All Stories from Northern CA

Morning Sun and a Mimosa
Maybe you’ve strolled the Sausalito waterfront, but have you ventured up the forested stairway trail to beautiful bay views and the headlands? Get an early start (parking fills quickly!) and hike the Morning Sun Trail, which switchbacks for half a mile up through an oak forest with peek-a-boo views of the bay.
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Stop and Stair
Communications Hill is one of the oldest neighborhoods in California, yet its Grand Staircase is a modern delight for urban hikers. This 252-step staircase and 2-mile (round-trip) trail offer beautiful views of Silicon Valley without ever leaving San Jose.
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True Star Power
Here's a truly enlightening way to spend an evening: head to Robert Ferguson Observatory in Sugarloaf Ridge State Park for a "star party." At dusk, the observatory opens, giving the public access to celestial viewing via three powerful telescopes.
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Light the Way 2024
Point Bonita Lighthouse is remotely perched on the western tip of the Marin Headlands and the entrance to the Golden Gate, 124 feet above the ocean. And lucky for all of us, the National Park Service hosts seasonal sunset tours of the lighthouse.
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Get Hetched!
Enjoy top-notch valley views on this 13-mile moderately strenuous backpacking trip highlighting some of Yosemite's best scenery. A bonus: This part of the park attracts fewer visitors than the much more famous valley
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Picture Worth a Thousand Words
Catch a mirrored sunrise at Thousand Island Lake back in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. You can reach this jewel—set at 9,500 feet in the High Sierra and backed by the brilliant Banner Peak—via a 10-mile trek along part of the Pacific Crest Trail.
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Sur Bet!
You can spend $1,000 a night for an ocean-view room in Big Sur. Or you can spend $45 and wake up to the sound of crashing waves and incredible views of Big Sur’s coastline when staying at Kirk Creek Campground.
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Best of the Summer Fests!
Outdoor winery events featuring films, food, wine, live music, and Sonoma’s cinematic scenery in the background: now that’s a blockbuster summer weekend!
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Where There's a Willow, There's a Way
Set in a narrow grassy meadow among the rolling spring-green hills of the Sonoma Coast, Willow Creek Environmental Campground has 11 walk-in campsites that are first-come, first-served. And the setting ain’t too shabby: it’s the only state park campground on the Russian River!
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Damme Good Camping
Just a few miles south of the town of Mendocino is one of the best hike-in (or bike-in) campgrounds on the California coast. Van Damme State Park follows Little River inland from the ocean, and the nine first-come, first-served environmental campsites can be reached via the Fern Canyon Trail.
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Strong and Steady
If Muir Woods has a doppelganger, it’s Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve near Sonoma County’s Russian River. This 805-acre park is home to some seriously old (1,400+ years!) and impressively tall (310 feet!) coast redwoods, the tallest living things on earth.
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Calaveras Giants
Contending as some of the tallest, mightiest, and most muscular spectacles in the state are the hulking (and beautiful) trees of Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Hit the trails to witness spectacular groves of giant sequoia redwoods.
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The Trail Less Traveled
Sometimes it’s the trails less traveled that bring memories most cherished. Sun Valley, Idaho, offers a change of pace and scenery that inspires a sense of wonder and a feeling of rejuvenation.
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Storied Trail
If ever there was a fairy trail, this 6.8-mile lollipop loop on Sun Valley’s Proctor Mountain is it. The Proctor Mountain Trail is a storied route in more ways than one, starting with its tranquil oasis memorial for a famous writer, Ernest Hemingway.
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Bald Statement
If you’re going to have a rite of passage hiking in Sun Valley, the hike to the summit of Bald Mountain is one to check off your list. This 5-mile (one-way) trek requires some stamina, yet richly rewards with a variety of views and vantages, abundant wildflowers, and the chance to combine a free chairlift and gondola ride back down.
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Two Wheels to Zen
The family-friendly Wood River Trail goes over an historic bridge, past art sculptures and ranch-roaming horses, all amid sprawling green valley and a mountainous backdrop. Roll out from the Farmers Market at River Run Lodge and pedal the 8-mile (round-trip) ride to Sun Valley’s Sawtooth Botanical Garden.
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Sunsets and Starry Nights in Sun Valley
Sun Valley has the distinction of being part of Central Idaho’s Dark Sky Reserve—the first of its kind in the country. The sky here has a signature clarity thanks to dedicated efforts at limiting light pollution. Here are some top spots for viewing and photography.
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Sun Valley Salutations
Sun Valley’s popular Yoga at River Run is located outdoors at the base of beautiful Bald Mountain, amid pine-scented air, the sound of a flowing river, and mountain-to-valley scenery.
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Baytiful!
Bike the San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail for the sheer multitude of Silicon Valley attractions—from an amusement park to protected wetlands and the 49ers’ stadium. This 10-mile out-and-back ride takes cyclists through some of the best spots in the South Bay.
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The Art & Soul of Sun Valley
By its very nature Sun Valley is like a fine work of art ... from the mountainous landscape and alpine lakes, to starry nights. But Sun Valley isn’t just a premier destination for beautiful outdoors. It also has a thriving arts and culture scene.
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