New Perspectives

Start 2015 with a fresh point of view. From bluff strolling bliss to a secret mountain ridge ramble—and a tiny urban park in between—here are three ways to gain a new perspective this year.

Week: 01.06.2015
Regions: Northern CA

Bodega Booyah!

Hike Bodega Head at Sunset

Tiny Bodega Head in beautiful Bodega Bay has long lured visitors to its dramatic cliff-above-ocean setting and excellent vantages for spotting migrating gray whales. But visit on a winter day right before sunset and you’ll be treated to fewer crowds and a glorious technicolor dre
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New Year's Resolution: Drink More Wine!

2015 Wine Road Winter Wineland

This New Year let's be realistic and strive for something really fun to do: Drink more wine! Make it happen in one easy step on one wonderful road: The Wine Road’s annual Winter WINEland weekend is coming in hot (January 17–18), so get your tickets now and benefit from an early-b
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Hill Topper

Kite Hill San Francisco

You know that phrase, it's hiding right under your nose? Well, the tallest landmark in San Francisco, Sutro Tower, is a blinking beacon to one of the city's least known urban parks. Twin Peaks! Just kidding. It's tiny Kite Hill, hidden beneath Sutro Tower. This east-facing grassy
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Short Secret

Mount Diablo Secret Trail

Some secrets you keep to yourself; others are worth sharing. It might be no secret that Mount Diablo offers some of the best views in the state, but the trails weaving around it? With so many choices it's hard to know where to begin. This short and sweet hike is just under 3 mile
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Hidden Botanical Garden

    Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Hidden 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 and some calming contemplations.

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  2. Sunnyvale and Salty

    For up-close bird watching, it’s hard to beat a walk along the San Francisco Bay. This 5-mile loop on the Sunnyvale coast is a favorite of local wildlife photographers.

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  3. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  4. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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