Awesome California

As part of the SKYGLOW project, filmmaker Gavin Heffernan captured this time-lapse footage in and around California’s Joshua Tree National Park. As the sun set over the desert, clouds rolled in, and the stars peeped out, creating an awe-inspiring light show during the recent Wolf Moon.

The King of the Hammers is perhaps the most balls-out off-road event on the planet. Each year, drivers and spectators gather in the California desert for two weeks of high-horsepower, dirt-throwing, rock-climbing action. Monster Energy put together this fun 5-minute reel to look at what you can expect if you’ve never attended.

Street trials and mountain bike rider Danny MacAskill takes to the streets of San Francisco, riding, balancing, and flipping his bike at some of the city by the bay’s most iconic locations. The warm and sunny sounds of The Shins’ Simple Song help set the perfect, uplifting mood. Go behind the scenes with Danny and crew here.

David Parke took some 1988 video footage of a drive on the 405 from Culver City to Sherman Oaks, and copied the route precisely in 2022 to see what has and hasn’t changed. He had to speed up and slow down the footage to sync the two drives at times, and left the original 1980s audio track.

Sparkling above the Sunset Strip’s hottest dance floor is a disco ball art installation by the Ian Schrager Company for the underground club Sunset at Edition, at the West Hollywood Edition hotel. The collection of more than 400 varying-sized mirrored balls was made by America’s last disco ball maker, Yolanda Baker.

All spring break hotels are required by law (we wish) to have Instagram-worthy swimming pools. Overachiever Hyatt Regency Indian Wells has the largest water feature in Greater Palm Springs. The massive $21 million waterpark redo has a 450-foot lazy river, a kids’ splash area, and two 30-foot HyTides Plunge waterslides.

With an asking price of $295 million, and the appropriate name of The One, this Bel Air, California home is as extravagant as they come. Enes Yilmazer takes us on an extensive tour of the 105,000 sq.ft. home, which has 21 bedrooms, 49 bathrooms, a spa and salon, a nightclub, bowling alley, movie theater, and 360º ocean views.

There’s no arguing that BMW Performance Center Driving Schools are the premier performance driving schools in the country, offering a wide range of behind-the-wheel and in-the-classroom courses to make better drivers out of mere mortals with a driver’s license and $2,500-10,000 in fun money.

Yearning for adventure? El Capitan Canyon offers a memorable getaway on the unspoiled California coast north of Santa Barbara. One of the USA’s first sustainably-minded “glamping” lodges, it offers comfy cedar cabins, safari tents, and domed yurts stretched along a peaceful canyon creek within 350 protected acres.

Photographer Joerg Daiber has taken us on some eye-opening journeys around the globe. Now take a virtual vacation a little closer to home with this time-lapse, tilt-shift, aerial footage of the City of Angels. Ravel’s Boléro serves as the perfect musical accompaniment to the bustle of the big city.

Chris Benchetler shows us green run amateurs what we’re missing out on with this amazing POV of his line at California’s Mammoth Mountain. Watch as he winds through precariously tight rock formations, then catches air performing flips and spins on his quick trip to the bottom.

Aiming for an April 2021 opening, Bubble Hotels will offer guests unspoiled views of the California desert. Rooms will have a private sleep unit, a deck, hot tub, lounge area, and a bathroom with an outdoor shower. The bubble-shaped bedroom has heat and AC and a Queen-sized bed. Just 15 min. from Joshua Tree National Park.

Get away from it all as you enjoy the mountain views in this desert oasis in La Quinta, California. This premium Airbnb property has a roomy, open floorplan, sunny living spaces, three comfy bedrooms, and a beautiful outdoor space with a private pool and hot tub.

Director Ron Howard and producing partner Brian Grazer visit Paradise, California, which was ravaged by a horrifying firestorm in 2018, resulting in unfathomable damage, and at least 86 fatalities. Despite the enormous tragedy, members of the community are resolved to rebuilding their lives there.

Handmade in Santa Clarita, these natural soy candles from California Handcrafted offer scents inspired by some of the state’s greatest locales. For instance, Big Sur is a delicious mix of lemon, wood sage, sea salt, and beach juniper. Packed in 8oz or 16oz travel tins. Buy two and get one free with code THEAWESOMER (expires 1/31/20).

Filmmaker Conner Griffith is a master of tying together sound and motion. In this clip, he takes us on a speedy ride along California’s Interstate 5, precisely edited to the tune of Richard Tee’s rousing piano version of Take the A-Train.

What’s more exciting than a road trip to the U.S. Open in Pebble Beach? A road trip with Lexus packed with awesome cars, sights, and golf courses along the way. We knew that we would have a great time on this weeklong odyssey cruising the California coast line, but nothing could prepare us for the glorious world of Lexus hospitality.

We recently took the newly upgraded 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata on a 600 mile road trip through scenic Southern California. Check out some of the sights we took in with the top down, and then check out our first drive review and driving impressions on 95Octane.

Got half a mil burning a hole in your pocket? You could be the new owner of this California desert home by architect Fritz Haeg. This 1 br 1 ba home features a unique blend of natural materials and modernist style, and sits on 45 acres. Contact agent Paul Karr for more info.

Photographer Robert McIntosh created this impressive one-take shot using a deftly piloted palm-sized drone, a stripped-down GoPro, reverse playback, and the After Effects plugin ReelSteady to smooth out the motion. Here’s some of the raw footage prior to stabilization.

Filmed from hilltops, mountains, and high-rises, Chris Pritchard’s Above LA is a gorgeous four minute timelapse that gives a glimpse into the unseen beauty of the metropolis. It’s fun to watch the mesmerizing traffic instead of riding in it too.