Northern California

San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America and the largest Chinese community outside Asia. The first residents began building the city in the 1840s, and since then, it has been highly influential in the history and culture of Chinese immigrants to the United States. Chinatown is … [Read more...]

Kids Birthday Party Places Sacramento. We have created a list of unique locations to help you find the best site to celebrate a birthday in and around Sacramento. They range from affordable to extravagant amusement parks to hands-on museums. Sacramento birthday party ideas for toddlers and … [Read more...]

Here is an excellent list of road trip ideas within a four-hour drive of San Francisco. You will need to get an early start if you plan a day trip. Consider staying at least one night to explore these destinations fully. New Brighton State Beach Camping Travel time 2 hours, 77 miles. Whether … [Read more...]

The unique geology of the Lava Beds National Monument results from volcanic eruptions from the Medicine Lake shield volcanoes, which included cinder cones, lava beds, and over 700 lava tubes. The volcanic eruptions were a function of an oceanic plate subsiding under the continental plate. One of … [Read more...]

Fisherman's Wharf is the most popular tourist destination in San Francisco and probably one of the most popular places for local San Franciscans to avoid. If you've lived in the bay area for a long time, you've learned to skip this waterfront area, but Fisherman's Wharf is much more than a magnet … [Read more...]

Once the capital of California, Monterey is known worldwide for its pristine beaches, world-famous golf courses, internationally renowned Aquarium, and historic Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row. Heralded as one of the top tourist destinations in the state, Monterey Bay is a well-polished gem … [Read more...]

Lone Pine was founded in the 1880s to provide provisions to the local miners. The Carson Colorado Railroad, which serviced the Owens Valley, dropped off supplies and picked up produce grown in the surrounding farms and orchards. After the water was diverted to the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, … [Read more...]

Situated along a picturesque stretch of highway that cuts through the Sierra foothills outside Sacramento and in the heart of the gold country is the City of Placerville, the seat of El Dorado County. Located at 2,000' elevation and capturing the spirit of The California Gold Rush, Placerville … [Read more...]

The giant sequoia, which now only grows on the west slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is one of California’s original icons. When you walk among these giants, you are in the presence of the oldest living things on the planet. At least one sequoia was known to be 3200 years old! The Calaveras … [Read more...]

The San Francisco Ferry Building is a San Francisco landmark and can be found on the National Register of Historic Places. Since its beginning, the ferry building and terminal have seen many changes. The most significant change was when bridges were constructed for railway traffic, which … [Read more...]

If you want to see San Francisco Bay from a unique perspective, one of the best ways is via sea level at Angel Island State Park. Rising out of the water between Marin and San Francisco counties, Angel Island has served many purposes, including a military base, a prisoner-of-war detention center, … [Read more...]

Sutter's Fort was called New Helvetia by Sutter. The Fort was a destination for pioneers headed toward California. In the summer of 1840, Sutter, using both his workers and local Indians, began building what would become an adobe fort. The walls were 2.5 feet thick and 15-18 feet high. The … [Read more...]