FEATURE CALIFORNIA: NORTH & SOUTH
Monterey, where visitors can enjoy the shops and restaurants of Cannery Row, made famous by Ernest Hemingway when it was canning all manner of seafood. Other attractions are the Monterey Bay Aquarium, the Cooper Molera Adobe and Old Monterey Gardens at Monterey State Park. The city is also home to what is claimed to be America’s oldest theatre. A little south of Monterey is Carmel- By-The-Sea, famous for once having Clint Eastwood as its mayor but now a delightful upmarket seaside resort with a fabulous beach and plenty of boutiques and restaurants. Then it’s a cross-country inland journey of a couple of hundred miles to the town of Sonora in California’s ‘Gold Country’, the closest available accommodation (in June) to Yosemite in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, about 70 miles and an hour away. Yosemite National Park is a UNESCO
World Heritage Site and although it does have accommodation it’s invariably full and certainly needs advance booking. The Park includes one of America’s
tallest waterfalls (Yosemite) and is a wonderful location for hiking, rafting on the Merced River, cycling the 12 miles of slat paved paths, rock-climbing and, in the winter months, cross-country skiing (
www.yosemitepark.com). Close to Sonora is Jamestown where
a walk down Main Street is like stepping back in time to the Gold Rush days of the late 1800s. Nearby is the Railtown 1897 State Historic Park which offers steam train rides from April to October. From Sonora, it’s a beautiful drive
across the high Sonora Pass – closed in the winter but subject to the vagaries of snow at almost any time – which passes through the vast Stanislaus National Forest and rises to 9628 feet en-route to Lake Tahoe, which straddles the state boundary with Nevada. This is another journey of close to 200 miles. Lake Tahoe is the largest Alpine lake in
North America at 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. South Lake Tahoe’s hotels, bed and breakfasts, casinos and renowned ski resorts draw in millions of visitors every year but its major appeal remains the surrounding wilderness and the beauty of the lake. There are some 14 lakeside beaches
for summer fun and three main ski resorts including the best-known, Heavenly, which this year opens for business on November 18. It’s about 100 miles to California’s state capital, Sacramento, which is
working to turn itself into a hub of ‘green business’. For visitors it’s well worth a couple of days visit. Old Sacramento is a delightful area which was once the transportation hub of the area during the Gold Rush. Two museums well worth a visit are
the Sacramento History Museum and the California State Railroad museum, which shows the elegance and romance of railway travel in an earlier age. The area is also a good place to take a cycle ride along the 32-mile journey to Folsom Lake, or for more leisurely transport a horse-drawn carriage ride. And train buff or not, the Napa Valley
Wine Train is a great way to enjoy California’s best-known wine growing area. The train is a three-hour/36-mile journey from the town of Napa to St Helena and back. Guests enjoy lunch or dinner aboard the train which travels through the Napa Valley vineyards in beautifully restored 1915-17 Pullman cars or 1952 Vista Dome cars (www.
winetrain.com). Napa is a town worth some time and
there are now walking tours (www.
napawalkingtour.com) or bike tours (
www.napavalleyadventuretours. com). The same company offers kayaking on the Napa River. And then it’s just about an hour's drive
back to San Francisco’s international airport at the end of trip which gives a real taste of northern California’s unique and diverse charms.
Above from left: the capitol building in Sacramento, California's state capital; The Golden Gate Bridge; Yosemite National Park
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Top Selling Tips...
• “In Alcatraz hear the voices come to life where the history unwinds itself; it’s a shopper’s paradise in San Francisco’s Union Square & Fishermans Wharf; and make time for California’s premium wine making region.”
CASEY HURFORD, USA product manager, Funway
• “Unless it’s out of season if you want half-way decent accommodation in places like Yosemite it’s advisable to book in advance. Furthermore, never underestimate driving times, especially to allow time to stop off to truly enjoy northern California’s stunning scenery.” ALAN ORBELL, travel writer
From the Front Line WILL SARSON
product and commercial manager, The Page & Moy Travel Group
"NorCal is a great contrast to the glamour of the South; it’s all about real natural beauty. The rugged coastlines around Fort Bragg are an ever-changing picture postcard. The wine country is another highlight, particularly around the less well known Lake County and Mendocino – the fantastic wines are matched only by the hospitality"
Where To Book It MOTORHOME TOURING HOLIDAYS
0845 601 0905 or 024 7647 5340
www.motorhometouringholidays.co.uk A seven-night self-drive tailor-made
itinerary starts from £925pp based on two sharing a motorhome, with economy return flights to San Francisco and first night in a hotel (departing May 1 2012). Our travel specialists help plan a tailor-made itinerary and provide guides and recommendations for campground stops along the way.
USAIRTOURS – 08000 350149
www.usairtours.co.uk An eight-day Northern California Escorted Tour includes San Francisco, Sonoma Valley, Napa Valley, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, Carmel, Monterey and Henry Cowell Redwoods state park. The tour
www.sellinglonghaul.com • October 2011 29
BMI PUBLISHING/ALAN ORBELL
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