Northern California Travel Guide

This article lists the most popular national parks, scenic spots and small towns in Northern California.
The map is as follows:

* This article does not strictly follow the definition of 'Northern California', but simply draws a horizontal line through San Jose... which should be more in line with everyone's habits

1. Point Reyes

A coastline suitable for watching the sea and deer.

Transportation : about 43 miles/69 kilometers from San Francisco, 1-1.5 hours
drive. Season : all year round, don't go on cloudy days .
How long to play : one-day tour.
How to play : ‣ Depart from San Francisco in the morning and have lunch at Point Reyes Station,
a small town near Point Reyes . ‣ Then go to Cypress Tree Tunnel to walk through the cypress tunnel ( 15-30 minutes ) by Vinu T ‣ Next, go to Point Reyes Lighthouse to see the sea view and lighthouse. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the parking lot to the lighthouse . For trail information, see here by Christian Lendl ‣ Finally, go to Tomales Point Trail for hiking, where you can see beautiful mountain flowers ( in spring ) and wandering deer ( most easily seen in summer/autumn and before sunset ). The trail is 9.5 miles/15.3 kilometers round trip, with an altitude increase of 366 meters, but the scenery is repeated. You can return halfway ( about 2 hours ) and go home. Recommended video: Tomales Point Trail Spring 2024

2. Napa Valley

Napa is located in the north of San Francisco and is a world-famous wine country.
There are more than 400 wineries here, with beautiful scenery. It is a good place for students in the Bay Area to go outing/buy wine.

Transportation : about 59 miles/95 kilometers from San Francisco, 1.5 hours drive.
Accommodation : The most convenient place to stay is the town of Napa , such as Bel Abri Napa Valley Inn
. Guide : Napa Valley Guide
. Season : All year round.
How long to play : One-day tour or 2 days and 1 night.
How to play : Visit the winery + take a hot air balloon ride


by Lisha Riabinina | Sebastien Gabriel

3. Mendocino

Coastline suitable for sea watching and hiking

Transportation : about 155 miles/249 kilometers from San Francisco, 3-4 hours
drive Travel season : all year round
Duration : 2 days and 1 night
Accommodation : Hotels near Fort Bragg are cost-effective, such as:
Surf and Sand Lodge ★★★
Emerald Dolphin Inn & Mini Golf ★★★
If you have a large budget, you can also consider the sea view hotel SCP Mendocino Coast Lodge

How to play :


Day1.
‣ Depart in the morning, arrive in Mendocino at noon, and go to Luna Trattoria for Italian food ‣ Enjoy the sea view and natural arch bridge
on Point Mendocino Trail
, which can be arranged for 30 minutes Recommended video: Mendocino, California - 4K Drone ‣ Take a photo with the lighthouse Point Cabrillo Lighthouse , the parking lot is about 1 mile to and from the lighthouse, which can be arranged for 1 hour Recommended video: Point Cabrillo Light Station State Historic Park ‣ Finally, go to Glass Beach to pick up sea glass ( in the 1960s, there was a garbage dump nearby, and the sea glass was derived from the glass waste at that time... But there are also rumors that the local community regularly replenishes glass into the sea to maintain the attraction of this place ) Recommended video: Exploring Glass Beach | September 2024 Day2. ‣ Go to Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in the morning to see flowers and plants. There are many good reviews. The ticket price is 20 US dollars and can be arranged for 1.5 hours. ‣ Return to San Francisco Recommended video: MCBG through the seasons ‣ Students with a large budget and children can also experience the steam train Skunk Train . The one-way journey takes 20 minutes, and the stopover lasts 30 minutes before returning. The ticket price starts at 50 US dollars, which is slightly less cost-effective.

4. Lassen Volcanic National Park

Lassen is an active volcano in its dormant period. Its last eruption was on May 19, 1915.
The area has rare geothermal landscapes in the United States ( except for Lassen, only Yellowstone Park has it ).
In addition to geothermal, you can also hike the volcanic cone, check in the nearby waterfalls and underground caves.

