NorCal Blog
YOUR Questions
Visitor Survey
Contact Me
Big Sur California
CA Gold Rush
CA Whale Watching
Chico California
Lake Tahoe
Mendocino County
Napa California
San Francisco
Sonoma California
Wine Tasting Tips
Yosemite Nat'l Pk
Introducing Me
Site Map
Free Online Articles
YOUR Stories

[?] Subscribe To This Site

XML RSS
Add to Google
Add to My Yahoo!
Add to My MSN
Add to Newsgator
Subscribe with Bloglines

WHAT'S SO WONDERFUL ABOUT
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA?




I can give it to you in one word: Northern California has VARIETY!

Share YOUR Northern California experiences here.



DO YOU JUST LOVE THE OCEAN?


Northern California Beach

  • California beaches, rocky rugged coastlines . . .

  • Tide pools, saltwater marshes, coastal dunes . . .

  • Quaint fishing villages, seaside resorts . . .





Sandy Beach

It's all here in Northern California! From Big Sur, Carmel, and Monterey Bay to San Francisco. From Point Reyes to Crescent City and beyond.



Just follow State Highway 1 North . . .


The Coastal Beauty of Mendocino


You'll marvel at the isolated coves, the beaches, the rocky headlands with their sheer drops to the restless Pacific Ocean below, the fascinating off-shore rock formations called Sea Stacks.


. . . It’s one of my favorite drives!



BUT PERHAPS YOU'RE A WINE LOVER . . .

You’ve come to the right place -
California wines are world renowned!!


Sonoma Vineyard

I'm sure you know about Sonoma County and Napa Valley - THE Wine Country - But did you know there are flourishing wineries with excellent reputations all over NorCal?


  • There’s Lake County, home to Guenoc . . .
  • And Mendocino County’s Anderson Valley . . .
  • And how about The Gold Country - there you’ll find complex Zins and exotic varietals . . .

  • But what about Lodi? That’s right! - I said, “Lodi,” as in the CCR lyrics, “Oh ! Lord, stuck in Lodi again.” Lodi is one of the new wine-tasting destinations.


OR MAYBE YOU'RE A CITY PERSON . . .


San Francisco Skyline
© John Olsen 2007

  • Theater, operas, musicals, ballet
  • Art, cultural, and natural history museums
  • Fine dining and five-star hotels
  • Shopping, shopping, shopping

If this is your idea of a good time, you'll find it here in NorCal!

  • The Bay Area is an obvious choice, with sophisticated San Francisco to the west of the bay, funky Berkeley to the east, and San Jose, - Once Upon A Time small-college-town that’s now all-grown-up - to the south.
  • But the city of Sacramento may surprise you. While it still revels in its history as a Gold Rush boom town, it has greatly matured and offers much for city people to love.

Northern California has other surprising offerings as well - like the city of Chico. We'll explore them all!



PERHAPS, THOUGH, YOU LOVE THE SNOW . . .

Head out for the Sierra Nevadas or the Cascades. You can snow ski - downhill or cross-country - build a snowman family or make snow angels, ice skate, snowboard, or simply curl up in front of an enormous fireplace in a beautiful lodge - wearing your best resort après-ski togs - and sip hot toddies.

© Belinda Gallagher
Snow at Lake Tahoe


Everyone knows about Lake Tahoe in the winter - it's famous for its winter sports areas . . . Alpine Meadows . . . Squaw Valley . . .

But did you know Yosemite National Park is stunning (and accessible) in the winter as well? Most people don't know that because they visit during the summer.

Alpine County – affectionately nicknamed the California Alps - combines snow sports with hot springs. I can’t imagine a better combination than that!




MAYBE YOU'RE A NATURE LOVER . . .


Scenic Northern California Redwoods & Elk


This is the place for you! Come to Northern California to discover:

  • Redwood forests teeming with wildlife
  • Wetlands used by migratory waterfowl
  • Whale watching

  • Rolling hills covered in mustard in the spring, oat grass in the summer, and California live oaks year-round
  • Table Mountain in spring with its colorful masses of wildflowers

Whether you want a Sunday drive in the country or a full-on backpacking trip, it's all waiting for you!



BUT WHAT IF YOU'RE A HISTORY BUFF . . .

Nothing says “history” like the California Gold Rush. There’s hardly a square inch of Northern California that wasn’t involved in one way or another. San Francisco - a major jumping-off point. Sacramento - home to the man who owned the lumber mill where gold was first discovered. The Great Central Valley - where crops and cattle were raised to feed the miners.

(PD) Wikipedia
Sutter's Mill


Names like -

Placerville, Hangtown,

Coloma (where Sutter’s Mill was located),

Fiddletown,

Drytown (named for the dry gold mines, not the lack of saloons),

Nevada City, Mokelumne Hill,

Auburn, Angels Camp

- all invoke images of panning for color, Long Toms, hydraulic mining, and dredging.


But NorCal's history began long before the Gold Rush. When Mexico ruled, it was an era of pueblos, haciendas, and huge grants of land.

