All in Northern CA

  1. Weekend Sherpa Team

    The Outdoors We're Craving

    We're sharing what adventures we're most craving and plan to do as soon as the time is right

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  2. How to #OptInside during Shelter in Place

    How to #OptInside

    Getting a little stir crazy? Covid-19 has unfortunately shut down a lot of open space. What to do? We have a few ways to bring the great outdoors indoors. We've called it #OptInside. Check out the list of easy things to do indoors.

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  3. Social Distance Hike and Bike Rides

    Social Distance Hikes and Bike Rides

    Social Distance Hikes and Bike Rides (with important ways for safety during coronavirus)

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  4. Sponsored
    2025-04-09

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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  5. Bay Area hikes to keep your calm

    Hikes to Keep Your Calm

    From redwoods to rolling hills and seaside bluffs, these three hikes are great for the soul

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  6. Peaceful Afternoon Hikes in the Bay Area

    Afternoon Delight

    Go on a leisurely afternoon hike with beaches, birds, benches and beautiful views.

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  7. Short hikes to great views in the East Bay

    Short Hikes, Cool Views

    Who says good views require big hikes? These three tame trails in the East Bay offer visual rewards without adding extra miles.

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  8. Biking to Wineries in the Russian River region

    Russian River Rediscovered

    Here's your Russian River guide to redwood hikes, bike rides to wineries, and sunsets by the sea.

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  9. Love in the Great Outdoors

    Some of the best dates happen in the outdoors. Whale watching, wine tasting, walking among murals or down to a restored lighthouse … whatever your outdoor loves may be, here are some options!

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  10. Table Rock hike Robert Louis Stevenson Napa

    Winter Hikes in Napa

    Before hitting the big Cabs, hit the big views! The cooler months are a fantastic time to do any of these three vista hikes that lead to huge panoramas.

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  11. Winter Wildlife Wonders

    Elephant seals, birds of all feathers, combine a wildlife hike and a beer for a wild weekend!

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  12. Airstream at Joshua Tree

    Desert Dream Trip

    Joshua Tree National Park is stunning in winter. Our top recommendations on exploring this dreamy desertscape in two days.

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  13. Where to Whale Watch: 3 Top Spots

    Whale hello there! Here are three of the top spots for combining hikes and wine tasting with amazing vantages for spying gray whales.

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  14. Easy Does It

    Ease into 2020 by trying something new, from a new wine country hike to a new trail in the South Bay.

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  15. Sponsored
    2025-04-09

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  16. New Year Peak Hikes

    Kick off the decade with a classic peak hike in the Bay Area. Cheers to these views!

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  17. Top 10 2019 Adventures (Readers Favorites)

    The 2019 outdoor adventures Weekend Sherpa readers most liked in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California.

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  18. Just in Time for the Holidays

    Get into the holiday spirit on these classic Bay Area outings that are like a yule log for your soul.

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  19. The Coast Is Clear

    Go hike the hills, paddle to a lighthouse, and explore coastal caves near the classic beach town of Avila Beach.

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  20. Griswolding Outdoors!

    Rule #1 this holiday season: Getting outdoors is a great way to clear the air, and the head, after too much spiked eggnog and turkey talk. And hell-yeah, bring the whole family—you’re all in this together, merry and bright! Here are three ways to hike, drink, and birdsong your way to holiday bliss.

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  21. Reservoir Hikes

    If cabin fever has you thirsting for the outdoors, these three hikes are short (3 miles or less) and go straight to the source with excellent views of reservoirs.

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  22. Beaches & Hikes for the Weekend

    After all that turkey, pie, and political discussion, it’s time to take a break outside. We have just the ticket—from a dog-friendly beach in Marin to a hidden bench overlooking the San Mateo Coast, be thankful for the great outdoors.

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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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  2. Paint Brushy

    This time of year you’ll have good reason to head for the hills—the electric-green rolling hills of Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore. This 4.5-mile loop hike is like stepping into a plein air painting.

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  3. Sponsored

    2025 POST Wildflower Walks

    Get flower empowered! POST’s complimentary 2025 Wildflower Walks guide blooms with the best places to see a variety of florals across the Peninsula and South Bay this spring.

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  4. All right, Almaden!

    Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Sponsored

    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

    View
  2. Hiker walking along the North Bluff Trail on Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park

    Purely Wild

    Channel Islands National Park lives up to its nickname as “North America’s Galapagos.” This less-traveled national park is an undeveloped and isolated series of five dramatic and distinct islands reached by boat. Hike the largest of the islands, Santa Cruz.

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  3. Woman hiking the South Kaibab Trail in the Grand Canyon

    Truly Grand Day Hike

    One of the best spring day hikes in the Grand Canyon? See layer upon layer of the park’s grandeur—including the river—on this 3-mile (one-way) journey to Skeleton Point via the South Kaibab Trail.

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  4. A woman stands amid an array of yellow and purple flowers at Descanso Gardens in Los Angeles

    Petal Paradise

    Tulips, lilacs, and daffodils—flower power is in full bloom at Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge. Sprawling across 150 acres surrounded by mountains, the gardens are putting on their best show right now.

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