Lissa
Portland

Lissa from Portland asked

Sunny and relaxing "hidden gem"?

I'm seeking your ideas for my February SUNBREAK of 4-5 days in (preferable northern) California...
I'm hoping for some "hidden gems," having had the good fortune of already experiencing the major attractions and destinations this gorgeous state has to offer.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Northern California

6 Answers

answered by

Fritzi from San Francisco

Northern Californiain Feb can be unpredictable. If you visit the monterey peninsula I love the Elkhorn Sloughestuary boat tour. If you visit Sonoma, Petaluma has a beautiful downtown, The Cottage Nursery, French Marin Cheese Factory tour and farm trail tours, wineries, and the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary. For guaranteed sun, SoCal is the better bet, and Palm Springs has great modern architecture.

Comments (0)

Mentioned in this answer:

VIEW DETAILED MAP

Northern California (attraction)
Elkhorn Slough (attraction)
Sonoma (city)
Petaluma (city)
French Marin Cheese Factory (restaurant)
Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary (attraction)
Palm Springs (city)

places (7)

likes (2) thanks

answered by

Tom from Liverpool

One word. Yosemite. Few places have made my jaw drop, but Yosemite National Park did exactly that.

Comments (1)

Lissa
Thanks, I've been several times - love it!

Mentioned in this answer:

VIEW DETAILED MAP

Yosemite National Park (attraction)

places (1)

comments (1)

likes (2) thanks

answered by

Courtney from Los Angeles

This isn't hidden but my favorite place on earth is Carmel By the Sea.

Comments (2)

Lissa
Thanks, Courtney - I've actually chosen Monterey, and will return to explore Carmel in greater depth.... Any suggestions or recommendations? '-)

Courtney
I'm not as familiar with Monterey as I am with Carmel, but I do remember really enjoying the 17-mile drive (although I think they charge for it). If you're in to art, you might want to check out the new Dali museum. I've heard it's great!

Mentioned in this answer:

VIEW DETAILED MAP

Carmel By the Sea (city)

places (1)

comments (2)

likes (2) thanks

answered by

Janelle from Charleston

Sonoma. It's a bit less expensive and a lot less snobbish than Napa. There are plenty of good wineries in the area, and downtown Sonoma has several good attractions, including Mission San Francisco Solano State Historic Park and the Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo house.

Comments (1)

Lissa
Agreed, thanks, Janelle, I have enjoyed many happy days in Sonoma and surrounding wineries!

Mentioned in this answer:

VIEW DETAILED MAP

Sonoma (city)
Mission San Francisco Solano State Historic Park (attraction)

places (2)

comments (1)

likes (2) thanks

answered by

Jake from Los Angeles

In February, the best sun break would be in Southern California, in any of the Coachella Valley resort cities: Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert or Indian Wells. The more 'hidden' place would be Borrego Springs

Comments (2)

Lissa
Thanks, Jake! My friend lives in Sacramento, so we're looking for destinations that wouldn't require many days of driving. But I'm marking your recommendations for future exploration! '-)

Courtney
Agreed! · (1 like)

Mentioned in this answer: