Kayla Anderson - Moon Northern California Road Trips: Drives along the Coast, Redwoods, and Mountains with the Best Stops along the Way (Travel Guide)

STUART THORNTON & KAYLA ANDERSON

In Northern California, humankind takes a backseat to nature. This is a region dominated by skyscraping redwood trees, forest-cloaked mountains, driftwood-decorated beaches, snow-frosted peaks, naturally occurring hot springs, and lakes as blue as the sky above. Here, adjectives like largest, biggest, deepest, tallest, and highest frequently precede beaches and bays and falls and forests. This is California at its wildest, its most elemental, its purest.

Less developed, and less visited, than the southern part of the state, Northern California is where you can experience hours alone on a mountain peak or time in the depths of a silent redwood forest. From cosmopolitan San Francisco, roads wind north through the famous Wine Country, where the hillsides are braided with grapevines. Along the coast, the trees become taller and the crowds become smaller. The California coast bleeds inland into Southern Oregon and the foodie-friendly town of Ashland before bending south into the majesty of Northern Californias inland mountain ranges. The sparkling blue waters of Tahoe, the snowcapped volcanic peaks of Mounts Shasta and Lassen, the high Sierra of Yosemite, and the low desert valleys lie to the east.

The northern coast and the Sierra Nevada are dotted with distinct communities like Mendocino, Arcata, and Trinidad on the coast, Mount Shasta city and Ashland, Oregon inland, and Bishop in the Eastern Sierra, offering an opportunity for exploration off the beaten path. Taste the fruits of this less developed land, from grass-fed Humboldt beef to Tomales Bay oysters to Napa wines and small craft breweries.

Wherever the road takes you, youll return home with tales of the wild and rugged land to the north.

Wander Along the

Feast on : The fish and shellfish of the Northern California coast are some of the freshest and tastiest food youll find.

Hike Amid : Crane your neck at the skyscraping redwoods in the Redwood State and National Parks.

Circle the : Circumnavigate the rim of a sunken caldera in Oregons Crater Lake National Park.

Explore a Volcanic Landscape: Boardwalk paths lead past boiling mud pots and steaming streams in .

s Waters: Kayak the lakes cobalt-blue waters to the granite rocks on Fannette Island, perched in the middle of Emerald Bay.

and Craft Beer: Some of the worlds best wines and craft beers are produced in Napa and Sonoma and in Humboldt County on the North Coast.

Admire : Walk through Lundy Canyon in the Eastern Sierra as the quaking aspens turn from leafy green to brilliant gold.

Cross the High Sierra: Yosemites passes through an alpine landscape, with stops at Tuolumne Meadows.

Cruise the : This twisty, two-lane highway follows one of the worlds most dramatic coastlines.

Where to Go

San Francisco

Located on a hilly peninsula between San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Add in a renowned food scene, world-class museums, a healthy arts culture, and iconic attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island for a mandatory stop on any serious road trip.

Wine Country

For oenophiles, no trip to Northern California is complete without an excursion to the states renowned Wine Country. Though the main draw is sampling wines at their source, Napa and Sonoma Valleys offer multiple ways to spoil yourself, including spas, fine hotels, revered restaurants, and understated natural beauty.

Sonoma and Mendocino

For deserted beaches, towering redwoods, and scenic coastal towns, cruise north along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. Explore Russian history at Fort Ross on the grassy bluffs of the Sonoma Coast, and fall in love with Mendocinos small-town charm and nearby wineries.

North Coast and Redwoods

Of all the natural wonders California has to offer, the one that seems to inspire the purest and most unmitigated awe is the