The author of “Great Escapes Northern California” will sign copies of her book at 1 p.m. Saturday at Border’s Union Square, 400 Post St., San Francisco.

What experiences brought you to write the book? I cover the Bay Area for Travel Weekly; part of my job is to report on destinations from the travel industry perspective.

How long did it take to write? About three months. I put about 2,000 miles on my car. Thank goodness gas was cheaper last summer.

What major conclusion did you draw from your research for the book? I found that there still are a lot of places to be discovered. One, for instance, is Plumas County.

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Did you have any other revelatory observations? Yes, it’s that we sometimes don’t really explore places that are right in our area. The Delta is a place that comes to mind.

How did you go about your research? Before I visit an area, I spend time online, contacting various chambers of commerce and talking with friends and friends of friends.

How did you decide what to put in the book? I really don’t like long car rides, so most places in the book are no more than a three-hour drive away. Also, I tried to include places where you don’t have to do much driving once you get there.

Is there a best time for a quick getaway? May is a great month. Everything is green, and it’s not high season. It’s also good if you can travel on Sunday or Monday.