Susanville's location in the northeastern corner of California puts it within striking distance of some genuinely impressive destinations. Lassen Volcanic National Park is the closest major draw — about 75 minutes southwest on Highway 36, it offers Bumpass Hell's steaming mud pots, the Lassen Peak summit hike, and a concentrated dose of active volcanism that is unlike anything else in California. Day trips there in summer or early fall are easy and rewarding.
Reno, Nevada is about 90 minutes east on US-395 — close enough for a full day of casino entertainment, dining, or access to the Reno-Tahoe airport if you are flying out. Lake Tahoe is roughly three hours south via US-395 and Highway 89, a longer but viable excursion for those wanting alpine water after the high desert. Quincy and the rest of Plumas County to the west, reached via Highway 36 and then Highway 89, offer old-growth forest, mountain meadows, and the Feather River canyon — a different California entirely from the volcanic plateau around Susanville.
