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This list of Northern California Festivals for 2014 can help you plan out your Spring Break and summer plans. Whether you like trying new foods or exploring local arts and crafts booths, these festivals will give you a vast range of options to choose from. Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival

Northern California Festivals

April 12 | Banff Street Festival in Redding: This Street Fair has it all: rock climbing, outdoor recreation groups, local outfitters, and various vendors all out on the streets in front of the Cascade Theatre where the Banff Mountain Film Festival is held. Admission is free. April 19 | California Nut Festival in Chico: Go nuts for the California Nut Festival! This Northern California festival is perfect for foodies of all kinds with food and beverage tastings. Admission is $25 in advance (online) or $30 at the door. May 31 - June 1 | Summer Arts & Music Festival in Benbow: This arts and music festival, located among the beautiful California Redwoods, is the perfect weekend getaway. Camp nearby and enjoy great music, food, and local crafts.   Admission is $15 a day or $25 for both days. May 15-16 | Arts Festival in Arcata: Hosted during Humboldt State's graduation week, this is the perfect festival to attend as a new graduate! It features art exhibits, local crafts, and food provided by local businesses. Admission is $10 for adults $5 for kids with free parking. Flickr-Daphne June 6 | Oyster Festival in Arcata: Love Oysters? Then you have to check out this festival that's ranked seventh out of the top ten food festivals in the world. That's saying a lot of this small town in Northern California! There is lot to see and do during this festival so make sure to check out their sweet website. Admission is free. Oyster Festival June 15 |Fish Festival in Trinidad: Ever wanted to go inside a real lighthouse? Attend the Fish Festival in Trinidad and you can! You'll also be able to eat all the fish you can at discount prices! Admission is free. June 14-August 3 |  Lavender Farms in Mt. Shasta: Rows upon rows of beautiful lavender, lavender products, and a scent you'll never want to leave! Not quite a festival but something you'll definitely want to plan on seeing if you're in Northern California. Flickr-slicedgeek July 4-6 | Artisan Market and Street Fair Mt. Shasta: Every 4th of July Mount Shasta hosts a walk/run celebration and parade coupled with a Street Fair the rest of the weekend. Plan your visit to walk or run in the morning enjoying live music and vendor goodies and then visit the Street Fair after. Admission to the Street Fair is free. Check out the Mountain Runners website for registration info for the walk/run. July 26-27 | Westhaven Blackberry Festival in Trinidad: Pick up some blackberry jam or a pie while enjoying live music. Or you can enjoy a hamburger at this even to benefit the Westhaven Volunteer Fire Department.  September 20-21 | Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival in Guerneville: Admission is $50 with two day passes available for $80. Find events you're interested in? Did we miss one? Let us know in the comments below! Source: California's Redwood Coast Events Cover Photo from Flirckr-Humbolt Sate University

Spring break is right around the corner and Half Moon Bay Hostel at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse may be the perfect destination for you. Located 50 miles south of San Francisco and a little over a half hour north of Santa Cruz, this rustic lighthouse-turned-hostel is a memorable place to stay. Pigeon Point Light House | Flickr-James Balingit

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Seated on a cliff overlooking the ocean, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, built in 1872, was renovated by HI-USA to form the perfect hostel. Despite the age of the lighthouse, the Half Moon Bay Hostel has all the modern amenities like indoor lounges, ready-to-use kitchens, free parking, and WiFi. Step outside your door and you'll be met with a breathtaking view. Not far from the hostel you can explore tidepools, cove beaches, and a welcoming oceanfront boardwalk. Whale watching is also a popular activity and not far away you can see northern elephant seals at the Año Nuevo State Reserve. Half Moon Bay | Flickr-michael fliippoff

Half Moon Bay Hostel: Travelers Guide

Have we convinced you to plan a trip to the Half Moon Bay Hostel? If so, here are a few things to consider when planning your trip:

• There aren't grocery stores close by so make sure to stop on your way to the Lighthouse
• If you're an overnight guest, you can rent a hot tub for $7 per half hour but you need to sign up when you check-in and there is a two person minimum so no solo 'tubing ;)
• Lockers are available with locks to keep your personal items safe
• If you're bringing a group of 8+ (or meeting up at the hostel) call ahead to make a group reservation
• You can make your reservation online
• If you don't mind sharing, some options are less than $30 a night - a great bargain but make sure you book early. Dates fill up quickly.

