All "Relaxing" Stories in Northern CA

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  Broadway Under the Stars

  Media consistently names it among the best outdoor concert venues in the country. Well, we’re going to go ahead and call it #1. Transcendence Theatre Company’s “Broadway Under the

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  Del Valle Daytrippin'

  Livermore is popular for its tasty wines, but it has another liquid asset for a triple-play summer day. Head to the East Bay’s Del Valle Regional Park for a reservoir-to-ridge hike

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  Midtown Magnificent

  Stunning murals, outstanding craft beer, a lively industrial district, and farmers markets filled with tasty fare and artisan flair ... it's all happening in Sacramento! Take a str

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  Oakland Beat & Beer Garden

  Oakland walks to the beat of its own drum with a super vibrant arts scene. One of the easiest places to check some of it out is in the Northgate neighborhood—home of the “Art Murmu

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  Post Hike Happy Hour(s)

  Where can you find Mount Diablo’s best post-hike Happy Hour? Todos Santos Plaza in the heart of downtown Concord has 2.5 acres of gorgeous green park with picnic tables, benches, a

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  Whale, Hello There!

  Blissfully quiet on winter mornings, San Gregorio State Beach on the San Mateo Coast is ideal for spying gray whales.

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  Sonoma Garden Park

  Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Specifically, one hidden away on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains. Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic.

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  Sands of Time

  Those who want a fresh perspective and a quiet place to contemplate New Year’s goals should get an early start and head south of Half Moon Bay to San Gregorio State Beach. The wide beach has a large cave to explore and more than a mile of nice walking.

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  Museum in the Redwoods

  Wanna find some solitude to read more this year? Get inspired at a literary museum and an adjacent hiking trail leading to famous ruins tucked among redwoods. The all new House of

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  Sipping Through the Valley

  Anderson Valley is best known for its pinots, but you'll find almost every kind of wine here ... so take your time. It's hard to go wrong in these parts, but here are a few winerie

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  Where to Sheep

  Located in the hills of Anderson Valley, with Adirondacks and hammocks perched perfectly for relaxation, and plenty of room to roam, Sheep Dung Properties is no ordinary name—becau

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  From Redwoods to Sea Stacks

  In the heart of Anderson Valley, Hendy Woods State Park is rarely crowded, especially in winter, and has a star attraction: ancient redwoods. There’s an easy 2-mile (round-trip) hi

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  Slide On Over

  Marin's Slide Ranch has a popular neighbor in the Muir Beach Overlook. But don’t overlook Slide! This open-to-the-public nonprofit organization sits on 134 acres of coastline and is filled with animals, Pacific scenery, and an adjacent hiking trail.

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  Her Name is Del Rio

  Del Rio Woods east of Healdsburg along Sonoma County's Russian River is a welcome addition to the Regional Parks system.

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  Reach the Pinnacle

  The thing about hidden beaches is you’ve usually got to do a little legwork to find them! In this case, the legwork is a lovely 0.5-mile hike to a gorgeous beach on Bodega Bay. The

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  More Cowell-bell!

  If you didn’t know it was there, you might just drive right on by it. But for those who make the 0.5-mile walk (or bike ride) to the wooden stairway leading to Cowell Ranch State Beach, the reward is sinking your toes into one of the best beaches in Northern California.

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  Pools of Gold

  Montaña de Oro: The name means mountain of gold, but the real treasures here lie underwater. Luckily you don’t have to venture into the ocean to see all the cool creatures. Plenty

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  Wild for Wildcat

  With seven sites strewn along a coastal bluff adjacent to the beach, Wildcat Camp is one of Northern California’s premier camping destinations in Point Reyes National Seashore. And there's one first-come, first-served spot...

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  Dune It on the Beach!

  Here’s where camping on the beach means … camping on the beach! Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area is famous for its broad, flat beach, rolling sand dunes that seem to st

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  Goat Yoga!

  Downward dog, meet goat. As in Goat Yoga at Lemos Farm in Half Moon Bay. The fifteen or so baby goats roaming the barn-turned-yoga-studio here are the yogi partners you never knew

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