It's hard to beat a day in the redwoods, especially if the visit includes a ride on a narrow-gauge railroad once used to haul Bunyan-size logs out of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Roaring Camp Railroad's vintage steam engines date to the 1890s, but today they haul people—and dogs, if leashed and well behaved—on a scenic route winding from its Felton depot through towering redwood groves and up a winding grade to the summit of Bear Mountain. The ride itself is only an hour long, but the beautiful grounds invite lingering.
Photo courtesy: Roaring Camp Railroads