The regions of Napa Valley and Sonoma, located just north of San Francisco, are two of the largest vineyard areas in all of California. There are hundreds of wineries and vineyards that offer wine-tasting tours and events throughout the year. Venture out on your own or book a tour with a company, such as wine tours offered out of San Francisco and Petaluma visiting vineyard regions including Sonoma Wine Country, Healdsburg, Napa Valley and Russian River. You'll be driven by expert guides to and from your destination and given an informative history of where you're visiting.
If you're up for some sightseeing, Northern California features several landmark points of interest and different types of landscape. For instance, you could catch a ferry out to Alcatraz Island and spend the day on a walking tour of the former prison. Travel a bit further north to Hearst Castle and embark on a tour lasting multiple days. There are several tours available at William Randolph Hearst's former estate, and according to the estate's website, it's not possible to view everything in just one day. Couples also could plan a scenic drive up Pacific Coast Highway 101, stopping off at various viewpoint locations like Big Sur, the Redwood Forest or a coastal town called Trinidad, known for its scenery. Trinidad is one of California's oldest incorporated towns. It has a population of about 300 people and tourists come here for the sheer beauty of the area. It's also home to one of the oldest working lighthouses along the California coast, a number of beachside hiking trails and seafood restaurants.
Northern California offers a number of recreational areas for the active, outdoorsy couple. Mount Shasta is the perfect place to go hiking or horseback riding in summer, or skiing and snowboarding in winter. Lake Shasta, located at the mountain's summit, provides recreational activities as well, including kayaking, swimming, sailing or water skiing in summer, and sledding, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in winter. Northern California also is home to a few golf courses. You can find one in virtually every major city or town. A popular golf retreat in Sacramento is the William Land Golf Course. It caters to couples and families, featuring an 18-hole course, barbecue and picnic areas, an adventure play area for kids and duck ponds, and it's located right next to the Sacramento Zoo.
