Northern California

Northern California is positively stuffed with cool places to visit. Whether you want to go forest bathing in the coast redwoods, do a wine tasting tour or go skiing in Lake Tahoe, we've got you covered. These Northern California destinations will help you fulfill a weekend getaway or a longer California vacation.

4 Cool Northern California Regions to Visit

At 163,000 square miles, Northern California is a huge territory. And while this can seem overwhelming, it also presents a great opportunity. NorCal's terrain varies widely, spoiling you with it's unparalleled nature and cool metropolitan experiences. Here are four California regions with a bit about what makes them special.

The San Francisco Bay Area

The Bay Area was fueled by California's gold rush and that entrepreneurial spirit is still alive today. And sure, there's Silicon Valley, but there is also a lot of cool culture, wine tasting, redwoods and some lovely coastline...all within 20 miles of the San Francisco airport. You can explore the Bay Area's cutest coastal town by visiting Half Moon Bay, explore surf culture in Santa Cruz or take a scenic and historic hike on SF's Lands End.

The North Coast Redwoods

There are only three types of giant redwoods and two of them are only found in Northern California. The Coast and Giant Sequoia Redwoods found in Northern California are some of the tallest trees in the world...and they smell good too. You can see them by taking a multi-day redwoods road trip which transits three scenic byways and 9 key redwood state and national parks. Or you could visit individual parks like Hendy Woods and Van Damme, which are near Mendocino.

The Central Coast

The Central Coast presents a perfect opportunity for folks who like their wine tasting with a side of nature (or perhaps their nature with a glass of wine?) There are laid back beach towns like Cayucos, quirky hippie towns like Harmony and California's best coastline along Big Sur. And the Paso Robles wine growing regions has tons of fun wineries and even a distillery trail.

Lake Tahoe Basin

Lake Tahoe is California's most popular playground. During the summer, you can play on it's beaches, hike the Donner Tunnels or take the scenic drive around the lake. In the winter, you can explore the ski resorts or find fun winter activities, even if you don't ski. And after all of that, you can rehydrate at one of Tahoe's many breweries.

Round-ups of Popular Northern California Destinations

Chill & Charming Northern California Coastal Towns

These 12 towns feature gob smacking, jaw dropping coastline with beaches, craggy cliffs, river estuaries and redwood forests.

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10 Hippie Towns in California

San Francisco was ground zero for the Summer of Love, so it's no wonder that 8 of these 10 hippie towns are in NorCal.

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All 43 Redwood Parks in California

ALL of California's Coast Redwoods and Giant Sequoia are located in Northern California....and our guide will make you want to go now!

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Visit San Francisco

Local's Guide to Non-Touristy SF

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How to Visit The Golden Gate Bridge (Full Guide)

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Where to Stay in SF

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The Best of the Central Coast

How to Do Big Sur in a Day

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Carmel Getaway Guide

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Cayucos Getaway Guide

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Explore Lake Tahoe

13 Key Stops on the Lake Tahoe Scenic Drive

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Lake Tahoe Winter Fun Guide

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Lake Tahoe Brewery Guide

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Peruse the Blog Roll for More Northern California Destinations