Eat and Hike in Northern California

Do you identify as a foodie, love the outdoors, and have a flexible schedule? Guest contributor Rebecca Barham has the ideal northern California trip for you! Get a reservation at The French Laundry (just north of Napa) then plan the rest of the trip around it. 

After booking your dream meal, reserve your flight to San Francisco and make plans to visit:

 –       Yosemite National Park

 –       Redwood National and State Parks

Step 1 – Make a Reservation at The French Laundry

• The reservations system opens up at 10am PST the first day of every odd month.
• You pre-pay for the dinner when you get a reservation (the price varies based on where you choose to sit in the restaurant). 
• You can choose alcohol when you arrive and it’s an additional charge.  They will do customized wine pairings.
• The chef’s tasting menu changes daily and includes 9 courses (you can also do the “tasting of vegetables” menu if you don’t want meat).
• Two of the main courses include optional upgrades. Example: the beef or veal course will have an upgrade to wagyu beef. The upgrades are definitely worth the extra money. Guest contributor Rebecca claims she dreams of that wagyu beef, and she regrets so much that she didn’t upgrade the rabbit course to the truffle pasta (but she did get to try a bite because one of her dinner companions did the upgrade). Each upgrade is an additional $100.
• Tip is already included when they bring the bill.
• Napa Red Cab is the recommended car service. They will take you to dinner and pick you up.
• Rebecca’s lodging of choice was the adorable Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa.

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Step 2 – Plan out your Trip to Yosemite (east of San Francisco)

• When finalizing logistics, Rebecca decided to hike Yosemite before driving up to Napa Valley for dinner at The French Laundry.
• Yosemite Valley Lodge was her lodging of choice.  It is not the most luxurious of accommodations, but it is convenient and easy.  It was also helpful that you don’t need a reservation to enter the park if you were staying in the park.
• Because of the curvy and steep roads leading up to Yosemite, the 170-mile drive from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley Lodge takes about four hours.
• Rebecca’s favorite Yosemite hike is the Mist Trail, which offers views of both Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. It is a 7.2-mile heavily trafficked loop. This trail contains a famous yet brutal granite stairway of 600+ steps. You can elect to take the John Muir Trail down. Although it is longer, it is an easier descent. The steep granite steps can sometimes be too much to do them twice. It is a strenuous but beautiful hike. Get there early to beat the crowds!
• If you have an early departure and want a quick hike, the Taft Point and Fissures hike is worth checking out. It is an easy out-and-back hike that is 2.3 miles with spectacular views.
• Anyone visiting Yosemite should watch the documentary “Free Solo.” Seeing El Capitan when you get to the park makes you respect Alex Honnold even more. 
• Reservations are currently required to drive into Yosemite National Park. If you have another reservation in the park, you may not need a day-use reservation and can pay the entrance fee at the park entrance station. You do not need a day-use reservation if you have a vacation rental inside the park.

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Step 3 – Plan your Trip to Redwood

• Redwood National and State Parks, a vast UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a string of protected forests, beaches, and grasslands along 40 miles of Northern California’s rugged coast.
• Together, the National Park Service and California State Parks are managing and restoring these lands for the inspiration, enjoyment, and education of all.
• Reservations are not required to get in the park BUT you do need to make reservations for some of their more popular hikes. Online permits are required for Tall Trees Trail. Visitors must apply online for a Tall Trees Trail day-use permit. A maximum of 50 permits are issued each day.
  • You can apply for a Tall Trees permit up to four weeks in advance.
• You do not need a reservation to hike the Prairie Creek State Park trails to see the Big Tree (estimated to be 1,500 years old!).
• No matter where you hike in the Redwood National and State parks, the trees are so awe-inspiring. You will spend the whole hike looking up and saying “wow!”
• Lodging available in Fort Bragg, Trinidad, Arcata, and Mendocino, California.

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Traveler’s Tip

Don’t expect to have cell service as you wind up the mountains into Yosemite or get lost in the trees in Redwood (but disconnecting is kinda the point!) I advise downloading trail maps in advance!

Last but not Least

While enjoying our country’s vast public lands, please follow the Leave No Trace Principles to keep these resources available for generations to come!