All "Relaxing" Stories in Northern CA

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  Wine Country's Walkable Film Festival

  Food, wine, films, backlot parties, and culinary events with celebrity chefs … yep, it’s good to be 25! The Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF) is celebrating its 25th year in signature style this March 23 to 27.

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  Rise and Shine in Camarillo

  Camarillo shines in more ways than one—including nearly year-round sun. Bathed in a Mediterranean climate and surrounded by agricultural “charmland”—especially wineries and vineyards—Camarillo is the perfect blend of outdoor bliss and urban comforts.

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  Your Winter Wellness Retreat: La Quinta

  La Quinta is one of SoCal’s best-kept secrets, a land of wild open spaces, deep history, beautiful art, and all kinds of ways to relax and soak in the healing power of nature.

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  Mix Things Up in Oxnard

  By land, by sea, by taco trail—Oxnard in Ventura County hits its stride in winter. The golden beaches are uncrowded, and surfers find their bliss in the curling waves.

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  Flowing and Glowing

  San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park charms with splashy waterfalls, but in January it adds splashes of color too, thanks to its Winter Lights in Golden Gate Park displays, including the popular Entwined installation in Peacock Meadows.

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  Find Your Vibe

  Start off 2022 with some good vibes! Head to the destination that’s all about a California State of Mind. The Ventura County Coast has all the good vibes you’ll need for your next getaway. It’s home to Channel Islands National Park, also known as “the Galapagos of North America.”

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  Small Town, Big Appeal

  Overlooking the Umpqua River and tucked in among coastal mountains, Elkton may be small, but it’s big on charm, history, and wine. It’s one of the newest AVAs in Oregon.

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  The Wild, Wild East

  Gloriously uncrowded and teeming with terrain both sublime and rugged, Eastern Oregon is truly wild, with natural hot springs, the deepest canyon in North America, and the extraordinary Painted Hills.

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  Expansive Southern Oregon

  It’s where you’ll find Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake, a volcanic wonder that’s the deepest lake in the country. Southern Oregon is a land of remote open spaces, Dark Skies, waterfalls, and healing hot springs. Hit the road for a bounty of outdoors and book some guided tours.

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  Gorge-ous Escape

  Oregon’s tallest mountain? That’s Mt. Hood—surrounded by six ski areas, surprise waterfall hikes, and plenty of rivers, lakes, and streams to play in. Just east of Portland, the region of Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge brings a range of outdoor adventures for every season.

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  Gem of a Vacation

  Backed by the Coachella Valley’s Santa Rosa Mountains, La Quinta’s vast wild spaces are steeped in history, with plenty of important historical sites amid its beautiful nature. Add in boutique hotels, spas, and great dining, and you’ve got one gem of a vacation.

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  The Coast with the Most Adventures

  The Oregon Coast isn't your average coast. Take a road trip through charming towns, see numerous historic lighthouses, explore shipwreck beaches, wander bustling promenades, or go “sandboarding” at the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area.

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  Waterfalls, Wine, Wanderlust: Willamette Valley

  Oregon’s lush and lovely Willamette Valley is home to the McKenzie River, an outdoor adventurer’s paradise with its crystalline waters and surrounding waterfall hikes. Oh, and the wine … it “reigns and pours” world-famous pinots here.

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  Sweet and Salty

  Located on Highway 1 about 18 miles north of Jenner, Salt Point State Park is wild, scenic, and one of the most beautiful places to do some classic coastal camping.

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  Napa's Wild Side

  It’s wine country’s Amazon. The gentle Napa River is an ecological—and recreational—delight. And Napa Valley Paddle sets you up for maximum enjoyment of this experience, including an optional mobile podcast tour for your do-it-yourself adventure.

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  Sea Change

  Right in time for the balmy fall days, the crowds have left and Monterey Bay Aquarium is at its shoulder season best. Fewer people means relaxing with more room to roam and enjoy the animals, exhibits, and nearby outdoors for biking, hiking, and beaches.

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  Medallion Walk SF

  The Barbary Coast Trail is a 3.8-mile historical walk and treasure hunt through San Francisco. Be on the lookout for hubcap-sized bronze medallions placed on the city sidewalks with arrows pointing you in the right direction.

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  Summer's Must Sea

  The newly reopened Monterey Bay Aquarium never misses a “Best of” list—for good reason. The Aquarium’s location right on the shores of Monterey Bay, with waves crashing below the decks, is a mesmerizing experience.

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  Night Light

  For over a century Mendocino’s Point Cabrillo Light Station has signaled coast-side danger to passing ships. Time your visit for a spectacular “lightshow” twofer—sunset and the lighthouse’s crowning glory: a 6,800-pound original Chance Brothers classic Fresnel lens producing a flash every 10 seconds.

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  Goddess of the Gardens

  It’s what you call a Garden with a View! Mendocino Botanical Gardens is a double-whammy of stunning flora—especially rhododendrons—and coastal views. Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens makes a splash in more ways than just its fantastic flora.

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