Walkabout Northern California

Book excerpt: Europe is renowned for romantic inn-to-inn vacation opportunities on paths worn by centuries of travelers. Modern-day trekkers can hike the Alps or Southern France, explore the British Isles at three miles an hour, or pilgrimage through Northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, stopping each night at a hostel or inn. Now adventurers in California are creating a new tradition of multi-day treks from inn to inn in the U.S. Walkabout Northern California: Hiking Inn to Inndescribes twelve walks (or “walkabouts”) along the wild Pacific Coast, through the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains, in the Cascades and through the parklands around the San Francisco Bay. Each walkabout, organized by individual chapters, contains all the information to create a memorable and invigorating vacation, with a sketch map, recommendations for optional maps, mile-by-mile details of the route, and logistical tips on places to stay and eat. Many trips contain variations for different lengths of time and budgets. With a light daypack and a few reservations, hikers can travel for days on California's breathtaking coastline or in mountain ranges. Each day on a walkabout ends with a comfortable bed, a glass of wine, a good meal and maybe even a hot tub. Some of the hikes can take a week, but many can be enjoyed in a weekend. Some are challenging, but the majority are perfect for the casual hiker. The accommodations for the walkabouts include a B&B perched on the cliffs above the Pacific, a resort on the shore of a Sierra lake, a historic hotel in a coastal village, a hostel in a national park, and a retreat center that soothes the soul.