Joy to the Wine

'Tis the season … and a really good reason to visit wineries growing merrier and brighter by the vintage—and the outdoor activities! Here are three standouts not named Napa or Sonoma that are making their mark for outstanding wines and good times in the great outdoors.

Week: 12.08.2015
Regions: Northern CA

From Gold Rush to Wine Crush

Wine Tasting in Amador County

Story Winery
There's a new rush happening in the beautiful foothills of Amador County, and it's not for gold. Wine is the current cash crop—with deep historic roots in this part of California. The wine industry here took off back in the gold rush days before tapering as gold mining declined.
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New Year's Eve at the Aquarium

New Years Sleepover at Monterey Bay Aquarium

Feel like a fish out of water when it comes to New Year's Eve? We have just the plan for you! The New Year's Eve Seashore Sleepover, hosted by Monterey Bay Aquarium. Gather your friends, the kids, whoever else you want: The world-famous aquarium is positively magical at night, an
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Room to Roam and Sip

Wine Taste and Hike at Picchetti

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Free-range roosters and hens, wide-open space with hiking trails, and an earthy wine tasting room twinkling with lights. Hiking and wine tasting go hand in hand at Picchetti Ranch and Picchetti Winery near Cupertino in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
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The Pinot Express

Zipline in San Luis Obispo County

Some wine flights are just more exciting than others. Add some ho-ho-holy smokes to your next sip and swirl with one of wine country's biggest thrills: zip-lining high above the vineyards on the flanks of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Margarita Adventures (as in Santa Margarita, not
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

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  4. Roaring Good Time

    There’s nothing quite like the majestic beauty of California’s redwood forests. Now, imagine experiencing those towering giants aboard a historic 19th-century steam train. Roaring Camp Railroads in Felton is home to some of the oldest and most authentically preserved narrow-gauge steam engines in America.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Two kayakers on Upper Klamath Basin on tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures

    Zen & the Art of Kayaking

    It’s the most meditative and relaxing experience you’ll ever have on a kayak. Yes, you read that right, a Zen experience on a kayak. It all happens in beautiful Klamath County when you head out on a guided tour with Sky Lakes Wilderness Adventures.

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  2. Alex Villicana, Villicana Winery and Re:Find Distillery

    Locals' Feature: Alex Villicana

    Tech booms, AI revolutions, okay that’s all fine, but you wanna know what else is really cool? Being a pioneer in a world-famous industry that—in Paso Robles—remains solidly down to earth. When Alex Villicana established Villicana Winery in 1993, he clearly had grape expectations...

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  3. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

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