Kirby Cove Marin Headlands with view of Golden Gate Bridge

Hike-in, Bike-in Beaches

September’s a great time to visit the coastline. These are some classic places where you can take your pick between hiking, biking, even snagging a campsite for fall …

Week: 09.08.2021
Regions: Northern CA

Kirby Your Enthusiasm

Bike or hike down to hidden Kirby Cove just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin

A biker stopped to take in the scenery on the fire road leading to Kirby Cove and overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge
A biker with a yellow backpack standing at a vantage just above Kirby Cove Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
A few people relaxing on the beach at Kirby Cove with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
Biker passing the official sign to Marin Headlands Golden Gate in the San Francisco Bay Area
Just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin is one of the Bay's most-accessible secluded beaches. Kirby Cove is accessed by hiking or biking a 1-mile fire road down to the beach, where the reward is an all-time classic Golden Gate view.
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Sea Change

Plan a Relaxing Autumn Visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

penguins exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium
sea otters exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium
jellyfish exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium
exhibit at Monterey Bay Aquarium
Right in time for the balmy fall days, the crowds have left and Monterey Bay Aquarium is at its shoulder season best. Fewer people means relaxing with more room to roam and enjoy the animals, exhibits, and nearby outdoors for biking, hiking, and beaches.
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More Cowell-bell!

Hike to Cowell Ranch State Beach on the San Mateo Coast

If you didn’t know it was there, you might just drive right on by it. But for those who make the 0.5-mile walk (or bike ride) to the wooden stairway leading to Cowell Ranch State Beach, the reward is sinking your toes into one of the best beaches in Northern California.
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Santa Maria Is Magical

Bike to Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore

Hike or bike in to Santa Maria Beach
Biker on a trail to Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore
Bike in to Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore
Biker on the wide open trail to Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes National Seashore
Ready to find a beach to call your own? Make a visit to Santa Maria Beach in Point Reyes. What makes Santa Maria so quiet and peaceful? The 3-mile bike (or hike) in!
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  1. Afternoon on the Island

    What is it about tiny islands in the middle of lakes? There’s something that just draws you in. It’s even more fun when getting there is half the adventure because you have to reach it by canoe, kayak, paddleboat, or a ranger-guided boat tour!

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  2. Hiker in the forest at Mount Sutro in San Francisco

    San Francisco's Middle Earth

    No need to travel to New Zealand to visit Middle Earth. San Francisco’s Mount Sutro Open Space is practically Hobbiton—a hidden “shire” in the middle of the city. Okay, maybe not quite as magical, but still an incredible place to take a hike in city limits.

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  3. Hike top Angel Island Mount Livermore San Francisco Bay

    Good Heavens

    The 4-mile hike to the top of Angel Island offers Bay-mazing scenery. Some people claim you get a five-bridge view: Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, Golden Gate, San Mateo-Hayward, and Dumbarton bridges.

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  4. Lake Nacimiento
    Sponsored

    Savor Summer in Paso Robles

    Ready for the “Great California Road Trip”? Keep it real and rolling in bucolic and beautiful Paso Robles. This down- to-earth destination has everything you need to enjoy the coolest experiences.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Locals' Feature: Jim Litchfield, Owner of Reno Fly Shop

    If there's a river, you're likely to find Jim Litchfield there. As the owner of Reno Fly Shop, Nevada's premier fly fishing outfitter and shop, Jim's passion for rivers knows no bounds: he's fished in places near and far, including Alaska, Bolivia and Christmas Island. But home is beautiful Reno, where he has been running Reno Fly Shop and leading tailored river float and fly fishing adventures (including beginner-friendly options) for over a decade.

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  2. Easiest Best Hike in the World

    Choose the easiest and most view-rewarding hike in Yosemite. Okay, we’ll go first: the combination of hiking to Sentinel Dome and Taft Point. Both of these lookouts are within a couple miles of each other on Glacier Point Road

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  3. Bikers and walkers on the Bay Area Ridge Trail with the Golden Gate Bridge behind them

    National Park City Walk

    See San Francisco the way locals do by hiking the Presidio, a national park right in the city! Wooded trails, secluded beaches, and epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge feature on this 5.5-mile out-and-back on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. It’s a lovely slice of the City by the Bay.

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  4. A group of people clamored around the summit marker at Mission Peak in the Bay Area

    Your Mission Is Less Crowded

    Mission Peak is one of the Bay Area’s most popular mountains, with many hikers climbing every weekend. Skip the crowds with this 6-mile loop up the less-traveled southern route.

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