Star Wars Adventures

See Yoda in a National Park, You Will: It's the only Bay Area campus in a national park. George Lucas's Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco's Presidio is a great place for a winter afternoon walk among its 23 acres of open space, with postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge and a chance for a selfie with Yoda, being Yoda, in front of Building B.

Week: 12.15.2015
Regions: Northern CA

See Yoda in a National Park, You Will: It's the only Bay Area campus in a national park. George Lucas's Letterman Digital Arts Center in San Francisco's Presidio is a great place for a winter afternoon walk among its 23 acres of open space, with postcard views of the Golden Gate Bridge and a chance for a selfie with Yoda, being Yoda, in front of Building B.

Walk the Waterfront: The massive white cranes along Oakland's waterfront are known as the inspiration behind the "Imperial Walkers" in George Lucas's Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. But did you know there's a pristine 38-acre park tucked among these behemoths, with bird watching, beautiful views of the bay, lovely pathways, and restored wetlands?

Hike to Blockbuster Views: Back in the '70s George Lucas was best known for making blockbuster movies. But he was also making some blockbuster real estate purchases. Marin's Lucas Valley is home to Skywalker Ranch. See the ranch, the San Francisco skyline—and a whole lot more—on a 5.75-mile loop hike to the high point on Loma Alta.

Zipline the Big Reds: George Lucas had Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia flying through the redwoods on Imperial speeders for Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Get that feeling ziplining on a canopy tour through a redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Go Over to the Dark Side: Actually, it's only the name, Death Valley, that sounds dark. This national park is as golden as it gets, with varied desert terrain. As a film location for scenes from the original Star Wars, the entire park looks like a movie backdrop.

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  1. The Beauty of Bainbridge Island

    You know a place is special when locals head to it for their in-state vacations. Follow the lead of Seattleites and venture to beautiful Bainbridge Island in the heart of Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula. Hike the Grand Forest here, meet Pia the Peacekeeper, and enjoy tasty food and drinks.

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    East Bay Bike With Blossoms

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  3. Hiker overlooking Bear Gulch Reservoir at Pinnacles National Park near Monterey

    Pinnacles of Spring

    Why hike at Pinnacles National Park? Spring's a beautiful time of year here. And you might spy the magnificent California condor soaring while you gain soaring views from the High Peaks Trail.

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    Path of History Walk (+ Food Bonuses)

    Monterey’s 2-mile yellow tiled, multilingual Path of History is a do-it-yourself stroll among some of the area’s most interesting, beautiful, and culturally significant sites, including through the Old Town, past Mexican-era adobes, and to the beautiful Royal Presidio Chapel.

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  1. Be Dune-spired!

    There’s only one urban park on the planet that helped inspire a major theme in Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi book, Dune. Herbert was born and raised in Tacoma, and Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park is named in honor of his famous novel—a tribute to one of the book’s main ideas ...

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  2. Little Norway

    There aren’t many small towns in America that look and feel like Europe, but Washington State sure seems to have a few! Lesser known among them is Poulsbo on the Kitsap Peninsula. Dubbed “Little Norway,” this hamlet on the waterfront of Liberty Bay is charmed with Scandinavian influence.  

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  3. Caves in Mojave

    No one expects to see caves when they visit the desert, and that’s part of what makes Mitchell Caverns in the Mojave Desert such an interesting place. Go on a two-hour guided adventure tour through Mitchell Caverns in Providence Mountains State Recreation Area.

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  4. Dume in Bloom

    During wildflower season, nature puts on a spectacular show, and one the best places to see it is at Point Dume Natural Preserve in Malibu. 

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