Long Weekend Adventures and Relaxation

As the unofficial start of summer approaches, here's a round-up of some of your favorite stories over the past weeks, reminders of where to go to spend time outside, get fresh perspectives, and combine adventure and relaxation.

Week: 05.20.2025
Regions: Northern CA

Tamtastic Sunset

Head to Trojan Point on Mount Tam to Watch a Panoramic Sunset

Sure, the East Peak of Mount Tam is absolutely spectacular at sunset, but some magic-hour enthusiasts are onto a fresh perspective in getting a little more personal space for their panoramic viewings.
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Golden Mile

See the Artwork On the Golden Mile at Golden Gate Park

Dubbed the Golden Mile, this car-free stretch of road in Golden Gate Park features rotating art installations of murals, sculptures, and abundant bright yellow Adirondack chairs for kicking back to relax.
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Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

Hike, Picnic, and Swim at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area

Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area
A person and their dog walking the Chabot to Garin Trail in the East Bay at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area
A horse stands atop a high hill and stares ahead at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the East Bay
Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.
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Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

Alex Villicana, from Villicana Winery & Re:Find Distillery in Paso Robles

Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery
Alex Villicana of Villicana Winery, working a grape harvest in Paso Robles
Alex and Monica Villicana of Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery
Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...
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Paint Brushy

Hike a Loop at Brushy Peak Regional Preserve in Livermore

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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Light This Way

Experience the Extraordinary Sensorio Lighted Art Exhibition in Paso Robles

Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles
Live music at the Sensorio Mercado Restaurant in Bar in Paso Robles
The Tower of Light colorful exhibit at Sensorio in Paso Robles
Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.
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This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

Visit the Oxbow Nature Study Area and Dickerson Road in Reno Tahoe

A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno
A woman walks the one-mile trail amid green trees at the Oxbow Nature Study Area in REno
A woman sits on the bench overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area
A woman walks along a fallen tree log at Oxbow Nature Study Area
Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Sequoia Re-opens Crystal Cave

    Step inside Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's hidden world by visiting the newly re-opened Crystal Cave—the only cave in the parks open to the public. Closed for four years, this rare marble karst cavern is welcoming visitors once again, but only through the summer season!

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  2. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

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  3. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  4. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

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  2. Can't Top This

    San Francisco’s Presidio was already a fantastic place to hang out for the afternoon, a beautiful site within the largest urban national park in the United States (the Golden Gate National Recreation Area). And Presidio Tunnel Tops is like a cherry on top. Make that two cherries on top, with the newly opened (July 2025) Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre green space located at Old Mason Street across from the Crissy Field Marsh in the Presidio.

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  3. Volcanic Activity

    Northern California is home to one of the most unique ecosystems in the country: Lassen Volcanic National Park. The region features geothermal areas, including the largest dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. Hike to the top of this active volcano on a 5-mile out-and-back.  

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  4. Oh Ryan

    Sure, it’s those whimsical trees that give Joshua Tree National Park its marquee billing; but this beautiful landscape also has surrounding mountains and its night sky—one of the darkest in Southern California and designated an International Dark Sky Park. Joshua Tree has four allowable stargazing parking lots, and a newly opened haven for spending the night nearby...

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