Malibu Creek State Park

"Nestled into the Santa Monica mountains high above PCH, people call this state park the Yosemite of Southern California because of the many rock climbers it attracts year-round. It's also home to some great wildlife: On any given day, you can almost always find lizards, rattlesnakes, raccoons, foxes, bluebirds, and more up here. If rock climbing isn’t your thing, the park offers a long list of activities such as biking, hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, camping, bird watching, and even painting. Fun fact: The park was formerly owned by 20th Century Fox Studios, and has starred in Pleasantville, The Seven Year Itch, and Love Me Tender, among many other films. Note: While you can bring them to your campsite, dogs aren't allowed in the backcountry here."