We all are living for the weekend: the chance to fully relax and unwind without the burden of work. Weekends in NorCal offer more than meets the eye. For anyone who is unfamiliar, NorCal is short for Northern California. Did you know that NorCal is comprised of 48 counties? For example, I have lived in SF for 7 years, and only recently learned that fact. My point is that there is ample ground to cover! During the past several months in quarantine, I have ventured outside of my home city of San Francisco for quick weekend getaways. As a result, being able to accessibly enjoy beautiful and activity-filled destinations have truly made quarantine more manageable. Above all, the beauty of taking a trip over the weekend is being able to reflect on life outside of the hustle and bustle, mile-high responsibilities, and to take a much-needed break for yourself to spend it however you see fit.
Your Call to Action
My boyfriend and I have been able to stay motivated every week because we know that another glorious weekend filled with adventure is on the precipice. In addition, we wanted to keep our trips fairly local, and commute to the destinations via car. Calling all my Bay Area readers! I have curated the best food, excursions, and hotels in eight Northern California destinations. To clarify, anyone can go about a more simplistic trip by checking into Airbnbs and dining at less expensive restaurants, however my intention for this list is to offer the “WOW” factor! Furthermore, I linked various hotels and restaurants for your convenience. Here is a list of my recommendations for an unforgettable, fun weekend getaway in the Bay Area/Northern California.
First things first! Most importantly, how are you going to get there? If you own a car, you are set! If you don’t own one, I put together a list of reputable vendors to rent a car for your upcoming getaway weekend. A 2-3 day rental for the most basic car will average: $120-160 (Getaround); $140-170 (Zipcar); $90-$120 (Enterprise). In addition, for your hotel search, I strongly recommend downloading the Hotel Tonight app. As a result, it significantly decreased the price per night (more than a 50% discount) of all the hotels I stayed in since using it.
Pacifica: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to Pacifica
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 25 minutes
- Best Weather: In the summer months, between June-September. I went in July and it was perfect! October in the Bay Area is very warm as well so I would also suggest a trip during that month!
- Where to Stay: Lighthouse Hotel
- Where to Eat: Pacifica Brewery, Nick’s Seafood Restaurant, Puerto 27 Peruvian Kitchen, Gorilla BBQ
- Excursions: Pacifica State Beach, Rockaway Beach, Mori Point Trail and Viewpoint, Sharp Park Beach, Pacifica Pier
Santa Cruz/Capitola: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to Santa Cruz/Capitola
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Best Weather: All year round! I went in Late February and it was warm
- Where to Stay: Hotel Paradox
- Where to Eat: Seabright Social, Riva Fish House, Betty Burgers, The Crow’s Nest, Lillian’s Italian Kitchen, Woodstock’s Pizza, Buttery Bakery, Taqueria Los Pericos, Harbor Cafe, The Walnut Avenue Cafe
- Excursion: Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Natural Bridges State Beach, Capitola Beach, Davenport Swing
Monterey/Carmel: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to Monterey/Carmel
- NOTE: This is the only location on the list that I have only driven through, not stayed in. This list is my a map of my ideal spots to venture to when I make this trip!
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 2 hours
- Best Weather: May to November
- Where to Stay: Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
- Where to Eat: Cassanova Restaurant, Katy’s Place, Dametra Cafe, Porta Bella, Flaherty’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, Carmel Belle, Little Napoli
- Excursions: Carmel By the Sea, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Bixby Bridge, Carmel Beach, 17-mile drive, Lover’s Point Park, Old Fisherman’s Wharf
Sausalito/Tiburon
What to Consider for your Trip to Sausalito/Tiburon
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 30 minutes
- Best Weather: Spring, Summer, and Fall months!
- Where to Stay: Casa Madrona Hotel and Spa
- Where to Eat: Joinery, Bar Bocce, The Spinnaker, Salito’s Crab House, Scoma’s Sausalito, Fish, Le Garage, Sushi Ran, Poggio, Murray Circle Restaurant, Avatar’s Restaurant, Luna Blu
- Excursions: Point Bonita Trail, Marin Headlands, Battery Spencer, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods, Sausalito Boardwalk, Ferry Ride to Angel Island
Napa/St. Helena: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to Napa/St. Helena
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Best Weather: June to November
- Where to Stay: Andaz Napa Hotel
- Where to Eat: Ristorante Allegria, Grace’s Table, Cole’s Chop House, Morimoto Napa, Celadon, Oxbow Public Market, ZuZu, The CIA at Copia, The Girl & the Fig, FARM at Carneros, French Laundry
- Excursions: Domaine Carneros Winery, V. Sattui Winery, Artesa Winery, Robert Mondavi Winery, Napa Premium Outlets
Sacramento
What to Consider for your Trip to Sacramento
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Best Weather: Spring, Summer, and Fall months
- Where to Stay: The Kimpton Sawyer Hotel
- Where to Eat: Delta King, Rio City Café, Public House Downtown, The Firehouse Restaurant, Cafeteria 15L, Shady Lady, The Coconut On T, LowBrau, Paesanos, Oz Korean BBQ, Chandos, University of Beer
- Excursions: Old Town Sac, Tower Bridge, American River, State Capitol Building, Mural Tour, Sunflower Fields, Golden 1 Center
Santa Rosa/Guerneville: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to Santa Rosa/Guerneville
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Best Weather: Spring to Early Fall months! I went in August
- Where to Stay: Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country
- Where to Eat: Russian River Brewing Co., The Spinster Sisters, Stark’s Steak & Seafood, El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine, Boon Eat + Drink, Timberline Restaurant
- Excursions: Russian River, Carpool Cinema, Luther Burbank Home & Gardens, Safari West, Jack London State Historic Park
South Lake Tahoe: Trip Ideas in Northern California
What to Consider for your Trip to South Lake Tahoe
- Driving Distance from San Francisco: 4 hours
- Best Weather: All year round depending on what you’re looking for. June to September in super hot and perfect time for water activities. I went in July! Winter is beautiful and quaint in its own way and many activities to do in the wintertime.
- Where to Stay: Grand Residences by Marriott Lake Tahoe
- Where to Eat: Base Camp Pizza, California Burger Co., The Oyster Bar, Izabella Ristorante Italiano, Azul Latin Kitchen, Driftwood Cafe, Kalani’s, Edgewood Restaurant, Himmel Haus
- Excursions: Monkey Rock, Zephyr Cove Beach, Heavenly Village Skiing, Shops at the Heavenly Village, Tahoe Rim Trail, Eagle Falls Trail, Tahoe Sports Boat/Jet Ski Rentals, Sand Harbor
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In conclusion, I hope this list provided helpful guidance on fun and attainable trips in the Northern California area! Now it’s time for you to go out and make the most of your weekends! For more content related to travel, check out my recent blog posts below!
