073 California Wild - Off the Beaten Path

This week Kim fills us in on her epic California road trip. She got off the beaten path in California and discovered some new destinations on this "Wild California" trip that will give your family ideas on how to go beyond amusement parks and beaches and see a new side to California. As we put this episode together, our hearts are heavy because of the loss of life and property as a result of the horrific fires in Northern California. We hope to get an update in the future and find ways to support that community while still enjoying all California has to offer. ON THE PODCAST 00:30 - Talking with Kim about her California Adventures 03:16 - Flying into Sacramento 07:27 - Traveling the North Coast 10:00 - Coastal towns 11:42 - Central Valley 15:45 - Volcano 17:28 - OARS rafting trip 18:05 - High Sierra region 22:27 - Downhill mountain biking and other adventures 25:58 - Desert region 31:14 - Central Coast adventures 34:10 - Channel Islands 36:39 - The Inland Empire OFF-THE-BEATEN PATH IN CALIFORNIA Lassen National Park has beautiful hiking trails and plenty of thermal activity. The North Coast is the home of the Redwood trees. Prairie Creek Redwood State Park is a lesser known region where you can find some of the tallest trees. Though this park does not have trees you can drive through, it does house the widest tree! This tree is so round it could take you more than 15 seconds to run around it. The Rush Creek Lodge is a great place for families to stay by Yosemite. They have a pool a lot of family-friendly activities. The desert region is is the largest section of California, taking up almost a third of the state. The Channel Islands are right off the coast of Ventura. These islands are considered what natural California would look like without man's interference. The largest island is about a 45-minute boat ride from Ventura. Another has the largest pinniped rookery in the world. The Inland Empire is located just inland of LA and is the home of the oranges. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Adventure California website FOLLOW US AND SPREAD THE WORD! If you liked this show, please be sure to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play and leave us a review! Have a question or comment? Send us an email or leave us a voicemail at +1.641.715.3900, ext. 926035# You can also follow our travels on Stuffed Suitcase and We3Travel, or follow the Vacation Mavens on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for listening!