And prior to that came the Spaniards with their missions. The most northerly of these (although actually built under Mexican rule) is Sonoma Mission, which was erected in the town of Sonoma as an outpost against the Russians.

But even before the Spanish, the Russians, the Mexicans - thousands of years before - a dense population of Native Americans called Northern California "home".

If you're a history buff, you may know about Ishi - the last truly “wild” Indian. If not, you can find out more about Ishi and the rest of NorCal’s history here at Discover Northern California.



SO MAYBE HISTORY'S NOT YOUR THING, BUT WATER SPORTS ARE . . .


© David Brimm
Kayaking on the Feather River

  • Boating, water skiing . . .
  • Sailing, kayaking, houseboating. . .
  • Fishing - both freshwater and salt water . . .
  • Surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving . . .
  • White water rafting . . .


We've got it all!!

There’s Something For Everyone In Northern California

Whether you're coming for a visit or you live here,
DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com
will help you find what you're looking for.
Together we'll explore the well-know Points of Interest, of course.

But we'll discover the Secret Places as well -
the places only the locals know.



Would YOU love to be able to do what I'm doing?
I never thought I could be a webmaster,
but look at me now - and you can do it too!
Click on the Site Build It! button to find out how:

Site Build It!



Are you looking for free content for your Blog or Website?
DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com is under copyright, but I have a
Free Online Articles section just for you! Check it out and come back often as I'm adding more all the time.


Please continue your exploration of what Northern California has to offer by using the Nav Bar at the left, by using the links at the bottom of the page, or by using the customized search box below to find the specific topic that interests you.



Click here to be notified when something new shows up on DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com
:

Update me when site is updated

Like what you're finding here at DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com? Then please share with your Social Network (see the buttons in the NavBar to the left, or at the bottom of the page).

And thanx for coming!

Find us on Facebook Badge

Follow Us on Twitter





Discover Northern California Site-Blog
Discover Northern California Site-Blog lets you know what's new at DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com. You'll also find tips about Current Events happening in and around Northern California!

FAQs Discover Northern California
Do you have a question about Northern California? Wondering where to go, what to do, what to see? Check these FAQs at Discover Northern California for answers. Or answer a question for someone else!

Visitor Survey
I really want to know what you think about Discover Northern California! Please let me know by completing this short Visitor Survey form. Many thanx! Your opinion is important to me!

Contact Me
Do you have questions? Maybe you'd like to make a comment? Do you have something you'd like to share? Use this form to Contact Me for a personal response.

Discover Big Sur California
Big Sur California is a piece of the Northern California coastline that is isolated, dramatic, dynamic, and charming.

Discover The California Gold Rush
Has your heart ever skipped a beat at the thought of discovering gold? Then you know how the California 49ers felt! Come - discover the California Gold Rush with me . . .

California Whale Watching
Why are we so fascinated with whales? Maybe it's because they seem as curious about us as we are about them. Whatever the reason, it's California Whale Watching Season, so come along . . .

Discover Chico California
Do you know where Chico California is? Many people do! Chicoans are often surprised at that. But Chico has so much to offer, it's no mystery to me!

Discover Lake Tahoe California
Lake Tahoe California is a magical combination of exquisite natural scenery and sportsmania that ranges from tranquil kayaking to over-the-edge kite surfing. Come, explore with me!

Discover Mendocino County California
Where can you be pampered, hike the redwoods, wine AND beer taste, dive for abalone, see a pygmy forest, and explore botanical gardens with an ocean view? In Mendocino County California, that's where!

Napa California
Napa California is the premier wine region in the United States, but - wonderful as the wineries & vineyards are, there's much more to Napa than just wine!

Discover San Francisco California
What's San Francisco California mean to you? Theater? GG Bridge? Dining? Alcatraz? Shopping? It's all that, but what about neighborhoods? Not your usual image? Come and see what you might have missed.

Discover Sonoma California
Sonoma California is where Northern California's wine industry began and, although Sonoma is sophisticated in so many ways, it still retains that pioneering spirit that gives it so much character.

Wine Tasting Tips
You don't need to be an expert to go wine tasting. All you need is a desire to give it a try and have some fun! Here are a few Wine Tasting Tips to help you get more out of the experience.

Discover Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is famous for its majestic views and primative nature. It's one of the most beautiful spots on earth and it's nearly in my backyard! Join me-let's see what nature has wrought!

Introducing Me
I'll bet you're wondering who I am! Visit Introducing Me to find out who I am, how I came to create this website, and how you could do the same.

Site Map for Discover Northern California
Here's a site map where you can one-stop-shop for exactly the Northern California information you seek.

Free Online Articles from DiscoverNorthernCalifornia.com
Do you have a blog or a website? Are you looking for free online articles to post? Vist DiscoverNorthernCalifornia to find free articles on Northern California travel.

Discovering Northern California Adventures
Whether you've lived in NorCal, vacationed here, or wanted to visit, I'll bet you have stories to tell! Stories about YOU Discovering Northern California Adventures. And we'd love to hear them!!


footer for northern california page