Discover Northern California's Travel Blog

September Event: Willits

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 23:04:35 GMT

"Plumes of steam and the shrieks of steam whistles..." If you can't resist the allure of a steam engine, then head for Willits this weekend (September 11th through the 12th) for the Roots of Motive Power Festival! This major steam-up event includes demonstrations of all sorts of steam-powered logging equipment, the Early Day Gas Engine Society and Bill Rose's Model A Tour group, plus the annual Roots Appreciation BBQ where whole pigs will be roasting on a spit for your BBQ-eating pleasure. The sights and sounds of the Steam-up are free,
but you'll have to pay for the BBQ

September Event: Guerneville

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:52:02 GMT

Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival
An amazing thing is happening along the Russian River - The Russian River Jazz Festival & the Russian River Blues Festival have been combined into 1 weekend of great music with such names as David Sanborn, Jeffrey Osborne, the Doobie Brothers, Jimmie Vaughan, and many more powerhouses of Jazz and Blues performing for your enjoyment! It's all happening on Johnson's Beach in Guerneville - September 11 & 12!

September Event: Chico

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:38:54 GMT

A Taste of Chico! I love tasting new things! When I go to an event or festival, it's all about the food - pasties at a Renaissance Faire, crawdads at Mardi Gras, Cioppino at Italian Festa, Schnitzels & Bratwurst at Scandifest... So it's not surprising that I love all the "Taste of . . ." events that abound around Northern California. This weekend brings one of the best: Taste of Chico! This is the 25th Annual, it's in the heart of Downtown Chico, and it features food and beverages from over 125 restaurants, breweries, wineries, and beverage distributors - all from the Chico area. You'll also find live music and entertainment from four main stages, and the Open Air Art Gallery featuring local artists. Sunday, September 12th, Noon to 4:00 pm - Be there, or be square!

More About California Admission Day

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:43:11 GMT

I found the following information about the history of California's Admission Day and wanted to share it with you: Today Governor Schwarzenegger Proclaimed

September Event: San Francisco

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 23:10:07 GMT

San Francisco - Ghirardelli Square - Chocolate - Need I say more? The famous Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival takes place Saturday & Sunday at - you guessed it - Ghirardelli Square! Partake of a variety of chocolate dishes, from desserts to shakes & smoothies - all involving chocolate, of course; and don't miss the Chef Demonstrations, Children's Entertainment, & Ice Cream Eating Contest. A spectacular treat this year is the Special Chocolate Tea Menu at Crown & Crumpet Tea Salon! Those In The Know (similar to the Ladies Who Lunch) say you won't be disappointed! I repeat - Need I say more?

September Event: Tracy

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:13:48 GMT

Tracy proudly admits it's full of beans! Especially during the Tracy Dry Bean Festival, September 11 and 12. Come on out and discover more types of dry beans than you could possibly imagine! Plus bean-related activities and entertainment like the 5k and 10k Bean Run, the Bean Queen and her Royal Court, and Festival Mascots - Pinto and Pepe Bean Pad. Enjoy Bean Town where you'll find the Bean Store Front, Bean Museum, Beans for Health, over 40 varieties of dry beans for sale, yummy Bean Pie, and even Red Bean Ice Cream. Take the kidlettes to the Be-An Kids Craft Area for hands on activities like plant your own "bean" stalk, bean story storytime, and decorating your item of choice with - you guessed it - beans. Plus they'll enjoy the carnival and pony rides! And you're sure to love the Chili Bean Cook Off and the Bean Demo Cooking Stage where local chefs will demonstrate many of the wonderful ways that beans can be enjoyed. "If you are a dreamer, a wisher ... a magic-bean-buyer ... If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire..." Shel Silverstein

September Event: Fort Bragg

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:26:26 GMT

No one needs an excuse to visit
beautiful Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens! So we'll just call Fort Bragg's Winesong! celebration a very timely opportunity! It takes place this weekend, September 10th and 11th, at the Gardens and it's the primary fund-raiser for the Mendocino Coast Hospital. For 26 years Winesong! has been drawing wine lovers from all over the United States to its live and silent auctions of spectacular wines, original paintings and art, vacation packages, and custom wine getaway packages. And while you're perusing the auction items, you'll meander the Gardens' paths, sampling wines from all over the world and tasting the best that Northern California restauranteurs have to offer, entertained by musical ensembles playing acoustic music! It's a celebration of wine, food, music, art, and giving!

