Outdoor Activities

I’ve always wanted to experience one of the Mountain Plays up on beautiful Mount Tamalpais--with a picnic lunch, of course--but so far have just never made it. The 2008 production will be a family favorite, The Wizard of Oz. My son, who recently saw part of The Wizard of Oz on TV (we skipped the creepy flying monkeys and other scary stuff), noticed the Mountain Play flyer the other day, and decided that he wanted to go. Here is my chance to finally experience one of these unique productions!
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On a suggestion, we headed up last weekend to see the majestic coast redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens) at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. We'd never been there before, so it was a new experience for all of us. Located just outside of the Russian River community of Guerneville, it's sort of a mini road trip up 101 and through Sebastopol and western Sonoma County. Our kids usually fall asleep in the car, so it was a chance for them to get a nap in while we drove, so it worked out for everyone.

Our second annual opinionated top ten list of fun things to do with the family during Spring Break (in no particular order):

10. Hike among the wildflowers at Abbott's Lagoon.
9.   See the cherry blossoms at the Japanese Tea Garden.
8.   While you're there, visit the butterflies at the Conservatory of Flowers..
7.   Have an indoor adventure at Playtime Safari.
6.   Ride the trains at Sonoma's Train Town.
5.   Drop in on an art class at a Marin art studio.

The coming of spring ushers in California's all too brief wildflower season. One of the best places to see wildflowers in the Bay Area is the Point Reyes National Seashore in West Marin. Repeat visitors to this site know that Point Reyes is probably our favorite place for a family outdoor outing, and in March and April you can also see some pretty spectacular wildflower displays, especially since we've had a wet winter.

One of the benefits of living in Northern California is that you can go on a hike or other outdoor activity pretty much any time you want to, even in the dead of winter. In fact, winter is really one of the nicest times to be outdoors, with crisp, clean air, bright green grass, fewer crowds and tourists, and even the first of the wildflowers showing up. This is all provided it's not raining, of course. One of our favorite outdoors spots, and a great place to take a hike with the family, is Jack London State Historic Park, located in the small Sonoma Valley town of Glen Ellen, about a 45-minute drive north from Marin.

As most everyone knows by now, the plan to alleviate California's current budget woes includes closing 48 of our state parks. In Marin and the North Bay, we stand to lose access to local parks like the Petaluma Adobe State Historic Park and one of our favorite places, Tomales Bay State Park. (Here's a map showing all the proposed park closures in the state.) Tomales Bay State Park, located in West Marin just north of Inverness, is home to the popular Heart's Desire Beach, one of the few beaches in Marin—and the Bay Area for that matter—that's actually good for swimming.

Like Tennessee Valley, Phoenix Lake is one of Marin's most popular spots for outdoor recreation. Located on Marin Municipal Water District watershed lands, Phoenix Lake sits at the base of Mt. Tamalpais in the town of Ross. It's a great place for a family hike with small children, as the trails that lead to the lake and ring it have gentle slopes and relatively short distances that are manageable by most. There are also numerous more challenging accessible from Phoenix lake that are sure to please more advanced hikers. You'll see a lot of people running, walking dogs, and biking here as well as walking.

Late December means it's the start of whale-watching season off the California coast. The National Park Service has reported seeing the first California Gray Whales passing by the Point Reyes lighthouse, so it's a great time to head out to the coast and check out the whales' annual southern migration. We still continue our tradition of never actually spotting one, but that won't stop us from dusting off the binoculars and trying again. Every year, California Gray Whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the waters off Alaska to their breeding grounds in the warmer waters near Baja California. This southern migration takes place from late December through February, with the peak in about mid January.
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