All Stories from Northern CA

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  Eagle Eye Surprise

  Granite peaks, a view of Lake Tahoe, and a waterfall—get it all on a 2-mile (round-trip) winter hike to Tahoe’s Eagle Lake. In summer, this trail is busy, but in spring, you can ge

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  Epic Winter Means Epic Spring in Reno Tahoe

  1) Ride the Rapids! This year’s snowmelt means river rapids galore. Connecting Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake, the Truckee River cuts through downtown Reno, and when it’s this good yo

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  Tiptoe Time

  You won’t need a lot of fancy footwork to hike the short distance to Tiptoe, but you will want some water-resistant hiking shoes to reach this lovely oasis hidden away in Portola R

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  Spring for Yosemite's Waterfalls!

  It’s a waterfall time to be in Yosemite! Spring means raging waterfalls without the crowds. Stay at Tenaya Lodge, just two miles from Yosemite’s southern entrance, and experience t

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  From Peak to Beach

  Morning on the mountain, afternoon at the beach, and in between both: banner ocean views. It’s all within 3 miles’ reach on the Peninsula when you get an early start at Montara Sta

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  Hike the Dunes to the Beach

  Bodega Head is popular for its impressive cliff-hugging hiking trails, but few people follow the path north to a less-trodden hiking trail winding along the bluff and down to spect

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  How to Visit Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

  Stay in the Park Sleep among giants in Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, with plenty of lodging options, from the famous “Honeymoon Cabin” to the amazing stone-and-cedar Wuksa

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  Feather Mix

  Nestled between a Silicon Valley tech giant and Moffett Airfield there’s a pool party where feathers are flying! At 55 acres, Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area has a recent

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  Island of Adventure

  1) Glamp in the Backcountry You love the outdoors but you want a hot shower, a good meal, and a comfy bed? Done! Glamp in Catalina’s vast interior, where your room opens to the stu

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  Go Big!

  1) Redwoods National Park & Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Roosevelt elk, canyons covered in bright green ferns and glistening with small waterfalls—oh yeah—and the tallest tree

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  Dewy at Dawn

  Redwoods, wooden bridges, a trailside stream, and lush greenery galore … Marin County’s Baltimore Canyon Open Space Preserve has lots of bragging rights, including a terrific 2.4-m

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  Sensational Sempervirens

  The redwoods aren't the only "big" things at Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Right now the waterfalls are big, too! Sempervirens Falls is a quick 3.4-mile (round-trip) out-and-back

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  Wetlands & Works of Art!

  If the only bird you pay any attention to is the one you see on Twitter, then Palo Alto has an outdoor surprise for you. Baylands Nature Preserve is considered one of the best bird

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  Going Big on the Coast

  What’s one of the best things to do on the California coast during winter months? Whale watching! Especially, migrating gray whales. And San Mateo County’s Año Nuevo State Park put

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  From Waterfall Trails to Delicious Ales

  1) Grandest Picnic of Them All Pair your lunch with one of the biggest views in the West! At 3,849 feet, Mount Diablo’s summit has a panorama of more than 200 miles of California l

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  Epic Winter Gets Even Better

  1) Ski Free From plane to powder in less than an hour? Present your same-day boarding pass and photo ID in exchange for a complimentary lift ticket to either Squaw Valley or Alpine

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  Whale, Hello There!

  Blissfully quiet on winter mornings, San Gregorio State Beach on the San Mateo Coast is ideal for spying gray whales.

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  Meet Your Match

  What’s your thing: Hiking? Cycling? Running? Do your thing in the most beautiful places in California! Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, and Napa-Sonoma wine country are your host destinations

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  Sonoma Garden Park

  Forget a dozen roses. Give your love a botanical garden. Specifically, one hidden away on the western slope of Sonoma Valley’s Mayacamas Mountains. Sonoma Botanical Garden has one of the Bay Area’s best displays of Asian flora—and it’s a brilliant place for a quiet picnic.

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  Planet Picnic

  So, you wanna give your love the sun, the moon, the stars … okay. But to turn it up to 11 you’re gonna have to give the planets too! Good thing there’s a state park hike for that.

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