Special Event Coming to a Town Near You

Thu, 09 Sep 2010 13:38:18 GMT

Ladies and Gentlemen...The Rolling Stones! If you're a Stones fan, you won't want to miss this one-night-only concert experience of a lifetime in cinemas nationwide featuring the re-mastered HD digital version of the Rolling Stones performing on one of ther most legendary tours, captured from front row seats when the band was at its peak. An added treat: a special introduction by Mick Jagger, who was interviewed last summer and reflects on memories of a life spent on tour. It's all happening Thursday, September 16, at 7:30 pm local time at a theater near you! Click on the link below to see more information, a trailer of the tour, and a list of participating movie theaters.

September Event: Sacramento

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:56:42 GMT

Celebrate California's Admission Day: September 9, 2010

(CC) Tobias

September 9th marks the 160th anniversary of California's entrance into the Union as the 31st state and you're invited to the State Capitol to help celebrate with birthday cake and ice cream, and live patriotic music! The event is sponsored by the California State Capitol Museum and California State Parks. ♫ ♪ Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you... ♩ ♬

September Event: Sacramento

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:36:13 GMT

Air Force Week Sacramento: September 5-13, 2010 Air Force Week Sacramento, an event spotlighting the work, accomplishments, and contributions of the men and women in blue, is 8 days of free entertainment kicking off with the Mather Mud Run and culminating with the California Capital Airshow, featuring the breathtaking F-22 Raptors! It's a wonderful opportunity for all of us to
celebrate and toast our United States Air Force!

Events and Festivals

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:30:25 GMT

Now you can find Northern California's fabulous Events and Festivals all in one location. Wondering if there's a nearby event in January? April? September? You'll find them here!

Fun Food Festivals

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 13:56:57 GMT

I absolutely love festivals, especially food festivals! That's why I've gathered the fun food festivals of Northern California together in one place. Find the one(s) that you love best!

Discover Northern California

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:22:10 GMT

Northern California is one of my favorite places. Come explore it with me and discover secret beaches, sophisticated cities, giant redwoods, charming vineyards & much more-you won't be disappointed!

Discover The California Gold Rush

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:51:35 GMT

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

September Event: Lake Tahoe

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:56:57 GMT

Labor Day Weekend Fireworks Extravaganza! Clear, cool waters, emerald-green hills, and spectacular pyrotechnics - what better way to celebrate Labor Day than to attend the Labor Day Pyrotechnic Exhibition at Lake Tahoe's South Shore! Be there Sunday, September 5th, before 8:30 PM for one of the largest fireworks displays in the West, timed to a simultaneous musical broadcast on local radio stations KRLT-FM 93.9 & KOWL-AM 1490. Best views are from the Tahoe Queen (a Mississippi paddlewheeler), Edgewood-Tahoe, or one of these beaches: Nevada Beach, Regan Beach. Celebrate Labor Day - Take the weekend off!

Discover Big Sur California

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:37:58 GMT

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

September Event: Lake County

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:50:26 GMT

"Fun For the Whole Herd! September 2, 3, 4, & 5" There's nothing like a good old-fashioned county fair to make you feel like a wide-eyed kid again! So much to see and do; so much kaleidoscopic and kinematic action. Where to begin? is always my first thought as I stop just inside the gate and slowly pivot on my verticle axis, trying to take it all in at once. And the Lake County Fair is no exception! It sports the usual country fair attractions - livestock shows, truck pulls and demolition derbies, exhibit buildings, carnival rides and midway, musical entertainment - along with draft horse wagon rides, a miniature farm, the Miss Lake County Pageant, and their own special Hispanic Fiesta. So bring the herd and join the fun!

