What areas of Southern California have the most beautiful non-beach scenery? (San Diego: waterfalls, county)

[TarHeelTerritory]

What parts would you consider most scenic?! As in parts not including the actual ocean itself, but can include areas that might border the coastline but not most scenic directly because of it. I'm talking about trees, flora, most dramatic elevation changes, etc. How does the scenery and mountains compare between Santa Barbara, LA, OC, San Diego, and more inland areas? Or are they more or less the same. What parts are most dry/brown? Thanks.

[Astral_Weeks]

Santa Barbara wine country is not on the coast and very stunning. Really nice in terms of topography, trees, flora, etc.

[luv4horses]

Gotta love Yosemite Valley. Waterfalls, rock cliffs, big trees. But nothing like that in the south. When i visited i enjoyed seeing the high desert when it was in flower.

[dontbelievehim]

Yosemite is considered central California. And it's sometimes placed in northern California.

Palm springs gets my vote, just wish it wasn't so dang hot.

[NW4me]

The San Gabriel Mountains are attractive, especially in winter / spring when they've got some snow on them.

And the countryside around Julian (eastern San Diego County) is pleasant too.

[volosong]

The mountains surrounding Big Bear Lake. The lake itself too.

Anza Borrego in the springtime about two-three weeks after the rains.

Red Rock Canyon on 395 north of Mojave, (pretty hot in the depth of summer).
You can include the Lake Isabella area, (could/might be considered central California).

Mt. Piños and surrounding areas.

Devil's Punchbowl and on to Wrightwood.

(All the above geared toward hiking/walking, and some mountain biking.)

[ZeApelido]

Above the Narrows of San Gabriel River.

Upper Snow Creek of San Jacinto.

Anza Borrego (say from Villager peak)

[BRinSM]

Others that haven’t been listed include Tehachapi, Topanga Canyon, Mulholland Hwy, and parts of the Grapevine. Central and northern CA take the cake for beautiful scenery that isn’t ocean centric. I grew up in SoCal and was completely naive to the beauty north of me until I moved to the Bay Area a few years ago. The drive on the 101 between Ventura and Salinas never gets old. It’s even better if you stay on PCH through Big Sur and Monterey.

[teddyearp]

One of my favorite day drives was to go east on CA 79 from Temecula through Aguanga and Warner Springs. Sometimes go all the way to Julian and double back, but then go west on CA 76, maybe go up on Palomar Mountain, maybe not, but then turn north at Pala on the Pala-Temecula road back to Temecula.

[Woody01]

The drive out to the Anza Borrego desert through the mountain town of Julian is pretty spectacular....

But Yosemite is almost unbeatable, might be better than the coastal views in a way, more diverse scenery than just looking at water non-stop....