It is not cheap to live in California.
We are reminded of that on a routine basis by Internet “news sites” that track down those who have loaded up the U-Haul and moved to Nevada, Idaho, or Texas so they can diss the Golden State after they have fled.
There are tradeoffs to everything, including the fact if enough California expatiates head to a specific area many of the things they are fleeing — high housing prices, congestion, energy costs and such — trend to follow them.
To each their own, and if the grass is greener in Nevada for them, so be it.
That said, no other state combines as many natural and manmade wonders within its borders along with a wide swath of the state basking in envied Mediterranean-style climate only found in six other regions on earth.
It would make sense to try and savor what is here since you’re paying the price.
With that in mind, you might want to try to enjoy what is in California.
There’s plenty of cultural stuff and manmade attractions in the 209 and nearby.
But that is stuff that can be replicated elsewhere in varying degrees.
In 2025, give yourself the gift of California.
There are an endless array of day trips or weekend excursions that won’t break the bank like a trip to that money trap Mickey & Co. have created in Anaheim .
If you take one mini-excursion a month, you might just get a better idea of what you are paying for.
Without further ado, here are 12 possible mini-excursions that you can help you appreciate California beyond the freeways
January: A drive to
the top of Mt. Diablo
You can drive to the 3,849-foot summit via Danville in just over an hour from Manteca.
Any month it is worth the drive.
But January and into early February tend to offer the optimum viewing experience especially on a relatively cloud free day after winds or a winter storm have cleansed the air of smog.
For being relatively low elevation, it has one of the biggest viewsheds in the western United States. And it is arguably the most accessible given you can drive to the top.
The farthest point you can make out is Mt. Lassen some 181 miles away.
You can also see Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park, the Farallon Islands in the Pacific Ocean 30 miles outside the Golden Gate, as well as much of the Delta, plus swaths of the Bay Area and the middle portion of the Central Valley including Ripon and Manteca.
To clearly make out the two cities, binoculars are needed to help you pin them down by finding the city’s two twin water towers.
Mt. Diablo is in a 20,000 acre state park of the same name and requires an entrance fee.
February: The State Capital
building in Sacramento
The building is modeled after the U.S. Capitol with the added appropriate smaller dome capped with a gold-leafed robed finial atop a large dome.
Around the rotunda are restored 1860s era offices of the governor, Secretary of State, and other constitutional officers.
The 80-seat Assembly with its blue and gold hues as well as the lush burgundies of the 40-seat Senate chambers were painstakingly restored in the 1970s.
There is also a museum and expansive Capitol grounds.
A trip can be combined with trying a host of nearby non-chain dining options or heading down to Old Sacramento, with its restored Gold Rush era business district and waterfront.
There are museums galore, unique shops, and outstanding restaurants.
March: Mariposa County
wildflowers and more
The Merced River Canyon trail is considered one of the 10 top spots to see California’s Golden Poppies in bloom in enmasse.
That goes for other wildflowers as well.
It is an easy 10.76 mile round trip hike — elevation range from 1,024 to 1,215 feet — that you can do all or take a shorter outing. Either way you won’t be disappointed.
The trail starts at the Briceburg Visitors Center (where a toilet is located) some 15 miles outside of Mariposa on Highway 140.
April: Yosemite
Valley waterfalls
By early April, waterfalls cascading over the granite rims above Yosemite Valley are going into overdrive with the valley itself taking on a lush green hue.
The Merced River is roaring.
It is amazing how many people in the 209 haven’t been to Yosemite, a place that attracts 4 million visitors a year from around the world.
Although some people like to hit the valley to hike up to the rim, you don’t have to hike to be awed although there is a popular hike up the Mist Trail that many try to squeeze in.
The National Park offers free tram service in the valley that has endless inspiring spots just to gaze.
Late March and early April are the best times given the start of the spring runoff and the crowds have not yet descended.
