Visitors exploring Northern California may drive along the coast, head inland to wine country, or explore the mountains, and along the way, find plenty of quaint towns. With a list including Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove, Tahoe City, and several others, each charming town on this list has its own story it’s waiting to share with visitors.

California is known for its beautiful beaches, amazing amusement parks and exciting big cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. But California is also dotted with a slew of interesting and lovely small towns. Many of these little hidden gems are the favored getaway destinations for Californ

Rural Northern California towns are the best of the best. Not only are they usually spectacularly scenic, they are usually full of fun, friendly people.

Venture beyond the big cities to discover California's coolest small towns.