Romantic Getaway: A romantic 2-night Santa Cruz getaway package to 
This weeklong road trip covers two of my favorite places on the planet: Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park. I’ve visited both these mountain regions countless times, yet each time I’m nonetheless awestruck by their beauty. The trip starts in North Lake Tahoe, winds its way to South Lake Tahoe, and then veers southeast along Hwy. 395 to Mono Lake. From there, it cuts westward on Hwy. 120 and heads up, up, up to the famed Tioga Pass and into Yosemite National Park. Just reading about it will make you want to drop everything and start packing. Read full article »
7-Day Dream Getaway: Lake Tahoe & Yosemite
A Visit To Tri-Valley
At the top of my list of “Who knew?” weekend getaway destinations is Tri-Valley, a triangle-shaped region about 30 miles southeast from San Francisco that’s best known for its pleasant Mediterranean climate, award-winning wine region, and the historic downtown areas of Pleasanton, Livermore, and Danville. Think of it as an affordable, crowd-free, and closer alternative to Carmel and Napa, yet with all the same alluring attractions: wine tasting, boutique shopping, farmers markets, fine dining, hiking trails, world-class golfing, and adorable old-fashioned downtowns—all within easy driving distance. Read full article »
Gold Country
If you’re looking to squeeze in one last family vacation before school starts, one of the best places to go is California’s Gold Country. It’s one of the most underrated and inexpensive tourist destinations in California, a winning combination of Old West ambiance, affordable B&Bs, and outdoor adventures galore. My dad used to take my sisters and me up to the Gold Country when we were kids and I still remember what a great time we had panning for real gold on the banks of a creek, exploring the spooky caverns, and riding on the steam trains. Believe me, a weekend getaway to the Gold Country is one of the best adventures a kid can have. Read full article »
Seaside Secrets
Several years ago I wrote a guidebook called Best Places to the Northern California Coast. I started at the Oregon Border and took every road—dirt or paved—that headed toward the sea, all the way to Big Sur. It took me months, but I discovered some amazing places on my journey, some of which I’d like to share with you. More importantly, each of these getaways is a great excuse to spend the weekend exploring our coastline and realizing how lucky we are to be living in California. Read full article »
Sunset Strip Music Festival
If you want to end your summer on a high note (literally), pull out your day planner and put this in ink: “Going to Sunset Strip Music Festival, August 26-28!” If you’re a fan of live music, rock-n-roll, and festivals, you’re in luck: For only the second time in history, West Hollywood’s legendary Sunset Strip will be closed to traffic on Saturday, August 28, for one of the greatest end-of-the-summer music festivals in America’s history—50 bands (including The Smashing Pumpkins), rock stars (Slash, Fergie, Myles Kennedy), six Sunset Strip clubs, outdoor stages, beer gardens, food trucks, and thousands of music fans enjoying one the best summer weekends in 2010. Read full article »
Wine Country With Kids
A weekend getaway to Napa or Sonoma County used to mean leaving the kids with Grandma. But times have changed and California’s Wine Country isn’t just for grown-ups anymore. Kids may not want anything to do with those funny looking grapes, but that doesn’t mean they won’t savor their vacation just as much as you. An area whose claim to fame is first class wine can also claim fabulous food, unforgettable parks, and quite simply some great outdoor spaces where kids can run around and be… kids. Read full article »
Secret Marin
Spend some time in Marin County, at the “other” end of the Golden Gate Bridge, and it doesn’t take long to figure out that the redwood-shaded, coastal hill country north of San Francisco has a ridiculous number of things to do. Miles of coastal wilderness and redwood forests to explore by foot or by bike, farm-to-table restaurants and artisan food-makers, charming towns, theaters and clubs where locals like Robin Williams, Carlos Santana, and George Lucas might be on stage or in the crowd—what’s not to love about Marin? Read full article »
The Top 7 Wine-Tasting Tours
As the former author of Frommer’s Wine Country I’ve visited a lot of wineries in Napa and Sonoma and taken dozens of tours. One of the questions I get asked most by readers is, “Which winery has the best tour?” Well, that depends. If you don’t know anything about how wine is made, I recommend a comprehensive tour by one of the major wineries—they’ve got the Wine for Dummies thing down. The seven listed here are my top picks for an enjoyable weekend of learning the wine-making process. Read full article »