September Event: Chico

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:37:40 GMT

"Chico Labor Day River Float" - sounds pretty benign, doesn't it? But I'll never forget our first experience with it! My husband & I were moving to Chico about 11 years ago and just happened to be driving into town on Labor Day. We were traveling Highway 32 in an easterly direction from Interstate 5 when we came upon the most bizarre sight. Probably 25,000 young people were heading toward us in cars, buses, minivans, and even on motorcycles. They had huge inner tubes hanging out their windows, tied to the tops of their vehicles, or - in the case of the motorcycle - cocked catty-whompus over the head and one shoulder. What in the world was going on? we wondered. We truly had no idea. Later we learned that this was the annual rite of passage for Chico State students returning to school in the Fall - they enter the Sacramento River with their tubes (and ice chests filled with beer and similar beverages) somewhere around Highway 32, and float down the river until they reach "Beer Can Beach" - the source of the name becomes immediately apparent with the arrival of the first group of half-naked bodies. It's Party Time! You know, I can actually remember far enough back to a time when I would have thought this was a great idea! :-) Unfortunately, the Sacramento River is cold, deceptively fast moving, and full of snags! Each year these young people unknowingly risk their lives. They get caught up against a snag or fall from their tubes and have to be rescued. Thank you, Butte County rescue personnel! So, Chico State students - Party on but Please, Stay Safe!

September Event: Sacramento

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:56:10 GMT

It's Gold Rush Days in Old Sacramento, September 3, 4, 5, & 6!

Gold Rush Days Tent City

Crews will be dumping more than 200 tons of dirt onto the streets of Old Sacramento to help set the scene and turn back the clock for the annual celebration of the California Gold Rush and the founding of the city of Sacramento. Stroll the wooden sidewalks and test your luck against the local card-sharks, or take a wagon ride along the dirt and cobblestone streets behind a set of four beautifully matched draft horses. Speak to the soldiers at the tent city military encampment or stock up for your trip to the goldfields at the Pharmacy and General Store tents. Visit with some of the folks from the Mormom Battalion, or set off on a Western adventure in the Wells Fargo stagecoach. But for goodness sake, try not to get killed
during those Wild West gun fights!

The Other Wine Countries

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:06:59 GMT

September is fast approaching! And, since September is California Wine Month, it's time to celebrate California's Wine Country! Now, if you're thinking Napa/Sonoma, you're right - but, as Paul Harvey was wont to say, here's "...the rest of the story." Many other regions of California are growing wine grapes & producing wonderful wines of multitudinous variety these days - and they're rapidly increasing their Fan Bases! Here are a few of the NorCal Wine Countries you may not be aware of: Gold Country is also Wine Country; so is Lake County, Mendocino County, Livermore, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Monterey, Lodi... Even some areas that don't yet have an appellation are growing grapes & producing very respectable wines - like Butte County, Tehama County, Shasta Cascade, & even the Redwood country of Humboldt County. So, wherever you are in Northern California, join me in toasting California Wine Month! I hope I didn't miss anybody - let me know if I did!

Whale Videos

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:54:58 GMT

Ever yearned to go on a whale watching trip? Wonder what it would be like, or just how close you can really get to these wonderful creatures? Here are some whale videos for an insider's look!

What Became of the Donner Party?

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:18:30 GMT

California history is rife with tragic tales! Actually, we all kind of know a bit about the Donner Party, don't we? But if someone asked you what happened, would you be able to relate the whole story? Visit the Emigrant Trail Museum in Donner Memorial State Park near Truckee and you can discover "the rest of the story"! Though not dedicated solely to the Donner Party, the entire story of that terrible winter of 1846-1847 is revealed here. Remember that the California Gold Rush didn't really get under way until 1849, so this group of emigrants to California was one of the earliest of the famous Wagon Trains. They were making their way West at a time when little was known about the routes and the dangers. Wrong decisions were made at many turns along the way, but... The one that finally sealed their fate was the decision to
wait until morning to start across the pass...

Point Lobos State Reserve

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:53:29 GMT

Oystercatchers, Whalers Cabin Museum, Kelp Forests...

"The Greatest Meeting of Land and Water in the World"
(Francis McComas)

(CC) "Mike" Michael L. Baird

On the south shore of Carmel Bay is wonderful Point Lobos, a 1200 acre park with 6 miles of coastline. It teams with animals, birds, flowers, & some of the most twisted & tortured cypress trees you'll find anywhere. The name comes from the rocks offshore called Punta de los Lobos Marinos - Point of the Sea Wolves. Sea Lions like to hang out on the rocks and the sound of their barking carries inland. In the past, Point Lobos has been home to Native Americans, Chinese fishermen, Japanese abalone hunters, and Portuguese whalers. It has also been the site of an abalone cannery, coal mining business, granite quarry, military base, and the scenery behind many film productions. But today, it is a place of scenic beauty to be enjoyed by all. Explore the tidepools, hike its cliffs, dive the chilly waters to explore the kelp forests, hang out on isolated little beaches - it will take you many visits to discover all of Point Lobos' secrets. Bring your binoculars along as you just might want to do a little whale watching while you're there. Also bring some warm layers no matter what time of year you visit - even when it's 100 degrees inland, it can be chilly along the coast. The first time I ever saw an American Oystercatcher was at Point Lobos.
I was so excited - I was new to birding at thei time & had never seen anything like it before!