Transportation : about 236 miles/380 kilometers from San Francisco, a 4-hour drive.
Accommodation : The largest residential area nearby is Redding , such as Americana Modern Hotel
. Guide : Lassen National Park Guide .
Season : June to early October, the main road of the park is closed at other times .
How long to play : 2 days and 1 night or 3 days and 2 nights.
How to play :
‣ Day1 - Depart from San Francisco > 1. Cinder Cone Trail > Stay in Redding
‣ Day2 - Depart from Redding > Visit 2. Little Yellowstone and surrounding scenic spots > San Francisco
‣ Day3 - Optional - Go to 6. Zen waterfall Burney Falls or 7. Cave Lake Shasta Caverns > San Francisco by Arnav Maiti | YS | Leo_Visions

5. Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is the largest mountain lake in North America . The water is clear and visibility is 20 meters.

Transportation : About 190 miles/306 kilometers from San Francisco, 4-5 hours drive.
Accommodation : The most convenient place to stay is South Lake Tahoe , such as Tahoe Lakeshore Lodge & Spa.
Guide : Lake Tahoe Travel Guide .
Season : Play in the water in summer, enjoy the scenery in autumn, and ski in winter and spring .
Duration : 3 days and 2 nights. Best
way to play : Enjoy the scenery around the lake, hike

6. Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is the most famous national park near
San Francisco . It features waterfalls and mountain views, as well as lakes and redwood forests.

Transportation : About 192 miles/309 kilometers from San Francisco, a 4-5 hour drive.
Accommodation : The nearest accommodation is El Portal , such as Yosemite View Lodge
. Guide : Yosemite National Park Guide .   
Season : It may snow in spring from April to May, but the waterfalls have the largest amount of water; summer has the most tourists/but it is also the hottest; autumn is comfortable and suitable for hiking, but the waterfalls are almost dry; winter is suitable for enjoying the snow. How long does a day
trip last : 3 days and 2 nights.
How to play :
‣ Day 1 Visit the main scenic area, mainly by driving to enjoy the scenery
‣ Day 2 Most students will hike the Mist Trail ( 6.7 miles, 6 hours ) to see Vernal Fall
‣ Day 3 Check in at the redwood forest before going home



by Mick Haupt | Chuck Grimmett | Sinjin Thomas

7. Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is not a lake, but the name of a town.
The area around it is very suitable for autumn viewing.

Transportation : about 262 miles/422 kilometers from San Francisco, 5-6 hours drive.
Accommodation : Mammoth Lakes town, such as Empeiria High Sierra Hotel .
Guide : California autumn viewing guide
. Season : October is suitable for autumn viewing, the best viewing date varies every year .
Duration : 3 days and 2 nights. Best
way to play : There are multiple autumn viewing spots in the area ( parking and viewing & hiking ), you should chase autumn according to the actual situation.


by Suzanne Rushton

8. Redwood National Park

The average height of the trees in the park is 76-106 meters. There are the tallest trees on earth ( 115 meters, equivalent to a 40-story building in China, but the location is kept secret ) .
The average age of the trees is over 500 years, and some are over 2,000 years old.

Transportation : about 271 miles/436 kilometers from San Francisco, a 5-6 hour drive.
Accommodation : Eureka Town on the south side of the park, such as Eureka Inn
. Guide : Redwood National Park Guide .
Season : Visit all year round ( just foggy in summer and rainy in winter ), April-June for the best scenery/climate. How
long to play : 2 days and 1 night or combine with the surrounding arrangements for a 5-day and 4-night loop.
How to play :
‣ Because of the long distance and relatively monotonous scenery, not many students go there on purpose.
‣ Most students will combine with the nearby Lassen Volcanic National Park and Crater Lake National Park. Play together


by tatonomusic | Lisha Riabinina

San Francisco and surrounding areas View map

San Francisco and surrounding attractions ( within 1 hour drive ), this article will not introduce them in detail
If you are interested, please see the San Francisco travel guide

Photography by Maarten van den Heuvel , Caleb Jones , David Klein , Colin Maynard , YS , Patrick Adcock


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Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a happy time!
*⸜( •ᴗ• )⸝*