There are many things to do outdoor that doesn’t involve eating out or shopping.  You can hike, bike, hit the waterway, camp overnight, or just relax and enjoy flowers in bloom.  The best place to help you find these great outdoor spot would be Weekend Sherpa.

I consider myself extra lucky to be living in California,  there are many different types of terrain in just one state.  Just a short drive away is the Pacific Ocean.  And to the east is Lake Tahoe and the  mountains.  And yet there are still many more places I have yet to discover.

Nice photo of Alamere Falls by Leon Turnbull.

Here are some I would like to see.  Have to pack a good lunch and get out the hiking shoes!  First stop is Alamere Falls in Point Reyes - 4 miles (8 miles roundtrip) hike to the coast.  I don’t know if I can make this one since last time I hiked 4 miles I was sore for days!

If you’re crazy about the ocean, a hike on Bolinas’ Coast Trail will quickly become one of your favorites, with one killer cliff-side view after another. Start early, so you’ll have time to get to the climax of Alamere Falls in Point Reyes.  The trip: Alamere Falls, which plunges 50 feet from the cliff into the sea. This trek begins on the wide, well-kept Coast Trail and meanders 4.1 miles one-way from the Palomarin Trailhead along the edge of the Pacific. Along the way, you’ll see beautiful Bass Lake and Pelican Lake, and red-tailed hawks coasting. About a mile past Bass Lake, you’ll find the Alamere Falls detour. (Watch out for a lot of poison oak on this narrow and densely foliaged trail. It’s a good idea to wear long sleeves and long pants.) The short trail to the falls is not park-maintained, but if you tread carefully, it’s more than worth it. You’ll be rewarded with one of the most spectacular spring waterfalls in the state. - Weekend Sherpa.

How about searching for sea creatures in the tidepools?  You can do it at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve.

Just north of Half Moon Bay, is a popular low-tide destination. The receding sea reveals rocky reefs the length of a football field, offering a beach side glimpse into an underwater Fitzgerald Marine Reserve world. Residents include a rich variety of marine life such as sea stars, crabs, sponges, sea anemones, and mollusks. Kids abound, too, getting up close and (sometimes a little too) personal with sea creatures; touching is encouraged, but don’t let the crabs pinch! Spring is one of the best times to visit: the resident harbor seals, of which there are more than 100, are pupping. Approaching these newborns is prohibited, but it’s amusing to watch them from a distance. - Weekend Sherpa.

More info on tidepools from Friends of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve at Moss Beach. are listed below:

The best way to observe tidepools is to sit quietly until animals emerge from their hiding places and resume their activities. Watch out for rising tide!

2. You may touch marine life, but DO NOT pick it up or place it in a container. If you do they will die. Examine it in the place that you find it.

3. Watch your step! Walk carefully around the tidepools for your own safety and to spare the marine life underfoot.

4. Any rocks that get moved should be replaced with the seaweed side up. Life on the bottom of the rocks will die when exposed to sun and air. Please avoid moving the rocks whenever possible.

5. Shells and rocks are a natural part of the areas. Many serve as future homes for critters such as hermit crabs. PLEASE DO NOT COLLECT SHELLS, VEGETATION, ROCKS, OR MARINE LIFE IN THE RESERVE.

Image source:

Photo by Leon Turnbull of Waterfalls West