Moon Northern California ― With San Francisco, Napa, Sonoma, Yosemite & Lake Tahoe

Moon Travel Guides: Discover Northern California

Immerse yourself in NorCal's diverse cities, quaint historical towns, towering forests, and stunning coastline. Inside Moon Northern California you'll find:

• Strategic, flexible itineraries that can be adapted for your budget and timeline, from three days in San Francisco to one day in Yosemite, designed for road trippers, outdoor adventurers, culture mavens, foodies, and more
• How to plan a Northern California road trip, with detailed mileage and driving times for trips to the North Coast, Shasta and Lassen, and the Gold Country
• Unique activities and can't-miss highlights: Explore a Gold Rush-era ghost town, ride the rollercoaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, or crest San Francisco's steep hills on a historic cable car. Visit world-class museums in the Bay Area, absorb history in the Capitol Building in Sacramento, or watch the otters play at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Climb Yosemite's granite peaks, hike among the redwoods in Sequoia and Kings Canyon, ski Tahoe's pristine powdery slopes, or try to catch a peek at condors at Big Sur. Savor an authentic Mission burrito, sample unique varietals in wine country, and enjoy a romantic seafood dinner as the sun sets over the Pacific
• Full-color photos and detailed maps throughout
• Expert advice from NorCal native Elizabeth Linhart Veneman on where to stay, where to eat, and how get around by plane, car, train, and public transportation
• Handy tips for international visitors, seniors, and travelers with disabilities
• Background information on the landscape, plants and animals, history, and culture
• Full coverage of San Francisco and the Bay Area, Wine Country, the North Coast, Shasta and Lassen, Lake Tahoe, Sacramento and Gold Country, Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra, the Central Coast, and Sequoia and Kings Canyon

With Moon Northern California's myriad activities, local insight, and expert know-how, you can plan your trip your way.

Exploring more of the Golden State? Check out Moon California or Moon California Road Trip. For an epic outdoor adventure, pick up Moon California Camping or Moon Yosemite, Sequoia & Kings Canyon.

Elizabeth Linhart Veneman has always viewed growing up in Northern California as both a blessing and curse. There is so much to see, do, and experience all within a short drive, from broad sequoias in the Sierras to ancient lava beds north of Mount Shasta, from creaky Gold Rush towns to the pampering Wine Country, that she began to wonder why anyone would ever leave.

Elizabeth was eventually lured out of the Golden State to Alaska's far north, where she traveled the Inside Passage, baked bread under the midnight sun in Denali National Park, and chronicled the state's burgeoning sustainable agriculture for Alaska Magazine.

But Elizabeth knew her California roots were too deep to stay away for long. Raised in Carmel, where her great-great grandmother opened the first restaurant (a soup kitchen with dirt floors!) at the turn of the 20th century, she would always call California home. So she returned and devoted herself to writing about the state she loves most. Her work has included two guides to San Francisco, as well as reporting on food and sustainable agriculture for local publications.

Elizabeth is still enchanted by Northern California's wondrous melding of natural splendor with cultural charm. She currently lives with her family in San Francisco's Richmond district.