Northern California
Tickets in hand: check. Place to stay in San Francisco: check. Ride secured: check. Last night for two hours I (legally) downloaded over 21 hours of tunes for the eight-hour car journey. Mobile music leading …
About a one-hour drive from the densely populated San Francisco Bay Area, Point Reyes National Seashore was established to protect wilderness and natural ecosystems along the California coastline. Point Reyes is rich in biological diversity: …
As I drive south out of Napa Valley after a weeklong housesit, I stop at Prager Winery and Portworks in quaint St. Helena on the recommendation of a friend. The tasting room is in a …
I woke to overcast skies and decided it would be a good day to hike. With a hot cup of Roastaroma in hand, a quick Google search led me to several trails within an hour’s …
Vikingsholm Castle sits at the bottom of a steep, mile-long switchback driveway that drops 500 feet to the shore of Lake Tahoe. Once at the bottom, I purchased a ticket to participate in a guided …
With the fragrance of wisteria in the air, one million daffodils in full bloom stand brightly in meadows near the Santa Cruz Mountains. At Filoli Gardens, forty-eight varieties of daffodils – including 65,000 golden dawns …
Visiting Napa Valley in the spring brings some unexpected surprises. The off-season in Napa means fewer cars on the road, giving you more time to enjoy the scenery and the tasting rooms — crowd-free. Wine …
This story is dedicated to the memory of K.P. Ward, who died unexpectedly and tragically on December 22, 2010. Finally, here it is: the start of my summer vacation of 1987, and I just finished …
Another quick jaunt north is the scenic town of Pacifica, California. As a student at San Francisco State University, I once lived here eons ago, but it is still as quaintly scenic and tranquil a …
A trip to the East Bay Area and Berkeley makes for a wonderful weekend getaway. Fly to Oakland and take the Richmond BART train from the airport into Berkeley. Seven easy blocks north of the …
On a recent trip to San Francisco, I rediscovered what a great town it is for walking. The weather was miserable on the day of my arrival, reminding me of Mark Twain's quote that "the …
Coming back from Point Reyes, in no hurry, and decide to turn left toward the Sacramento River delta. As river meets greater San Francisco Bay at Carquinez Strait, there lies the unincorporated town of Crockett, …
I mentioned last week that I was on my way to Point Reyes. There’s a birding festival headquartered in Point Reyes Station, a small, unincorporated town set next to the park. Bird festivals are everywhere, …
If you’re driving north on I-5 and make the left turn onto I-580 heading toward the Bay Area, you may notice, just before you climb the last slight grade into Hayward, a prosperous suburb by …
Do you long for an excursion into a world rich with mystery and a healthy dose of the supernatural? On a nondescript street in San Jose stands one of the most fascinating homes in the …