Road trip time

Take a Trip.  Northern California is one of the most beautiful places in the world there is so many amazing places just a few hours from the Tahoe region.  Whether you want to surf, camp, or see some of the most scenic places on earth, it can all happen within a short drive from home. All destinations are within 250 miles of Truckee

Surfing:   There is tons of great surf spots on the northern coast, a great thing about a lot of the spots are that the crowds tend to be lower unless the surf is great.  Wetsuits are pretty much required year-round.  Surfing is a great way to help you cure the itch for snowboarding and it's also a great workout.  If you do decide to take a trip, here are a few recommendations:

1. Santa Cruz.  246 miles/4 ½ hour drive. Spend a few days in Santa Cruz. There are some legit campsites nearby to stay at as well:  Steamer Lane, Pleasure Point, Manresa and Cowells are the main spots.
2. Pacifica.  200 miles/3 ½ hour drive.  Great for all surf levels. A few spots I recommend are Linda Mar and Martins Beach.  If you are more experienced, I recommend Monkey Point or Gray Whale Cove.
3. Sonoma Coast.  215 miles/3-hour drive. Salmon Creek is really the only surf spot on the Sonoma Coast for beginners.  All the other spots are rocky and harder to access.  If you are too spooked to surf here for various reasons (Weather, cold water, sharks) then check out the nearby eateries and just take in the beautiful landscapes.

Camping:  There are so many epic spots to camp in Nor Cal--it's  ridiculous. It's hard to narrow it down to three spots, but I thought long and hard on this is one.

1. Yosemite National Park. 219 miles/5-hour drive.  No doubt about it, Yosemite is amazing one of the most spectacular places in the world.  You can’t miss Yosemite Falls and the sheer enormity of the Half Dome.  I highly recommend Bridalveil  Creek campground.  Nearby is one of the best views on earth, looking off Glacier Point into the Yosemite Valley with excellent views of Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Nevada Falls and hundreds of square miles of the Yosemite Backcountry.
2. Emerald Bay State Park. 38 miles/1-hour drive.  I kept it close to home for this one.  If you live anywhere in the Tahoe Region Emerald Bay is great escape for a few days.  Emerald Bay’s cobalt blue waters are amazing. Not to mention, the views of the surrounding ridge lines are amazing.  Be careful though Emerald Bay can get crowded. I recommend weekdays or wait till the kids are back in school.  I also highly recommend bringing a kayak out here and kayaking to the island.
3. Manresa Uplands State Beach.  South of Santa Cruz 250 miles/4-hour 30-minute drive.  Although it is very popular, this is a must-visit campground that is set on the uplands overlooking the Pacific.  This is a walk-in camping site and you have two options to either camp out with a ocean view, or camp a bit back in a secluded cypress grove.

Scenery:  Even though Lake Tahoe is one of the most scenic places in California, you still need to take a short journey to some other amazing places.

1. Big Sur. 316 miles/6-hour drive.  Even though this is a bit further than 250 miles, it’s 110% percent worth it.   I suggest camping in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.  This stretch of coast is one of the most beautiful in the world.  I recommend driving Highway 1 all the way down and back up stopping at every pullover on the side of the road.  Big Sur is one of the coolest places I have ever seen in my life. 
2. Big Tree State Park. 135 miles/3-hour drive.  Awesome little State Park with enormous trees that make the trees around them look like twigs.  There are two trails here, the North Grove and South Grove. Do both of them and don’t forget your camera (above photo).