All "Water" Stories in Northern CA

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  Afternoon on the Island

  What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger guided boat tour!

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  Marshall Mellow

  Tucked away in the northern part of Point Reyes National Seashore, Marshall Beach is a sandy hidden haven set along the warm waters of Tomales Bay. And you can’t get to it by car! Access to Marshall is by way of a 1-mile hike or by kayaking in.

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  Lake Loop

  The template for a perfect multipurpose park? Hundreds of acres of open space, wending hiking and biking trails, glistening lakes, and picnic spots galore. Spring Lake and Howarth

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  Sunset Gone Wilder

  So you’re sort of snobby about your sunsets? You like a brilliant technicolor all across the sky as the sun sets on the horizon? Great! Go Wilder! Wilder Ranch State Park’s Old Cov

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  Long Distance Relationship

  Pacifica wants to get something off its chest. It’s got a lot more going on than a laid-back vibe, good surf, and a beachfront Taco Bell. It’s got a hidden waterfall back in the ca

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  Now and Zen

  Feel like you need to enlighten up? Green Gulch Zen Center understands. For over 40 years, this Marin County staple of mindfulness has blazed a trail to ahhs (including, literally,

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  Sea You at the Ranch

  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.

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  Gray's in Fashion

  Built in 1872, Pigeon Point Lighthouse is an iconic mainstay on the San Mateo Coast. Go in winter and get a big bonus: you might spy a gray whale migrating. Pigeon Point Light Station State Historic Park is one of the best places for spying them.

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  Drake Awakening

  Part salt water, part fresh water, Drake’s Estero is smack in the middle of Point Reyes, and one of only two marine wilderness areas in the entire nation. Yeah, it’s worth a look. Get the extended version by hiking right alongside it.

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  Headlands Happiness

  One of the many reasons people love the Bay Area is that getting outdoors for a coastal adventure is always an option. And there’s probably no better example than hiking the Marin

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  Inspiration Point, Indeed

  Sideways might be the best way to experience Santa Barbara’s abundant wine culture, but the best way to experience its beautiful natural landscape? Upwards! Inspiration Point is a

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  Lizard Like

  As a coastal enclave where beaches meet mountains, Santa Barbara County is one of those places that run the risk of having too much of a good thing. But fortunately we know a spot

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  Shimmering Paddle

  Uniquely situated where the Russian River meets the rugged Pacific coast, Jenner is a shining star of kayaking destinations. It’s even better when paddling here under the shining m

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  SUP 'n' Sip

  Crowned Wine Enthusiast’s 2015 Wine Region of the Year? Lodi is hot on the vine trail. But wine isn’t the only thing flowing here: The Mokelumne River is a nature-lover’s oasis tha

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  Wine Surf

  Want to wine surf? Bodega Bay’s Gourmet au Bay put its name on the map by introducing “wine surfing”: three wine tastes brought to you on a mini wooden surfboard. Now they’ve opene

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  Vine-yasa Flow

  Hawaii isn’t the only way to enjoy a little island life. Strike a mermaid pose right here in the Bay Area with a yoga session on the waters surrounding Alameda Island. Nicole Kanou

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  Hike-in Swimming Hole

  We had you at hike-in swimming hole? For a taste of the glacial and volcanic splendors of Desolation Wilderness without an all-day commitment, Grass Lake is the perfect hike. Pack

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  Chain of Alpine Lakes

  There are six and a half good reasons to do this 6.5-mile (out-and-back) hike in the eastern Sierras’ Inyo National Forest. The Little Lakes Valley hike is an oasis-hopping, mounta

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  Rocky Alpine High

  Set at 10,000 feet in the Inyo National Forest of the eastern Sierras, Rock Creek Lake is idyllic, with its sandy shores and the colorful rainbow trout easily spotted in the transp

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  Desolation Drama

  Oval-shaped Dicks Lake is one of the scenic gems of the Desolation Wilderness. Set in a dramatic glacial cirque with 9,974-foot Dicks Peak soaring behind it, the lake makes a perfe

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