It’s not too hard to find Yosemite from Manteca. Just hop on Highway 120 and head East.
May: Lake Tahoe
This is more of a weekend, or two-day midweek, excursion.
Early May is the perfect time.
Snow is usually still in the higher elevations and the crowds have yet to arrive nor has the summer heat.
There are tons of things to do but if you do nothing else take the 72-mile drive around the largest alpine lake in North America that trails only the five Great Lakes in volume within the USA, and is the second deepest lake in the nation after Oregon’s Crater Lake.
The drive takes three hours without stopping.
But toss in plenty of stops along the way to soak in Lake Tahoe’s wonders and you will have a pleasant day.
June: Rafting, more like
floating, the Stanislaus
Nowhere else in California can you find a low-key rafting excursion that is more of a float trip than on the Stanislaus River between Knights Ferry and Orange Blossom Park east of Oakdale, accessed just off Highway 108/120.
There are two rafting firms to pick from by booking online.
July: Sonora Pass
& Kennedy Meadows
It can take over two hours to get there via Highway 108 but it is drive that you’ll never forget, especially once you pass the turnoff to Kennedy Meadows Resort.
Sonora Pass, at 9,624 feet, is the second highest in California — Tioga Pass on Highway 120 that is 321 feet higher.
The drive past Kennedy Meadows includes memorable 18 percent grades and hairpin turns.
You can pull over at the summit.
If you like, you could also hike a ways down the Pacific Crest Trail in either direction, as it crosses Highway 108 at the summit.
Stop at Kennedy Meadows resort on your way back.
It’s a mile off the highway and situated along a somewhat lazy and shallow stretch off the Upper Fork of the Stanislaus River.
There is also a general store and restaurant.
August: Walk across
the Golden Gate Bridge
August is the perfect time to do so, given the valley temperature is often past or flirting with the century mark while San Francisco struggles to reach the upper 70s.
You can start on either end of the bridge.
The parking is extremely limited on the Marin County side. Plus the parking is restricted to 15 minutes.
The city side’s parking lot is also a challenge, but if you head towards lots just a bit to the south in the National Park Service recreation area, you should find a spot.
Walking across what was in the 1930s considered one of the manmade wonders of the world is an exhilarating stroll.
The views of the city are off the chart as they are of the bay.
If you work up an appetite and didn’t pack a lunch, no worries.
San Francisco is home to roughly 1,000 dining options with every type of cuisine imaginable.
September: Stinson
Beach’s white sands
Thirty-five miles north of the Golden Gate, you will find one of the varied and endless beaches along California’s 770 miles of coastline.
Stinson Beach’s white sand and oceanfront make it one of the best swimming beaches in Northern California.
It is also perfect for frolicking or just napping.
October: Whale
watching in Monterey
The optimum whale watching season in Monterey Bay is April through October.
The crowds tend to be thinner in October.
That makes it a good to also take a side trip to stroll the quaint village of Carmel-by-the-Sea that once elected Clint Eastwood as its mayor.
It is also a good time to avoid big crowds to explore Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, which has aptly been described as a stunning meeting of land and sea.
You can also take in the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
November: Columbia
State Historic Park
Located in Columbia north of Sonora, Columbia State Historic Park has bustling businesses, a hotel, 19th century style theater with professional productions and museum in many buildings more than 150 years old that were part of a city that was once among the largest in California in the 1850s.
The Gold Rush lured miners from all over the world to Columbia.
It was where one of the biggest gold lodes were discovered earning it the moniker “Gem of the Southern Mines.”
December: Amtrak
over Donner Summit
The view crossing the Sierra on an Amtrak passenger train is entirely different than zipping along Interstate 80 at 65 mph.
It is a low-key relaxing experience.
Trains depart from Sacramento.
You can stay in California and overnight in Truckee or do so in Reno.
Clearly, the Biggest Little City in the World has its appeal, but Truckee does have its quiet charm with a dash of bustle.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
