does great at attending to newcomers to fishing so everyone feels welcome and has a good time. There are a lot of regulars on the boat (which says a lot about the business because we keep coming back). There is always plenty of bait, the crew is super helpful and the galley is well stocked with great food. Fabian is a fantastic captain just like Jeremy. Also check out the smaller 6 pack boat Free Spirit owned by Jeremy and his son Jackson. We've had a lot of fun on that boat as well and always come home with a cooler full. If you are in the LA area and want to come home with fish, get on this boat for sure.

****Edit (trip was for 3/4 day 6:30am on 10/19) tuna talked about were bullet tuna…read more Also the deck hand sprayed both my brand new reels with the large salt water hose used to clean the deck while we were in between fishing spots**** Disappointed is an understatement. I recently went out on a 3/4-day trip aboard the Spitfire, and unfortunately, it was one of the most disappointing charter experiences I've had in over a decade of fishing throughout the OC/LA area. From the captain down to the deckhands, the lack of professionalism, work ethic, and customer service was astonishing. The deckhands were young, timid, and barely communicated with passengers. They showed little initiative, spent much of the trip standing around, and seemed completely uninterested in doing anything beyond the bare minimum. Their attitude made it seem as though this was more of a casual hobby than a job they took seriously. On the rare occasions they did assist passengers, it often felt reluctant, as if helping customers was an inconvenience. Unfortunately, the captain wasn't much better, which might explain the crew's overall attitude. What really stood out was how the captain seemed more interested in fishing for himself than providing a quality experience for paying customers. After checking his electronics and positioning the boat, he would rush down to the deck, grab his rod, and begin casting toward specific areas, seemingly targeting the larger fish himself. The deckhands also spent a surprising amount of time fishing instead of assisting passengers. When customers are paying for a fishing charter, they should not feel like they're interrupting the crew's personal fishing trip. To make matters worse, the handling and storage of our catch was concerning. The fish were not properly bled, and the fish hold was barely chilled. This is especially troubling when dealing with tuna, which requires prompt and proper chilling to reduce the risk of spoilage and histamine-related food poisoning. Fish handling and preservation should be taken seriously, not treated as an afterthought. The overall impression was that the crew lacked both the experience and the motivation to provide the level of service customers should reasonably expect. Age itself isn't the issue, but if you're hiring young deckhands, make sure they're properly trained, motivated, and prepared to work. Paying customers deserve a professional crew, not one that acts as though showing up is enough. For comparison, I recently went out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro aboard the Monte Carlo, where a deckhand named Bryan was practically a one-man crew. He worked tirelessly, stayed attentive, and genuinely seemed to care about the passengers' experience. Frankly, he outworked all four crew members aboard the Spitfire combined. That's the kind of work ethic and customer service I've come to expect from a reputable sportfishing operation. I've been fishing on charters throughout Orange County and Los Angeles for over ten years, so I know the difference between a slow fishing day and a poorly run operation. This wasn't a complaint about how many fish we caught. It was about the crew's attitude, lack of effort, poor customer service, and questionable fish handling. If you're considering booking a trip, I'd strongly recommend looking into the New Del Mar or the boats operating out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro instead. I've had far better experiences with crews who actually take pride in their work and understand that their responsibility is to the paying customers. A fishing charter is supposed to be an enjoyable experience, regardless of how good the bite is. Unfortunately, the Spitfire crew managed to make the experience disappointing for reasons that had nothing to do with the fishing. I won't be returning, and I certainly wouldn't recommend this operation based on my experience.