The 3.5 mile, paved Bayview Trail in Coyote Hills Regional Park is perfect for the beginning cyclist. I consider a good bike route for my son to be relatively flat, separate from cars, and under five miles. This trail seemed about right. My four-year-old had a little trouble with a slight hill at the beginningContinue reading “Family Bike Ride, Bayview Trail, Coyote Hills Regional Park”
Category Archives: Travel
This Saturday… Sunol Wildflower Festival!
One of our favorite Bay Area festivals, the Sunol Wildflower Festival, is being held this Saturday, April 14th. We attended this the last two years, and my son (then age 2 and 3) and I both loved it. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to attend this year, but I’ve been telling everyone I know toContinue reading “This Saturday… Sunol Wildflower Festival!”
Urbia Adventure # 1: Treasure in the Hills of San Francisco
Aargh, Batman… there’s treasure in yonder hills! OK, so pirate speak and Batman don’t really go together, but I can’t seem to get my little one out his Batman raincoat these days… not even for a bit of treasure seeking. We had an unexpected break in the rain today, so we drove into San FranciscoContinue reading “Urbia Adventure # 1: Treasure in the Hills of San Francisco”
Solo Hike, Rocky Ridge View Trail, Las Trampas, San Ramon
With summer only a couple months away, it’s time to begin training for summer hiking in the Sierras. Also, after the social and kid-oriented Easter festivities yesterday, I really needed to regroup this morning with a little alone time. I also felt the need for some exercise after the feast at my parent’s house yesterday. Continue reading “Solo Hike, Rocky Ridge View Trail, Las Trampas, San Ramon”
Urbia Adventures: Exploring Nature in San Francisco
A friend recently told me about some fun-looking educational treasure hunting booklets created and sold through the Urbia Adventure League. These booklets were created based upon the concept of letterboxing (which I wrote about last week), but add so much more. Each booklet has at least ten pages packed full of information and activities designedContinue reading “Urbia Adventures: Exploring Nature in San Francisco”
Nature Walk, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland
My favorite spot in the San Francisco East Bay to take kids for a nature walk is Redwood Regional Park, but, for a variety of reasons, we haven’t visited the park for a few months. We had a break in the rain late this week, so we headed to the park for a walkContinue reading “Nature Walk, Redwood Regional Park, Oakland”
Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco
For a few years now, I’ve been wanting to see the cherry blossom trees while they are in bloom at the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco. I walked by the gardens a couple weeks ago on our way to the California Academy of Sciences, and poked my head in to see if the treesContinue reading “Cherry Blossoms, Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco”
Outdoor Climbing Walls
Climbing has become a new passion for my son in recent weeks. I signed him up for some classes at a local climbing gym this month, and, with only three lessons so far, I’m surprised at how much his climbing has improved. He would be ecstatic if we could go to the gym every day,Continue reading “Outdoor Climbing Walls”
Stop, Look, Listen, Observe
This afternoon we attended a family nature walk, a free naturalist-led event held in the Tilden Nature Area in the Berkeley hills. I couldn’t resist the event description… “Natural beauty, strange creatures and curious plants reveal themselves to those who seek such wonders.” We walked for two hours, slowly ambling along, observing the little thingsContinue reading “Stop, Look, Listen, Observe”
Wild Animals Up Close in the San Francisco East Bay
We all know that it’s not OK to approach a wild animal out in nature, so how can we provide opportunities to nurture our children’s curiosity about these animals and provide the hands-on learning our children love? We’re fortunate to have many programs in the San Francisco East Bay which allow our children to experienceContinue reading “Wild Animals Up Close in the San Francisco East Bay”
Five Tips for Joyful Hiking with Little Kids
As someone who leads a lot of hiking outings with little kids, today I’m going to address a question I’m frequently asked by parents…. “How do I get my child to enjoy hiking?” Listed here are what I believe to be the five most important tips: Keep it short: The first thing you must doContinue reading “Five Tips for Joyful Hiking with Little Kids”
Favorite Bay Area Petting Zoos
Touching animals, whether farm animals or ocean creatures, is an experience all children should have the opportunity to enjoy. Watch the faces of the children around you at a petting zoo, and you’ll see joy, amazement, intense focus, or wonder. A child may giggle when an animal licks their hands, or may jump backContinue reading “Favorite Bay Area Petting Zoos”
Newts in the Botanical Garden
We’re lucky to live in California newt country. These magical little creatures can be found throughout the hills in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. We’ve had luck finding them in Jewel Lake at Tilden and crossing the trails in Las Trampas. Our favorite place for newt viewing, however, is in the Japanese Pool at theContinue reading “Newts in the Botanical Garden”
Rock Climbing: At the Park
When we feel the need for a touch of Yosemite, but can’t get away for the weekend, we head, believe it or not, to our local park. Emerald Glen Park in Dublin has a great faux granite rock climbing area. Check out this picture. Doesn’t it look like the Sierras? Kids seem to especially enjoyContinue reading “Rock Climbing: At the Park”
Nature Classes and Programs
A few times each month, I schedule some outdoor time through naturalist-led classes and programs. My son loves these classes, and, the best part, they take the pressure off of me for a couple hours. To be honest, I can’t answer all of the questions my son asks me while we’re out wandering in nature. Continue reading “Nature Classes and Programs”
Outside Play, Every Day
Getting outside every day is a necessity for me, both for my physical and emotional health. I begin to feel a little, well, off when I’ve been inside too long, and I’ve noticed my son is the same way. I can get sucked into staying in the house as easily as the next mom, lettingContinue reading “Outside Play, Every Day”
hike.wander.wonder 