All "Dog Friendly" Stories in Northern CA

Downtown Delights
Behold Paso Robles’ historic-meets-modern downtown. At the center of it all: Downtown City Park, surrounded by chic and down-to-earth food + drink establishments, beautiful mural art, and stores unique to Paso's creative roots.
View
Eat, Drink, E-bike!
No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!
View
Hike the Rainbow
Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.
View
Serene Las Gallinas
A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.
View
Paint Brushy
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.
View
Sponsored
Weekend in Reno Tahoe
Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.
View
All right, Almaden!
Take a trip through time on this 5-mile loop in Almaden Quicksilver County Park. Explore the ruins of an old cinnabar mine and enjoy the first hints of wildflower season.
View
Sponsored
Savor Spring in Paso Robles
Take a classic California road trip this spring and find all the treasures of the season in Paso Robles. Located midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, this laid-back slice of California country combines with the Central Coast for an absolutely spring-loaded getaway.
View
Locals' Feature: Jesse James Ziegler, Reno's Poet Laureate
Meet Jesse James Ziegler, Reno's Poet Laureate. Jesse is also the Creative Director of Reno’s Monday Night Poetry (at Shim's Tavern) and True Colors Poetry.
View
This Coyote
Combine a workout with rewarding vistas by hiking or biking Coyote Peak in San Jose’s Santa Teresa County Park. The 4.1-mile loop up Coyote Peak is spring green with rewarding vistas of both the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
View
Mile-Long Cataract Club
In winter after heavy rains, the north flank of Mount Tam glows with flows. The nearly mile-long series of waterfalls—Cataract Falls—transforms into a supercharged spectacle. Starting at Alpine Dam, a 1.6 mile (one-way) narrow trails threads through redwoods and ferns along Cataract Creek.
View
Golden Mile
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. See Naga, the recent new addition here, an impressive sea serpent art installation at Golden Gate Park's Rainbow
View
Napa's Art of the Matter
Downtown Napa uncorks more than just excellent wine. Art has firmly established itself along the walkways and parkways in the area, punctuated by an annual ArtWalk (year-round) and a temporary Lighted Art Festival.
View
Golden Oldie Has New News
If at any point in 2025 you find yourself wanting to head for the hills, make a break for Tiburon’s Old St. Hilary’s Open Space Preserve. Recently expanded with the newly announced protection of Tiburon Ridge, the trails here gift great views to re-inspire you!
View
Tamtastic 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.
View
Mural Roll
Redding’s bikeshare program encourages biking in and around the city, including downtown. It’s a fun way to see some of the city’s mural art while also stopping for lunch at one of the newest restaurants, Pipeline Craft Taps and Kitchen.
View
Sundialed
Redding is home to one of the world’s most famous pedestrian-only bridges—the Sundial Bridge was created by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava (its sister bridges are in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Seville, Spain). The glass-deck bridge across the Sacramento River is a true sundial....
View
Line Up for This!
Have you gone country yet? Give it a whirl! Or more like, get in line … with country line dancing lessons (and some refreshing craft beer and seltzers) at Redding’s Fall River Brewing. The popular brewery is housed in a spacious modern warehouse filled with picnic tables for seating, corn hole for playing, big screens for sports watching, and all the equipment for brewing famously good beers. Food trucks also come by.
View
Wheels Down Calero
New to mountain biking and searching for beginner-friendly trails? Head to Calero County Park! This 9.5-mile loop is a gentle, scenic ride through rolling hills.
View
Sweet as the Sea
Rough-and-tumble coastline, twisting Highway 1, open grasslands, hidden beaches, bluff trails, and a rustic lodge for storm watching from indoors—we’re not talking about Big Sur. We’re talking Sea Ranch and its namesake lodge on the Sonoma Coast. Walk its famous bluff-top trail, a cliff-hugging sensation with soaring Pacific scenery.
View