Winter Beaches

Beach-going in the summer? So cliché. Hitting the beach in winter? How avant-garde! Here are three sandy havens that are winter-wonderful, and dog-friendly too!

Week: 01.20.2015
Regions: Northern CA

Dillon Dally

Dillon Beach in Marin

If you're going to go to a beach north of the Golden Gate, chances are it's one of the Big 3 in Marin: the Headlands, Stinson, Point Reyes. But oft-overlooked Dillon Beach is also Marin magical. Regularly shrouded in fog during summer, the mist lifts on Dillon a little more in wi
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You Do Look Good in Blue

Winter Vacation 2015 to North Lake Tahoe

Has anybody ever told you that blue looks good on you? Like deep dark blue … Lake Tahoe blue, to be exact! This winter, head north for adventure! North Lake Tahoe is home to 11 premier ski resorts that offer winter fun beyond the slopes (skating, sledding, and lively après scenes
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TI Surprise

Clipper Cove Beach on Treasure Island

Treasure Island Clipper Cove Beach San Francisco Bay
It's no secret that Treasure Island has one of the best views of San Francisco. The former Naval base was used in World War II primarily as a communications training school and a primary point of departure for Pacific based sailors. Today, its Naval roots remain and visitors ofte
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Have You Bean Yet?

Bean Hollow State Beach

Unassuming, beautiful, and a favorite once discovered, Bean Hollow State Beach is the Maggie Gyllenhaal of the San Mateo Coast. Located 3 miles south of Pescadero, this stretch of golden sand requires no hike-in, yet on most afternoons the place is wonderfully uncrowded. Spend th
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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. 

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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  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.

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