Outside

Stops on the Way

Our top picks for the best outdoor activities, sightseeing, dining and vacation fun on the way to Yosemite and other California national park sites.

4 Seaside Escapes in Santa Barbara

4 Sights to See in Inyo County, the Land of Extremes

4 Things to Do in the Sideways Town of Buellton

7 Sea-Swept Vistas on California’s Ventura County Coast

9 Stops on the California Highway 1 Discovery Route

Act Naturally in Bakersfield

Amazing Food and World-Class Art in Stockton, Calif.

Ancient Art and Strange Formations are Rockin' Ridgecrest

Authentic Fare and Cowboy Gentility in Oakdale

Barbecue Central in Santa Maria Valley

Bishop’s Big Backyard on the Other Side of Yosemite

Break for Modesto, California

California Dreamin’ at Pismo Beach

Carson City is Tahoe's Basecamp

Deep-Rooted Secret at Gilroy Gardens

Dive Deep into Bay Culture at 9 San Francisco Gems

Explore the Laid-Back Side of the California Coast in Atascadero

Farm to Fork in Sacramento

Follow the Trails on the Bay’s Sunny Side in Tri-Valley

Grapes of Robles

Harboring Fun in Oxnard, Calif.

Hollywood Sets and Wine Safaris in Conejo Valley

In Camarillo, Pick Produce and Pay Tribute to a President

Jumping for Calaveras

Local Flavor in Gilroy, Garlic Capital of the World

Lompoc’s Top 6

Naturally Outdoors at Sequoia and Kings Canyon

See the Hearst Castle and Elephant Seals in San Simeon

Stop at Ventura Harbor Village

Taste of the Coast at Cima Collina near Monterey and Carmel

The Pinnacle of a Getaway in San Benito County

Tufas, Devil's Postpile, and a Ghost Town in Mono County

Tuolumne’s Top 8 on the Edge of Yosemite