Muir Woods National Monument

We hadn't been here in years! Before we had kids, this was one of our favorite places to take family and friends when they came to visit us. It was really inexpensive and was just a good way to give visitors a taste of the redwoods. It used to be only a $2 entrance fee, now the price has gone up to $5. Still affordable, but thats quite a jump in price! Anyway, we decided to bring my husband's grandma here since she hadn't been to California before. It was still a great place to visit, but a little trickier with the kids....for some reason, although it is an outdoor park, it was so quiet and our kids aren't quiet! So we had a bit of a hard time keeping the noise level down as it seemed like everyone was trying to enjoy the quietness. The walking paths here are pretty level and best if you have a jogging stroller, although a regular stroller would work just fine. Again, the redwoods are just amazing and there is a ton of history in this park as it was declared the 10th national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. There is also a nice stream running through this park which is fun to watch. It gets pretty busy on the weekends and especially in the summer at this park, so be aware of that. Parking can be an issue. Stinson Beach is right nearby which is also a good stop.
There was a Dad here with his 3 young active boys, so it was good to see that we weren't the only ones with little ones, but it was still a bit awkward. I felt sorry for the Dad as you could tell he was a little worn out and these boys were just all over the place. We didn't stay as long as we might have before, but we still had a nice time and it did get pretty cool so be sure to bring jackets.

Mt. Diablo State Park

So I hadn't been to Mt. Diablo for years and when we had family visit, we decided to head up the hill! One thing to keep in mind: if you are scared of heights, this is probably not the place for you! I did not remember how high up this park goes and how steep the drive is! There is a $9 fee to enter the park if you don't have a park pass, so that is also something to keep in mind. I've heard that Rock City is a good place to take the kids to go rock climbing and my husband has taken the kids there, but this time we just drove about halfway up the hill to Copper Peak. There was a great flat path that we followed for a little ways. I'd like to take the kids back to just kinda spend the day and wander around. This is a fabulous place to go in the winter as there isn't much shade; just a great wide open space to get lost in and discover!

Oakland Zoo

Ok, so this one is kinda obvious, but I cannot emphasize how wonderful the Oakland Zoo is, especially in the winter!!! If you have children under the age of 5, I would definitely recommend getting a family pass. Its totally worth the money. The Oakland Zoo has reciprocity with other cool places like the Lindsey Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek, so you can definitely put that pass to good use.
So we hadn't been to the zoo in months, and my playgroup leader put it on the calendar and I was ecstatic! It had been kinda rainy, but we decided to go anyway and I was so glad we did! I hadn't really been to the zoo in the spring and it was just gorgeous! There were flowers blooming everywhere! What else was so great was that there was hardly anyone there. We pretty much had the place to ourselves. This zoo is great because the kids can get up close and see the animals really well. The giraffes are my favorite, but the lions, elephants, tigers, and alligators are cool too. The children's play area is perfect for kids to climb and explore. The hills also give everyone a good workout and are sure to tire everyone out which is always a plus.
The rides at the zoo are always a blast. During the winter not all the rides are open, but the kids don't seem to mind. The price has gone up a quarter since we had been there, but I give my kids a limit and we stay within that limit, or we'd be there all day! What was so cool about this day in particular was that there was so little activity that we got to ride a couple of rides for free! The workers just let us on which was really cool. I wouldn't go expecting this, but just be aware. A "bonus" of going during the off season. Of course, during the summer there is more activity, but going during the winter definitely has its pluses! Enjoy!

Big Basin State Park, Santa Cruz Mountains

So we are in the Santa Cruz mountains again....but there is so much to do here! This is another redwood park that is really gorgeous. It was a sunny day which was fabulous, but in the shade it was really pretty chilly. Before heading out on our hike, we had a nice picnic in a shaded area that was again, kinda cold. Be sure to bundle up! The kids enjoyed running around the picnic area taking bites of their lunch here and there. The hike we did was kinda long, but no one seemed to mind and we enjoyed going up part of the mountain and coming back down. There were signs for a waterfall and after talking to a few people who were returning from it, we learned that it was quite far and required most of the day to get there and back. We decided that it would be left best for when the kids get older, although it sounded amazing! The best part of the hike was taking pictures in the huge redwood trees. I really do feel small every time I step foot in one and realize how tiny and insignificant I really am, but how amazing and awesome God is for His majestic creation. It is wonderful that He loves even me!

