Tired of the same old tourist traps? Whether you’re a visitor or a local looking for something different, let Northern California Off the Beaten Path show you the Golden State you never knew existed. Follow the bloodstained trail of Sam Spade and other characters from The Maltese Falcon in San Francisco; overnight at a bed-and-breakfast located inside a working lighthouse on East Brother Island; or eat at a restaurant in Castroville that specializes in artichokes cooked two dozen different ways. So if you’ve "been there, done that" one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path.

Dedicated to travelers with a taste for the unique, these easy-to-use, state-by-state guides will help you discover the hidden places that most tourists miss -- shining the spotlight squarely on the offbeat. If it's funky, funny, little known, or out of the way, you'll probably find it in Off the Beaten Path RM.The Off the Beaten Path RM series covers every state in the U.S. plus Washington, D.C., the Maritime Provinces, British Columbia, Quebec, and Puerto Rico.

Explore iconic San Francisco, stroll along foggy coastal cliffs, or climb the peaks of the Sierra Nevada: Answer the call of the open road with Moon Northern California Road Trips. Pick Your Road Trip: Find flexible getaways throughout NorCal, like three-day routes through Wine Country, Lake Tahoe, Monterey and Big Sur, and more, or combine them for an epic 21-day driving tour Eat, Sleep, Stop and Explore: With lists of the best places for hikes, day trips, wine-tasting, and more, you can take on the steep streets of San Francisco, sample wine at its source in Sonoma, and pitch a tent in the pines of Yosemite. Spot whales in Bodega Bay, hike through towering redwoods or up to the peak of Mount Lassen, and raft down the Sacramento River Maps and Driving Tools: Easy-to-use maps keep you oriented on and off the highway, along with site-to-site mileage, driving times, detailed directions, and full-color photos throughout Local Expertise: Northern Californians Stuart Thornton and Kayla Anderson share their tips on where to stop and what to see How to Plan Your Trip: Know when and where to get gas and how to avoid traffic, plus tips for driving in different road and weather conditions and suggestions for LGBTQ travelers, seniors, travelers of color, and road-trippers with kids Coverage of San Francisco, Wine Country, the Sonoma and Mendocino Coasts, the North Coast and Redwoods, Shasta and Lassen, Lake Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra, Yosemite National Park, Monterey and Big Sur, and Ashland, Oregon With flexible itineraries for weekend getaways and practical tips for driving the full loop, Moon Northern California Road Trips gets you ready to fill up the tank and hit the road. Looking to explore more of America on wheels? Try Moon Southern California Road Trips or The Open Road.

Jan Friedman's Eccentric America proved that the most unlikely events and landmarks could become tourist attractions. This award-winning title is dedicated to the sheer lunacy of California and her citizens, covering the biggest, the best, the wackiest and weirdest of the state's people and places. From art-car and golf-cart parades to the Valentine's Day Sex Tour at the San Francisco Zoo; from a festival that moons Amtrak to a town with its own language; from obsessed collectors of Pez, yo-yos, and bananas to kitschy theme motels and a man who built a three-storey mountain out of hay, adobe, and old paint. Eccentric California takes an in-depth look at one very peculiar place.

Shop for handcrafted ceramic pieces, go to an artichoke festival, or see the mummies in San Jose--Northern California abounds with off-the-beaten path places for travelers and natives to discover.

Lonely Planet: The world's leading travel guide publisher Lonely Planet Northern California is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Hike subalpine valleys in Yosemite National Park, take in views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, sample America's best wines in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Northern California and begin your journey now! Inside Lonely Planet Northern California: Color maps and images throughout Highlights and itineraries help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests Insider tips to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots Essential info at your fingertips - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices Honest reviews for all budgets - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss Cultural insights give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, customs, film, television, music, arts, literature, landscapes, wildlife Over 18 color maps Covers San Francisco, the Bay Area, Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, Coastal Highway 1, Redding, Gold Country, Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, the Sierra Nevada, Sacramento and more eBook Features: (Best viewed on tablet devices and smartphones) Downloadable PDF and offline maps prevent roaming and data charges Effortlessly navigate and jump between maps and reviews Add notes to personalise your guidebook experience Seamlessly flip between pages Bookmarks and speedy search capabilities get you to key pages in a flash Embedded links to recommendations' websites Zoom-in maps and images Inbuilt dictionary for quick referencing The Perfect Choice: Lonely Planet Northern California, our most comprehensive guide to Northern California, is perfect for both exploring top sights and taking roads less traveled. Looking for more extensive coverage? Check out Lonely Planet California for a comprehensive look at all the state has to offer. About Lonely Planet: Since 1973, Lonely Planet has become the world's leading travel media company with guidebooks to every destination, an award-winning website, mobile and digital travel products, and a dedicated traveller community. Lonely Planet covers must-see spots but also enables curious travellers to get off beaten paths to understand more of the culture of the places in which they find themselves. The world awaits! Lonely Planet guides have won the TripAdvisor Traveler's Choice Award in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016. 'Lonely Planet. It's on everyone's bookshelves; it's in every traveller's hands. It's on mobile phones. It's on the Internet. It's everywhere, and it's telling entire generations of people how to travel the world.' -- Fairfax Media 'Lonely Planet guides are, quite simply, like no other.' - New York Times Important Notice: The digital edition of this book may not contain all of the images found in the physical edition.

A guide to Northern California's offbeat and wacky people, places, and events.