We live smack in the middle of the Pacific Flyway, the long Alaska to South America migration route for millions of birds—more than 350 species. Here are a few great places to catch the avian action. Fly to it!

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a sandhill crane! Every winter, 7,000 of these elegant gray birds with bright red foreheads soar hundreds of miles from the Pacific Northwest to their seasonal landing pad in the delta region of the Central Valley. Get up close to these long-necked beauties by visiting the Woodbridge Ecological Reserve in Lodi. The trick is to be there about an hour before sunset, when the cranes are apt to be active. You're likely to hear them before you see them, their haunting cackles like a distant locomotive. Scan the sky for a V-formation of these birds—with up to 7-foot wingspans—cruising across the dimming winter light. In the wetlands, you may witness a crane cocktail party, highlighted by a jumping, bowing, wing-spreading dance designed to attract a life mate (not to be confused with the Funky Chicken). Docents are usually on site during the sunset magic hour, regaling visitors with bird trivia. All aboard the crane train!

TIP: For more crane close-ups, make a reservation through their Web site to accompany the docents to a new shelter on the north side of the preserve. If the tour is filled, there may be no-shows and the docents can accommodate you. Just ask.

For directions to Woodbridge Ecological Reserve, check the Web site. Most sandhill cranes will have left the reserve by late February.

Pair wine tasting with bird-watching at a Tuscan villa perched atop a Sonoma hill. Viansa Winery sits on a 90-acre wetland preserve that's become a popular stopover for hundreds of species of birds along the Pacific Flyway. Back in 1990 Viansa teamed up with Ducks Unlimited to restore this tract of land to its original state. Today, the winery's expansive, elevated patio overlooks the vineyard all the way to the bird-populated wetlands and beyond to the Bay. A $5 tasting fee lets you sip Italian varietals like Barbera and Primitivo while strolling the patio on the lookout for ducks, Canada geese, swans, and shorebirds. Binoculars are beneficial for spying the birds up close, but even without them the sprawling vistas offer a bird's-eye view of Sonoma's landscape. Enjoy the flight.

Viansa Winery, 25200 Arnold Dr., Sonoma; 800-995-4740. The winery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It happens just once a year, and boy do feathers get ruffled! The Flyway Festival on Mare Island in San Pablo Bay is the Super Bowl of bird-watching. Celebrating its 14th season, the festival first came about as an effort to raise Bay Area awareness of birdlife and preserve the 50,000 acres of wetland between Vallejo and Marin from urban development. Since then things have taken flight, and this year—from Feb. 5-7—the Flyway Festival will host more than 70 free outings. Join volunteer-led excursions around Mare Island's waterfront and historic shipyard, or get back into the remote western edge of the island for great bird-watching at the confluence of the Carquinez Strait, Napa River, and San Pablo Bay. Parents will like the friendly educational angle of the exhibits (there's even a puppet show about "Sandy the sandpiper"), and the Wonder of Raptors wild bird show offers an up-close view of the sky's predators. Touchdown!

There is no cost to attend the Flyway Festival. Some outings require RSVP. Check the Web site for details.

Quick—what's the fastest and least expensive place to hit the slopes this winter? You might be surprised—it's Mammoth Mountain. California's biggest skiing just got a whole lot closer. What used to be a seven-hour drive to North America's top-ranked ski resort is now just a $39, 55-minute flight away. Yep, it's cheaper than a tank of gas to Tahoe, and you don't have to worry about the traffic or chains. But it's not just about a shorter commute: at a peak elevation of 11,053 feet Mammoth's got quality and quantity. Take your pick from over 3,500 acres of epic terrain—accessed from three gondolas and 25 chairlifts (25!)—suited for beginners to advanced. Meet up for lunch at one of 11 on-mountain cafes, and, when the ski day's done, kick back and enjoy the après scene at the vibrant Alps-inspired ski village. (Tiki bar or trendy lounge?)

Unbeatable Package Deal: Get a four-day ski pass, four-nights of slope-side lodging, and round-trip airfare from San Jose for only $82 a day. (That's nearly the price of a lift ticket at some ski resorts!) But hurry, you have to book your package by Feb. 4. Save time, save money, and ski the biggest and best in California. That's Mammoth!

Cool Mammoth Deals:

Fly San Jose to Mammoth: $39 one-way (includes complimentary afternoon lift ticket on day of arrival).

Mammoth Package: four-day lift ticket, four-nights lodging, round-trip airfare for $82 a day.