All Stories from Northern CA
One Wine Day
It happens to the best of us: you want to go wine tasting and you end up at a large-scale corporate tasting room. It's time for authentic wine country! It's time for the Wine Road:
ViewDown by the River
Carmel might be one of the best-known enclaves in the Monterey area, but its nearby Carmel River State Beach is much more of a local’s secret—especially the southern end of it. On
ViewNo Ordinary Beach
Want a beach that will really get you away from it all? Fort Ord Dunes State Park is just the ticket. This relative newcomer to the state park system gives an impressive perspectiv
ViewHello, Sur!
Big Sur is home to numerous fantastic beaches and coves, so which one do you choose? Go for the beach that's quintessential Big Sur (and dog-friendly!). Pfeiffer Beach in Pfeiffer
ViewTriple Bagged
What kind of peak-bagging adventure do you want to have this summer? A short ascent along a dormant volcano? A day hike to a gorgeous panorama of Northern California wilderness? Or
ViewWin the Great Monterey Road Trip!
How do you "road trip" the right way? Go to Monterey! Rev up the engine for one of the most spectacular coastlines in the world and a chance to Win the Great Monterey Road Trip for
ViewWalk on the Wild Side
Joshua Tree’s California Riding and Hiking Trail traverses 35 miles through the entire park, but you don't have to hike all of it to see the good stuff. Get up close and personal w
ViewTake the High Road
You don't have to rock climb to reach a brilliant panorama of Joshua Tree. A 3-mile (round-trip) hike up Ryan Mountain takes you to one of the highest peaks in the park. The trail
ViewCabin in the Redwoods
Want to camp in the redwoods, minus the whole pitching a tent and sleeping on the ground thing? Samuel P. Taylor State Park has you covered! The new Madrone Cabins give you the cam
ViewSonoma High
The Bay Area Ridge Trail will one day connect over 500 miles of trail along the hills and ridgelines to make one big Bay Area loop. So far, over 350 miles have been completed, and
ViewFerry Trail
Baseball isn't the only new season to happen this spring. Starting in April, the new, longer schedule begins for the Tiburon to Angel Island Ferry. Multiple ferries serve this hist
ViewRedding for Any Adventure
Checklist for a fantastic weekend escape: 1. Affordable. 2. Great weather. 3. Tons of stuff to do outdoors. Redding checks off all three, in a big way! As the second sunniest city
ViewYodel for Yosemite
Arizona has the Grand Canyon. Florida has the Everglades. And California? We have Yosemite. One of the world's most celebrated national parks is just a few hours away and spring is
ViewGoing to See Madonna
If you're going to see Madonna we're guaranteeing the venue is going to be amazing: high up in the Santa Cruz Mountains and dominated by redwood trees. Okay, we’re not talking "Like a Virgin" Madonna; we're talking like "Second-Growth Redwoods" Mount Madonna.
ViewPurisima Charisma
Beautiful old-growth redwoods have been at Purisima Creek for a long time, but the purple, pink, white, and yellow blossoms popping right now are spring fresh. Combine a canopy of
ViewHappy in Huddart
Just off I-280 in the tony burg of Woodside is Huddart Park, a 972-acre respite with quiet trails curving through canyons and among stately second-growth redwoods. Picnic spots, gr
ViewSpring for a Road Trip!
Monterey just might be the perfect weekend road trip: it's close enough that it won't kill your "We're going on a road trip!" buzz; it's got one of the most spectacular coastlines
ViewPaddle Perfection
Jenner is enviably located smack dab where the Russian River meets the Pacific. And that's why it's one of the most perfect places to kayak in the Bay Area. Its compact size, diver
ViewSurprise Factor
Some people don't like surprises, but we're guessing even those people will like the surprise hidden beach at Russian Gulch. While you can drive by and see multiple beach options i
ViewGo the Extra Mile
You can drive right up to a lot of incredible vista points in California and they make great excuses for getting out of the car to stretch the legs. But the Sonoma Coast State Beac
View
Spring Up to These Amazing Events
Shake it up, shake it all the way up to this sunniest city in the state for the most unique and fun-fueled events. Redding is true Northern California, surrounded by famous mountains, nearby national parks and recreation areas, and the sparkling Sacramento River.
See Spring's Most Unique EventsYour Inbox to the Outdoors
Stay up to date with our weekly recommendations on where to explore locally in California.