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.
My E-Book: California Road Trip Guide
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?
Mimi McFadden
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![The only thing that makes me happier than a California road trip? Writing a book about California road trips and sharing my favorite spots around the state with all of you.🤓
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I have some VERY EXCITING NEWS TO SHARE TODAY!!! My California Road Trip guidebook is officially for sale on my blog. [side note - I still can’t believe I get to write that sentence out, I’m an author heyooo]
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This book is my baby. It’s an accumulation of 24+ years of living in California in three different regions and thousands of miles traveled. Did I tell you that I even slept in a van for two months just to see as much of the state as possible? I’m excited to share my book with you, not just because of the hard work I put into making it, but because I really believe it will allow you to see California on another level. 🚗
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This book is almost 400 pages, covering 8 regions, 200+ destinations, and it includes a bunch of Golden State goodies like custom maps to help you plan your itinerary and printable checklists. If you’re ready to have the most epic California road trip ever - check out the link in my bio. I’m offering a presale deal of 25% off until Feb 1st to celebrate the official release date of my book on Feb 8th, 2020.
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Pop the champagne and cue the dance party, here’s to kicking ass and making good on your goals in 2020. More to come about my book soon. Peace ✌️](https://theatlasheart.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
