Great Escapes: Selective guides for travelers who want to find quick trips and getaways within a specific locale. They take away the drudgery of sifting through online and printed travel info by listing only the most worthwhile events, activities, and places to stay and eat.

Great Escapes: Southern California: Make the most of the SoCal experience by veering toward some unexpected, eclectic haunts: Go "Sideways" along the back roads of the Santa Ynez Valley, find solitude while camping on Catalina Island or the Gaviota coastline, check out San Diego's hip Gaslamp District, and revel in a 50s-style lodge in the desert of Palm Springs.