Get Active with the Family for the New Year

Happy New Year! Getting healthier and more active is always a top New Year's resolution, and we're here to help. We've compiled a list of our favorite (and our readers' favorite) ways for the whole family to get out and get active in Marin and the San Francisco Bay Area in 2017.

Exercise your body and your brain

Take a family hike and learn about history, wildlife, and the natural world while you're at it! Our favorite place to exercise your mind and body in Marin is the Point Reyes National Seashore headquarters at Bear Valley, where you can hike the Earthquake Trail, visit a reconstructed Miwok village, meet some Morgan horses, and even become a Junior Ranger at the visitor center. Other great destinations for this include the Marin Headlands and Olompali State Historic Park near Novato.

Take a walk to the park!

Letting the kids burn off some energy at the playground is always a great idea, but the whole family can get some exercise by walking or biking to the park. Some of our favorite places for this include the Tiburon Bike Path with its amazing Bay views, Hal Brown Park at Creekside in Greenbrae, and the South Hamilton Park in Novato, where you can walk or bike on the adjacent Bay Trail.

Get active indoors with high-flying fun

Indoor trampoline parks are a great place to get some exercise and have a blast, especially when the weather is crummy. Rebounderz Rohnert Park offers trampolines and a three-level playground and the House of Air in San Francisco's Presidio has 8,000 square feet of jump space and a bounce house for the little ones. (Both locations are fantastic for active birthday parties, too.)

Hike with your stroller

Just because your baby can't walk far doesn't mean she can't take a hike with you! We've put together a list of eight great places for a stroller hike in Marin, many of which offer paved trails that you can tackle with any kind of stroller.

Exercise classes with childcare

Don't let your little one stop you from taking care of yourself—plenty of fitness centers in Marin offer fitness classes with childcare so you can still get in your workout.

Try out golf at McInnis Park

McInnis Park in northern San Rafael offers several ways for the whole family to have fun with the game of golf, including an artist-designed, 18-hole miniature golf course (the only one in Marin!), a driving range, and a nine-hole course. McInnis Park offers many other ways to have active fun, including a skate park, batting cages, sports fields, and walking trails.

Have an outdoor adventure at Stafford Lake

Stafford Lake County Park in Novato has always been a fun place for picnics and fishing, but it's recently upped its family fun game with the addition of a cool bike park with tracks and trails for all ages, and a brand new adventure park for little ones, complete with zip lines and challenging obstacle courses. You can get free admission, too, by checking our a park pass at your local branch of the Marin County Free Library.

Take a family mountain bike ride

Mountain biking is something that the whole family can do year-round, and Marin has no shortage of fun trails for riders of all abilities, including China Camp State Park near San Rafael and Rush Creek Open Space Preserve in Novato. Find one near you in our guide to family friendly bike trails in Marin.