Spring Break at Half Moon Bay Hostel

Spending your spring break at the Half Moon Bay Hostel? Check out some of these fun options for entertainment: Half Moon Bay Golf Course: If you love to golf, this ocean side golf course may be the thing to splurge on. Not only do they have a stellar course, but they also offer private lessons, events, group hosting, and fine dining. If you also happen to be planning a wedding they have a beautiful venue to offer. Half Moon Bay Golf Links - Old Course Half Moon Bay Historic Main Street: Take a quick 20 mile drive up the coast and spend some time on Half Moon Bay's historic main street. Boasting local restaurants, small boutiques, and antique shops, Half Moon Bay has a lot to offer for such a small town. Plan it just right and you can visit the Coastal Repertory Theatre showcasing local talent or possibly attend a cooking class hosted at The Ritz-Carlton. Butano State Park:  Only six miles from the Half Moon Bay Hostel, you can spend an entire day exploring the beautiful hiking trails of Butano State park in the California Redwoods. Santa Cruz: Only 27 miles down the coast is the charming and quirky town of Santa Cruz. There is an abundance of things to do in Santa Cruz limited only by your time and resources. Ride a bike, explore the boardwalk, ride a skate board, visit the Museum of Art and History, or rent a Kayak and go on an adventure. Check out the city website for current events. Santa Cruz Boardwalk | Flickr-Scott Schrantz Swanton Berry Farm: Do you love strawberries? Just 15 minutes from the Half Moon Bay Hostel is the Swanton Berry Farm. This berry farm, founded in 1983, is certified organic and gives you the option to 'Pick Your Own' berries (season starts in May) or purchase them from the Farm Stand. Check out their website for current info on locations and opening dates.

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No matter what you do, make sure to take time to relax on your visit to the Half Moon Bay Hostel at Pigeon Point Lighthouse. After all, spring break is supposed to be a vacation right? Flowers at Half Moon Bay | Flickr-Siva Subramanian Vasanth Source Hostelling International  and NorCal Hostels Cover photo by ronnietan15

They say that one man's trash is another man's treasure. In this instance, treasure from trash is an understatement. For residents and tourists of Fort Bragg, California, the trash that used to occupy what is now known as Glass Beach has definitely turned into treasure. The small town of Fort Bragg, located just twenty minutes north of Mendocino, is a destination worth adding to your road trip list. If you're coming from San Fransisco, it will take a little over three hours, while those coming down from Eureka will experience a beautiful two and a half hour drive. No matter the distance though, you'll be met with an incredible sight. Flickr-John K

The History of Glass Beach

From 1943-1949, the beaches near Fort Bragg were used as dumping grounds for local trash. Following the devastation from the San Francisco earth quake in 1906, it became common practice to toss anything you didn't want into the ocean. The residents of Fort Bragg didn't have access to a trash service so they did the next best thing - they tossed their trash off the cliffs. Everything from car parts and glass bottles to household machinery was tossed over the cliffs to The Dumps, as they started calling it, without a second thought to what impact it would have on the environment. Little did the towns folk realize that they were the catalyst to something beautiful. Fort Brag Webpage When the locals became more earth-conscious in the late 60s, they began a renovation project for the The Dumps. Hauling away all of the remaining trash, they were shocked to discover something almost magical beneath the surface clutter. Time, and more importantly the relentless waves, had beaten the trash into beautiful, smooth glass pebbles replacing the old name with a new, more fitting one: Glass Beach.

