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.

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!

Alum Rock, Inspiration Point, San Jose

This hike would have been perfect except for one tiny detail. Although I knew we would be out hiking in the afternoon, first thing in the morning I decided I'd work out for an hour and then spend the morning putting together packages to be mailed in time for Christmas. All fine and good except that this hike was on a significant enough of an incline that it pretty much rendered me useless for the rest of the day: i.e. not able to make dinner. Or maybe it was the fact that despite my already worked over body, I decided to play tag and hide and go seek with the kids as we climbed to Inspiration Point. Either way, keep in mind that this hike itself is enough of a workout and you probably don't need to do much else for the day. Anyway, on to my story.

My parents were visiting for the weekend and it was Friday. My husband was tied up at work for the afternoon so knowing that my kids needed to get out and run around, I suggested we head to Alum Rock which I knew would give my kids the opportunity stretch their legs. Along with my parents and brother, we decided to head to Inspiration Point, which I would totally recommend. It was another glorious afternoon complete with sunny skies! The hike was just long enough to fill the afternoon and give us a great view of the surrounding hills. Once at the top, we were able to sit and recoop for a while, which was really fun. There was a big rock in the middle of the staging area at the top and Caleb quickly proceeded to set up a taco stand and sell tacos to each of us! I must tell you they were delicious and would highly recommend purchasing one if you are ever so lucky to make it to the top!

I remember thinking on the way down how fatigued my legs were, but didn't realize how badly fatigued till we arrived home and I collapsed on the couch. Once collapsed, there was no getting up! I couldn't get my legs to move. It would have been helpful had I had an inkling about what to make for dinner, but I didn't so I just continued to sit too overwhelmed by my physical state and lack of dinner planning to get up. Thankfully, Macaroni Grill provides take out and we were fed. I felt badly having guests and no dinner plan, but its the way it goes sometimes and thankfully my family didn't seem to care. We had had another great afternoon!

Samuel P. Taylor State Park, San Rafael, CA

This was one of our very first adventures as a family after having moved to California! It was Thanksgiving weekend and after celebrating Thanksgiving Day with 14 friends and family at our house, we decided to spend the rest of the weekend as a family being outdoors. Our first stop was Samuel P. Taylor State Park outside San Rafael. It took us a good while to arrive, but it was worth the trip! There really isn't anything more magnificent than the redwoods. They are majestic and so regal with how tall and straight they loom against the sky! Since it was November, it was chilly enough to feel like fall, but not too chilly where we were too cold.

After arriving we first stopped to eat our picnic lunch. We enjoyed the quietness and coolness the redwoods provided. The kids ran around and as you can see, Cora was plenty happy in her backpack carrier watching the goings on.

Once we were fed, we headed out. Since this was one of the first times we were out, we weren't quite sure what we were doing: where to go, how long to hike for, which direction to head in, etc. We figured it out though and were just glad to be out enjoying the great outdoors, not something we'd necessarily be doing in Minnesota that time of year with three young children. As we walked along, I was beginning to realize how important this was for my kids. They were so happy being out: exploring, jumping, running. Everything was new and exciting. More importantly, they weren't stuck in front of some computer or tv screen, their mind being numbed by the images animated before them. They were using their minds, taking in God's creation and gaining an appreciation for His majesty and artisic passion as a creator. This is the hope I had for my children as we embarked on these adventures. That they would see and grow to love the God that so artfully and intricately created the outdoors.

The damp smell of the redwoods invited us deeper into the forest and we kept walking. The sheer size of the trees was mezmerizing. The kids got such a kick out of being able to step inside the tree and feel like they were within a secret fort. We completed the short loop trail just as the sun was setting even though it was only about 3:30. It is amazing how much the temperature drops the minute the sun starts to go down behind the redwood canopy. We arrived back at the car in time to hop in and and return home to a cozy crock pot dinner. Another day well spent!

Dublin Martin Canyon Creek

This is definitely a gem of the East Bay! Located a few blocks off of Dublin Blvd west of San Ramon Valley Blvd, this trail is nestled right in a residential neighborhood of Dublin. Watch for the brown signs and park on the street. I would have never found this trail had it not been for my walking group. Its nice as its so close by yet feels like you're out in the hills. There is a creek that runs below the trail and although we've been here a few times, the creek has never been very high. In the summer, the kids like to follow the creek bed which can be kinda tricky as there are lots of low hanging branches and it can be hard to get across or back and forth on the banks of the creek due to rocks, etc. However, if you can manage to stay on the trail, it passes by nice houses and at the top of the first hill, we were able to see deer! So fun for the kids. As we continued on, we could see cows grazing on the hills.
There are lots of places to stop and rest or have a snack on this trail which is fun. Although it is quiet, there's quite a bit of traffic on the trail with a lot of people walking their dogs. The initial hill is a bit steep, but my kids were able to manage it with some prompting. There is a last part of the trail that we haven't done and have heard that it gives a good view. The trail is fairly short and should only take you about an hour or hour and a half round trip. Just a nice trail for the kids to run their energy out. Enjoy!