Wildflower Blockbusters

Bursting onto the scene with more fanfare than the latest blockbuster, wildflowers are starring across the Bay Area and NorCal. Head out for these flower-powered action adventures this spring.

Week: 05.03.2018
Regions: Northern CA

Fantastic Phantom!

Wildflowers at Phantom Falls

Blooming wildflowers and gushing waterfalls can only mean one thing: spring on North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve! The mountain—actually a basalt mesa—is worth a visit any time of year, but it comes alive in spring, when its hillsides explode in color and its seasonal waterf
Read the full story

Like Summer Camp, Only Better

Mammoth Lakes Family Friendly Summer Adventure

Mountains, lakes, ample playtime. Mammoth Lakes is like the ultimate summer camp, only way better: because it's for kids and kids at heart! Take a guided kayak trip on Mono Lake, a high-desert oasis filled with fascinating towers of gnarled limestone tufas. Kids will be in awe of
Visit our sponsor Mammoth Lakes

Abbotts Bonanza

Hike to Abbotts Lagoon in Point Reyes National Seashore

Pure wilderness, Pacific views, lush greenery, and wildflowers galore … yep, Point Reyes National Seashore is pretty much spring loaded. For the best of landscape, sandscape, and seascape, head to Abbotts Lagoon. The area’s 200+ acres of silky-soft sand, wind-sculpted dunes, and
Read the full story

Gilroy Glory

See carpets of California buttercups at Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park

Rolling green hills punctuated by carpets buttercups and poppies: Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park in Gilroy seems positively sun-kissed in spring. It’s the best time of year to hike here, before summer heat sets in. Go on a 4.2-mile loop hike framed by the towering Sant
Read the full story

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

    View

  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

    View

  3. 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.

    View

  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

    View

  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    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.

    View

  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

    View
  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

    View