All "Relaxing" Stories in Northern CA

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  Most Peaceful Hike of All

  Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  Not Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden

  Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below.

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  Bluffing Good Time

  Accessible right from town, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is pretty much mandatory. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.

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  Beach to Town by Hidden Stairway

  A hidden stairway makes this adventure as easy and fun as a walk on the beach. Thank Beth’s Stairs, a hidden wooden staircase connecting Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park to the charming town of Mendocino.

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  Wine Down, Dine Out in Paso

  The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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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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  Hike Elkhorn Slough Reserve

  Elkhorn Slough Reserve is one of California’s few remaining coastal wetlands. Go on a hike and marvel at one of the state's largest coastal salt marshes, a valued habitat for birds, plant life, sea otters, and marine mammals.

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  Dune It Right

  Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Monterey's Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. And it often glows golden toward sunset.

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  Deeper Meanings

  The Monterey Bay Aquarium brings wonder, inspiration, and education to visitors, including its excellent "Behind the Scenes" tour and outstanding new bilingual exhibit, Into the Deep/En lo Profundo.

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  Biking the Best of Livermore Valley

  A perfect day is just a bike ride away in Livermore Valley. From wine pours and beer tastings to BMX courses to sandy beaches, it all goes down smooth on two wheels with this 13-mile hidden gem of a loop through Livermore and Pleasanton.

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  The Unexpected Wonders of Monterey

  One of the world’s best teachers? Mother Nature. And one of the best destinations to learn from her? The Monterey Bay Aquarium. Spend a few hours at the Aquarium, then take your pick of self-guided walks...

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  Oh, Brother!

  Spending the night on a tiny island in the Bay? Intriguing. Spending the night in a lighthouse perched on that island? Sound the foghorn! East Brother Light Station Bed & Breakfast sits on a small patch of land in the strait that separates San Francisco and San Pablo Bays.

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  Bucks Up!

  Come on in, the water is beautiful. Whether you like swimming, kayaking, stand-up paddling, or heading out on a bigger boat, Bucks Lake is a high mountain haven that’s easy to access, blissfully uncrowded, and surrounded by sandy beaches, picnic areas, pines, and aspens.

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  Sponsored

  Taste of Monterey (the Sustainable Way!)

  Food for thought: Get a taste of Monterey this fall! And do it the sustainable way, with the Monterey Bay Aquarium as your basecamp.

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  Medford's Made for Summer

  Located in the heart of Southern Oregon’s sublime Rogue Valley, Medford is a road-trip basecamp made for summer getaways!

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  Dillon Dollar Stay

  Proving that tiny concepts pair well with big nature, Marin’s Dillon Beach Resort has refreshed overnight stays with their new and charming tiny cottage additions. Complementing the tiny? Huge coastal views, sweeping from Tomales Point to Bodega Bay.

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  Sponsored

  Forest Bathing By Land & Sea

  Spend time in nature at and around the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Surround yourself with the tranquility of the Aquarium’s swaying Kelp Forest exhibit; then soak in more serenity hiking in a magical redwood forest in Carmel Valley or Big Sur.

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  Island Vibes

  Our own piece of island paradise does exist here in the Bay Area! Enjoy a slice of island life on this 8-mile coastal bike ride through Alameda that ends with a tropical cocktail at Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge.

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  Sponsored

  Water You Doing This Summer?

  It’s a best-kept secret in the northern Sierra and we’re gushing about it. Fun and friendly Plumas County has only three traffic stops, more wildlife than people, and over 1,000 lakes, rivers, and creeks!

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  Sippin’ on the Dock of the Bay

  Definition of a relaxing summer day? Sipping bubbly and sampling wines right on the bay! Riggers Loft is a hidden gem located in the historic Richmond Shipyard.

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