August Event: Bodega

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:58:21 GMT

Foodies, Art Afficionados, Wine & Beer Connoisseurs, Music Lovers!

© Margo Duane

It's the 16th Annual Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival! One of the most popular and unique festivals in California's Wine Country is being held August 28th and 29th at Watts Ranch in the village of Bodega (remember Alfred Hitchock's The Birds?) Join in the fun as you savor the seafood (including BBQ'd oysters...), audit the artwork (over 100 artists...), sip the suds and wine (from local wineries and micro breweries...), and monitor the musical entertainment emanating from three stages! And be sure to bring the kidlettes -they'll love the
Wild Wonders Animal Show and the ever-popular Rubber Ducky Races!

August Event: Palo Alto

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:22:50 GMT

It's the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts, August 28 & 29! Stroll tree-lined University Avenue in beautiful downtown Palo Alto to delight in the works of over 300 artists and crafters, applaud the musical entertainment from over 20 performers and bands, rejoice in watching as the Italian Street Painters "paint the town," and get a sneak peek at our little future artists, hard at work in the Kids' Art Studio! Feeling a little peaked? Not to worry! Gourmet food, fine wines and microbrews are handy to keep you energized!"

August Event: Shaver Lake

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:55:21 GMT

"Krossover is back!
Bruce Conte, headlines event!
Shuffle-Aires Will Rock the House!" It's the Musick Mountain Music Festival, August 28th Thousands will be on hand to rock out to these amazing performers and bands at Shaver Lake. Don't you be the one to miss out! Blues at it's finest in the High Sierras!

Northern California Camping

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:16:43 GMT

If you're a camper, you will love Northern California camping! You've got your beaches, your mountains, your Redwoods, your rocky rugged coastlines, your wilderness . . . every environment imaginable!

August Event: Lake Tahoe

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:57:11 GMT

Lake In The Sky Airshow, August 28th

(CC) DaveR

Touted as the biggest and best air show in the High Sierra, you'll oooh and aaah at the aerial antics of Stunts & Grunts: former U.S. Air Force pilot, Bill Cornick of Bill Cornick Airshows; Spencer Suderman's Pitts S-2B Biplane's gyroscopic maneuvers; and Jon Melby, extreme freestyle pilot. Then there's the Mooney Fly-By, Warbird Demo, Rescue Demo, Bomb Squad Demo, Radio Controll Aircraft Demo, Squirrel Cage, and Medical Evac Demo! Add in the airplane and helicoptor rides, Blue riders MC Motorcycle Show & Shine, food & vendor booths, and Kids Area, and you've got yourself ... Guaranteed fun for the whole family!

August Event: Pleasanton

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:53:13 GMT

Calling all Car Enthusiasts! The Goodguys 24th West Coast Nationals Car Show comes to Pleasanton this weekend (August 27 through 29)! 3000 Rods, Customs, Classics and - for the first time - Muscle cars! Hot Rod Week, Shade Tree Social, Vendor Exhibits, Goodgals Gallery, kids games, Seminars ... what more could a Classic Car Lover ask for? Just ask the Goodguys Hotnews Blog: "The West Coast Nationals is the largest participant automotive event in the Western United States and offers show goers the world's finest American hot rods, customs and classics." It's a fun time for the whole family!! Have a Good Time with the Goodguys!

August Event: Corning

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 23:58:35 GMT

Corning Olive Festival August 27th & 28th brings us the 21th Annual Corning Olive Festival in Corning, CA. Here's the line-up: the Olive Festival Parade followed by the Bed Races (you heard it here first!); a Pancake Breakfast, Fun Run/Walk, plus Arts, Crafts, and Food Fair. You'll enjoy music and entertainment, carnival games for the children, the Cook-off Judging, the Talent Show, and the Olive Drop! Its a weekend of good ole down-home fun
celebrating Corning's favorite fruit; the olive!

