All "Hikes" Stories in Northern CA
Sheep Tight!
You’re not going to have to count sheep to get a good night’s sleep at Sheep Dung’s beautiful property in Anderson Valley near Boonville. Four modern cottages—tucked far apart from each other among 500 acres of rolling hills—are designed for blissful solitude. And it’s dog-friendly!
ViewSublime in Sanborn
Located right next door to Castle Rock State Park, lesser-known Sanborn County Park packs mighty beauty within a small hike on the 3-mile Summit Rock Loop.
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A Very Bavarian Spring
Ready to change up your spring scenery? Pack your bags for this alpine adventure in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains. The Bavarian-style hamlet of Leavenworth could be a stand-in for a mountain village in Europe.
View Cañada Collage
This 4.3-mile loop through Cañada Del Oro Open Space Preserve showcases all the highlights of the season, thrumming with wildlife and wildflowers.
ViewBe Dune-spired!
There’s only one urban park on the planet that helped inspire a major theme in Frank Herbert’s 1965 sci-fi book, Dune. Herbert was born and raised in Tacoma, and Dune Peninsula at Point Defiance Park is named in honor of his famous novel—a tribute to one of the book’s main ideas ...
ViewTacoma 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.
ViewThe 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.
ViewLittle 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.
ViewGo 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.
ViewEast 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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2024 Wildflower Walks Guide
After spring rain … comes a rainbow of wildflowers! And the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is sharing the best places for seeing bountiful blossoms in their complimentary 2024 Wildflower Walks Guide.
View 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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Marin Wildflower Guide!
Thanks to winter’s wet weather, wildflowers are going to be showstoppers this spring! Get the best in blooms with a complimentary Marin Wildflower Guide.
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Favorite Spring Color? North Lake Tahoe Blue
Where do you go to make spring twice as nice? North Lake Tahoe, naturally! Spring here offers perfect pairings that are fun for everyone, like snow sports in the morning followed by a relaxing lakeside afternoon.
View Double Up on Diablo
Set the tone for 2024 with this twofer summit hike at Mount Diablo State Park. Embark on a 7-mile out-and-back up Mount Olympia and Diablo’s lesser-known summit, North Peak.
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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!
View 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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Olympic National Park & Forest Lodging Deals!
Washington State’s Olympic National Park and Olympic National Forest get the gold medal for spring’s best lodging deal. Historic Lake Quinault Lodge—featured on PBS’s “Great Lodges of the National Parks”—is currently offering two nights for the price of one.
View Kelso Dunes
The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.
ViewSunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View
It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S.
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Yes, Seattle!
Ready to try something new this winter? Seattle’s ready for you! Beautiful by nature with its Puget Sound setting, surrounding mountains, and nearby national parks, winter in Seattle can be a magical and festive time. Ever been in a hot tub boat?...
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