Northern California

This is the Central Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guide-book.

Too often forgotten or dismissed as ‘flyover’ country between San Francisco and LA, this fairy-tale stretch of California coast is packed with wild beaches, misty redwood forests where hot springs hide, and rolling golden hills of fertile vineyards and farm fields.

• learn to surf, and scare yourself silly on the Giant Dipper along the famed beach boardwalk in Santa Cruz
• maps
• cruise Hwy 1, where the sky touches the sea along the rocky coastline of mystical Big Sur
• transportation
• be mesmerized by aquatic denizens of the ‘indoor ocean’ at the superb aquarium in Mon-terey
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Along Highway 1, Santa Cruz & Around, Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, Point Piedras Blancas, Mission San Antonio De Padua, San Simeon, Hearst Castle, Cambria, Cayucos, Morro Bay, Montaña de Oro State Park, Along Highway 101, San Juan Bautista, Gilroy, Salinas, Pinnacles National Park, San Miguel, Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo, Avila Beach, Pismo Beach.

This is the Gold Country chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guide-book.

A ride along Hwy 49 through sleepy hill towns, past clapboard saloons and oak-lined byways is a journey back to the wild ride that was modern California’s founding. Stop for a taste of the helter-skelter era that kick-started the heartbeat of this state.

• witnessing the birthplace of modern California at Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park
• maps
• rumbling down the premier single-track bike trails above Downieville
• transport
• tasting wines made from grapes grown in the Plymouth hills
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Nevada County & Northern Gold Country, Auburn, Auburn State Recreation Area, Grass Valley, Nevada City, South Yuba River State Park, Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park, North Yuba River, El Dorado & Amador Counties, Coloma-Lotus, Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, Placerville, Plymouth & Amador City, Sutter Creek, Volcano, Jackson, Calaveras County & South Gold Country, Angels Camp, Murphys, Columbia State Historic Park, and Sonora & Jamestown.

This is the Lake Tahoe chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guide-book.

Lake Tahoe is the USA’s second-deepest lake and, at 6255ft, it’s also one of the highest. The sun shines on Tahoe three out of four days in the year, making it a top destination for both sum-mer and winter activities.

• survey the shimmering expanse of Lake Tahoe from a kayak or from the sandy beach at Zephyr Cove
• maps
• swoosh down the vertiginous double-black-diamond runs of Heavenly ski resort
• transport
• trek Rubicon Trail from Vikingsholm Castle on sparkling Emerald Bay to DL Bliss State Park
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: South Lake Tahoe & Stateline, Lake Tahoe Western Shore, Emerald Bay State Park, DL Bliss State Park, Meeks Bay, Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma, Homewood, Sunnyside, Tahoe City, Squaw Valley, Truckee & Donner Lake, Lake Tahoe Northern Shore, Tahoe Vista, Kings Beach, Crystal Bay (Nevada), Lake Tahoe East-ern Shore (Nevada), Incline Village, Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park, Reno (Nevada).

This is the Marin County & the Bay Area chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guidebook.

The San Francisco Bay Area encompasses a bonanza of natural vistas and wildlife. Visit an-cient redwoods and herds of elegant tule elk in Marin, gray whales swim off the cape of Point Reyes and hawks fly in the Marin Headlands.

• gaze up at a majestic redwood canopy at Muir Woods National Monument
• maps
• spot gray whales from the lighthouse at Point Reyes National Seashore
• transport
• ferry over from San Francisco to bohemian Sausalito houseboats bobbing in the bay
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Marin County, Marin Headlands, Sausalito, Tiburon, Sir Francis Drake Boulevard & Around, San Rafael, Mill Valley, Mt Tamalpais State Park, Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, Bolinas, Olema & Nicasio, Point Reyes Station, Inverness, Point Reyes National Seashore, East Bay, Oakland, Berkeley, Mt Diablo State Park, John Muir National Historic Site, The Peninsula, San Jose & Around, Pacifica & Around, Devil’s Slide, Half Moon Bay & Around, Pescadero, An?o Nuevo State Park.

This is the Napa & Sonoma Wine Country chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern Cali-fornia guidebook.

America’s premier viticulture region has earned its reputation among the world’s best. Despite hype about Wine Country style, all Wine Country lore springs from the land. Plan to get lost in back roads, rolling hills and lush redwood forests.

• taste California’s biggest and boldest red wines and fall under their intoxicating spell in the Napa Valley, then grab snacks downtown at Napa’s Oxbow Public Market
• maps
• feast in Northern California’s greatest food town, Healdsburg. Then, wallet permitting, hit up exciting new restaurant, SingleThread
• transport
• submerge yourself in a volcanic-ash mud bath at a fabulous Calistoga hot-springs resort, then sleep in a yurt in Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Napa Valley, Napa Valley Wineries, Napa, Yountville, Oakville & Rutherford, St Helena, Calistoga & Around, Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Valley Wineries, Sonoma & Around, Glen Ellen & Kenwood, Russian River Area, Russian River Wineries, Se-bastopol, Occidental & Around, Guerneville & Around, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg & Around.

This is the North Coast & Redwoods chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern Califor-nia guidebook.

This is not the Beach Boys’ California – there are no palm-flanked beaches and few surf-boards. Instead, explore hidden coves with a blanket and a bottle of local wine, scan the horizon for migrating whales and retreat at night to fire-warmed Victorians.

