All "Dog Friendly" Stories in Northern CA

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  Tacoma Time

  Idyllically located on the banks of Puget Sound, Tacoma bustles with abundant outdoors, a lively urban center, and the beautiful Ruston Way Waterfront, which connects downtown to one of America’s preeminent urban parks: Point Defiance Park.

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  The Beauty of Bainbridge Island

  You know a place is special when locals head to it for their in-state vacations. Follow the lead of Seattleites and venture to beautiful Bainbridge Island in the heart of Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula. Hike the Grand Forest here, meet Pia the Peacekeeper, and enjoy tasty food and drinks.

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  Little Norway

  There aren’t many small towns in America that look and feel like Europe, but Washington State sure seems to have a few! Lesser known among them is Poulsbo on the Kitsap Peninsula. Dubbed “Little Norway,” this hamlet on the waterfront of Liberty Bay is charmed with Scandinavian influence.  

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  Go Big in Bremerton

  Make your way to the largest city on the Kitsap Peninsula, Bremerton. Best known for its naval and maritime heritage, there’s also plenty of outdoors to explore, including a hidden treasure within the Puget Sound Basin: the Keta Legacy Foundation Rhododendron Preserve.

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  East Bay Bike With Blossoms

  Spring wildflowers are in full bloom on this 15.5-mile bicycle loop through the East Bay that begins at charming Heather Farm Park and features plenty of scenic highlights.

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  Talk of the Town

  We're spilling the tea on this bountiful 5.5-mile loop to Gossip Rock in Hayward’s Garin Regional Park (currently whispering all the right springtime notes).

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  Redding to Shake Things Up!

  Go wild on your next group getaway, event, or team trip. All you have to do is take it outside, in Redding! As the sunniest city in California, surrounded by Shasta and Lassen and mountainous Whiskeytown, Redding has everything you need for a meeting of the minds, naturally!

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  Swing into Spring

  Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

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  Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

  Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

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  Simply Suttonfield

  Tucked in charming Glen Ellen and accessed via a pullout parking area along Arnold Drive, Lake Suttonfield pours on the charm with an easygoing 2-mile trail loop around it.

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  POST's 2024 Hiking Calendar

  Ready to start the new year on the right foot? Get POST's complimentary 2024 hiking calendar and you'll be inspired with a great local hike every month of the year.

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  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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  Bodega's Beautiful Bird Walk

  Bodega Bay may be best known as the backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s famous movie The Birds, but there’s a softer side to its dramatic coastline. The Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail loops around two ponds and provides a bird’s–eye view of serene Bodega Bay.

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  Pleasanton Surprise

  Huge views and fiery fall colors await just minutes away from downtown Pleasanton on this 7-mile hike through Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.

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  Not Your Garden Variety Botanical Garden

  Fort Bragg’s Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than its fabulous flora. Its 47 acres include a stunning bluff-side hiking trail overlooking the Pacific, where cliffs drop dramatically to the wild waves below.

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  Bluffing Good Time

  Accessible right from town, a bluff-side walk at Mendocino Headlands State Park is pretty much mandatory. The marquee trails here overlook not just the charming hamlet of Mendocino, but also the dramatic coastal scenery from the bluffs.

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  Beach to Town by Hidden Stairway

  A hidden stairway makes this adventure as easy and fun as a walk on the beach. Thank Beth’s Stairs, a hidden wooden staircase connecting Big River Beach in Mendocino Headlands State Park to the charming town of Mendocino.

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  London Calling

  The writer Jack London was known for his adventure stories, and an autumn hike at his namesake state park in Sonoma Valley illuminates more than his career. Eucalyptus, oaks, sprawling vineyards, and brilliant redwoods are part of the autumn magic amid the rich history of the park.

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  Wine Down, Dine Out in Paso

  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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  Path of History Walk (+ Food Bonuses)

  Monterey’s 2-mile yellow tiled, multilingual Path of History is a do-it-yourself stroll among some of the area’s most interesting, beautiful, and culturally significant sites, including through the Old Town, past Mexican-era adobes, and to the beautiful Royal Presidio Chapel.

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