Activities:
Popular activities in the Cleveland Forest are birding, camping, hiking, picnicking, backpacking, horseback riding, mountain biking, off-road vehicles, hang gliding and just enjoying the scenery.

Attractions:
The main attractions in the Cleveland National Forest are its three distinct zones. Cold and often snowy mountaintops contrast with sizzling desert valleys, wide open spaces with forests, and colorful wildflower meadows with the bizarre formations within canyons.

Wilderness areas within the park include the Aqua Tibia, Hauser, Pine Creek, and the San Mateo Canyon.

Cuyamaca Rancho boasts hidden meadows near Granite Springs and Milk Ranch Road, and waterfalls near Green Valley Campground, headwaters to the Sweetwater River. The views from the tops of Cuyamaca Peak and Stonewall Peak are spectacular.

The top of Palomar Mountain is home to the world-famous Palomar Observatory. This is open for tours, although you won't be allowed to look through the telescope. Since it is a working observatory, it is closed to visitors at night. More than 100 billion galaxies are within viewing range of the Hale telescope.

Events:
January:

• Cabrillo National Monument Whale-Watch Weekend, Point Loma, San Diego
• Birch Aquarium's Whale Adventures, San Diego County

February:

• Salton Sea International Birding Festival, Imperial County
• San Diego Bird Festival, San Diego County
• Birch Aquarium's Whale Adventures, San Diego County
• Cabrillo Marine Aquarium's Whale Celebration, Los Angeles County

March:

• Birch Aquarium's Whale Adventures, San Diego County
• Dana Point's Annual Festival of the Whales, Orange County

April:

• Return of the Terns, Orange County

June:

• Ocean Discovery Day Festival, Orange County

October:

• Harbor Days, Port Hueneme
• International Festival of Masks, Los Angeles
• Studio Artist Tours, Ojai
• Discover Marina del Rey Day, Marina del Rey
• Pioneer Days, Twentynine Palms
• Festival of the Waters, Desert Hot Springs
• Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), San Diego
• Fall Back Festival, San Diego
• Art Show, Riverside
• Open House, San Diegov
• Craftsman Weekend, Pasadena
• Oktoberfest, Ocean Beach
• Rocktoberfest, Palm Springs

November:

• Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), San Diego
• Greater Palm Springs Pride, Palm Springs
• Golf Cart Parade, Palm Desert
• Intertribal Marketplace, Los Angeles
• Veterans' Day Parade, Fairfield, Palm Springs
• Harvest Wine Celebration, Temecula
• Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy, Laguna Beach
• Festival of Trees, Riverside
• Festival of Lights, San Diego
• Poinsettia Street Festival, Encinitas

December:

• Balboa Park December Nights, San Diego
• Sawdust Festival Winter Fantasy, Laguna Beach
• Festival of Lights Parade, Palm Springs
• Holiday Parade, Desert Hot Springs
• Holiday Boat Parade, Marina del Rey
• Jingle Bell Cruise & Antique-a-Thon, Escondido
• Winter Light Parade, Twentynine Palms
• Winterfest, Lake Elsinore
• Eagle Tours, Big Bear Lake
• Birch Aquarium's Whale Adventures, San Diego County

Landmarks:
National Historic Landmarks:

• Angelus Temple, Los Angeles
• Balboa Park, San Diego
• BALCLUTHA (Square Rigger), San Diego
• Baldwin Hills Village, Los Angeles
• BERKELEY (Ferry), San Diego
• Bradbury Building, Los Angeles
• Cabrillo National Monument
• Estudillo House, San Diego
• David B. Gamble House, Pasadena
• Guajome Ranch House, San Diego County
• Hale Solar Laboratory, Pasadena
• Harada House, Riverside
• Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado
• Las Flores Adobe, San Diego County
• Little Tokyo Historic District, Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles
• Los Cerritos Ranch House, Long Beach
• Mission Beach Roller Coaster, San Diego
• Mission Inn, Riverside
• Modjeska House, Modjeska
• Oak Grove Butterfield Stage Station, San Diego County
• Old Mission Dam, San Diego
• Old Scripps Building, La Jolla
• Rose Bowl, Pasadena
• San Diego Mission Church, San Diego
• San Diego Presidio, San Diego
• San Luis Rey Mission Church, San Diego County
• Space Flight Operations Facility, Pasadena
• Space Launch Complex 10, Lompoc
• STAR OF INDIA (Bark) San Diego
• Twenty-Five-Foot Space Simulator, Pasadena
• Warner's Ranch, San Diego County
• Watts Towers, Los Angeles
• Well No. 4, Pico Canyon Oil Field, Los Angeles County

Saddle Rock Ranch Pictograph Site, Malibu, Los Angeles County, has been determined eligible for National Historic Landmark Designation by the Secretary of the Interior.

