Fly to northernmost California via discounted Horizon Air flights; sale ends Aug. 7

For some reason, when it comes to visiting areas in our state north of San Francisco, I rarely consider flying. Mostly due to lack of planning, and perhaps an assumption that last-minute flights to these regions are pricey, I end up defaulting to a time- and gas-consuming road trip. For instance, we traveled last week up to Mendocino and Humboldt counties. We broke up the trip, but still, it was a long drive from Los Angeles, and it sure wasn’t cheap.

Next time, though, I might think about journeying by plane, if the price is right –- and now, with this Horizon Air sale, it is. Following are a couple of small Northern California airports that may not be on your usual travel radar. From these destinations, if you’re a fan of the grand outdoors, some amazing trip possibilities exist.

Deal: The “Summer Extension Sale” by Horizon Air includes routes from Los Angeles (LAX) to the cities of Redding (RDD) and Eureka/Arcata (ACV).The fare to Redding is $99 one way, and Arcata is $129 one way; prices are pre-tax. Flying to Redding normally costs $119-$136 each way, while tickets to Arcata usually run $139-$166.

When: Book your ticket by Aug. 7, 2008, for travel now through Oct. 30, 2008.

Why Go to Eureka/Arcata: Land here, and you’re ready to explore lush Humboldt County and some incredibly beautiful coastline. Redwood national and state parks are about an hour and 15 minute drive from the airport. Ground transportation options at ACV include shuttles, taxis, a bus and rental-car agencies.

Why Go to Redding: Redding is semi-recently on the tourist map, thanks to its Sundial Bridge. But get out of town about an hour north, and you’ll find many beautiful spots to explore around Mt. Shasta, which offers hiking, a charmingly eccentric town, hot springs, great camping and more. About 50 miles east of Redding, Lassen Volcanic National Park is a fascinating stop. RDD is serviced by car-rental agencies and taxis.

Contact: Horizon Air, (800) 547-9308

— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: Redwood National Park; Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times]

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 2:34 pm by Susan Derby and is filed under California, Deals, Family & Kids, National Parks, Northern California. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.