All "Relaxing" Stories in Northern CA

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  Sweet Roll El Dorado

  Step out of the car and onto a biking trail that resembles fall in Vermont. Just 40 miles from Sacramento, the El Dorado Trail in Placerville is a multi-use trail through with 12.5 paved miles.

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  Oh Hill Yes!

  California's closest thing to fall in New England is 40 miles from Sacramento. Apple Hill near Placerville is a collection of over 50 local farms, ranches, trails, and wineries. Tasty times ahead!

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  Refreshingly Different

  Reno Tahoe is where America’s largest alpine lake meets the Biggest Little City in the World. Easily access the best ski resorts (and hot springs!) and have urban adventures at your fingertips.

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  Who's Chicken?

  Chicken Ranch Beach isn’t just for the birds. It’s for folks who want to spend a mellow afternoon at a totally swimmable beach on the shore of Tomales Bay in Point Reyes.

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  GOAT Coastal Hike + Sunset

  GOAT (greatest of all time) Sonoma Coast experience? Hike the Kortum Trail, wine taste on a patio overlooking the Russian River, and catch a sensational sunset at, yep, Goat Rock Beach.

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  Wolf House in the Woods

  Take a short, forested walk to Jack London State Park's mysterious ruins of the famous adventure author’s dream home, Wolf House. Then try wine-based organic vodka, paired with woodfired pizza.

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  Boontime!

  Glamp in a tent cabin or stay in private patio room among redwoods in the heart of Russian River. And do some wine tasting at these two beautiful vineyards with airy cabanas and gorgeous views.

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  Redwoods, Blue Coast

  Redwoods, river, coastline, and sandy pocket beaches: See Sonoma Coast's best features on this 6-mile (round-trip) hike from Shell Beach to Pomo Canyon's sublime redwoods.

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  Two Wheels to Wine in Healdsburg

  Bike and wine taste among the vineyards of Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley in Healdsburg. The mostly flat backroads make for easygoing riding, with food and wine explorations too.

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  Get Outdoors In Sonoma County This Fall

  Sonoma County's great outdoors includes hike-in beaches, hidden redwoods, and a new zipline-to-treehouse stay. Here are 5 of the best ways to explore outdoors in Sonoma County.

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  Bernal Desire

  It's one of the best views in San Francisco. Bernal Heights Park is an underrated hilltop park that simply beams at sunset, with views of downtown SF, the Golden Gate, and the Bay Bridge.

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  Rock and Roll Golden Gate

  Golden Gate Park closes part of JFK Drive to cars, so walkers, bike riders, and roller skaters can have some fun outdoors. Here are some highlights for when you visit, including an adventure through the park with the characters from Adventures With Alice.

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  The Highway of Waterfalls

  Ready for a totally refreshing road trip? Hit the Highway of Waterfalls! This stretch of road in Southern Oregon travels alongside the wild and scenic section of the North Umpqua River—and more than a dozen waterfalls.

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  Sleeper Hit

  It's all about the water, and the camping, at Utica Reservoir in Stanislaus National Forest, a High Sierra reservoir perfect for kayak explorations and pitching your tent with the lake in the background.

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  Duck, Duck, Goose!

  Try to get a first-come, first-served campsite at one of the Lakes Basin’s lakeside campgrounds. We love Goose Lake Campground, where there are just 13 sites and no motorized boats.

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  Simply Amazing Road Trip

  Don’t overthink it, just go! Southern Oregon’s Klamath Basin is a hidden gem just north of the California border. This adventurous region makes savoring summer and fall easy with abundant outdoor recreation.

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  Farm to Tent Cabins

  The hardest part of staying at Willow-Witt Ranch will be leaving. This sprawling 445-acre property in Southern Oregon is part organic farm, part campground, part wellness retreat, and wholly relaxing.

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  Grizzly and Great Views

  You probably won’t see a grizzly bear on the hike up Grizzly Peak, but you will see locals on this 5.3-mile lollipop loop trail with panoramic mountain views and meadows of wildflowers.

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  Hot Springs With a View

  People love a good hot spring. And Umpqua Hot Springs in Southern Oregon is a marquee attraction. You're perched on a mineral deposit above the flowing beauty of the North Umpqua River.

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  Gone Rogue!

  If one thing can make you feel like a kid at summer camp, it’s spending a day on the river, rafting, floating, cannonballing off cliffs—eureka! One of the best rivers in the West to float is the Rogue River.

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