Guerneville, California

This road provides one of the most scenic views of the pacific from north of the Golden Gate. It's a little bit of a windy drive or ride along Highway 1 or Panoramic Highway (depending on which way you choose) to get to East Ridgecrest. But, if you remembered to pack a picnic, brought your friend...

The endlessly scenic Trojan Point can be reached by taking the Panoramic Highway to Pantoll road from Stinson Beach to the west, or Mill Valley / Highway 1 to the east. It can also be reached by taking West Ridgecrest Boulevard from the north from the Fairfax-Bolinas road.  Park at the large par...

Need an escape from SF, but can't seem to find an available campground, then head to Pantoll Campground in Mount Tamalpais State Park. If you get there early on friday (or even better Thursday afternoon), you should be able to lock down one of these first-come, first-serve campgrounds. Each of th...

Mickey's Beach is a great spot for experienced climbers to challenge themselves. The west face of the main rock is home to some local favorites like Sex Porpoises (12c), named for the apparently promiscuous local marine life. There are only a couple routes rated as 5.10s, the rest are mostly 5.12...

Although these cabins are bare bones, lacking both water and electricity, they couldn't put you in a better spot for views of the Pacific Ocean. From your cabin, you can enjoy amazing sunsets, possibly whale watching, and access to trails like the cabin's namesake, Steep Ravine Trail. The cabins...

Gain access through a private locked gate, and descend about 1 mile down to the bluff's edge. There is only parking for 1 car per site and also several cabins that can be rented. A camp host is on site and there are bathrooms and water spigots throughout the campground. Each site has a fire ring...

Itching to climb outdoors near San Francisco?  With only a quick drive from the city, Ring Mountain is a beautiful nature preserve overlooking the city of San Francisco offering two main rock formations, Turtle Rock (Pictured) and Split Rock.  Split Rock is the slabby rock south of the parking ar...

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline is a 2,315-acre parkland that juts out into the San Pablo Bay. Only a brief car ride from San Francisco, this is a great spot for a Sunday stroll, picnic or simply to find a quiet space.There are several short trails to choose from that wind through eucalyptus grov...

This old Naval Base is now home to, well, almost nothing. As a weekend volunteer trip, myself and about 50 others got a little dirty creating 3 new campsites for you and your friends!During the day, the island has hikers exploring everywhere, but the preserve closes upon sunset and it's just you ...

Take in a scenic sunset and enjoy the warmth of a bonfire on the beach! Muir Beach changes the number of fire pits it has seasonally. May through November, the beach offers 6 fire pits, and in the colder months (December through April), there are 3 fire pits on the beach toward the south end of t...