California bests
Prettiest lakes
1. Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe
2. Donnell Reservoir, Stanislaus National Forest
3. Sardine Lake, Tahoe National Forest
4. Tenaya Lake, Yosemite National Park
5. Lake Sabrina, Inyo National Forest
Prettiest rivers
1. McCloud River, Shasta County
2. Smith River, Del Norte County
3. Rush Creek headwaters, Ansel Adams Wilderness
4. Yuba River, Sierra Nevada
5. Trinity River, Junction City canyon
Hikes to prettiest views
1. Yosemite Point, Yosemite National Park
2. Mitchell Peak, Jennie Lakes Wilderness
3. Glacier Point to Sentinel Dome, Yosemite
4. Lookout Peak, Kings Canyon National Park
5. Mount Whitney Trail, trail crest to summit
Fishing spots
1. Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta
2. San Diego deep sea
3. Barrett Lake, San Diego
4. Independence Lake, Truckee
5. Sacramento River, Redding to Anderson
Houseboating
1. Shasta Lake
2. Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta
3. Lake Don Pedro
4. Lake Oroville
5. Trinity Lake
Family destinations
1. Camp Richardson, Lake Tahoe
2. MacKerricher State Park, Fort Bragg
3. Lake Siskiyou, Mount Shasta
4. Lake Alpine, Stanislaus National Forest
5. Convict Lake, Inyo National Forest
Fly fishing for trout
1. Sacramento River, Redding (by boat)
2. Fall River (by pram)
3. Pit River
4. East Walker River
5. Middle Fork Feather hike-in/PCT
Boat-in camping
1. Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe
2. Lake Sonoma, Sonoma County
3. Bullards Bar Reservoir, Sierra foothills
4. Shasta Lake, Redding
5. Union Valley Reservoir, Eldorado National Forest
Rafting rivers
1. Main stem Tuolumne
2. Salmon River
3. Forks of the Kern
4. Upper Klamath
5. South Fork American
-- Tom Stienstra 
Bay Area bests
Hikes
1. Skyline-to-the-Sea, headquarters to Berry Creek Canyon, Big Basin Redwoods State Park
2. Coast Trail, Point Reyes National Seashore
3. Montara Mountain Trail, San Pedro Valley County Park
4. Trail Camp Loop, Castle Rock State Park
5. Steep Ravine Trail, Mount Tamalpais State Park
Bike rides
1. Bay Ridge Trail, Crystal Springs Watershed
2. Skyline-to-the Sea, Rancho del Oso up Waddell Creek
3. Wilder Ridge Loop, Wilder Ranch State Park
4. Golden Gate Promenade to Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco
5. Tennessee Valley to ocean, Marin Headlands
Campgrounds
1. Tomales Bay boat-in, Point Reyes National Seashore
2. Sunset hike-in, Big Basin Redwoods
3. Wildcat hike-in, Point Reyes National Seashore
4. Sky Camp, Point Reyes National Seashore.
5. Pantoll walk-in, Mount Tamalpais State Park
Waterfalls
1. Berry Creek/Silver/Golden Falls, Big Basin Redwoods
2. Alamere Falls, Point Reyes National Seashore
3. Cataract Falls, Mount Tamalpais
4. Black Rock Falls & Waterfall Loop, Uvas County Park
5. Carson Falls, Marin Watershed
Dog walks
1. Sunol Regional Preserve, Sunol
2. Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, Berkeley.
3. Fort Funston, San Francisco
4. Kent Pump Trail, Marin
5. Franklin Ridge, Martinez
Wildlife watching
1. Pierce Ranch, Point Reyes National Seashore
2. Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, Fairfield
3. Napa-Sonoma Marsh, Sonoma
4. Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Moss Beach
5. Sunol Regional Wilderness
Rocks
1. Goat Rock, Castle Rock State Park
2. Rock City, Mount Diablo State Park
3. Tafoni Monolith, El Corte de Madera Open Space
4. Preserve Wind Caves, Las Trampas Regional Wilderness
5. Vasco Caves, Vasco Regional Preserve
-- Tom Stienstra 
State of grace
Some Golden State superlatives :
Best epic backpacking trip: John Muir Trail
Best mountain climb: Mount Shasta
Best deal: $10 bay boat tours at Fisherman's Wharf
Most dramatic easy hike with view: Pohono Trail, Yosemite National Park
Best wildflower bloom (when you hit it right): Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Most difficult-to-reach wilderness lake: Little South Fork Lake, Trinity Alps Wilderness
Most dangerous kayak run: Cherry Valley, upper Tuolumne
Best mountain swimming hole: Dorris Lake out of Mono Hot Springs
Most pristine redwoods: Boy Scout Tree Trail, Jedediah Smith Redwoods
Best short backpack trip: Skyline-to-the-Sea, Big Basin headquarters to Sunset Camp
Prettiest ferns: Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park
Best chance to see bears: Sequoia National Park
Best bald-eagle viewing: Klamath National Wildlife Refuge
Most difficult long hike: Hat Creek Rim section, Pacific Crest Trail
Best sea-otter viewing: Elkhorn Slough by kayak
Best scuba diving: Point Lobos Marine Reserve
Worst bike expedition: California Aqueduct service road
Best RV sites: Seacliff State Beach, Monterey Bay
Finest luxury lodging: Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur
Most remote family-style ranch: Marble Mountain Ranch, Siskiyou County
Best snowshoe trip: Badger Pass to Dewey Point, Yosemite
Best cross-country ski: Badger Pass to Glacier Point overnight