Every year, we take you on a road trip to visit out-of-the-way secret spots, not the usual California tourist destinations. We begin our journey in Santa Rosa, which was devastated by last fall’s Northern California wildfires. It’s a city that’s been scrambling to recover, and many areas are only just starting to rebuild. But Santa Rosa is also a place that still has a lot of hidden gems for people to discover and visit, and support the community as it rebounds. We also check out these spots around the state:
The National Landmark 100 Feet Beneath Your Feet
The first stop on our road trip is underground -- 100 feet underground in Amador County. Bianca Taylor goes spelunking in Black Chasm Cavern in Volcano, California.
A Place Where You Can Eat Bison ... and Admire Them, Too
At Foster's Bighorn in Rio Vista, the animals aren't just on your plate ... they're mounted on the walls. Chloe Veltman takes us there.
Half Moon Bay’s Legendary Jazz Spot That Started in a Living Room
Just a few steps from the Pacific Ocean in Half Moon Bay sits a music venue with a mysterious name, a storied past and some of the best live jazz you could ever hope to find. Reporter Ryan Levi introduces us to the Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society.
The Valley Relics Museum Is a Love Letter to Pop Culture
When Bing Crosby crooned his chart-topping ode "San Fernando Valley" in 1944, the place was still pretty close to the Wild West. Since then, the populations of this group of 33 neighborhoods — communities like Tarzana, Reseda, and Van Nuys — have exploded, spawning a history and culture all its own. The Valley Relics Museum in Chatsworth is a shrine to the things that defined 20th century life in the area. Peter Gilstrap takes us there.
A Garden Oasis, Buried Deep Underground in Fresno
Cars shimmer in the heat of California’s Central Valley. We’ve come to a place known as highway city in Fresno. An area crisscrossed with expressways and thoroughfares. It might be the last place you’d expect to find a maze of underground gardens - where citrus trees grow in earthen tunnels under big round skylights. Jessica Placzek gives us a tour.