Where to Getaway This Autumn in California

Wise Californians know that “off season” can be one of the best times to explore the state. Smaller crowds and plenty of seasonal offerings make the fall months the perfect time to get out and explore the best California has to offer. Not sure where to go? Sunset magazine suggests “18 Great California Fall Trips.” Here are a few highlights:

Roam Through Ukiah’s Redwoods

“Mendocino County’s largest city is best known for its soothing, small-town feel. And autumn explodes with foliage that rivals Vermont’s. Spend the morning hiking through Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve, then soak the afternoon away in a mineral bath at Vichy Springs Resort.”

Gold Country Autumn

“In the folded foothills of the Sierra Nevada, California’s Gold Country, autumn lingers long into October, offering blue skies, tawny hills, and grapevines tinged fierce red. Good new restaurants are popping up in unexpected places. Even more strikingly, an influx of creative new winemakers has made the Gold Country one of the most fascinating wine regions in the West.”

Edna Valley Harvest

“Wander through this quirky, unassuming wine region just south of San Luis Obispo. The nascent wine region is located in a triangle bordered by Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo, and it still retains a distinctive, backroad California charm. Today it’s home to more than 3,000 acres of vineyards and 30 wine labels, including 17 tasting rooms that run the gamut from a former one-room schoolhouse to the stylish Jack Niven Hospitality Center at Edna Valley Vineyard. At the latter, you can sample Chardonnays in front of picture windows with views of the valley’s most distinctive icon, Islay Peak, an ancient volcanic plug that rose from the ocean floor.”

Savor Oysters and Fall at Tomales Bay

“You can find good local food in any number of beautiful places, but in Tomales Bay, on California’s North Coast, there’s a special kind of seamlessness between the act of eating and just being in nature. Savor the local bounty as well as the golden beauty of autumn on the coast.”

Get all 18 itineraries here.