St. Helena: In the heart of the Napa Valley, St. Helena is known for its Main Street, lined with Victorian storefronts featuring intriguing wares. In a horse and buggy, Robert Louis Stevenson and his bride, the cantankerous Fanny, made their way down this street. Come for the old-timey, tranquil mood and the food.

Arcata: Arcata has it all: its own redwood forest and bird marsh, a charming town square, great family-owned restaurants, and even its own minor-league baseball team, which draws the whole town together for an afternoon of pure camaraderie.

Nevada City: The whole town is a national historic landmark and the best place to understand Gold Rush fever. Settled in 1849, it offers fine dining and shopping and a stock of multi-gabled Victorian frame houses of the Old West. Relics of the cannibalistic Donner Party are on display at the 1861 Firehouse No. 1.

Pacific Grove: You can escape the Monterey crowds by heading 2 miles west to Pacific Grove, known for its tranquil waterfront and quiet, unspoiled air. Thousands of monarch butterflies flock here between October and March.

Cambria: Near Hearst Castle, Cambria benefits from a stream of visitors, who bring the right amount of sophistication to this coastal town. Moonstone Beach holds a string of seaside lodges; farther north are dozens of sunbathing elephant seals, while the village is filled with B&Bs, artists' studios and galleries, and shops.

Ojai: When Hollywood needed a Shangri-La for the movie Lost Horizon, filmmakers drove north to Ojai Valley, an unspoiled hideaway of eucalyptus groves and small ranches nestled among soft, green hills. Ojai is the village at the valley's heart. It's a mecca for artists, free spirits, and weary city folk in need of a restful weekend in the country.

Ventura: This charming mission town is filled with colorful Victorians. It's also home to an eclectic old Main Street lined with thrift and antiques shops, used-record stores, diners, and old-time saloons. Don't miss the historic mission on its landscaped plaza, and the Deco-era Greek Revival San Buenaventura City Hall looming over the town, bedecked with smiling stone faces of the founding Franciscan friars.