All Stories from Northern CA
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.
ViewHike 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.
ViewDune 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.
ViewTo the Lighthouse
The Monterey Recreation Trail is one of America's most beautiful coastal experiences, accessible to bikers, strollers, rollers, and walkers. This 8-mile (round-trip) bike ride follows premier parts of the trail before detouring to Pacific Grove's storied Point Pinos Lighthouse.
ViewDeeper 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.
ViewSaratoga Small Wonder
Saratoga Quarry Park features beautiful views, ample picnic space, a labyrinth, and plenty of kid-friendly activities, all within a 2-mile loop.
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Coastal Hikes Guide for Fall
Ready to fill your fall walks with secluded beaches, towering redwoods, whale sightings, and fresh food? Get coasting! Peninsula Open Space Trust has just released their Coastal Hikes Guide.
View 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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Peace-fall in North Lake Tahoe
If you’re going to North Lake Tahoe during its secret season, you’re going to want to stay awhile. Fall in North Lake Tahoe equals quieter days, turning leaves, and more open space for you to relax, recharge, and reconnect.
View 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.
ViewHot As (Bumpass) Hell
So you like going to all the hot spots when you visit places? Well, in Lassen Volcanic National Park there’s a place so hot it gets downright steamy. Bumpass Hell is the largest hydrothermal area in the park, with sputtering mud pots, sulfur vents, and boiling pools. It’s California’s Yellowstone.
ViewLunch at the Lakes
Pack your own picnic and head for a lakeside lunch at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Then take your pick from a lovely trio of lakes accessed from the same trailhead. Follow it all up with a visit to Manzanita Lake on the other side of the park.
ViewThe Secret Big Blue
Set at 4,500 feet, surrounded by 52 miles of shoreline, and with sparkling sapphire hue, Lake Almanor is the other big blue. The secret one. This huge lake—idyllic in spring through fall for all kinds of water adventures—is a gem of Plumas County where you can relax without crowds.
ViewMill About Lakeside
Bucks Lake Recreation Area near Quincy in Plumas County has plenty of beautiful hiking trails. For an easy hike with beautiful spots for sunning, swimming, and lounging on sand beaches or giant rock slabs, do the Mill Creek Trail.
ViewBucks 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.
ViewShore Thing
Called “America’s Most Beautiful Bikeway," the Tahoe East Shore Trail lives up to the hype with unparalleled views of Lake Tahoe on the Nevada shoreline, with access points to beach enclaves and coves.
ViewKeep on Truckee!
An easygoing ride along the paved Truckee River Bike Trail in Tahoe City rolls out a steady stream of good times, and scenery.
ViewFlume Shot
Skirting high above the east shore, Lake Tahoe’s famed Flume Trail is one of the most scenic trails in the West—an intermediate 13-mile high-mountain traverse with amazing views of that big blue lake.
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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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Spring Up to These Amazing Events
Shake it up, shake it all the way up to this sunniest city in the state for the most unique and fun-fueled events. Redding is true Northern California, surrounded by famous mountains, nearby national parks and recreation areas, and the sparkling Sacramento River.
See Spring's Most Unique EventsYour Inbox to the Outdoors
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