Del Norte County California Attractions

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:05:20 GMT

Del Norte County California attractions include wild and scenic rivers, towering Coast Redwoods, Trees of Mystery, and lighthouses plus fishing, water sports, birding... Find out more about Del Norte!

August Event: Fresno

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:15:15 GMT

Fresno Greek Festival's 50th Anniversary! Who would've thought there's a Greek Community in the middle of the San Joaquin Valley? Well, there is & they've been celebrating their culture with an annual festival for 50 years!

(CC) susanvg

Fresno Greek Fest is the only place in the San Joaquin Valley where you can experience Greek Culture - including amazingly authentic food, dancing, Byzantine music, art, cooking demos, & vendors' booths - so it's well worth a visit! It takes place on Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (August 27-29), and includes the opportunity to tour the inside of St. George Church to witness the newly completed Sistine Chapel-like workmanship! For kmma enai aft! It's Greek party time!

Del Norte County

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 21:53:55 GMT

Sitting in the farthest northwest corner of California, Del Norte County is home to temperate rain forests filled with giant redwoods, and rivers that run wild and untamed. Discover it with me!

A Whale Watching Dream Come True

Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:01:56 GMT

Ever since I was a girl and read The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera, I wanted to meet whales. I finally got my chance a couple of years ago when my family

Alcatraz Island

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:57:40 GMT

Alcatraz conjures up images of the Federal penetentiary for most, but there's more of interest on Alcatraz Island than the prison. You'll find relics of the Civil War, the Indian takeover, and more!

August Event: Red Bluff

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 21:18:29 GMT

Step back in time to the 1850s!

(CC) Nathan Jongewaard

And speaking of California State Parks (as I so often do), Saturday is also Adobe Day at Ide Adobe State Historic Park in Red Bluff. The event will feature a model replica of the steamboat Red Bluff, period costumed volunteers helping visitors make adobe bricks, candles, ropes, and corn husk dolls. Any of you gents ever wondered what an old-fashioned, razor-strop shave feels like? Here's your chance to find out! And for the ladies - rag curls! Much more comfortable than plastic rollers! If you've never been to Ide Adobe SHP, this is a wonderful opportunity!

Sonoma County Wineries

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:49:15 GMT

Sonoma County isn't very big as California counties go, but it has boasting rights to over 200 award-winning wineries and 12 appellations. Why are Sonoma County wineries some of the best in the world?

August Event: Calaveras County

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:20:39 GMT

Family Day Saturday is Family Day at Calaveras Big Trees State Park near Arnold. Grab the kidlettes and head up into the hills - the agenda's amazing this year! Check it out: Miwok Culture Demos - Learn about the first inhabitants of the park!...
Cocked Hat Bowling, Fly Fishing Info...
Carriage Rides, and Fire Truck Demos...
Live Reptiles, Birds of the Sierras...
Crafts, Face Painting, Juggling, and an Art Show... Sounds like a great way to spend a Sunday to me!!

San Francisco Marina

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:22:20 GMT

Do you know where the San Francisco Marina district ends and Cow Hollow begins? Most people don't know because they're nearly identical twins, although their histories are quite different.

August Event: Hayward

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 22:34:27 GMT

Zucchini: How do I love you? Let me count the ways ... I love you in pasta and quiche; in sandwiches and bread; as pizza and sausage and cake; as ice cream - yes, even that! I love you because you're such a bountiful little beastie and there's no end to the ways you can be prepared! In celebration of the prolific zucchini, it's time for the annual two-day Zucchini Festival in Hayward on August 21st and 22nd! Come for the zucchini samples, but also for the live entertainment, the vendor booths, the arts & crafts, and the "more exciting this year than ever" Kids Town! Bring a can of non-perishable food on Saturday,
and get a $1.00 discount on the price of admission!

August Event: Fremont

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:34:17 GMT

Get ready for the Cajun/Zydeco Festival, Saturday, August 21 Remember those lively Big Easy get-togethers in the movie, The Big Easy, with Dennis Quaid and Ellen Barkin? Well, here's your chance to join in the fun! Head on over to Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont and join in with the foot-stompin' and hand-clappin' - even join in on the dancin' (free lessons given on-site)! While there, partake of some amazingly aromatic and tasty Cajun and Creole food, visit the farm animals, and shop the specialty vendors! It's fun for the whole family! To quote Dennis Quaid as Remy McSwain: "Just relax, darlin'. This is the Big Easy. Folks have a certain way o' doin' things down here." And the Cajun/Zydeco Festival has captured that spirit! Cajun Food Quote: You might be cajun if ...
Your children's favorite bedtime story begins with, "First you make a roux..."

