Like the opening of a theater curtain, misty rain sets the scene to unveil the Nevada side of majestic (and California state-dividing) Lake Tahoe.

I think of Cavallo Point in Sausalito as my own unique hideaway.

Our final set of tales from The Trident focuses on its link with rock ‘n roll and how the barmen fuelled a legendary Rolling Stones.

Rick tells us about the stars of Hollywood and rock ‘n roll who treated The Trident like a second home in the sixties and seventies.

The Trident, with breath-taking views across San Francisco Bay, is a place steeped in the history of Sausalito and the Bay area.

For those who don’t know, the houseboats of Sausalito are made up of a collection of more than 400 floating dwellings, most painted in bright and vivid pastel colors.

As we paddle along the border to one of the Seven Sea Caves of La Jolla Cove, my tour guide points to the cliff above us and shares how past access to this cave was via a 60-foot descent by rope.

While a family of dolphins escorted my ferry ride to this destination island, 22 miles off the coast of Long Beach.

Palm Springs is more than its attraction of the Hollywood elite who in the 1920s and 30s were drawn to Palm Springs.

Images of newborn giraffes and flamingos are cute, but they pale in comparison to getting up close and personal at Safari West.

Heading to the 'other' wine country from Sonoma takes some patience, but with the great company of Carolyn and Rosemary we were there in a snap, and did Paso wow!

The Bungalow Kitchen is now a prime dining spot on the waterfront in Tiburon. This haute hideaway with its bohemian heritage serves as an anchor for Tiburon's reimagined downtown.

In Jenner, the rustic Timber Cove Resort appears as if out of nowhere — a forest merged with the sea.

There is no off-season for Napa. There are high seasons, however, and spring, summer, and fall will cost a lot more for lodging.

I left the suburban roads of Napa Valley behind me and headed to California's prized Mendocino coast.

I’d read about it on social media, convinced it was an urban myth. But as I stood in front of it with a coveted gold token ready for insertion, I had to admit it was real.

To call The Broadmoor a resort almost misses the point. Set on 5,000 acres, this property was originally modeled after the grand villas surrounding Lake Como in Italy.

With its plethora of mountains, forests, high plains, mesas, canyons, plateaus, rivers, and desert lands, Colorado is paradise-central for all levels of hikes.