Woman hiking at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in the East Bay

Tree Time

What’s your preference: tranquility, festivity, or a little bit of both? Trees company! These outdoor adventures include redwoods, Torrey pines, Douglas firs, oaks, and beautiful spots for picnicking.

Week: 11.30.2022
Regions: Northern CA

Redwoods on Campus

Walk among redwoods at the UC Davis Arboretum

You don’t have to be a student to enjoy a beautiful stroll in the UC Davis Arboretum. Walk the 3.5-mile (round-trip) paved path alongside Putah Creek, passing through 17 gardens, including beautiful redwoods and Torrey pines.
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Center of Attention

Winter Getaway to Central Oregon

Smith Rock
Central Oregon is home to the craft beer capital of the US, the Deschutes River, and trails for every kind of outdoor adventure: hiking, skiing, paddling, biking, and—of course—relaxing at fire pits.
Find Your Best Winter Vacation in Central Oregon

Fir Sure

Visit Reindeer Ridge Christmas Tree Farm in Sebastopol

The Garlock family is Christmas tree royalty in Sebastopol, and their Reindeer Ridge Christmas Tree Farm is legendary: 7 acres of Douglas firs, Monterey pines, Scotch pines, and plenty more.
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Wander Among the Mistletoe

Hike Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in the East Bay

Woman Hiking Under Mistletoe at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in the East Bay
This 2.7-mile loop through the East Bay’s Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park is brimming with a holiday staple: mistletoe.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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  2. Up and Umunhum

    Early risers can experience one of the Bay Area’s best morning glory hikes on this 7.4-mile out-and-back up beautiful Mount Umunhum. In early spring if you arrive at the parking area right before sunrise, you’ll get a beautiful eastern view of the sun coming up between Bald Mountain and the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains. On days when fog settles into the valley, the colorful view is nothing short of magical.

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  3. Sheep looking at camera in Hidden Villa Farm

    It Takes a Hidden Villa

    Adorable farm animals and peaceful hiking trails: Visit Hidden Villa in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, hike to South Bay vistas and see animal cuteness.

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  4. Woman hiker is climbing up the ladder in the Steep Ravine section of the Dipsea Loop Trail on Mount Tam

    Misty on Mount Tam

    Mount Tam’s 3.9-mile round-trip Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trail Loop weathers the wets and wilds with some confidence, sheltered in parts by redwoods, and wowing with a waterfall.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

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  2. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

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  3. Peace Labyrinth

    Hidden in LA’s historic West Adams district, the Peace Awareness Labyrinth & Gardens is a welcome respite from the norms of urban noise.

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  4. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

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