• hike along meandering trails of Redwood National Park, flanked by virgin redwood forests that will give you a crick in your neck
• maps
• climb to the top of historic Point Arena Lighthouse for sweeping views over the extraordi-nary coastline
• transportation
• admire the dazzle of plants and flowers at the coast-side Mendocino Coast Botanical Gar-dens
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Coastal Highway 1, Bodega Bay, Sonoma Coast State Beach, Jenner, Fort Ross State Historic Park, Salt Point State Park, Sea Ranch, Gualala & An-chor Bay, Point Arena, Manchester, Elk, Van Damme State Park, Mendocino, Jug Handle State Reserve, Fort Bragg, MacKerricher State Park, Westport, Along Highway 101, Hopland, Clear Lake, Anderson Valley, Ukiah & Around, Willits, Southern Redwood Coast, Leggett, Richardson Grove State Park, Garberville, Lost Coast, Humboldt Redwoods State Park & Avenue of the Gi-ants, Scotia, Ferndale, Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Eureka, Samoa Peninsula, Arca-ta, Northern Redwood Coast, Trinidad, Patrick’s Point State Park, Humboldt Lagoons State Park, Redwood National & State Parks, Klamath, Crescent City, Tolowa Dunes State Park & Lake Earl Wildlife Area, Pelican State Beach.

This is the Northern Mountains chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guidebook.

Prepare yourself for something completely different: vast expanses of wilderness, divided by rivers and streams, dotted with cobalt lakes, horse ranches and alpine peaks. Come to get lost in vast remoteness.

• gape at geothermal spectacles in Lassen Volcanic National Park
• maps
• explore deep caves and examining ancient petroglyphs at Lava Beds National Monu-ment
• transportation
• hike and ski Mt Shasta, NorCal’s most majestic mountain
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Redding & Around, Shasta Lake, Mt Lassen Region, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lassen National Forest, Lake Almanor Area, Susanville, Eagle Lake, Quincy, Bucks Lake, Mt Shasta & Around, Mt Shasta City, Dunsmuir, Castle Crags State Park, McCloud, McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park & Around, Lava Beds National Monument, Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges, Modoc National Forest, West of I-5, Weav-erville, Lewiston Lake, Trinity Lake, Klamath & Siskiyou Mountains, Scott Valley, Yreka.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Northern California, Northern California’s Top 25, Need to Know, If You Like…, Month by Month, Itineraries, Road Trips & Scenic Drives, Northern California Camping & Outdoors, Travel with Children, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guidebook.

Your journey to Northern California starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on road trips and scenic drives.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about the best local food and wine
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Northern California, Northern California’s Top 25, Need to Know, If You Like: Majestic Scenery, History, Small Towns, Lakes, Skinny Dip-pin’, Mind-Bending Festivals, Beautiful Coastline, Month by Month, Itineraries, Road Trips & Scenic Drives, Northern California Camping & Outdoors, Travel with Children, Eat & Drink Like a Local, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Sacramento & Central Valley chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern Califor-nia guidebook.

The Central Valley is visible from space – a vast expanse of green between the Sierra Neva-da and Pacific Ocean. The area is divided in two parts: the Sacramento Valley in the north and the San Joaquin Valley in the south.

• stroll between breweries in Sacramento, the self-proclaimed mecca of beer
• maps
• drive bumper cars, eat fried Twinkies and check out blue-ribbon livestock at the California State Fair
• transportation
• uncork the region’s emerging fine-wine scene in Lodi
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Sacramento Valley, Sacramento, Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, Davis, Oroville, Chico, Red Bluff, San Joaquin Valley, Lodi, Stockton, Mod-esto, Merced, Fresno, Visalia, Bakersfield, Kern River Area.

This is the San Francisco chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guide-book.

San Francisco’s morning fog erases the boundaries between land and ocean, reality and in-finite possibility. Rules are never strictly followed here, but bliss is. Pursue inspiration through Golden Gate Park, past flamboyantly painted Victorian homes and through Mission galleries.

• follow your bliss through SF’s mile-wide wild streak: Golden Gate Park
• maps
• see how real life is cooler than science fiction at the Exploratorium
• transportation
• watch fog dance atop the deco towers of the Golden Gate Bridge
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Sights, Activities, Tours & Courses, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping.

This chapter contains the Northern California Today, History, The Way of Life, Music & the Arts, By the Book, The Land & Wildlife, Directory A–Z, and Transportation chapters from Lonely Planet’s Northern California guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, food and arts, to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travel-lers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids.

• a rundown on people and cultural events
• info on Northern California’s architectural highlights
• full coverage for foodies
• details on the land, wildlife and and sustainability

Coverage includes: Northern California Today, History, The Way of Life, Music & the Arts, By the Book, The Land & Wildlife, Directory A–Z, and Transportation.

This is the Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada chapter from Lonely Planet’s Northern Califor-nia guidebook.

The eastern spine of California is a formidable but exquisite topographical barrier enclosing magnificent natural landscapes, majestic national parks, decomposing ghost towns, bubbling natural hot springs, ancient rock formations and Native American tribes that still call it home.

• marvel at the waterfall gush in spring at Yosemite National Park
• maps
• whoosh down the wintertime heights of snow-draped Mammoth Mountain
• transportation
• gaze heavenward through the celestial sequoia canopies of Sequoia & Kings Canyon Na-tional Parks
• restaurants & accommodations

Coverage includes: Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Gateways, Fish Camp, Oakhurst, Merced River Canyon, Mariposa, Groveland, Kings Canyon National Park, Sequoia National Park, Eastern Sierra, Mono Lake Region, Mammoth Lakes & Around, Bishop, Big Pine, Independence, Lone Pine.