Winter in the Sacramento region is mild enough that staying home is easy, and that is exactly why a day trip helps. A change of scenery does more for a gray February than another weekend on the couch.
Skiers and snowboarders already know where they are going, and they are also the ones fighting the traffic around Tahoe. This list is for the rest of us. Most of these destinations are within roughly two hours of Sacramento, and they split into two kinds: the coast and the foothills.
THE COAST IN WINTER IS THE MOVE
Point Reyes National Seashore is the strongest case for a winter coast day. Windswept beaches, green hiking trails, and long views down the coastline. The highlights are an iconic lighthouse, a cypress tree tunnel, and a historic shipwreck. Most of the trails deliver dramatic coastline views when the weather cooperates, and there is a tule elk preserve for wildlife watching. On the way, stop at Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company for a tasting, or at Tomales Bay Oyster Company for oysters.
Pacifica is the other coastal pick, a quiet town just south of San Francisco. Beachcombers, ocean lovers, and whale watchers all get something here. The namesake beach has sweeping ocean views and tidepools at its northern end. Trails cross the bluffs above the ocean, with lookout points at Mori Point, Aramai Point, and Pedro Point. Bring binoculars, because gray whales pass along their annual migration route. The Pacifica Pier is another good whale watching spot, and it also draws sea lions and is popular for fishing, crabbing, and sunset viewing. For a seafood meal, Nick’s is known for its crab sandwich, and there is an oceanfront Taco Bell Cantina with a serious view.
GOLD COUNTRY WITHOUT THE CROWDS
Plymouth is the Amador County answer for a wine country day without the Napa and Sonoma traffic. It calls itself the Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley, and it is less than an hour from Sacramento. Rolling green hillsides, acre after acre of vineyards, and rustic tasting rooms set the scene. Andis, Di Arie, and Helwig all pour the region’s signature Zinfandel. If you want more, head to Volcano for Black Chasm Cavern or Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park. Taste does modern, farm-to-table food to finish the day.
Winters, in Yolo County, is a fun off-season town. The downtown is walkable, with historic buildings, shops, and farm-to-table restaurants. The wine scene is growing, and there are two tasting rooms, Berryessa Gap Vineyards and Turkovich Family Wines. Patio 29 is a nearby distillery making a range of craft spirits. For the outdoors, the trails in Putah Creek Nature Park are easy. Preserve is a good last stop, with food built around what area farms and ranches are growing.
THE MOUNTAIN TOWNS, WITH AND WITHOUT SNOW
Downieville is for the people who want winter without the Tahoe chaos. It sits along Highway 49, and the drive itself is a highlight, with views of the North Yuba River. The town is a well-preserved Gold Rush town with historic buildings and a lot of character. The area is known for its many snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails. Further along Highway 49, Yuba Pass Sno-Park is a spot to take the kids sledding. Afterward, Boomtown Lounge serves barbecue, beer, and wine with live music and Old West atmosphere.
Arnold is a classic mountain town: forested, quiet, and laid back. It is home to Calaveras Big Trees State Park, built around two historic groves of giant sequoia. The park is popular for hiking and camping in summer and for snowshoeing in winter. Further up the hill there are several California sno-parks, plus Bear Valley Mountain Resort, a low-key spot for skiing and snowboarding. The Lube Room Saloon does beer and burgers, and Hinterhaus Distilling makes craft cocktails.
WHAT TO CHECK BEFORE YOU LEAVE
- The coast is weather. Beaches at Point Reyes and Pacifica are best when the weather cooperates, and winter fog and wind are normal.
- Mountain roads need a look. Highway 49 and the passes can require chain checks, and snow changes the plan fast.
- Some things are off season. Tasting rooms, restaurants, and resort lifts keep different hours in winter, and some close midweek.
- Sno-parks are seasonal by definition. They need snow, and the season is short.
- Traffic is real. I-80 and Highway 50 back up on winter weekends, and Pacifica is a longer haul than the map suggests.
- Do not overbook the day. Two stops is plenty in winter, because the light goes early.
THE COMPARISON I REACH FOR, AND WHERE IT STOPS WORKING
I think of a winter day trip as a reset button. You drive somewhere with a different horizon, and you come home able to face the week.
Where the comparison breaks is that a reset button is instant and free of planning. This one takes a drive each way, a check on the weather, and a decision about what to wear. It also does not erase the week you are resetting from. If your phone comes with you, work comes with you. The trip clears your head, not your inbox. That is still worth the drive, as long as you know which one you are buying.
If a day trip turns into a bigger question about where you want to live, the neighborhoods hub keeps every area guide in one place, and the first time buyers page covers what to expect the first time through.
Question for you: if you could only take one winter day trip this year, would it be the coast or the mountains? Pick the one you have not done, not the one you already know.
Adapted from Easy Winter Day Trips Within Two Hours of Sacramento, originally published by Windermere Signature Properties at windermerecalocal.com.
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