Shoot for the Sun

Summer Vacation Makeover in Sun Valley

Give your next summer vacation a mountain makeover. Specifically, a Sun Valley mountain makeover! Just a 2-hour direct flight from San Francisco or a 2.5-hour direct flight from Los Angeles, Sun Valley, Idaho, is a recreational paradise: 400+ miles of crowd-free hiking and biking, a nonstop calendar of festivals and events, galleries, outdoor art, locally owned and operated shops and restaurants, zero condo sprawl!

Catch a trout right in town, then wander over to the free outdoor concerts and enjoy a picnic while taking in the sights and sounds of Sun Valley. After one visit here, you will want to make this an annual tradition.

HIKE SUGGESTION: The 5-mile Bald Mountain Trail to Gondola Loop is a Sun Valley classic, with views of the surrounding Smoky Mountains.

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  3. Serene Las Gallinas

    A serene stroll alongside marshland, passing ponds and grasses frilled in seasonal wildflowers, with Mount Tam a beacon in the background … how nice. As part of the esteemed Bay Trail, San Rafael’s Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop and Wildlife Ponds comprises about 3.5 miles of wide-open trail.

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    Redding Lights and Silent Nights

    Give your holiday events calendar a major glow up this winter in California’s sunniest city. Redding is a revelation: Surrounded by iconic scenery like Mount Shasta, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

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