August Event: Klamath Salmon Festival

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:05:24 GMT

The Yurok Native American sponsored 48th Salmon Festival!

(CC) USFS Region 5

Come One, Come All - August 21st - it's a Cultural Tour through Time! Learn about the Yurok people, their culture and traditions. Enjoy Native American dances, arts & crafts booths, skill demonstrations, and traditional Indian stick games. The Star of the Show, so to speak? It's the open-pit Salmon bar-b-cue!! You won't want to miss it! "Please join us to celebrate Salmon, community, and unity!"

August Events: Mammoth

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:08:02 GMT

Mammoth Festival-Featuring Train Starting August 20th, Mammoth Mountain will be ensconced in a 3-day celebration of wine & live music. Sip vintners' samples while basking in the music, and surrounded by towering Jeffery pines. You'll find fun, food, and frolic at the Mammoth Festival! A great way to spend 3 days!

August Event: Gualala

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:21:49 GMT

Art in the Redwoods Festival A four-day extravaganza of fine art awaits you along the beautiful Northern California coastline next weekend! Kicking off Thursday with a celebratory Top Hat dinner at the Gualala Art Center and continuing through the weekend with a Champagne Preview, an awards presentation, live music, food & beverages, vendor booths, and - of course - the art itself. You'll find fine examples of artistic renderings in oil, acrylics, watercolor, stained glass, jewelry, fiber . . . over 400 pieces in all will be on display for your perusal, pleasure, & purchase! Enjoy the weekend, the Redwoods, and most of all . . . the Art!

Great Places to Eat In San Francisco!

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:21:28 GMT

My husband and I had the great opportunity to live in San Francisco. Here are some of our favorite places to eat and when friends request a list of great

August Event: National Parks Fee-Free Days

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:13:26 GMT

What a great idea! Several of the US National Parks in Northern California - including Whiskeytown Unit National Recreation Area, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and Yosemite National Park - are participating in fee-free days, meaning the fees normally charged for entrance to the parks will be waived. Here are the fee-free dates for the year: April 17-25, 2010 (National Park Week)
June 5-6, 2010
August 14-15, 2010
September 25, 2010 (Public Lands Day)
November 11, 2010 (Veterans Day)
The next event takes place this weekend, August 14th and 15th, so . . .
Get outdoors this weekend and enjoy your National Parks! More good news:
"Many of your 392 national parks NEVER charge an entrance fee!"

New Zipline in Town?

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:51:00 GMT

Apparently there's about to be a new zipline in town; check out the latest reader comment!

Lava Beds National Monument

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 19:55:13 GMT

(CC) John Loo

Hidden in the Northeast corner of Northern California is this amazing land of volcanic lava tube caves with their own micro-climates, Native American rock art, wilderness, & historic battlefields! Experience the centuries-old culture of the Modoc tribe & their tumultuous history with the late-coming white settlers. Learn about the diverse plants & animals that call this harsh environment "Home, Sweet Home." Have a "moonscape" wilderness experience for the day or overnight. Explore a cave, hike a trail, photograph wildlife, climb a spatter cone, contemplate a battlefield, peer into a crater, visit rock art sites . . . there's no end of things to do at Lava Beds!

August Event: Yorkville Highlands

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:50:12 GMT

Celebrating Yorkville Highlands Appellation's Birthday! It's the Yorkville Highlands Wine Festival, held at Meyer Family Cellars at mile marker 34.2, between Cloverdale and Boonville on Saturday, August 14th. Fun events like grape stomping and hoop throwing, tours of the winery, live music, regional cuisine featuring roast pork and savory lamb barbeque, a silent auction, and lots of terrific wine! Be sure to participate in the traditional Fire Hose Signing!

August Event: San Rafael

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:43:07 GMT

San Rafael Food & Wine Festival, August 14 Highlighting local area restaurants and regional boutique wineries is the focus of this festival! Join the tasting program to sample gourmet fare, enjoy smooth jazz and classical music from some of the best local musicians, and enjoy the ambiance of the historic Falkirk Cultural Center... Happy dining and wining!