All Stories from Northern CA

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  Eyepopping Poppies

  Poppies! Lots and lots of poppies. Reaching the top of Grass Mountain near Santa Ynez feels like approaching the Emerald City in the Land of Oz—only crossing this poppy field won’t

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  Fantastic Phantom!

  Blooming wildflowers and gushing waterfalls can only mean one thing: spring on North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve! The mountain—actually a basalt mesa—is worth a visit any tim

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  Gilroy Glory

  Rolling green hills punctuated by carpets buttercups and poppies: Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park in Gilroy seems positively sun-kissed in spring. It’s the best time of y

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  Abbotts Bonanza

  Pure wilderness, Pacific views, lush greenery, and wildflowers galore … yep, Point Reyes National Seashore is pretty much spring loaded. For the best of landscape, sandscape, and s

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  A Splash of Whiskeytown

  Located just 8 miles west of Redding and surrounded by mountain peaks, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is nearly 40,000 acres of all things outdoors: waterfalls, campgrounds, beaches, hiking trails, and a beautiful crystal-clear lake at the center of it all.

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  Weekend at Burney's

  The 129-foot Burney Falls gushes 100 million gallons of water every day over a basalt cliff face from Burney Creek. Get up close to it on an easy 1.2-mile hike taking you down to the waterfall’s base.

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  West's Best Bike Ride

  It’s the crown jewel of biking trails, wending its way through wildflowers and by the banks of the rippling Sacramento River, with stunning mountain views along the way. You’ll als

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  Sponsored

  Redding to Roll

  Redding is home to the best spring rolls. But not the kind you’re thinking of! We’re talking bike trails galore that are spring loaded with wild scenery, wildflowers, and wowing vi

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  Cool Tees!

  There’s a golf course in Golden Gate Park where the relaxed attitude of the players (beers and flip-flops encouraged; plaid sweater vests need not make an appearance) sets the stan

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  Romancing the Stow

  If you’re prone to poetry or singing “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore,” then you’re not going to be able to resist paddling the romantic waters of Go

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  Bowl for It

  If the Big Lebowski switched from lane bowling to lawn bowling, Golden Gate Park would be his new hangout. Quirky fits right in at the San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club here, which h

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  Sponsored

  Like Summer Camp, Only Better

  Mountains, lakes, ample playtime. Mammoth Lakes is like the ultimate summer camp, only way better: because it's for kids and kids at heart! Take a guided kayak trip on Mono Lake, a

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  Multiple Choice Hot Springs

  Travertine Hot Springs stands apart from other Eastern Sierra soaking sites for the astounding way that rock formations convey water to its primitive pools. Craggy ridges of traver

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  Hot, Wet, and Wild!

  At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away. The springs ar

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  Tramp at Trampas

  Epic East Bay views: check! Terrain with just enough challenge to keep things interesting: check! Wildflowers blooming on spring green hills: check and check! Yep, you’ll wanna tra

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  Secret Diablo

  Great views, wildflowers, vibrant green hills, even a Secret Trail … Mount Diablo State Park does it again with this spectacular 6-mile loop hike fit for spring. The Briones–Mount

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  Briones Bragging Rights

  Behold the Briones Reservoir Loop Trail in Orinda: an epic 13.5-mile hike that’s still the secret of hikers who love solitude and spring-loaded scenery! Located just beyond the bus

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  Soaking Up History

  When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history. Although this rustic resort south of Bishop has changed hands a f

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  Sponsored

  Wildflowers and Wonderful Views

  Cheese and chocolate go great with wine, but right now Sonoma Valley has something even better for your pairings: wildflowers! On top of its award-winning wines, Sonoma Valley’s 13

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  Sponsored

  Mammoth Lakes Epic Eight!

  1) Rainbow Connection Hike to Rainbow Falls from the famous Devils Postpile National Monument. It’s a 2-mile walk to this 101-foot stunner that plunges over a sheer cliff and leave

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