Here are 12 one-tank road trips for weekend adventures outside the Coachella Valley

Kristin Scharkey | Palm Springs Desert Sun

Show Caption Hide Caption 12 easy getaways from the Coachella Valley It’s a good time to remember that living in the desert means you don’t have to travel far to find new and interesting places to explore.

With the weekend fast approaching and extreme heat in the forecast for the Coachella Valley, it’s a good time to remember that living in the desert means you don’t have to travel far to find new and interesting places to explore.

Enter DESERT magazine contributor Rick Marino.

A desert resident, Marino spends his time discovering the many hidden gems that are just a car ride away. He hosts a travel TV show called “State x State,” airing on the Planes Trains + Automobiles (PTA) network, part of Delta’s in-flight entertainment. You can find his “Road Trip with Rick Marino” columns in DESERT magazine every month.

We’ve rounded up the top 12 places to go and enjoy this weekend.

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Laguna Beach

Laguna Beach is a very unique and special part of the Southern California coastline that has more than 20 beaches and coves in its 7-mile stretch. The color and clarity of the water, and the tide pools and cliffs have been drawing people in for a long time. With about 6 million visitors a year, Laguna is a very popular destination indeed, with activities and accommodations to fit anyone’s budget. Think: surf and turf lunches, a historic seaside colony of bungalows, art festivals and more.

GO THERE: Where to eat, stay play and see art in Laguna Beach this summer

Koreatown

Los Angeles: Here's where to eat, stay and play in Koreatown Veteran band tour manager Rick Marino drives us to Koreatown for traditional barbecue and massages.

Couldn’t make to Seoul for the Winter Olympics this year? No worries. Did you know that Los Angeles is home to a vibrant Korean community? Koreatown, or K-town, is filled with hidden gems tucked into mini malls full of dessert and coffee shops, dive bars, speakeasies, hip hotels, karaoke bars, Korean fried chicken spots and food courts, as well as hundreds of barbecue joints. The list goes on and on! What is Korean barbecue, you ask? Only the best thing ever. It starts as soon as you sit down with banchan, small plates of side dishes including salads, pickled vegetables, kimchi and soups. You can have as much as you want, and every restaurant has its own selection. Then comes plates of meats to grill in the center of your table.

GO THERE: Here's where to eat, stay and play in LA's Koreatown

Santa Maria

About 30 minutes north of Santa Barbara, California's central coast is perfect for exploring, eating and drinking (not while driving!). Grassy mountains, cattle ranches and oak trees line the highway, giving this part of California its own feel. The historic cattle town of Santa Maria is even home to its own regional cuisine. Here's what makes Santa Maria barbecue unique: First, the way it is cooked: over an open flame of native coastal oak or “red oak” on an iron grate that can be raised or lowered over the fire, just like the rancheros did back in the day. Second is the meat: tri-tip is preferred but all steaks prepared this way work, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Every place has its own recipe!

GO THERE: Where to eat, stay and play in California's central coast

Mitchell Caverns

Rick Marino heads inside the now-open Mitchell Caverns This old Route 66 attraction is an adventure you don't want to miss.

Mitchell Caverns is a time warp – and that's why it's so cool. After being closed for about seven years for infrastructure upgrades, this Essex Road pit stop is NOW OPEN in the the Providence Mountains State Recreation Area. Named after Jack and Ida Mitchell (who led tours of the caverns as a Route 66 attraction from 1934 to 1954), the caverns are part of the state park system. There are two large main caves: El Pakiva (The Devil’s House) is at the entrance and Tecopa, named after a Shoshonean chief, is at the exit. The trail inside is only about a quarter-mile, and there are some narrow passages between some of the areas. There are several different formations you will see – all are spectacular!

GO THERE: The Providence Mountains State Recreation Area attraction is a must-see

Las Vegas

There's more to do here besides the usual gambling, drinking, eating, et cetera. At Techatticup Mine, both sides of the road are filled with miners’ shacks and buildings. It’s a classic ghost town that is home to one of the oldest gold mines in southern Nevada. To the east, Hoover Dam is an impressive sight, and Lake Mead is great for boating, fishing and the like. To the north is Valley of Fire State Park, the oldest in Nevada. This place has everything you would expect to see in the Southwest: red sandstone mountains and arches carved out over millions of years, petroglyphs, wildlife and the best sunset pics you can get with the red valley lights “on fire.” There is no shortage of hiking or camping in the park, but just driving through will blow your mind.

GO THERE: Experience Las Vegas without a casino in sight

Puerto Peñasco

Road trip to Puerto Peñasco for beachfront adventure Veteran band tour manager Rick Marino drives us to Rocky Point for lava fields and ATVs.

When you think about the landlocked state of Arizona, the beach really doesn’t come to mind, does it? Here's what you need to know: the small town of Puerto Peñasco, or Rocky Point on the Sea of Cortez, is just four hours away from Phoenix! It might just be the most beautiful, clear, clean ocean beach to visit without having to get on an airplane! The resorts here are condo/hotel-style rentals with ocean view balconies. They are excellent for families or groups of friends who want an affordable stay. Plus, the docks are lined with pescaderias, or fish markets. Stop into any one of them for all kinds of fresh shrimp in different sizes, as well as other fish and seafood.

