Lake Tahoe is 22 miles long and 12 miles wide. Lake Tahoe has 72 miles of shoreline, making it the largest alpine lake in North America. The sun shines for three quarters of the year and the water in the lake is so pure that it is 99.7 percent clear! The 72-mile drive along the shores of Lake Tahoe is spectacular. It is listed as one of the most beautiful drives in the US In the winter months, the Lake Tahoe region becomes the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America. There are 19 ski resorts that include challenging terrain at all levels and other winter activities like sledding and snowmobiling.
Yosemite has become one of the must-sees for visitors to California. The rarefied mountainous atmosphere of California’s Western Sierra is enhanced by stunning panoramic views of this truly unique part of the world. Yosemite is famous for its granite monoliths like El Capitan, its spectacular waterfalls, and its vast wilderness. Its scenic features include alpine wilderness, giant sequoia groves, and Yosemite Valley itself. The discovery of a small gold nugget triggered the great California Gold Rush of 1849. Gold can still be searched for. Experience what it was like to travel in the old days on a Wells Fargo steam cruiser, steam train or stagecoach. Discover quaint museums, tour a mine, explore caverns, test your way through farm trails, or try whitewater rafting on some of the best rivers in the west.
Squaw Valley is one of the best ski resorts in North America and is world renowned. The Squaw Valley resort hosted the Winter Olympics in 1960. There are a wide variety of activities to do here, including skiing and snowboarding.
Napa Valley is less than an hour’s drive north of San Francisco. The rolling hills and sun-kissed valleys of Northern California’s wine country have welcomed visitors since before the gold rush. Napa Valley produces some of the best wines enjoyed anywhere in the world. Even if it wasn’t, it would still be considered the crown jewel of Northern California. Kissed by mist from the bay at the southern end of the valley that borders San Pablo Bay and continues 30 miles north to the base of Mount St Helena, the valley ranges from 1 to 5 miles wide and is protected by low mountains in the east and west. It is surrounded by acre after acre of world-renowned vineyards!
