Debbie Croft: International travel without a passport

If you spend much time traveling across the state, maybe you’ve noticed how some spots in California look similar to other parts of the world.

Like Solvang and Venice on the southern coast. If you adore the tastes and sights of Europe, but can’t afford airfare across the pond, the old-world architecture and international cuisine of these European-style villages will provide an almost-authentic escape.

And don’t forget San Clemente. It’s a Spanish village by the sea with Mediterranean ambiance.

Los Angeles and San Francisco each boast their own Chinatowns – two of the largest such communities outside Asia.

Some of our beaches on quieter days have a tropical island feel, including not only Catalina, but Cayucos, Encinitas, Avila Beach and Bodega Bay. Did I mention fresh seafood on almost every local menu?

To the north, the redwoods, Napa Valley and coastal fishing villages are all definitively Northern California and world-famous.

Of course, on the eastern side there’s Tahoe and Yosemite – also uniquely Californian, bringing international visitors to the Sierra region year after year.

But some of California’s lesser-known towns are destinations worth visiting and getting to know on a more intimate basis.

In these charming downtown areas, you won’t find the usual national franchise signs with golden arches or red-tile game pieces. Rather, our dining and lodging establishments are memorable and one-of-a-kind – not duplicated anywhere else. They’re locally owned and operated, and many have won awards for their excellent service.

Quiet neighborhoods in Grass Valley and Nevada City with wood-framed houses, cozy front porches, green lawns and tree-lined streets hold the same charm as communities in America’s Midwest and Atlantic states.

The business districts and Victorian neighborhoods of these two cities grew from their early mining heritage. The Empire Mine State Historic Park is open daily most of the year.

Both Mariposa, near Yosemite, and Dunsmuir, a community in the shadow of Mount Shasta, have no traffic lights or long lines at the post office. And they sit under endless blue skies. Shopkeepers are not only friendly, they know their regular customers by name. And we love dressing up our streets and shops for the holidays.

Nearby mountains and rivers offer seasonal outdoor adventures, from hiking and climbing to fishing, rafting and gold-panning.

On a foggy, rainy autumn day, Oakhurst and Sonora look much like the villages of New Hampshire. The surrounding hills are covered in regal pines, standing tall and dressed in reds and golds. These Sierra towns are steeped in Gold Rush history, but provide many modern amenities for visitors and locals.

A covered bridge near the Wawona Hotel in Yosemite National Park looks to be straight off a calendar. No matter the season, this spot could pass for a pastoral New England scene. The National Park Service website says the landmark is one of only a dozen covered bridges in the state.

Crossing the South Fork of the Merced River, the bridge was built (uncovered) by Galen Clark. Two decades later, the owners of the brand new hotel, three Washburn brothers from Vermont, added walls and a roof to the bridge. Most likely as a reminder of their Eastern roots.

For space travel close to home, the jagged cliffs and canyons between Blythe and Indio look more like a moonscape.

If you’re a “Star Wars” fan longing to visit Tatooine, take a day trip to Death Valley. Dante’s View, Artist’s Palette and Twenty Mule Team Canyon are actual filming locations for the movies, according to starwars.com. (I wonder if residents of Tatooine dream of traveling to California to visit landscapes familiar to them?)

My husband and I recently drove along the Feather River Canyon and around Lake Almanor. At Thanksgiving, Lassen Volcano was covered in snow. This region is known as the meeting place of the Sierra and the Cascades.

As we make our way across the state, places I still want to visit are: the historic towns along State Route 49, the eastern Sierra, Old Town Sacramento and the rest of the state north of the Capitol.

Let me know your favorites, and I’ll write about them in a future column.

This story was originally published December 18, 2015 at 10:17 AM with the headline "Debbie Croft: International travel without a passport."