This season, visit attractions that are close to home!
If you want to go on a vacation this year without venturing far, consider making your holiday season a staycation. You can explore new destinations in your own backyard and revisit your favorite nearby attractions. This type of getaway doesn’t require passports or big packing, and it can be just as exciting as vacationing abroad.
Whether you plan to travel by yourself, with a partner or with your family, there’s no shortage of destinations. Keep an eye out for monuments, parks, art galleries, museums, public markets, entertainment venues and other local attractions to explore.
Here is something new in our region this fall:
LAGO TAHOE
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care Opens Outdoor Learning, the first public component of a new $6 million campus., the public will now have the opportunity to see and learn about some of the animals in LTWC’s care. A porcupine, an eagle, Kestrels and owls are a few of the animals the center will use for educational purposes.
📸 SacBee.com
MARIPOSA
The Yosemite Climbing Museum and Gallery Open in Mariposa, a passion project of climbing pioneer Ken Yager, opened in June just weeks before the sport made its Olympic debut in Tokyo. The museum showcases the stories of boldness and bravery on Yosemite’s famous cliffs. Exhibits include climbing gear from the f irst ascents of El Capitan, classic climbing images from iconic photographers, historical artifacts and memorabilia showing the evolution of climbing over time.
📸 latimes.com
SACRAMENTO
Visit Sacramento Launches Fried Chicken Trail. Fried chicken has become more popular than ever over the past few years, and some of the region’s best culinary talent has taken up the challenge to make the best fried chicken in town. The mobile-exclusive passport is instantly delivered to a participant’s phone or email after they sign up and features a collection of curated restaurants along with deals and discounts. By visiting multiple locations on the trail, diners can win various prizes.
📸 visitsacramento.com
TACOS TRAILS
Stockton Taco Trail: In celebration of the city’s diverse cuisine the Stockton Taco Trail, which includes over 50 restaurants, taquerias, markets and food trucks. The free mobile-exclusive pass allows users to check-in and win prizes, while supporting local dining establishments.
Concord Taco Trail: The East Bay’s go-to destination for authentic Mexican food now has a name: the Concord Taco Trail, as the city has long been home to deliciously authentic, family-owned taquerias and restaurants. Each of the Trail’s nearly 40 locations offer specialty and signature tacos and are locally-owned!
📸visitstockton.org
Grass Valley & Nevada City
There aren’t a lot of places for find true fall colors in California, but one place to see them is in gold rush country in Nevada County. West Coasters longing for some of the beauty of East Coast autumn can find it in the county’s two main towns, Grass Valley and Nevada City. Located not far off Interstate 80 between Sacramento and Tahoe, it’s an easy weekend trip for most Northern Californians.
Kids will especially love all the gold rush era attractions in the area. Empire Mine State Park and the Northstar Mine Museum are highlights. In addition, railroad-loving kiddos should not miss the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum or a chance to take a Railbus trip there.
📸outsideinn.com
San Francisco
Let me let you in on a local’s secret: the very best time to visit San Francisco is in the fall. The legions of summer tourists are long gone, and the weather is at its absolute best. September and early October are often the warmest months, with much less fog than the rest of the year to catch the sights of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and more.
Plus, there are so many things to do in San Francisco in the fall. A highlight is the city’s annual hosting of Fleet Week (usually on Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day Weekend) when the Navy’s Blue Angels rocket under the Golden Gate Bridge in a stunning air show
📸Luciano Mortula-LGM – stock.adobe.com
Vacationing in your neck of the woods is a fun, easy and affordable way to enjoy your time off. To learn more about what your region has to offer, please visit the website visitcalifornia.com.
