For a fun, easy, and educational hike that's perfect for families with small children, head to Novato's Indian Valley Open Space preserve and hit the trail to Pacheco Pond, which is especially appealing in the late winter and spring. During this time of year. you can find additional seasonal ponds elsewhere along the trail—they dry up in the summer and reappear after the winter rains. In addition to the short trek to the pond, the 885-acre preserve boasts a number of different intersecting trails which can be combined to make hikes of varying length, if you're up for something longer and more strenuous. Trails range from flat and easy (the kind that our kids like) to steep and hilly.

Start your hike at the far end of College of Marin's Indian Valley Campus and walk past the baseball fields. Follow path to the open space gate and trailhead, and take the first left onto the Pacheco Pond Trail just after the gate. Follow the trail up and over the hill. Alternatively, you can take the path to the Indian Valley Organic Farm and Garden and walk around the garden to intercept Pacheco Pond Trail and bypass the hill. If you're there on Wednesdays, make sure you pack a shopping bag or two—the farm is open selling fresh organic produce at bargain prices from 10 am to 3 pm.

While much of the nation digs itself out from snowdrifts and bundles up against the elements, we in Northern California can enjoy some delightful mid-winter weather, especially out at the coast, where it's often warmer than it is inland at this time of year. One favorite coastal destination for families is Drakes Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore. Drakes beach's popularity has much to do with its sheltered location, amenities, convenient location, and beautiful scenery. Drakes Beach can also serve as a jumping off point for further exploration of Point Reyes, especially during the winter and spring when the winter shuttle bus program is in place.

Drakes Beach—named after Elizabethan seafarer Sir Francis Drake, who in all likelihood paid a visit to the area with his ship The Golden Hinde in 1579—is situated on the shores of Drakes Bay at the southern end of the Point Reyes Peninsula. Backed by dramatic white sandstone cliffs, Drakes Beach is sheltered from the weather by Point Reyes itself, so when it's windy and foggy and inhospitable at the lighthouse or North Beach, it will often be warm and sunny at Drakes.