Park Pleasures

Who's up for an easy summer adventure? Our local parks have trails to be explored and shows to be enjoyed! From a newly opened hike in the redwoods and a classic coastal headlands wander, to Broadway Under the Stars in a state park, here's a trio of ideas for soaking in the season.

Week: 07.25.2019
Regions: Northern CA

Broadway Under the Stars

Broadway Under the Stars at Jack London State Park in Sonoma Valley

Media consistently names it among the best outdoor concert venues in the country. Well, we’re going to go ahead and call it #1. Transcendence Theatre Company’s “Broadway Under the Stars” in Jack London State Historic Park has the tagline ‘Best Night Ever’ for a reason. Set within
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Have You Conquered Concord?!

Concord Hikes, Bike Rides, and Other Hidden Gems

Guided Hikes on Mount Diablo Go on a guided twilight hike on Mount Diablo for a quieter (dare we say intimate?) experience. Book early for the famous later summer Tarantula hike! Beauty from the Bicycle Seat Bikers can select from the Quick & Dirty Guide to the East Bay’s Best Bi
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Battery Recharger

Hike Hill 88 and Battery Townsley Marin Headlands

Hike Hill 88 to Battery Townsley in Marin Headlands
Hike Hill 88 and Battery Townsley in the Marin Headlands
Get swept up in iconic coastal scenery on this classic 5-mile loop hike in the Marin Headlands that passes a secret World War II military fortification, home to a vast network of underground tunnels.
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Bear Necessity!

Hike at Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve on the Peninsula

There’s an ancient forest that’s been given a new lease on life and just opened to the public in June! Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is ideal for summer hiking thanks to shaded trails that keep things cooler. Monarch butterflies flitter about, woodpeckers are drumming a
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Man hiking up a trail at Montara Mountain, with a view of the Pacific and Grey Whale sand beach in the background

    From Beach to Summit

    No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.

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  2. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Woman walking in the Venice Canals of Los Angeles County

    Canal Contemplations

    With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.

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  2. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  3. What's Up, Winthrop!

    It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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