Visit Glass Beach

It's not hard to see why you'd want to visit Glass Beach. Now part of the California State Parks System and MacKerricher State Park, Glass Beach is a thriving testament to something incredible coming from something destructive. Visitors to the beach now share in the popular past time of searching out lovely, multicolored pieces of glass worn by the waves over time. Flickr-John K Each pebble has a story to tell. The periwinkle blue stones are said to be remnants from apothecary bottles while the red stones are most likely from broken glass tail lights. The green stones are likely from old soda or beer bottles discarded with the rest of the trash in The Dumps. If you're going to visit Glass Beach today, there are a few things to note:  

• The best picnic spot is on the cliffs overlooking Glass Beach #3 which is the beach farthest north
• Bring your walking shoes, you'll have to hike down to the beach
• Inside the State Park you cannot take the sea glass with you - outside of the State Park lines its OK - so make sure to bring a camera
• There is a Sea Glass Museum you can visit

It's easy to get caught up in the horror of what Glass Beach could have become, but finding beauty in the broken things is what makes this story even more amazing. It's recycling at it's finest. Flickr-John K Check out this fun video for more info about Glass Beach: YouTube: VisitFortBraggCA Source Fort Bragg City Website Cover Photo from Flickr by John K

It’s very easy to live an eat-drink-and-be-merry lifestyle in the west coast, particularly in California, where craft breweries are abundant. In fact, with the amount of establishments that serve delicious brews of various flavors, it makes total sense to make a road trip out of it with your very own California brewery tour!

21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco

As one of the most diverse and interesting cities in the country, San Francisco is home to a myriad of brew pubs to visit for the first time. One of the most essential stops a beer tourist must hit to begin an enjoyable beer expedition is 21st Amendment, conveniently located downtown. Among the variety of beers they have on tap, the most popular one of their year-round brews is the Brew Free! Or Die IPA, a hoppy golden IPA that surprises you with an initial kick but goes down real smooth. Saison fans might like to try out the Sneak Attack, a Belgian-style farmhouse ale and 21st Amendment’s version of a winter beer that’s only available till end of March. Upcoming Event: Homebrew day in the BG! Visit 21st Amendment on March 16, 2014 (Sunday) between 12nn and 4pm and hang out at the beer garden to learn about the establishment’s brewing method.

Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma

Once you’re done trying out the brews and sampling 21st Amendment’s delectable lunch menu, you can get on Highway 101 and head to your next stop, another one of California’s pride and joys when it comes to great beer. Lagunitas is well known in the craft beer circuits for its IPA, more than anything else – it’s the number one IPA in the state of California for a reason. With a perfect balance of malt and hops, this beer’s tried-and-true combination of sweet and bitter definitely deserves seconds (or thirds). Upcoming Events: Daily tours of the brewery that require no reservations, hell yeah! Beer Dinner! On March 18, 2014 (Tuesday), the company’s head chef will be creating a series of coursed meals designed to complement a variety of Lagunitas brews. Enjoy a night of good food, great beer, and live music and buy tickets here.

RussianRiver Brewing Company, Santa Rosa

Continue up Highway 101 until you hit Santa Rosa, where the microbrewery responsible for Pliny the Elder – a popular double IPA that’s best enjoyed fresh – gets a regular onslaught of beer tourists every year. Russian River has a long list of brews – super-hoppy California ales, Belgian ales, and barrel aged beers, among others – for you to try, so getting them all via sampler (along with a meatball sandwich or a pizza, which they also serve) is highly recommended. Upcoming Event: Anniversary Party! Celebrate Russian River Brewing Company’s tenth anniversary on April 5, 2014 (Saturday) from 8pm to 11:30pm by coming for an evening of entertainment and some aged brews from the pub’s cellar.

BearRepublic Brewing Co., Healdsburg

If you’re approaching the limits of your beer-tastin’ capabilities, then make Healdsburg your last stop and visit Bear Republic, medal recipient at the recently concluded 2014 Good Food Awards held in San Francisco, California. Its award-winning brew Café Racer 15 double IPA is a must-try for its bold, aggressive, and hoppy aromas that ends with dry, malty smoothness. This brewery also has a long list of brews and all of them are high on the hops, so be sure to bring your booze-drinkin’ A-game and end your brewery tour on a high note with one of their selections. Upcoming Events: Beer tours are every Saturday at 10am, by appointment only. Weekday Happy Hours at 3pm St. Patty’s Day! Come to the Bear Republic Brewpub on March 17, 2014 (Monday) and enjoy a specially crafted menu that includes succulent corned beef simmered in the brewery’s own Big Bear Black Stout.