Castle Rock State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains

This is one park where our State Park pass really came in handy. You have to be careful as it is easy to miss this park as you drive by on Skyline at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The only indication that there is a park here is this random bunch of cars parked in what looks like a makeshift parking lot. There are lots of cars parked alongside the road outside the park as well, but the signs are small, so its hard to tell that the park is even there. Anyway, if you are lucky enough to get a spot in the parking lot, grab it! It is only a short hike up the hill before you get to the top where there are these amazing rock formations that are awesome for climbing! The kids and my husband had a wonderful time climbing and running through the formations. Throughout this area, you will find various groups actually rock climbing which is really cool to watch. Somewhere too there is supposed to be a waterfall, but we've never actually found it. We visited this park a few times and really loved it. Its great in both the summer and winter, but definitely bring warm stuff in the winter as it can get cold. And as always, the reason for us going hiking is as follows:

Sunol Regional Wilderness~ a gem of the East Bay!

Sunol is one of our favorite places to visit in the East Bay! What we like most is that it has a great wading creek winding through it. We mostly visit in the summer when it is hot out and the creek is nice and cool, but this time we went in the spring and we still had a lot of fun. In the summer, we camp out right under the bridge at the farthest end of the parking lot. We bring water toys (mostly buckets), towels, a lunch and our swimsuits and the kids spend hours just playing in the shallow water. They like catching insects and whatever else they find in the creek. There are also rocks they like to move around to create small dams and a ton of discovery they do along the creek bank. There is great shade along the bank so I just like to sit back and watch the kids play and discover. At the end of the day, the kids are pooped so we are able to take them home and have a nice quiet evening!

If you are into hiking a ways and it isn't too hot, you can hike to Little Yosemite which has some great rock areas for the kids to play in. On your way there, there are various places you can stop to play by the creek. No toys needed as there are plenty of rocks and sticks to play with. Various other hiking paths are strewn about through the park. I have heard that the wildflowers here in the spring are incredible although we haven't made it out there for that yet. Can't wait, though; thats next on the list!

Hidden Villa, Los Altos, CA

This started out as a fun day and turned into a loooong hike! I had been wanting to go to Hidden Villa for a while; it seemed like a unique place. Finally, one Saturday we went and it was another gorgeous California day! It was kinda weird figuring our way around once we got there....there really weren't any signs and no real good guidance in terms of where to go for hiking. It was obvious that there were other events happening day, so we didn't want to disturb anything that was going on either. So we quietly walked around, trying to find our way. On our left, it looked like a cabin where there was some sort of gathering like a birthday party. It was actually a really cute setting for something like that. Further up ahead on our right, there was a wedding about to take place. Again, a beautiful setting in a more modern building than the cabin we had passed earlier. As we walked on, there were some garage like structures that seemed to house old farming equipment and such. Kind of weird with a fancy wedding just across the way, but we continued on and ended up hiking for almost 3 hours! wow! It got kinda long toward the end, but when you don't know the area all that well, you just kinda have to keep going. I do remember the views being pretty amazing from the top. Los Altos is just a beautiful area....the houses are gorgeous and its such a beautiful area nestled there in the hills. Would definitely recommend this area to go hiking in. There's a ton to explore!

Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, CA

This place is a lot of fun and we definitely recommend it!!! I took the kids on a rainy day during the week and although it was a school day, didn't really encounter too much school group traffic. This hall of science is located on the UC Berekely campus and its kinda crazy getting there, but definitely worth fighting through Berkeley to get to. The hall is at the top of the hills in Berkeley and you get the most amazing views from the top, fog or no fog. I also remember getting a glimpse of the Bears stadium as we drove by which was REALLY cool! Anyway, be sure to pay for your parking on the way from the parking lot to the actual hall. Its not much, but you do have to pay. There is also an admission fee, but definitely worth it. There is a ton for the kids to experiment and just play with here! Lots to build with and discover. Its just a nice place to follow the kids around to whatever fits their fancy. There was a small science show that the kids really enjoyed and we had a great day! There is a cafe on the lower level, but I had brought a lunch which I think is a better idea as there is also an outdoor area off the main floor from where you can see the amazing views. This area also has an amazing water and sand feature that will entertain the kids for a loooong time! They can create dams and hop from stream to stream. This trip can also be combined with any of the trips in Tilden Park, but it might be a bit much as the park is so spread out. The whale out in front of the museum is really cool too; a great picture opportunity! Enjoy!