![Carmel Valley, California](http://vlahidesadmin1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Carmel-Valley-California-e13016205378841-620x357.jpg)
Hilltop above Carmel Valley, California
![Napa-Road-Trip](http://vlahidesadmin1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Napa-Road-Trip1-620x465.jpg)
Wine Country Srping: Hwy 121, Sonoma County
Big rains this spring have greened the entire state of California, from north to south. What’s not green is white: the Sierra remain buried under the deepest snowpack in 20 years. In a few weeks, once rainy season ends, everywhere but the mountains will turn gold—the color of lion’s fur, the dusty brown of tourist season. Now is the time for a road trip. As a professional travel correspondent, I always schedule California research trips for spring. Here’s why. Continue reading