Day Trip Week

Ski week, mid-winter break, Presidents' Week.  Call it what you will, it's a week of no school, a week of nothing on the calendar, a week full of possibilities for a day trip-lovin' gal like me.  I'm sure the kids would have been happy to just hang out at home the whole week, but I guess we'll never know.  Their mama had other plans. :) 

The hubs actually kicked things off by wanting to hike on the Monday holiday--music to my ears--so we picked a new spot and hit the hills.

Sunol Regional Wilderness surprised us with its proximity--not quite a half-hour drive, near Pleasanton--and its beauty.


Thankfully, Liz thought to bring a camera






 

Sausalito and Fort Baker

Talk about a g-g-gorgeous day in the city.  I could have just stood there and gazed at that view of the city for hours.  Or the view of the bridge.  Or the sailboats all sailing by on a Wednesday afternoon.




I wouldn't mind retiring to this little town (Sausalito)

 



I also wouldn't mind living in one of these houses at Fort Baker

 


where you wake up to this





and this

 

Moss Beach

I wanted to take the kids tidepooling and decided to hit this spot near Half Moon Bay, because not only does it have tidepools but also a colony of seals that you can watch sunbathe on the rocks and beach.  I looked up an online tide chart,  found the time for high tide, and planned to arrive as close to that time as possible.  Did you catch my dumb mistake?  Seriously, I continue to amaze myself.




Have you ever sat this close to the water?  Yeah, we hadn't either.



The kids were a little nervous that they and their lunches were going to be washed out to the ocean, what with the waves lapping right up against us when we first got there.  We did get to watch the seals swim at pretty close proximity, however, which made for some good picnic entertainment.  After lunch, Kymber and I were treated to our own personal spa treatments, thanks to the boys' burying out feet and legs in only the finest, freshest, c-c-c-coldest ocean sand.  They had fun making us shiver and shriek.




Millie joined in the rock-collecting action, brning Aunt Kymber all her favorites

 




A rare moment of sibling harmony and love



The wind picked up after lunch and gave us a good beating.  We snuggled up, skipped some rocks, ran a few foot races, played soccer, walked down to see the seals up close, watched Millie pick up a still-slightly alive, gigantic crab, and bided our time until at long last, tidepools!  Of course I forgot to pull out the camera for that most-anticipated and important part. 




Kymber and Mills sharing the picnic blanket

 


Can you tell these two are related?

 

 Big Basin Redwoods State Park

We'd been talking about going here with Liz, who'd never been, for weeks.  Stephen and I camped and hiked here several times when first married and pregers with Benito but hadn't been back since.  I told Liz, "Yeah, it's really close.  You just drive up Highway 9 until you hit it."  The part I forgot was the long and winding road from the park entrance to the actual trails and visitors' center.  REALLY long.  REALLY winding.




A few redeeming views from the sinous drive in

 



Good thing these pretty giants make all that tummy-turning worth it

 




This view never gets old





The kids had fun playing house inside these trunks

  We got spoiled with the weather this year, so I know I shouldn't expect to be able to do this every year for the February break. I'm afraid it's too late for that, though.  My mental list of day trip destinations just keeps growing and growing.  And I can't help but look forward to the next time we get a chance to have another day trip week.