Northern California

 
Find yourself amid the nature preserves, forests and rugged trails of gay friendly California’s North Coast and you’ll also discover artist enclaves, fine dining and music festivals. The giant tree you can drive through near Redwoods State Park is one of the area’s most famous landmarks, as are the wineries of Sonoma County.

California’s North Coast is home to many artists, and galleries and festivals in small communities. Several communities host monthly art walks and community theaters. You’ll also find annual music festivals as well as performance venues throughout the region.

Napa & Sonoma

Napa Valley is one of the premier travel destinations in the world. Whether you are wine tasting, dining at a world-renowned restaurant, indulging in a mud bath at one of the many spas, or just enjoying your stay at one of their bed & breakfasts, hotels or resorts … Napa Valley is your luxury destination.

With the Sonoma wineries and those around Mendocino and Clear Lake, many new trendy restaurants have set up shop on the North Coast. All the same, there’s still no lack of good, old-fashioned comfort food.

Shasta Cascade Region

If you’re looking to escape the crowds of California’s better-known parks, head to the Shasta Cascade region. This year-round outdoor enthusiast’s paradise is home to every kind of recreation on Mounts Shasta and Lassen. Here, you’ll also find some of California’s best fishing, hiking, skiing, camping & boating

Redding and Chico are the biggest cities in the region, but both still have a small-town feel.  Here you’ll find a ton of restaurants, Inns, galleries, & live music venues and festivals throughout the year.

When snow falls in the Shasta Cascade region, it’s time for a little winter recreation.  The area’s mountains, valleys, meadows and lakes provide an awesome place for downhill skiing and snowboarding, cross-country and back-country skiing and snowshoeing, snowmobiling, ice skating, ice fishing and sledding.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe is most famous for the ski resorts that surround it, but summertime brings the warm, dry weather that allows you to play in and on the lake itself.  Summer brings hiking, camping, rock climbing, road and mountain biking, plus all manner of recreation in and around Lake Tahoe.

You can still pan for gold on the rivers that run throughout Gold Country, though fishing, rafting and kayaking are more popular nowadays. Don’t worry, if you need a little taste of city life stop by the state capital Sacramento.

Sacramento

Sacramento, also known as the “City of Trees”, was founded in 1849, is the oldest incorporated city in California. It is ranked as one of the top ten sunniest cities in the United States & Sacramento is the hub of urban life in this part of Northern California. Restaurants, hotels & nightlife are all centrally located and many cater to the LGBT community.