Napa Valley, California

Johnson's Beach is a public beach located on the Russian River in Guerneville, California. 

Starting off on Wildcat Creek Trail, the trail is wide and rolling. After about 4 miles make a left on Jewel Trail, then onto Sylvan Trail. Another left puts you on Wildcat Peak Trail. Be sure to check your map, as many trails intersect here. Wildcat Peak Trail runs into Nimitz Way, at which poin...

Monte Rio Redwoods Loop is a hike located off of Bodega Highway in Monte Rio, California. 

Monte Rio Community Beach is located in the Sonoma County town of Monte Rio. The beach nestles up to the Russian River offering a great chance for families to kick back and relax by the water or bring your kayak or stand-up paddle board for fun on the water. Dog-Friendly: Monte Rio Community Be...

These natural swimming holes are filled with water flowing from Kent Lake, so they're usually pretty refreshing. And by refreshing, we mean cold. We know this first-hand by testing the pools in the winter months. Let's just say if you can stay in for more than 5 seconds, you're a hero. If you jum...

Hunters Camp and Creekside Loop is an almost 6-mile loop off of Coleman Valley Road in Occidental, California. This trail can get pretty muddy during the rainy season, but as an added bonus, it makes the waterfall along the Creekside Trail that much better.  Dogs are not permitted on this trail. 

The Watershed View Trail is located off of Coleman Valley Road and shares a trailhead with the Hunters Camp and Creekside Loop. This trail is a 1.5-mile out-and-back, which makes for a great trail to get the family out on to get some energy out. Be prepared for a muddy trail if there has been rec...

Muir Farm And Mount Wanda: John Muir Nature Trail is a loop trail located near Martinez, California.

These West Marin campsites are often overlooked. It does get busy during the summer, but take the rest of the year to explore this state park. The main campground boasts more than 50 campsites with restrooms, hot pay showers, and piped drinking water. A few spaces can accommodate trailers, but t...

The beach park is very small but has sand along the shore for water access. Along the small cliffs of the beach there are picnic tables and grills for a nice cookout and family picnic. This beach would also be a great place for kayaking or standup paddle boarding as it is fairly secluded and away...

Explore the shipwreck of the S.S. Point Reyes, perched on a sand bar off the shoreline of Tomales Bay. It is located in the small town of Inverness, just behind the grocery store. If you are driving North on Sir Francis Drake Blvd it will be on your right side. Parking is easy and you will see a ...

Like camping in remote locations? Love oysters? This is it! Tomales Bay offers boat-in only campgrounds along the east side of the peninsula. We departed from Chicken Ranch Beach, which is on the west side of Tomales Bay. We jumped in our kayaks and headed north in the bay for a quick breather at...

The Pioneer Nature Trail, a gentle 1-mile pathway, offers one of the most accessible introductions to the majestic coastal redwoods of Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville, California. This family-friendly trail provides an intimate encounter with towering ancient trees while r...

This park most resembles Muir Woods, and if you're looking to get out of the tourist trap, head to Armstrong Redwoods and make a day of it. This 3-mile hike takes off from the sign pointing to East Ridge Trail. As you begin a slight climb up the trail, you'll be under the cover of the redwoods, s...

Nestled in the Samuel P. Taylor State Park this ten miler was a perfect escape from the chaos of the city. Hikers are able to pay a $10.00 park entry fee that includes plenty of parking spaces and restrooms before you hit the trail. The hike starts along the Cross Marin Trail, a path popular to ...

Enjoy the peacefulness of making it out to the lake for a quick hike without worrying too much about challenging climbs or difficult terrain. Take the wide fire road from the car uphill and then jump on the Phoenix Lake Trail. From here, you’ll combine this trail with the Gertrude Orr and Bill Wi...