California Traveler getaways
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PASO ROBLES
This rural Central Coast town of 30,000, a half-hour's scenic drive from seaside Cambria and 42 miles from Hearst Castle, draws a continuous stream of visitors lured by its striking countryside, laid-back vibe and neighborliness.
Winemaker Jason Haas inspects rows of grenache blanc grapes at Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, where the number of wineries has exploded since the 1980s.
Read the story here. -
A visitor becomes part of a juggling act as fans await the end of Stage 5 of the 2011 Tour of California in downtown Paso Robles. -
Wine tourism has become a big part of Paso Robles' appeal. Dozens of wineries offer their wares at local festivals. -
Joe Johnston San Luis Obispo Tribune file, 2010 Some of the patio spas at the Paso Robles Inn feature water piped in from hot springs. -
INTERSTATE 5
Coming down off the Grapevine, negotiating the curves as skillfully as a stock-car driver, you get momentary glimpses of the Valley floor. Then, just past the runaway truck ramp, the hills part and the view widens. Spread out in front of you is a vast expanse of Interstate 5, miles of shimmering road heading off to the horizon.
Travelers on Interstate 5 between the Grapevine and Stockton are surrounded by vast agricultural fields broken up by the occasional rest stop.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here. -
Travelers on Interstate 5 between the Grapevine and Stockton are surrounded by vast agricultural fields broken up by the occasional rest stop. -
Interstate 5 crosses the Sacramento River above the Alamar Marina in the Natomas area. -
A flock of birds flies south of Interstate 5 near Twin Cities Road Thursday morning. -
HIGHWAY 99
Highway 99 is historic, anointed with its number and identity in 1926 when federal officials allocated funds to connect chaotic roads into contiguous routes. By 1928, according to Jill Livingston's seminal book, "That Ribbon of Highway II" (Living Gold Press, $17.99, 216 pages), the U.S. government called 99 "the longest continuously improved highway in the country."
The first must-see Highway 99 stop is a 50-foot thermometer with 4,000 LED lights in Galt. It's in front of Giddens Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here. -
Tom’s Smokin’ Barbeque in Tulare serves up food in what used to be the fuselage of a 1951 T-29 Air Force navigation training plane. -
A decaying sign is all that remains of Stockton’s Pollardville Ghost Town, an amusement park with an Old West theme that included jails and mock gunfights. -
This A&W Drive-in, built in Modesto in 1957, helped inspire the film “American Graffiti.” Waitress Jessica Briseno, like all the car hops, must be nimble on skates. -
BURLINGAME
Instead of immediately making tracks back to Sacramento from SFO, we suggest a detour to Burlingame for some chill time. The San Mateo County town of 28,800- plus is only a five-minute drive south of SFO on Highway 101, via the Broadway Avenue exit, and an ideal place to unwind before the trek home. Stroll, shop, dine.
The Burlingame train station is a working station for the Caltrain commute line in Burlingame, Calif., February 23, 2012.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here. -
Burlingame Tobacconists carries 1,400 types of cigars in 700 styles. Owner Mario Cruz serves many third-generation customers. -
Books Inc. has 12 outlets in the Bay Area, but the Burlingame store reflects the high-tech interests of the locals. -
Gary Doss started the the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia in Burlingame, Calif., February 23, 2012. The museum carries many vintage and new Pez dispensers and products. The world's largest Pez dispensing machine. left, stands 7 feet, 10 inches and was awarded the Guinness World record for largest candy dispenser. -
Carol Bowen, left, is helped by Nancy Cervera as she purchases pastries at Copenhagen Bakery & Cafe, in Burlingame, Calif., February 23, 2012. -
BAKERSFIELD
Bakersfield arch that was moved by Buck Owens to current position next to the Crystal Palace. Travel story looks into the Bakersfield sound, the Telecaster-rich style of country music made famous by Bakersfield's Buck Owens.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here. -
Buddy Alan Owens plays the Crystal Palace in Bakersfield, founded by his dad, Buck. They perform together on the screen, upper right. -
A musician walks down the streets of downtown Bakersfield. Travel story looks at the Bakersfield sound, the Telecaster-rich style of country music made famous by Bakersfield's Buck Owens. -
Buddy Alan Owens, the son of Buck Owens plays at the Crystal Palace with the Buckaroos in Bakersfield. Travel story looks into the Bakersfield sound, the Telecaster-rich style of country music made famous by Bakersfield's Buck Owens. -
MONTEREY
The Monterey Peninsula includes more than a dozen cities and hamlets. Much of the area's beauty is well documented, but treasures are still to be found.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
Among the many sights at Monterey Bay is the old Fisherman’s Wharf and these pelicans. -
A bicyclist pedals past an extensive mural last month near Lovers Point in Pacific Grove, just north of Monterey. -
Audra Krebs enjoys breakfast at Rosine's in Monterey on a recent weekday. The owners moved the restaurant to Alvarado Street in Monterey in the mid-1980s. -
Among the many sights at Monterey Bay is the old Fisherman’s Wharf and the many boats moored nearby. Much of the area’s beauty is well documented, but treasures are still to be found. -
Manager Evelyn Rosales, left, and co-worker Jose Lafayette interact with regular customers Bruce "Caddy" Ingels, Emilio Cal and Glenn Topper at Red's Donuts in Monterey on Tuesday, February 21, 2012. -
SAN FRANCISCO'S MISSION DISTRICT
Stroll, do not power walk, down Balmy Alley here in the Mission District. Slow your overcaffeinated pulse from too many espressos in neighborhood cafes, quell your fired-up metabolism from super burritos scarfed in corner taquerias, empty your mind of the thrift store bargains beckoning on the boulevard.
