Lake Tahoe, 6,225 feet above sea level, sits on the California/Nevada border and caters to people looking for a California weekend gateway year-round. During winter months, visitors can enjoy skiing, snowboarding and other winter activities. In the summer months, Lake Tahoe offers hiking, biking, windsurfing, camping, swimming, fishing and golfing. Lodging options include condo rentals, cabins, hotels and scenic camping areas.
If you want to spend a weekend in California full of pampering, gourmet food, and wine tasting, California's Napa Valley wine country may be the spot for you. Cabernet sauvignon put Napa Valley on the wine industry's map in 1976. The area is how home to many world-renowned wineries. Calistoga, Yountville and St. Helena are three small cities up the road from the city of Napa; together, they make up most of the Napa Valley, which is about 30 miles long.
Throughout Napa Vallry, there are more than 340 wineries, and most individual wineries offer information and tours about the wine-making process. You can also taste a variety of wines at most winery tasting rooms. Tasting fees are typically around $5 to $15, and you usually can sample four or five wines for that price (and often keep the glass). There is also a Wine Train that features views of the vineyards that have made this location world-famous. A lunch is served on the train, which stops at various wineries so passengers can taste the wine and not worry about driving under the influence.
Other Napa Valley activity options include a hot air balloon ride during the Napa Valley sunrise or a mud bath or mineral pool soak in any of the mineral pools and springs in Calistoga. Lodging ranges from five-star hotels to chic bed and breakfasts, historic homes, boutique inns and inexpensive motels.
Known to some as the "Pacific Riviera," Santa Barbara is a chamring city with Mediterranean weather and red tile rooftops resembling seaside towns found in France and Italy. Santa Barbara has some of the best weather all year round, though it is more prone to rain during the winter months. Every weekend, a craft and art show takes place on Cabrillo Blvd. featuring local goods and crafts, including locally made pinot noirs and chardonnays---among the best in the world. Other areas not to be missed include Santa Barbara's palm-lined waterfront and Stearn's Wharf where you will find a handful of restaurants and shops overlooking the ocean.
Hotels in Santa Barbara fill up fast all year round, especially during the summer months, so be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Brown Pelican and Cold Spring Tavern are two popular brunch locations in Santa Barbra. If you like authentic Mexican food, La Super Rica Taqueria was one of Julia Child's favorite locations in Santa Barbara.