GO THERE: Need an escape? Puerto Peñasco offers beachfront living and coastal cuisine

Temecula

Temecula is known as Southern California’s wine country and makes for a great day trip full of history, delicious food and plenty of wineries. A majority of them are located on Rancho California Road and the surrounding area. No more than a couple miles away from the shops and stores, the area transforms into rolling hills covered with rows of vines as far as the eye can see. With all these tasting rooms and wines to enjoy, it might best to go for the limo tours so you don’t have to do any driving. Plus, hot air balloon rides are a big deal around here, so if you just want to see it all at the same time, bring some bottles of wine to take the edge off.

GO THERE: Enjoy more than just wine in Temecula

Big Bear

Rick Marino reveals where to eat, stay and play in Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead Veteran band tour manager Rick Marino reveals his favorite accommodations and attractions in Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead.

An easy day trip, Big Bear has always been known for its ski resorts in the winter (yes, they make snow when they have to!) and the lake for boating and fishing the rest of the year. Arriving in town, the lake is very beautiful even though it is very low from the drought. Be sure to stop at the Grizzly Manor Cafe, a classic greasy spoon that is a local favorite for breakfast and lunch. They’re known for their homemade biscuits and gravy, as well as bigger-than-the-plate pancakes and a giant carved grizzly bear statue out front. Then, you can head to the village, which is the main hub for eating and shopping in town.

GO THERE: Where to eat, stay and play in Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead

Valyermo

In the San Gabriel Mountains, Angeles Crest Creamery is 70 gorgeous acres of a real, working goat ranch with its own lake. On property, the big red barn is home to a few dozen goats, plus Hank the donkey and three large, beautiful Pyrenees dogs that protect the herd. The ranch offers farm stays in an Airstream or lakeside cabin through Airbnb, or camping options on Hipcamp. Guests are invited to join in on ranch chores, hike around, canoe in the lake or just chill out. A couple times a month, they host goat hikes or open barn days with goat milking demos and picnics on the lake that anyone can sign up for. It’s a real adventure and educational, too!

GO THERE: Road trip to regenerative goat ranch Angeles Crest Creamery

Death Valley

Rick Marino drives us to Death Valley for dates, mines and ghost towns The veteran band tour manager shares where to eat, stay and play on a road trip to Death Valley.

Death Valley National Park is the largest national park outside of Alaska. Furnace Creek Visitor Center is the best place to start your adventure. Here, you can pay your park fee and talk to a ranger, get maps, books and gifts, and learn about the history of the area. Death Valley is home to many ghost towns, mountain ranges, abandoned mines, sand dunes, craters and some of the most beautiful desert vistas you will ever experience. Furnace Creek is also home to one of the national park system’s finest lodges. Formerly known as Furnace Creek Resort, The Oasis at Death Valley is exactly that: a lush oasis in the middle of nowhere, complete with pools filled by natural springs. Now undergoing an extensive renovation, it is a road tripper’s dream to stumble upon.

GO THERE: From ghost towns to hiking trails, this is the ultimate guide to Death Valley

Baja California Sur

Get ready for a new and affordable way to explore Mexico: the Cross Border Xpress, an enclosed pedestrian bridge over the border right into Tijuana International Airport. It’s easy and fast! And yes, you need your passport. In two hours, you can touch down in La Paz and head to Baja California Sur. There are turquoise coves around every turn, including Balandra Beach, voted the best beach in Mexico by USA TODAY readers in 2016. You'll also want to head to one of the oldest resorts in Baja: Rancho Las Cruces. Located 30 miles southeast of La Paz on 10,000 acres with 7 miles of private coastline on the Sea of Cortez, this place is almost too good to be true.

GO THERE: Experience old and new Baja this summer

Blythe

Located about 15 miles south of Interstate 10 off the Wiley’s Well Road exit, the world-famous Hauser Geode Beds in the Wiley’s Well District are an ideal spot to find geodes. According to Delmer G. Ross guidebook, “Rockhounding in the Wiley’s Well District of California: The GPS User’s Guide,” the beds are named after Blythe native Joel F. Hauser, who discovered them in the early 1930s after his father noticed the odd, round-shaped rocks on trips between Glamis and Blythe. With gloves and a bucket and a hammer and shovel, you kind of just go for it. A tip from Ross: “It frequently is best to begin digging at an undisturbed surface near a hole that has been dug by another rockhound. Then, if lucky, one can sometimes unearth layer after layer, often starting with large geodes and continuing with progressively smaller ones as one digs deeper.”

GO THERE: Learn how to rockhound at the Hauser Geode Beds

Kristin Scharkey is the editor of DESERT magazine and community content editor at The Desert Sun. Reach her at kristin.scharkey@desertsun.com or on Twitter @kscharkey. Follow Rick Marino’s travels on Instagram @rickmarinotravels, or write to him with questions at rickmarino@att.net. Daniela Franco contributed to this report.