Northern California is crammed full of all-American wonder

From the great outdoors to stunning cityscapes, northern California has so much to offer.

If one part of the USA has it all, it’s northern California.

Where else combines the buzz of cities as downright beautiful as San Francisco and Sacramento with giant redwood forests, big wows like Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, and yet more in the form of the golden beaches of Monterey and the Big Sur?

I tell you, this region has the whole darned lot from lush, ancient forests to snow-capped volcanoes, open plains to sun-baked vineyards. And, crucially for holidaymakers, everything is just a few hours’ drive away.

Sacramento is the state capital and the city straddles the Sacramento River, so-called because it was found on a Sunday by Spanish explorers who celebrated with a riverside communion.

On the river today, you find paddle steamers moored to the riverbanks acting as restaurants and shops for the many visitors who come to enjoy this historic town.

The Old Sacremento district dates back to the mid-19th Century. It’s fun to explore, but the highlight has got to be the excellent California State Railroad museum, sited by the end of the old transcontinental line.

If you enjoyed the TV series Casey Jones as a kid, you’ll love seeing the vintage engines, complete with giant smoke stacks and cowcatchers. This part of California was at the heart of the goldrush of the 19th Century.

To learn more about it, head for bustling Placerville about 50 minutes drive away and check out the Gold Bug mine.

Then make your next stop 12 miles up the road at Coloma, where California’s destiny was shaped on January 28, 1849. That was the day handyman James Marshall was working at a sawmill and spotted shiny flakes in the American River.

He scooped them out, yelled: “Gold, boys, gold! By God, I’ve found a gold mine” … and the rest is history.

North east of Sacramento, on the border with Nevada, is the stunningly beautiful resort of Lake Tahoe. Renowned as a winter skiing resort, the town is packed with luxury villas and hotels, casinos and fabulous restaurants.

Spas and golf courses abound, and the jet-set are much in evidence. The lake is a truly spectacular body of water 22 miles long and 12 miles wide, it covers an area of 193 square miles, and its shoreline is 72 miles around.

With an average depth of 985 feet, it’s the largest Alpine lake in North America and it teems with marine life.

The drive from Sacramento to San Francisco takes around three hours. One of the great cities of the USA, no wonder Tony Bennett left his heart there! San Fran is a remarkably compact city.

It’s easy to whizz round the myriad of attractions which include the Golden Gate Bridge, fashionable Nob Hill and the Italian Quarter. Get your photo taken in Lombard Street the “Crookedest Street in the World” and shop for bargains in colourful Chinatown.

Don’t miss a boat trip from Fisherman’s Wharf which will take you to the famous Golden Gate Bridge and out to the notorious prison of Alcatraz. Daily tours run to the island where hardened criminals like Al Capone and the Anglin brothers once lived.

Flex your plastic in the wonderful stores on Union Square such as Macy’s and eat out in some of the best restaurants in the world.

Once you’ve had your fill of city living head for one of the greatest natural sanctuaries in North America, Yosemite National Park, in the heart of the Sierra Nevada.

Here you’ll find a stunning array of mountains, parkland and trees what trees!

There are dogwoods, sugar pines, white firs and, of course, the magnificent giant Redwoods of California.

An easy drive of about an hour-and-a-half will bring you to the wine-growing region where you’ll find miles of vineyards set before a stunning backdrop of mountains where you can pull in spontaneously for a tour and tasting.

There is even the Napa Valley Wine Train, serving fine food and wine along the route. A great base for a day or two is Santa Cruz. Known around the world as “Surf City”, this is the place for water babies.

If there’s any activity involving water, boards, wheels or feet, you can bet that it’s taking place in Santa Cruz County.

Kayaking, mountain biking, cycling, hiking, golfing, sailing, fishing, camping, horseback riding, kiteboarding, windsurfing, skateboarding, and of course surfing, are all on offer on the 29 miles of beaches in this beautiful part of California.

It was in Santa Cruz that Hawaiian royalty first introduced surfing to the mainland and locals and visitors alike have been riding the waves ever since.

Not far from the surf break is the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the West Coast’s last seaside amusement park.

Travelling south you come to Monterey, the old Spanish and Mexican capital of upper California, with beautiful Spanish-style architecture and a magnificent beach.

Explore the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and take the chance to swim with dolphins, sea lions and gray whale.

From here you’re set for the famous 17-Mile Drive down one of the loveliest coastal routes in the world. Hit the Big Sur and feel the breeze.

Stop in at the delightful town of Carmel with its windy tree-lined streets, outdoor cafs, shops and boutiques.

Two weeks won’t be enough to do more than scratch the surface of this amazing part of the USA, but one thing’s for sure you’ll want to come back for more.

For more information, see visitcalifornia.co.uk.