Last Sunday after a rainy week in the Bay Area, we headed over to Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont to get in some bike riding/hiking, and to see if any wildflowers had made an appearance. California poppies were making quite a showing on the brilliant green rolling hills, and the purple lupines, although harder … More Springtime at Coyote Hills
I had very high expectations about Bryce Canyon National Park, in fact they were so high I was worried that I might be disappointed. So many people have told me that Bryce Canyon was their favorite park out of the Utah parks. That’s pretty high praise considering the caliber of these national parks. Has that … More Bryce Canyon National Park
When I’m visiting a national park, I usually seek out solitude. There’s something about being able to hike in the most beautiful surroundings lost in your own thoughts, letting feelings of awe and inspiration take over you without interruption. Feeling like you have the place all to yourself makes it that much more special. My … More Seeking Solitude in Zion National Park
I love the holidays and I love National Parks, so when I can somehow combine the two, it’s like, well… Christmas! Celebrating a holiday at the Zion Lodge right smack dab in the middle of Zion National Park has been up there in my top 10 bucket list items. The National Park lodges that we’ve … More Celebrating Christmas in Zion National Park
One minute we’re cruising along Generals Highway in Kings Canyon National Park and then presto, we’ve crossed over to Sequoia National Park. Two parks for the price of one! Always love a good bargain. These two parks are managed as one, but they feel like completely different parks with different Visitor Centers, and overall feel … More Sequoia National Park
Exploring a National Park has got to be one of my favorite things to do. I love being outdoors in general, but there’s something special about national parks. I mean, there’s a reason why they’re national parks, right? So, when we had a whole day of nothing but exploring whatever we wanted at Kings Canyon … More Kings Canyon National Park
I hope all of you amazing moms had a wonderful Mother’s Day! The past couple of years, I’ve spent Mother’s Day at my daughter’s volleyball tournaments. It’s not my favorite way to spend Mother’s Day, being inside a convention center with absolutely nothing resembling a Mother’s Day brunch, and hundreds of cheering fans – NOT … More Mount Diablo State Park
Celebrating milestone birthdays gives us an excuse to do something a bit out of the norm, to go ahead and splurge a little because it’s always good to celebrate life. My mother-in-law celebrated her (mumble, mumble)th birthday by renting a house in Healdsburg right on the Russian River and kindly invited all of us family … More Russian River and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
I know it’s kind of early to be thinking about Thanksgiving. I mean, we still have our holiday memories still lingering around in our heads. But, if I may, I wanted to plant a tiny seed, an idea to file away for the future. How about celebrating Thanksgiving at the Grand Canyon with your family? … More How About Celebrating Thanksgiving at the Grand Canyon?
We finally had gorgeous, “I can’t believe this is January!” weather this past weekend and we couldn’t get out the door fast enough to enjoy the outdoors by doing some hiking just south of San Francisco. We were going to meet up with some friends on Sunday, so it was fortuitous that the weather was perfect … More SF Bay Area Hike with Waterfall and Coastal Views
After a night at Mojave National Preserve we were on our way to the Grand Canyon! The nice weather on our drive made us hopeful that the forecast was wrong and it would be beautiful and sunny when we arrived. Just when we started believing in Thanksgiving miracles, we saw them! The massive rain clouds that … More Grand Canyon National Park
A number of years ago, we accidentally discovered that the week before Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times to travel. We had made a trip to Arizona to visit family and as an afterthought we decided to visit the Grand Canyon. That trip has remained one of our most memorable and special national park trips simply … More Mojave National Preserve
Location: Lassen Volcanic National Park Directions: 50 miles east of Redding on Hwy 44 (to the Northwest entrance of the park) Campground: Manzanita Lake campground (amenities included camp store, pay showers and laundry, kayak rentals), $24/night, reservable through recreation.gov 6 months in advance Fees: Park entry fee $20, Campground fee $24/night Date traveled: July 2016 … More Lassen Volcanic National Park, Day 1
Location: Lafayette Reservoir Recreation Area (Lafayette, CA) Directions: Take Mt. Diablo Blvd exit from Hwy 24 (3849 Mt. Diablo Blvd). Lafayette Reservoir is about 30 minutes east of San Francisco. Parking Fee: $7 (or use limited number of metered parking) The Fourth of July weekend was filled with family reunions and catching up with my … More Lafayette Reservoir Day Trip
Location: Big Basin State Park, California Hike distance: 11 miles Elevation gain: ~2000 ft Hike Length: 5-6 hours Hike level: difficult/strenuous Date Hiked: June 2016 The Berry Creek Falls loop hike was our main reason for visiting Big Basin state park and I have to say it did live up to all the hype. It has been … More Berry Creek Falls Hike in Big Basin State Park
