The fog-bound towns and windswept, craggy beaches of the northern coast couldn't be farther removed from Southern California's sandy, sunny strip of ocean. Stretching north of San Francisco to the Oregon border, the area is better suited for hiking and camping than sunbathing, with a climate of cool temperatures year-round and a huge network of national, state and regional parks preserving magnificent redwood trees. Throw on your hiking boots and get out onto the trails that sweep past lolling seals, migrating whales, and some of the oldest, tallest trees on Earth.

Northern coast

• Northern coast

Explore Northern coast

• Humboldt coast
• Mendocino coast
• Redwood National Park
• Sonoma coast and Russian River

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