Northern California Recommendations

[Mtnmilsurp]

One of my favorite campgrounds on the southern Oregon coast is Humbug mountain. There’s lots of sandy beaches and tide pools, a great hike to the top of the mountain, and the Crazy Norwegian restaurant is a short drive.

 

[Yoteassasin]

A few quick ones I would recommend not missing
- Alcatraz / angel island
- presidio / national cemetery and fort point
- fort Ross
-id camp in gulala on the river for awesome redwoods
-pt arena ( westernmost point in Lowe 48)
- skunk train
- if you are into fishing and desolate areas head up 299 fish the Trinity and the salmon check out sawyers bar
- tulelake / lava beds
- burney falls / pit river
- mt lassen for sure !
- lakes basin in sierra city / gold mines / sierra buttes

There are many interesting places to see along the way
The old Benicia armory and state capital is full of history mt Diablo has the 2nd most viewable sq/miles in the world (#1is mt Kilimanjaro) the geysers in Calistoga (and maybe a sprint car race ) , scotia old sawmill and company town
I'd also drive the old 50 highway on your way back through Nevada

Good luck and have fun

 

[huntineveryday]

Thank you for all of the responses so far! I'll have some info to comb through the next couple of nights! We took a trip through yellowstone/grand teton a couple years ago and a thread like this had some suggestions that made our trip better.

Our main goals is to see the coast and the redwoods. We have a day in San Francisco before heading north. I have a couple nights at gold bluffs beach campground and then we'll have a night in Crescent City after. Fern Valley and some hiking in the park will happen for sure.

From Crescent City we will go up into Oregon and see Crater Lake. Trying to work through a route home after that, deciding between going back south through more of California or up through more of Oregon. I hate to see the same road twice on a trip!

 

[WRO]

I’ll second crater lake, a jet boat ride on the rogue river or rafting should be on your list as well.


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[ReddingArcher]

If you are starting in SF, I'd check out Alcatraz. Catch a Giants game if you like baseball. Going up 101 from SF there is quite a bit of stuff. Stop in Eureka and eat at Lost Coast Brewery. Up from there I'd go to Fern Canyon, cool little hike, easy for little kids. If you come back through Redding I would head out 299 to Burney and check out Burney Falls. The subway caves arent far from there and are worth the stop. The coast weather will be really nice but if you come into the valley be prepared for unreal heat. It could be up around 120 if its anything like last summer.

 

[Huntindog45]

Trinidad is one of my all time favorite places. Lots of great places listed above. I live in Chico. Tons to do here. great fishing, close to a shit ton of public land. Hit me up. I got some good recommendations if you want to send me a message. A good day floating the sac and catching a couple dozen 16"-25" rainbows never sucks either.

 

[kickemall]

Thank you for all of the responses so far! I'll have some info to comb through the next couple of nights! We took a trip through yellowstone/grand teton a couple years ago and a thread like this had some suggestions that made our trip better.

Our main goals is to see the coast and the redwoods. We have a day in San Francisco before heading north. I have a couple nights at gold bluffs beach campground and then we'll have a night in Crescent City after. Fern Valley and some hiking in the park will happen for sure.

From Crescent City we will go up into Oregon and see Crater Lake. Trying to work through a route home after that, deciding between going back south through more of California or up through more of Oregon. I hate to see the same road twice on a trip!

Sounds like a little bit of a time frame. If thats the case you can just drive the Ave of the Giants. Some of the largest Redwoods in the world are there right alongside the rd. If you don’t stop anywhere it will take you about 15 minutes longer than staying on the freeway.
You probably realize this but the N Coast ocean isn’t SoCal. Its cold and often rough so be a little careful.

 

[trip3k]

from there head through Lassen park down to 36 and 36 to 395.

Lassen is nice

 

[Hackleback]

Railroad tunnels on Donner summit (I-80)
Burney Falls (plenty of other falls in the area as well)
Subway cave near Lassen (a lava tube cave with public access)
Emerald pools near Emigrant Gap on the Yuba R
Auburn Rec area (hiking/water/ lots of trails)

 

[huntineveryday]

You probably realize this but the N Coast ocean isn’t SoCal. Its cold and often rough so be a little careful.

