Hi Reader, Apple season is starting, wine country is heading toward harvest, the coast is still warm enough for a beach weekend, and the first fall colors can start appearing in the mountains. Here are 9 California escapes worth saving for September: 1. Apple Hill September is when Apple Hill starts feeling like fall. Visit the farms around Camino and Placerville for apples, baked treats and cider, with the Hard Cider Trail opening next month and more farms and seasonal activities ramping up...
2 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Thinking about Yosemite for Labor Day weekend? Before you finalize your itinerary, there are a few 2026 changes and late summer conditions worth knowing. Some could completely change what you do on a particular day. 1. Hiking the Mist Trail without checking the day This is one of the biggest Yosemite changes to know about right now. Through October, the section of the Mist Trail between the John Muir Trail junction and the top of Vernal Fall is generally closed for trail work...
17 days ago • 5 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever reached the last few weeks of summer and realized you still haven’t taken that trip you kept talking about? There’s still time. You may not have enough vacation days for a long trip, but you can still fit in a mountain weekend, a coastal road trip, an island escape, or a national park drive. Some of these places are especially worth visiting right now. The mountain roads are open, alpine lakes are warm enough for swimming, and the beaches are perfect for one last...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, Lake Tahoe in July and August is a trip that looks effortless in photos. Clear blue water. Sunny beach days. Boats on the lake. Mountain views in every direction. But if you’ve ever tried to plan a summer Tahoe trip, you know there’s a little more to it than just showing up with a swimsuit and a picnic. Peak summer in Tahoe means busy beaches, limited parking, popular boat tours, full restaurants, and drives that can take longer than you expect. The trip can still be amazing - it...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Ever feel like you want a California national park getaway, but the planning part starts to feel like a whole project? Sequoia National Park is one of those places that sounds simple at first. See the giant trees, do a hike, take in the views. Then you start wondering: Where should you actually stop?Which hikes are worth it?Can you see the highlights in one day?What’s the best time to go?How do you make it feel fun instead of rushed? To make the planning easier, I put together a...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, April is one of my favorite months to explore California. The weather is usually pleasant, spring colors are showing up, waterfalls are flowing, and it’s one of the best times to get outside before summer crowds and heat really kick in. If you’re thinking about planning a California trip this month, here are some of the best places I’d put on your list. 1. Yosemite National Park: If you can make it to Yosemite in April, I really think it’s worth it. This is one of the best times to...
5 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, If you’ve been thinking about planning a spring day trip, this is a really good time to go wildflower spotting in California. Some of the best places are already blooming now, and a few more should look especially good later in March and into April. I just put together a guide to the best places to see wildflowers in California this spring, including where to go right now, which spots are better later in the season, and a few practical tips that will make your trip a lot easier....
6 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, When most people plan a Napa trip, they make the same mistake. They research wineries. Then restaurants. Then hotels. Then things to do. All separately. I've done this before. I had more than 30 tabs open, links bookmarked, trying to figure out what was actually close to what. The hardest part is not finding good places in Napa. It's figuring out how everything fits together. Here are a few common Napa planning mistakes I see: Booking tastings that are 25 minutes apart without...
6 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, If you’re planning a trip to Napa Valley this year (or just daydreaming about one), I put together something new for you, a free Napa Valley Google Map. It includes 61 pins covering my personal recommended:🍷 wineries🍽️ restaurants and cafés📸 photo spots🛍️ cute shops and small boutiques🎨 art galleries and hidden gems Basically, everything I loved enough to include in my Napa blog posts, all in one easy spot. Grab the free map here: Free Napa Valley Map You can save it to your phone,...
7 months ago • 1 min read