Pacific Coast: The Wild North

The hometown of Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana, of films like Sleepless in Seattle and series like Grey's Anatomy, Seattle has a picturesque skyline, between the sea and the mountains, with the imposing peak of Mt Rainier dominating the horizon. The Space Needle, a symbol of the city, was built for the 1962 World's Fair, but it was mainly the Boeing factory that was crucial for the city's economic development, to which Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon have been added.

From Seattle you board a ferry, the Edmond's Ferry, cross Puget Sound and reach the peninsula of Olympic National Park. The Olympic National Park occupies the eponymous peninsula and encompasses various ecosystems, including the snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains, ancient rainforests, and the beaches of Crescent Lake and the Pacific Ocean. The park is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and certainly a multi-night destination for hiking, climbing, skiing, and sightseeing.

The largest city in Oregon, famous for rose cultivation, is surrounded by spectacular landscapes: the Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood, waterfalls, forests, ski slopes, and streams. It is also a vibrant city, rich in culture and art, with excellent bars, microbreweries, restaurants, and many green areas.

Newport is known for its beautiful nearby beaches, first and foremost the popular Nye Beach, and for its aquarium, the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Once a rough port town, Eureka is the largest coastal city between San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, and has an eclectic charm with its beautifully restored Victorian buildings, Queen Anne-style decorated homes, and lively harbor. It is also the southern gateway to the Redwood National and State Historic Parks, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

At the foot of Lassen Peak, an active volcano (the last eruption was in 1917), lies Lassen Volcanic National Park, a scenic park where you can admire bubbling mud pots, steaming geysers, and other geothermal attractions in the area. There are several areas to visit in the park: the geothermal area of Devil's Kitchen, Boiling Springs Lake, and Terminal Geyser.

Roughly an hour’s drive north of San Francisco and boasting more than 400 wineries, Napa Valley is a connoisseur’s paradise, inviting visitors to explore beyond the region’s signature Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Don’t miss, for instance, the rediscovered Merlot, whose plush texture and earthy cherry flavor are appealing to a new generation of red wine fans. Long considered California’s most famous wine region, Napa Valley exploded into the global spotlight following the 1976 Judgment of Paris, when a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from Calistoga trounced nine other Chardonnays in a blind tasting in Paris, including extremely prestigious bottles from France. At the time, France was considered the world’s forerunning wine region, but this triumph forever changed the international perception of Northern California’s wines. Today, the region boasts some of the most coveted wine grapes anywhere, including To Kalon Vineyard, planted in the 1860s, plus contemporary cult bottlings like Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. Napa Valley cuisine has come into its own as well, with dozens of world-class restaurants offering meals on a par with the vintages served up alongside them. When to visit Napa Valley? Each season has its charms. Spring’s emerging grape leaves turn hillsides brilliant green, plumed with golden swaths of mustard blossoms. Summer warms up with events and festivals (and their attendant crowds), so plan on packed schedules. Fall brings the crush, as vineyards and wineries bustle with workers. Winter settles into a cool hush: Insiders know this is a time to snag reservations at the area’s galaxy of Michelin-starred restaurants, shop for holiday gifts in gaily decorated but quieter towns, get a seat on the Napa Valley Wine Train, and relax in greater intimacy at posh spas.

San Francisco’s iconic streets twist up and down its many hills and scenic bridges connecting it to the mainland – chief among which the red Golden Gate. San Francisco is a charming, multi-faceted city, regarded as a liberal, enlightened oasis in a rather conservative America.