What's New? These Adventures!

There's just something about that new car smell. Same goes for these fresh adventures. From Tahoe's recently opened Via Ferrata to finding UC Berkeley’s hidden spots, plus a blue whale sighting in SF, here's what's new to do!

Week: 10.18.2018
Regions: Northern CA

On the Ropes!

Tahoe Via Ferrata

Italy has given us great coffee, superb fashion, and an exciting way to get your outdoor thrills via, well—Via Ferrata! Part rock climbing, part alpine hiking, Via Ferrata is a built-in cable system that allows you to scale mountains, climb ladders, and cross bridges all while be
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Top Five Autumn Experiences in Sonoma Valley

Top Five Autumn Experiences in Sonoma Valley

1) Carneros Wine Flight Bird watching and wine tasting pair beautifully when the Pacific Flyway is in close proximity to Sonoma Valley wineries. Sip wines and see the wildlife from the patios at Ram’s Gate and Viansa, both overlooking a large wetland that’s a popular stopover for
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Cal Secret Spots

Explore UC Berkeley's Secret Spots

In its bustling urban setting, UC Berkeley’s campus may seem like an open book, but it’s actually home to spots that are off the beaten path, even for students. Find less-known gems at Cal, including several that are outdoors.
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Whale Season

SF's Blue Whale Installation at Crissy Field

With the Bay Area’s clear autumn days, now’s a good time to spy whales in the ocean. But seeing one on the green grasses of San Francisco’s Crissy Field? Well, that’s a big deal! The whale’s not real, but its message is: Plastic waste in the ocean is a massive problem. Every nine
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Aloha from California

    Say Aloha without leaving California with a 7-mile out-and-back hiking adventure to Lake Aloha in El Dorado National Forest. You can also camp here, a premier place for stargazing.

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  2. 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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  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. 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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  2. Underground Garden

    Looking to escape the summer heat? Head to Fresno and discover its cool secret: the Forestiere Underground Gardens–an enchanting garden and architecture oasis like no other.

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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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