Get ready for an onslaught of new camping posts, dear readers. As we said in the last post, it’s Camping Season 2016, and due to some job-related camping and then adding in some personal trips, this site is going to feature CAMPING ALL THE TIME for the next few weeks. I’m personally convinced that the…
Welp, friends. This is it. Camping Season 2016 is officially upon us. If you are a resident of the Bay Area, you also know that the weather last weekend was delightful and really encouraged getting outdoors. We kicked off Camping Season 2016 with a night in Bothe-Napa State Park and we’re pretty sure it should…
It’s a little silly that we have been writing posts on this blog for four months now and not addressed Wildcat Canyon. We’ve mentioned before that this is our “go-to” trail, the place we spend the MOST time outside, the place our daughter has had two of her three birthday parties, the place that we…
How well do you know the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District? I’m going to guess not as well as you SHOULD. (If you remember from this post, they also have introductory geocaching hikes for families!) We live in the East Bay, so it’s rather a haul to get there, but trails abound! Today’s focus is…
“The Earth Moved Under Your Feet… Resting beneath your feet are the ancient remains of a volcano that erupted 10 million years ago. Strange animals once roamed here, like long-necked camels and three-toed horses. Today they are replaced by grazing cattle, deer, and domestic dogs. Slowly, over millions of years, this volcano uplifted, tilted on…
One of the many benefits that living in the Bay Area has to offer (no, low housing prices is not one of them), is that there is a plethora of organized groups that offer structured ways to get out and explore the world. Having this resource at our fingertips is a great way to derive…
If you have been out on the trails lately, you might have noticed that certain of them are flanked by fungi. I do not claim to be a mushroom expert, but I do encourage you to get out soon and look for some of these fantastic growths. (Let me be clear– I am not encouraging you…
One of the treats this year’s abundant winter rains have brought is the revitalization of the Bay Area creeks. As we mentioned in earlier posts, there is something powerful and invigorating about watching your local creek come back to life. Beyond that, getting out and exploring the local watercourses during the winter is a tangible…
It was wet on Saturday. Very wet, in fact. All this glorious rain did not dampen our newfound enthusiasm for Rush Ranch’s once-a-month FREE family day (called “Get the Rush!”). Rush Ranch is part of the Solano Land Trust, which has several other guided hike options to check out as well. To find out which…
So you want to go hiking. And you want (with your kids) to learn something about the Bay Area’s flora and fauna, but your level of nature knowledge amounts to discriminating between trees, flowers & animals. In other words, you are not a born naturalist but you want to support such activities with your kids. Fortunately,…
Bay Area Families Outside 