Those of us from California tend to specify which area of the state we’re from. We’re either from NorCal or SoCal, maybe even the Central Coast. Growing up in Santa Cruz, our location is always debatable as to whether we fit into Northern California or the Central Coast.
Personally, I’ve always thought my hometown leans much more towards Northern California, at least in terms of the culture and the people. Not to mention, when I think of Northern California, I have an overwhelming feeling of home.
That’s not to say I don’t love other parts of my home state, California is beautiful in countless ways. There’s the stunning Joshua Tree down south, as well San Diego (where I lived for 5 years and went to university), Big Bear, Disneyland, Hollywood, Santa Barbara, Hearst Castle, and so many classic spots that I love going back to time and time again.
All of those places are wonderful, but nothing makes me feel so at peace as when I make it to the Big Sur area and north, there’s a switch and the rugged beauty makes me feel like I’m home.
I’m probably going to write individual posts about most if not all of these places that I went to in Northern California on my most recent road trip, but I wanted to give you all a glimpse into a place I hold very dear to my heart. A place I still consider home, even after all of the other places I’ve traveled to and cities I’ve lived in.
People (especially Oregonians) may find California an overrated place, but I still find Northern California quite magical.
I’m still working on a video about my 2 month trip up the length of California, which should be coming out soon so I hope you stick around and come back for that in a week or two!
This is by no means an exhaustive list of what to see in Northern California, but perhaps it can give you a few ideas of where to stop if you’re on your own road trip through California someday. If I had more time, I would highly recommend also seeing Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and Shasta Lake.
Santa Cruz
San Jose
San Francisco
Looking for a local’s guide to SF? Check out this link.
Point Reyes National Park
Lagunitas Brewing Company – Petaluma
Sacramento
Anderson Valley Brewing Company – Boonville
Russian Gulch State Park
Glass Beach
Lost Coast Brewery – Eureka
Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park
Tip: Try and drive through a redwood tree while you’re in the area, it’s a very local experience!
Are there other stops you would include in a Northern California Road Trip? What did I miss?
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Mimi McFadden
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