Bolinas, California

The Cypress Tree Tunnels are a quick jaunt from San Francisco (22 miles) and make for a great half-day trip. Getting here depends on traffic, but 30 minutes from the center of the city is doable. Parking is relatively easy. You can either park at the south end of the area at the Cypress Cove entr...

Sitting on a 140 acre bluff top, the Pillar Point Bluffs are a simple, easy hike with breathtaking views throughout. The bluffs are 22 miles from San Francisco – a 30 minute drive depending on the traffic. There is a small 10 car or so parking lot off of Airport Blvd, but there are two additional...

Maverick's beach is most well-known for the Maverick surf competition and the gnarly waves which surface here in the winter months. For the rest of the year, the beach is still a site to see. With huge waves crashing ¼ mile off shore and bluffs towering 100 feet above you, it’s a picturesque plac...

There is a museum in "The House of Happy Walls" which Mrs. London built in redwood grove find park information, exhibits and a small sales area there. A nearby trail leads to Jack London’s grave and to the remains of "Wolf House," London’s dream house which was destroyed by fire in 1913. The par...

Start at the visitor center along Kelly Avenue. Take note that the day parking fee is $10 in 2016 for each vehicle. You will then be able to enjoy both the Coastside Trail and Francis Beach (plus other beaches) with access to the amenities such as coin-operated showers and a semi-private beach.Th...

The Napa River is one of the largest California Central Coast Range rivers, draining approximately 426 sq. miles on its 50 mile journey beginning just south of the summit of Mt. St. Helena to the San Pablo Bay, passing through many of the landmark towns of Napa Valley including an incredible 6 mi...

Sitting west of the San Andrea fault, the Bodega Head is a massive chunk of granite from the Salinian Block, a geological terrane that contains Point Reyes and the Farallon Islands, and shares its origins with the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Head itself having been carried hundreds of miles to t...

Enter the parking lot just off of Hwy 221. Plan to pay a $5 entrance fee at the kiosk. The trail head begins at the edge of the parking lot where you'll soon be passing by the Martha Walker Native Habitat Garden on your right. Veer left to continue along Lake Marie Road where you'll enter the blu...

This trail begins at the Cowell State Beach parking lot and is only open on the weekends. From the lot, take the short Cowell Ranch Access trail to a scenic overlook. There are steps down to the secluded pocket beach just above the main trail. The trail playfully meanders along the cliffside with...

This hike is perfect for any time of year, always staying cool because it is near the coast, and there are multiple creeks that flow year-round. Even on foggy days, the fog condenses on trees to make it seem like it is "raining." Be warned that this hike has a lot of elevation change and is stre...

This beautiful mountain bike ride can be started at the Purisima Creek Road Trailhead or on Skyline Boulevard. There are many trails in the Purisisma Creek Redwoods, but Whittemore Gulch is by far the most beautiful and fun single track to descend on. If you are starting from Skyline Boulevard, i...

Annadel State Park is located in the historic Valley of the Moon, just 60 miles north of San Francisco, in Sonoma. This popular 5,200 acre park features a wonderful variety of options to explore, boasting views of the Sonoma Valley, rolling meadows of wildflowers, and direct access to 26 acre Lak...

The Grove of Old trees is a privately-owned preserve in Western Sonoma County that is open to the public year round. It is not large, only about 33 acres, but it makes a wonderful spot to go on a walk and to soak in the beauty of the redwoods. To get there from downtown Occidental, drive West up...

The Pony Gate-Canyon Loop within Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is a new favorite of mine on my list of family and kid-friendly hikes. Our little girls did great with this hike and loved it. If you can get moving early in the day and begin your hike around breakfast time, you might find there are few...

Continue by car down Castle Rock Road until it dead ends at the beginning of the trail. Parking is usually easy to find. If full, there is another overflow lot about 500 ft back the way you came in.You'll walk a good half mile down the trail before getting the main gate. As you're walking, you'll...

The Napa Vally Vine Trail is an ongoing project of the Napa Valley Vine Coalition which has the stated goal of creating a 47 mile long bike trail along the entire length of Napa Valley. Currently 12.5 miles of trail is available between downtown Yountville and Kennedy Park in the city of Napa. Yo...