All "Overnight Escapes" Stories in Northern CA

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  Sea You at the Ranch

  Rough-and-tumble coastline, twisting Highway 1, open grasslands, hidden beaches, bluff trails, and a rustic lodge for storm watching from indoors —we’re not talking about Big Sur.

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  Steep Sleep

  Perhaps the best deal in the Bay Area: an oceanfront cabin at Steep Ravine for $100. The challenge? Actually reserving one of these popular cabins! Don’t be dissuaded; the effort is well worth it.

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  Lighthouse ZZZs

  It’s the closest point of land to the Hawaiian Islands in the continental United States and it might well be the best view on the coast. The historic 115-foot lighthouse tower at P

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  Happy Ending

  Everybody loves a happy ending. And one of the happiest endings in Northern California is where the Russian River empties into the Pacific. Get a front row seat to witness this won

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  Lone Oasis

  Every summer, thousands travel to Whitney Portal in the Eastern Sierra to summit Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. But thousands more are denied the

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  Old and Gnarly

  Few places will magnify your sense of time and space quite like the rugged White Mountains. A part of Inyo National Forest, this remote, seldom-visited range along the upper Owens

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  Glamp Camp

  So your idea of camping is barbecues, beach cruisers, and better-not-have-to-pitch-a-tent? Say hello to Autocamp! (Or what we call Autoglamp.) Set right in downtown Santa Barbara,

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  Star This Camp

  Ready to take your camping experience to the next level? Put a star next to this on your outdoors adventures list: Way up in the foothills overlooking the Santa Clara Valley, withi

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  Take Liberty

  Wine country: busy! Camping in wine country: woo-hoo solitude! Though you now have to make a reservation (even if it’s 20 minutes prior), there’s a good chance you’ll be able to pi

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  Lookout There!

  Perched at 4,900 feet in the Greenhorn Mountains amid majestic oaks and huge, cleaved boulders, Oak Flat Lookout in Sequoia National Forest (named for the Giant Sequoia groves and

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  High Sierra Sorensen's

  At the eastern edge of Hope Valley, just 20 minutes south of Lake Tahoe, is what you would call an elegantly rustic respite suited to all seasons.  Situated in an alpine valley rin

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  Desolation Drama

  Oval-shaped Dicks Lake is one of the scenic gems of the Desolation Wilderness. Set in a dramatic glacial cirque with 9,974-foot Dicks Peak soaring behind it, the lake makes a perfe

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  Sleep Like a Rock

  No crowds, no cell phone service—now that’s a wilderness getaway! The hugely underrated Rock Creek Lake in the Inyo National Forest of the eastern Sierra is known for its peaceful

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  Sea Life

  Hundreds of dolphins and whales have been sighted in Monterey Bay since mid-June, and with huge populations of California sea lions, southern sea otters, and harbor seals frequenti

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  Surfwood's Up!

  MacKerricher State Park in Mendocino County delivers nine miles of diverse coastline and a seaside gem for spending the night: Surfwood Campground is a laid-back oasis with 45 lush coastal campsites—including 10 secluded walk-ins.

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  Ohh, Gualala

  Coastal camping just got cozy in Sonoma County. Enjoy the sea breeze and take refuge from it too at Gualala Point Regional Park Campground, where 18 sites sit shaded beneath a rich

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  Just Dune It!

  Coastal wildflowers are still going strong at Manchester State Park in Mendocino County, where dune-top hiking trails colored in baby blue eyes and purple lupine dance across the n

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  Phantom of the Canyon

  Want to really go grand in Grand Canyon National Park? Stay at historic Phantom Ranch! A clutch of simple, private bunk-bed-filled cabins along with dorm-style lodging. Scoring a stay here is not easy, and highly sought!

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  Yosemite Backcountry Glamping

  Love to hike, but hate to lug a bulging backpack? Then Vogelsang High Sierra Camp is your ticket to high-country heaven. Carrying only a daypack with minimal supplies, you can hike

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  Will You Sperry Me?

  The ultimate foodie experience: Dinner at The French Laundry. The ultimate backcountry lodge experience: Sperry Chalet! Reached via an 8-mile (one-way) hiking trail in Glacier Nati

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