Museums and Exhibits:

• African American Museum of Fine Arts, San Diego
• Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, Palm Springs
• Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena
• Anaheim Museum, Anaheim
• Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Long Beach
• Armand Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
• Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena
• Autry Museum of Western Heritage, Los Angeles
• Balboa Park Museums, San Diego
• Blackbird Airpark, Palmdale
• California African-American Museum, Los Angeles
• California Heritage Museum, Santa Monica
• California Museum of Photography, University of California, Riverside
• California Science Center, Los Angeles
• The Carole and Barry Kaye Museum of Miniatures, Los Angeles
• Casa De Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Cucamonga
• Catalina Island Museum, Avalon
• Children's Discovery Museum of North County, Carlsbad
• Children's Museum of Los Angeles, Los Angeles
• Coronado Historical Association, Coronado
• Costa Mesa Historical Society, Costa Mesa
• Deer Park Automotive Museum, Escondido
• Discovery Museum of Orange County, Santa Ana
• The Eco Station, Culver City
• El Cajon Historical Society, El Cajon
• Escondido Historical Society Museum, Escondido
• Firehouse Museum, San Diego
• Flying Leatherneck Historical Foundation, San Diego
• Fullerton Museum Center, Fullerton
• Greater Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles
• Grier-Musser Museum, Los Angeles
• Hernet Museum, Hernet
• The Heritage Center of San Clemente, San Clemente
• Heritage of the Americas Museum, El Cajon
• Historic Mission Inn, Riverside
• Hollywood Bowl Museum, Hollywood
• Hollywood Entertainment Museum, Los Angeles
• Hollywood Guinness Museum, Los Angeles
• Hollywood Heritage Museum, Los Angeles
• Hollywood History Museum, Los Angeles
• Hollywood Wax Museum, LA, Los Angeles
• House of Pacific Relations, San Diego
• Imperial Valley Pioneers park, Imperial
• International Surfing Museum in Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach
• Irvine Historical Society Museum, Irvine
• Irvine Museum, Irvine
• J. Paul Getty Center Museum, Los Angeles
• Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles
• Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego
• Jensen-Alvarado Historic Ranche and Museum, Riverside
• Julian Pioneer Museum, Julian
• Junior Arts Center, Los Angeles
• Junipero Serra Museum, San Diego
• KidZone: Riverside County Youth Museum, Hernet
• Kidspace Museum, Pasadena
• Korean American Museum, Los Angeles
• L.A. County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
• La Mesa Historical Society, La Mesa
• The Latino Museum of History, Art and Culture, Los Angeles
• Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert
• Lompoc Valley Historical Society, Lompoc
• Long Beach Fire Department Museum, Long Beach
• Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Craft and Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Maritime Museum, San Pedro
• Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust, Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Police Historical Society, Los Angeles
• MAK Center for Art and Architecture, West Hollywood
• MCAS El Toro Memorial Project, El Toro MCAS
• MCAS Miramar Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, San Diego
• MCRD Museum Historical Society, San Diego
• Malibu Lagoon Museum, Malibu
• March Field Air Museum, March AFB
• Marston House, San Diego
• Mingei International Museum, San Diego
• Mission San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano
• Modern Fresco Gallery, Los Angeles
• Movieland Wax Museum, Buena Park
• Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), La Jolla
• Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
• Museum of Jurassic Technology, Los Angeles
• Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach
• Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad
• Museum of Neon Art, Los Angeles
• Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego
• Museum of Television and Radio, Beverly Hills
• Museum of Tolerance, Los Angeles
• Museum of Web Art, Los Angeles
• Museum of the California Center for the Arts, Escondido
• National Arts and Disability Center (NADC), Los Angeles
• Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles
• Nautical Heritage Society, San Clemente
• Needles Regional Museum, Needles
• The Norton Simon Museum of Art, Pasadena
• O'Neill Museum, San Juan Capistrano
• Ocean Institute, Dana Point
• Oceanside Museum of Art, Oceanside
• Ojai Valley Museum and Historical Society, Ojai
• Old Globe Theatre, San Diego
• Orange County Museum of Art, Costa Mesa
• Orange County Museum of Art, Newport Beach
• Orange county Natural History Museum, Laguna Niguel
• Orange Empire Railway Museum, Perris
• Ortega Adobe Historical Park, Venture
• Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena
• Page Museum of the La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles
• Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs
• Palm Springs Desert Museum, Palm Springs
• Palm Springs Historical Society, Palm Springs
• Pasadena Historical Museum, Pasadena
• Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles
• Quail Botanical Gardens, Encinitas
• Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Site, Long Beach
• Reuben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center, San Diego
• Rialto Historical Society, Rialto
• Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace, Yorba Linda
• Ripley's Believe It or Not! Museum, Los Angeles, Hollywood
• Riverside Art Museum, Riverside
• Riverside Municipal Museum, Beaumont
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, Simi Valley
• San Diego Aerospace Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Art Institute, San Diego
• San Diego Automotive Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Children's Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Hall of Champions, San Diego
• San Diego Historical Society Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Historical Society, San Diego
• San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego
• The San Diego Maritime Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Model Railroad Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Museum Council, San Diego
• San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego
• San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego
• San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts, San Diego
• San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Railroad Museum, San Diego
• San Diego Wild Animal Park, Escondido
• San Diego Zoo, San Diego
• San Dieguito Heritage Museum, Encinitas
• San Fernando Mission, Mission Hills
• San Fernando Valley Historical Society, Mission Hills
• San Gabriel Historical Museum, San Gabriel
• San Jacinto Valley Museum, San Jacinto
• San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, San Juan Capistrano
• Sanchez Adobe Historic Site, Pacifica
• Santa Monica Historical Museum, Santa Monica
• Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica
• Save Our Heritage Organisation, San Diego
• Simon Wiesenthal Center, Los Angeles
• Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
• Southwest Museum, Los Angeles
• Stephen Birch Aquarium Museum, La Jolla
• Sweeney Art Gallery, Riverside
• Temecula Valley Museum, Temecula
• Timken Museum of Art, San Diego
• Travel Town Museum, Los Angeles
• UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History, Los Angeles
• UCLA Ocean Discovery Center, Santa Monica
• UCR/California Museum of Photography, Riverside
• Villa Montezuma Museum, San Diego
• Wells Fargo History Museum, Los Angeles
• Wells Fargo History Museum, San Diego
• Western Museum of Scouting, Los Angeles
• Whaley House Museum, San Diego