The California beyond the freeway
A daily letter about the Golden State behind the postcards — the quiet coves off Highway 1, the trailheads without a sign, the taquerias locals line up for, and the small towns worth the detour. Free weekdays, deeper on Sundays.
Free
The Daily
$0 / forever
No card. No catch.
- One California story a day, weekdays
- Coast, parks, cities, wine country and food finds
- The California the guidebooks skim over
- Open archive of past free issues
- One-click unsubscribe, any time
Premium
Monthly
$8 / month
Cancel any time
- Everything in The Daily
- Sunday Premium — the long-form deep-dive
- Full paid-archive access (every past Sunday)
- Member-only itineraries with bookings & logistics
- Coast and park guides with maps + timings
Premium · best value
Annual
$80 / year
Two months free vs monthly
- Everything in Monthly
- Save ~17% vs paying monthly — two months free
Founding member
Founder
$150 / year
Same premium access · no discount · for supporters
- Everything in the Monthly & Annual plans — the full premium edition
- For readers who love California and want to show their support
Secure checkout via Stripe. Prices in USD. Cancel any time from your member portal — no support tickets required.
Common questions
What’s the difference between free and premium?
Free gets you the weekday letter — a single California story a day. Premium adds the Sunday edition: a long-form deep dive on one place or theme, with the practical bookings and logistics you need to actually go, plus the full paid archive of every past Sunday.
Can I cancel any time?
Yes. Every premium plan is cancel-any-time from the Stripe member portal — no support emails, no awkward retention flows. You keep access until the end of the billing period you’ve already paid for.
What does the founder tier actually get me?
Exactly the same premium edition as the Monthly and Annual plans — there are no extra features. Founder is simply the same access at a higher price, with no discount, for readers who want to support us more. If that’s you, thank you — it genuinely helps fund the work.
I don’t live in California — is this still for me?
Yes. About a third of our readers are planning their next trip; the rest are locals and part-time residents. The letter is written for both — locals get the side of the state they never make time for, visitors get the California they wouldn’t find on a freeway.
Where do my payments go?
Stripe handles billing. We never see your card details. Receipts come from Stripe directly to your inbox.
What if a paid issue isn’t worth the price?
Email us within seven days of any paid send and we’ll refund the most recent month or pro-rated portion of your annual plan — whichever is fairer. We’d rather you stay because the writing earns its keep than because of a refund policy.
Just want the free daily?
Drop your email below — first issue lands tomorrow morning.