The tallest tree in the world — Hyperion, at 380 feet tall — was discovered in this area in 2006

Where: Northern California

When: July 3 – 18, 2016

Who: Rabbi Alport, Dr. Alport, Moshe Aharon (14), Yosef Meir (8), Devora Leah (2)

Most memorable experience: The last day of the trip was my (Rabbi Alport’s) birthday, and we were near Redwood National Park, almost six hours north of San Francisco. The tallest tree in the world — Hyperion, at 380 feet tall — was discovered in this area in 2006, but to protect it from visitors who could endanger its long-term survival, its precise location was kept a secret.

I managed to get directions to find it, which involved a 45-minute drive down a winding mountain road, crossing a waist-high stream, and wading through a bug-filled creek for 20 minutes. My family didn’t like the sound of this and was skeptical about the odds of success, so they elected to relax in the hot tub at our AirBNB while I went alone. Baruch Hashem I successfully found Hyperion, a memory that I still cherish today.

Alcatraz – One of the most popular attractions in San Francisco is Alcatraz Island, which contains a jail that was in use until 1963 to house about 260 inmates. Dangerous convicts like Al Capone were sent there because it was considered impossible to escape from due to the strong currents and frigid waters that surround it.

McWay Falls – The overlook at McWay Falls was one of the most scenic panoramas we saw on our drive down the Pacific coast. We could only enjoy the view of the waterfall from above since it is dangerous and illegal to hike down to the bottom of it.

Esrog orchard – The largest esrog orchard in America is just outside the entrance to Yosemite National Park. Interestingly, it is owned by the non-Jewish Kirkpatrick family, who have been using their expertise in growing citrus fruits to produce beautiful esrogim for 40 years, which are distributed through their partner in Lakewood. The Kirkpatricks were kind enough to give us a tour, where we saw how esrogim are grown and kept blemish-free. It was fascinating to hear our Presbyterian tour guide discuss pitoms and bletlach!