Tranquilo, amigo.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
The famous La Taqueria, said to be one of the most authentic of San Francisco's taquerias, is on a colorful stretch of Mission Street near 25th. -
There's a lot to see in San Francisco's Mission District, including Balmy Alley, a blocklong collection of murals both personal and political. -
Pedestrians walk or smooch along colorful 24th Street in the Mission District. The Mission, perhaps not quite as famous as other districts of San Francisco, nevertheless is filled with interesting things to see and do. -
Street art along Balmy Alley at 24th Street in the San Francisco Mission District. Murals bith personal and political line this block-long alley that borders a neighborhood and a park. The Mission not as famous as the touristy Fisherman's Wharf or a gay icon like the Castro or as high brow as Nob Hill or the Sunset District, but it's a fascinating mix of urban hipsters and longtime ethnic locals. -
NAPA
Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
A skateboarder passes by a mural of the Napa River painted on the side of as building on Main Street in downtown Napa. -
A man and his children enjoy the recently updated Napa Riverwalk. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
Twenty-year Napa resident Don Haagstad enjoys a beer at a restaurant on the River Walk. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
The historic Uptown Theatre on Third Street in downtown Napa provides a wonderful venue for many musicians. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
Cameron Darlington places fresh oysters in ice at Hog Island Oysters Co. inside the Oxbow Public Market. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
People eat and shop inside the Oxbow Public Market. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
New building has sprouted up along Main Street in downtown Napa. Long neglected by tourists who flocked to wineries, Napa's downtown is suddenly the place to eat, lounge and be seen. -
CHICO
The National Yo-Yo Museum, housed in the back of a downtown Chico eclectic toy store and boutique, Bird in Hand, is certainly no myth – though some of the yo-yo aces honored therein certainly border on the mythic.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
Thad Winzenz demonstrates a yo-yo trick in front of a 256-pound wooden specimen at the National Yo-Yo Museum in Chico. -
Hikers in Chico's Upper Bidwell Park follow a trail up from a diversion dam on Chico Creek. -
GUERNEVILLE
This verdant, leafy outpost on the banks of the Russian River proved as eclectic as it was charming, a pastiche of Northern California culture, a time capsule preserving several seminal historical epochs. You might be tempted only to breeze by Guerneville on a day trip in the wine country or to the coast, but the town offers a plethora of weekend possibilities.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
Fishermen try their luck in the Russian River, an old friend and occasional foe to the residents of Guerneville and others who live near its banks. -
Guerneville has a lot to offer folks from just about every walk of life with an outdoorsy, funky style. -
Guerneville, along main street at sunset. -
Dick Jaillet of Guerneville stands outside the Rainbow Cattle Co. bar on Main Street. -
Joe Villagomez, left, of Guerneville and Jimmy Kufudakes fish for steelhead on the Russian River. -
PESCADERO
Pescadero harbors a quiet paradise of mild climate, great views and memorable food.
Read the story here.
View the gallery here.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse is one landmark near Pescadero. Your visit won't get you too close because of age-related structural problems (it was built in 1872), but the nongovernmental, nonprofit California State Parks Foundation is working to raise funds to rebuild. -
A curious goat looks over the fence at Harley Farms, run by Dee Harley, a Yorkshire transplant who fell in love with Pescadero more than two decades ago. -
A quiet scene at Pescadero Marsh Preserve, a web of trails where small birds are likely to flit amid 200 plant species. -
The sun sets at Pescadero State Beach off Highway 1, a few miles west of the San Mateo County town. -
Artichoke linguine at Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero is one of many tasty treats offered by the landmark eatery, in the small downtown area, inland from Highway 1.
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