Woman jumping on the beach at Pescadero Marsh

Freedom of Beach

Wishing you a very happy holiday season. Deck the halls and the trails with these three winter wanders that have beautiful beach bonuses. Stay tuned next week for our annual Top 10 adventures of the year. Merry and bright!

Week: 12.21.2022
Regions: Northern CA

Mellow in the Marsh

Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve on the San Mateo Coast

Hike Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve
Woman leaping off a tree log by a lagoon at Pescadero Marsh Preserve
Woman standing at a lagoon at Pescadero Marsh Preserve
Woman walking alongside the water at Pescadero Marsh Preserve
Beach, birds, ice plant popping purple flowers: That’s a hiking slam dunk! Hike about 2 miles at Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve using their easy to navigate (well-signed) Sequoia Audubon Trail.
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The Holiday Spirit of San Ramon

San Ramon Holiday Getaway Guide

Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink
From a holiday ice rink and mistletoe hikes to outdoor fire pits for cozy winter nights, here’s your San Ramon holiday getaway guide
Plan Your Holiday Getaway to San Ramon

GOAT Coastal Hike + Sunset

Hike Kortum Trail on the Sonoma Coast and Sunset at Goat Rock

Hike Kortum Trail on the Sonoma Coast
GOAT (greatest of all time) Sonoma Coast experience? Hike the Kortum Trail, wine taste on a patio overlooking the Russian River, and catch a sensational sunset at, yep, Goat Rock Beach.
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Sands of Time

Relax at San Gregorio State Beach Near Half Moon Bay

Those who want a fresh perspective and a quiet place to contemplate New Year’s goals should get an early start and head south of Half Moon Bay to San Gregorio State Beach. The wide beach has a large cave to explore and more than a mile of nice walking.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. A man takes a break at a temple spot on a hike at Dragon Mountain in Milptas

    Dragon Quest

    The newly reopened, 4-mile out-and-back hike at Dragon Mountain in Milpitas mixes the physical with the spiritual for a serene hiking experience.

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  2. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

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  3. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

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  4. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. Right now there's a banner and bonus view of a rare lake formation that appears only after big rains.

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  2. Hot, Wet, and Wild!

    At Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, you can soak up a primeval landscape that’s amazingly close to Mammoth Lakes and Highway 395—it just feels a few geological epochs away.

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  3. It's a Waterfall Life

    Tahquitz Canyon’s crystalline stream and lush stands of desert lavender, honey mesquite, and leafy sycamores is home to an easy day hike with a big bonus: a 60-foot waterfall that runs with remarkable gusto after winter rains.

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  4. Oh Snow Nice

    Live in California long enough, and you’ll come to know the rite of passage called “going to the snow”–when we ditch our fair-weather cities and towns in search of winter weather. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks deliver a winter wonderland worth a visit if there’s been a good dose of snow.

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