E & E
Activities
There is a lot to see and do in California! Here are some of our favourite spots. In addition to the options listed below, famous places to visit in Northern California include Napa and the surrounding wineries, the city of Berkeley (where the hippies all hang out), Stanford University (gorgeous campus to stroll around for the day), one of the many gold-rush towns, the incredibly unusual Winchester mystery mansion in San Jose, the Yosemite National Park, and Big Sur.
San Francisco and Silicon Valley
San Francisco is a city with a lot of personality. Ride the cable cars, stroll along the wharf, relax in Golden Gate Park, take in the culture, and eat the food. The roads can be very steep so make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes! The weather in October is usually nice (15-20C) but it's always good to bring layers since it can change quickly. A light jacket or sweater should be good enough.
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Go to Silicon Valley to see what all the fuss is about. Home to some of the biggest tech giants in the world including Apple, Facebook, Google, and more. Cities to visit include Cupertino, San Jose, and Mountain View. Check out the Computer History Museum, One Infinite Loop (Apple headquarters), and the Google Campus.
Lake Tahoe
Famous for the crystal clear blue lake, Tahoe is where Northern Californians go to vacation. Come up here to relax or have some fun on the water. In the winter the area basically turns into one big ski lodge. For those that love cottage country back home, this might be the place for you. To avoid the rush, we recommend you visit during the week and book your accommodations early.
North Lake Tahoe is known to be more of a quiet spot for relaxing and taking in nature, while South Lake Tahoe is party-central. You should probably stay overnight and can find accommodations on AirBnB or with a local hotel. Side note: Tahoe is close to Reno (think: mini-Las Vegas) so gamblers might enjoy this slight detour.
Sacramento
Sacramento is the capitol city but is often overlooked by visitors to California. We've lived here for about 3 years now and think it's worth a visit. Parking can be annoying so we recommend you find one spot and stroll around for the rest of the day.
We live in 'Mansion Flats' which is quiet, tree-lined and filled with old Victorian mansions (now converted into apartments). Old Sacramento is the historic part of the city and a great place to see what the "wild wild west" used to look like. It's totally a tourist trap but still fun to see and it's right beside the new Golden1 Center (the main entertainment district of the city). The R Street and K Street corridors are lively parts of the city where people go out to party and socialize. The California State Capitol Mall is where the state legislature is located and has gorgeously manicured grounds.
We typically frequent Low Brau, Burgers & Brew, Mother, or Ma Jong's for food, and get beer at Capitol Hop Shop but there are plenty of other options to choose from! For coffee lovers, Temple is a favourite in Sacramento.
Giant Sequoias and Giant Redwood Forests
If you are a nature lover, this is a must-see. These giant ancient trees can grow close to 400 feet tall, live up to 3000 years, and require a very specific climate to survive in. As a result, the giant redwoods and giant sequoias are uniquely located only in Northern California. Redwoods thrive in the marine fog found along the Northern Californian coast, while giant sequoias grow at specific elevations and are only found way up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The biggest tree in the world is known as General Sherman and can be found in Sequoia National Park.
There are many options for visiting, but an easy trip would be Muir Woods National Monument. It's about 2.5 hours away from Yuba City by car and a 40-minute drive from San Francisco. Plan to arrive early in the morning to beat the traffic and enjoy the forest when it's quiet. It can be a bit chilly because of all the shade from the tree cover, so bring a light jacket with you. See here for other options.