Yeah, we're going in with the expectation that the beaches we visit will be good for exploring, not for swimming.

I was planning on Ave of the Giants, was wondering how much longer it would take, so that's helpful!

 

[Hackleback]

Local Hero's burger joint in Auburn, in the old part of down town so worth a walk around. There is a goldrush museum at the top of the hill a hand full of blocks away.
Ikeda's - (Auburn) farm/local market and they have a burger/sandwich/fries....

On I-80, Auburn is about as far west as I like to go- too many people/ crazy driving from there.

 

[PVHunter]

Will echo whoever suggested a southern detour on 395 from Tahoe. The Owens River Valley / Eastern Sierra is one of the most beautiful parts of the state (and there's great trout fishing that time of the year). You could build a beautiful southern detour, cross 120 to Yosemite for the day, and work your way back up the Sierra foothills on the western side to continue the trip to the coast.

I would also make a visit to Lassen-Volcanic National Park. It's not as heavily trafficked as the others, but it's deserving of a visit.

Mendocino Headlands and Russian Gulch would both be nice stops on the Mendo coast for a beach day.

 

[Hackleback]

San Fran isnt my jam, Marin (headlands) just to the north across the golden gate bridge is nice, esp the coast side, Stinson Beach, Pt Reys (might see some Tule Elk), Bodega Bay, Ft Bragg, all nice, just a bit touristy. Access to beaches for the kids all along here. Expect the beach to be windy and the water cold.

 

[The Harbor Master]

mt Diablo has the 2nd most viewable sq/miles in the world (#1is mt Kilimanjaro)

I grew up 30mi from Mt Diablo and spent most of my time closer than that, and never knew that fact.

 

[Hackleback]

From Wikipedia referring to Mt Diablo- FWIW- Claims that the mountain's viewshed is the largest in the world‍—‌or second largest after Mount Kilimanjaro‍—‌are ill-founded.[8] It does boast one of the largest viewsheds in the Western United States and played a key role in California history.

 

[EZduzIT]

Been vacationing to the redwoods and southern Oregon since I was a kid. All my family lives there and my dad is moving back from CO soon. I’ll have to second on the Jedidiah Smith State Park. Amazing camping among the redwoods and the Smith river is one of the clearest rivers in the country, so fun to swim. Bring a fly rod or spinner for sea run cutthroat trout. Watch out for rattlesnakes. I’ll also second the Hells Gate Jetboat excursion that run out of Grants Pass, OR. Do the dinner trip. It takes you to a very cool lodge for an amazing country dinner along the Rogue River. This is a must every time we are in Grants Pass. Have an amazing trip!

 

[NCTrees]

Trying to work through a route home after that, deciding between going back south through more of California or up through more of Oregon. I hate to see the same road twice on a trip!

depending on which ways home you may want to consider taking 97 south from Crater Lake, east on 140 to Lakeview, then 395 south as far as fits. A world apart from 101 and the coast. Beautiful and quiet with no lack for outdoor stuff to do.

 

[TheYukiYama]

Bodega bay to rockport could be a trip in its own. lots of small towns and food and hikes etc. shelter cove on the lost coast is neat but i usually only go there if im flying my own plane becuase the drive in is kinda long. all the parks around redwoods are nice. trinity alps in the shasta area have better hiking imo. some great fishing. lower/upper sac. mccloud river, klamath, trinity, eel, pit, hat, rogue, umpqua, the list goes on. Southern oregon coast is incredible. stops with short hikes every quarter mile or so for the entire length. could also do a house boat for a day or two on shasta lake or trinity lake. lots of activites on shasta lake also for day trip. Nice wineries in grants pass, roseburg and corvalis. not exactly southern oregon but silver falls state park is sweet. as is the bend area such as smith rock. personally not a huge fan of crater lake. Big area with a million things to do in any given part of it. As you refine your itinerary, follow back up and I can likely provide more detailed recommendations for food/activities etc if needed