Beautiful trails with different abilities/stuff to see. I went down to the Garden of Eden because I…read morelove water features. Shady trails with lots of redwoods and water.

Amazing 0.8 mile reasonably level trail through a dense grove of majestic redwood giants. There was…read morealmost no one in the parking lot when I arrived at 9am on a Wednesday but the parking lot was full by noon when I left. There is a California state park gift shop that opens at 10am. Parking is $10 ($9 for seniors over 62). There is also a walkway from the parking lot to the Roaring Camp train station next to the state park.

I found so many banana slugs on the Skyline to sea trail! It got warm real quick so make sure you…read morehave enough water and a hat. The volunteer working at the little store they had was so sweet and informative. He told me all about the fire that happened here several years ago! I'd come back again. Also, lots of benches to enjoy the views and good amount of parking.

Came here to see the waterfalls but unfortunately with the fires in 2020 it is closed. Not sure…read morewhen it will be back open for hikes. Nonetheless it was a nice hike here. It was nice to see benches made from the trees to allow for break times and snack time. Parking is $10 but it is good for the day and to other state park until sunset.

This review is specifically for the Waterfall Loop Nature Trail within Uvas Canyon Park, one of the…read moreBay Area's many "hidden gems." Nothing like a relaxing hike along a pristine nature trail to clear the mind and nourish the soul. I noticed that one recent review calls this hike "easy" but as we were climbing the stairs from the parking lot, we encountered two young women who looked to be in their 20s who were going in the opposite direction, returning to the parking lot. "It's beautiful," one of them volunteered to us, "but it's really HARD!" And indeed, on the trail we encountered young people who were visibly panting, even though the Waterfall Loop trail is shorter and easier than others in the park. So you might want to take that into account, FWIW, as the expression goes. It might also be helpful to mention the following: * The rules of this park call for purchasing an entry pass/parking permit online BEFORE you arrive. The reason is the limited number of spaces. Your permit is good for entry during a ONE-HOUR WINDOW for which you make your reservation. The person in the car ahead of us hadn't purchased a permit in advance and was able to use a credit card to purchase it at the entry gate but that might only be done when ample space in the lot is available. * To access the park, you must drive through a private 110-acre resort (Sveadal, meaning Swedish Valley), owned and operated by the Swedish American Patriotic League since 1926. It's a SINGLE-LANE road that is NOT LEVEL (quite rocky). You will want to make sure that your vehicle is in reasonably good shape for this drive. The only really scary part of this road for us was that at a couple of points, the incline is steep enough that you can't see ahead of you on this single-lane road. So you have to trust that no other vehicle is going faster than it should be coming toward you, in the opposite direction. * One more point ("muy importante"/very important): If you're coming for the waterfalls, use your preferred AI platform to check to make sure that the water will be flowing at the time of your visit. That's because the falls are generally seasonal and dependent on the amount of rain during preceding months. The falls are not large and thundering but they are nonetheless quite beautiful and soothing. PS: For those who don't know Spanish but may be interested: The Park is named after the Spanish word for grapes (uvas), referring to the abundance of wild grapes (Vitis californica) that early settlers found growing along the creek and throughout the canyon.

The best hike I've ever been on! Great views with multiple waterfalls throughout the trail and a…read morehuge plus that the park is completely dog-friendly. Easy parking but you have to reserve a spot ($6) ahead of time. We only booked a day before and there were still a lot of availabilities. The reserved hour is only a time frame of when you have to arrive to the park but you can stay for as long as you would like. My printer ended up not working the day of so I called the park and they were so nice in offering that I just write my reservation number on paper and place it on my dash. The weather was so nice when we went (mid March) and almost all of the trail was beautifully shaded. We did the Waterfall Loop trail which was about 3 miles and lasted about 1 hr & 40 min. Moderately challenging and such a fun workout with absolutely amazing views. I loved everything about this park!

I really love KOA campgrounds. This one is a hidden little spot between Monterey and Santa Cruz,…read moreless than a 1/2 hour drive to each. Really nice staff, very clean and safe. The spots are very close to each other, but this is a small campground, maybe 50 spots. The KOA person guided us into our spot, made it easy because if it was just me and the wife... well you know! Moss landing is an old fishing town, very small, abut very historical and interesting to walk around. The ocean beach is walking distance from the campground. I will return to this place, very safe and very secluded. Nice clean laundry room, landscaping is beautiful, location is in a very secluded area in the farming community. Very tight spots, you are really close to your neighbor. But that's OK, this is a place you stay at, and go out during the day to see the sites around the area. There is no stores or restaurants in the area. Only one deli (which is really good but only open to 3pm). So you will need to have food and supply with you.

I am a big fan of KOA and have stayed at all of the three levels that I thought they had up till…read morenow. This one is a small KOA - the manager tells me it's the first KOAExpress. The other levels, journey, destination and resort are increasingly fancy, but generally have some kind of market, a cafe or restaurant, pools, jacuzzis and the like - more so at the higher levels. Well, this one was a fraction of the size of most of those. it was very well kept, nice level paved sites, excellent bathrooms - two full bathrooms, where you get your own toilet, sink and shower and door It's essentially located right in the harbor, there's a gate that will get you to the docks. Including all the whale watching boats . A bunch of sea lions were my neighbors on a rock on the other side of the fence. There are a couple of restaurants within walking distance as well, so that makes up for not having one on site

A lovely and peaceful county park in the foothills of Saratoga. Getting here is a pretty easy shot…read moreup highway 9 before it gets too windy, though there are still many curves. Since it's a County Park, there is a $6 entry fee, though you can also park outside of the park and still enjoy the trials. The outside parking is quite far from the actual entrance, so I wouldn't park there if you're trying to enjoy the picnic or main grounds. There are a couple of easier short trails, and then some longer steep trails, but not a ton in between. Parts of the park are ADA accessible, including the deck in the circle of trees. There are a good number of picnic tables and picnic areas, with many of the picnic tables having charcoal grills at them. I was here on a warm winter day and some were in use, but most were open. One of the parking lots was closed when we were there, but there was still plenty of parking since it was winter.

Pine in the Ass…read more +3,400-acre park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains that's just a short--but windy--drive from Downtown Saratoga along scenic Hwy 9. The Good: * It seems like they've upgraded their parking situation quite a bit, as they have several large lots. * Restrooms in aforementioned parking lots * RV camping year-round (check website) * Hike-in Campsites (check website) * Open picnic tables and reservable areas * Leashed dogs okay on certain trails (check signage) * Equestrian trails okay (check map) * Biking (check maps) * Good place to see salamanders thanks to the lake * 22 miles of trails The Meh: * $6 entrance fee * We did a nearly five-mile loop (look up San Andrea & Madrone Loop on AllTrails), and I just found the trails to be pretty mundane and not nearly as exciting as other parks we've visited recently. The Ugly: * Why do they have to have the parking machine at the entrance of the park? This just causes traffic to back up unnecessarily as everyone has to stop, get out, pay, get back in their car, and then drive off. Seems like a silly place to put them, but what do I know? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Conclusion: Not a bad park overall (probably 3.5*) but just didn't have that "can't wait to come back" feeling that I usually get after a nice hike.

TikTok started showing me Del Valle Regional Park videos which made me wonder if the universe was…read moretrying to tell me I need to go on a hike... well, I did. And it was beautiful so who really won? I don't recall which trail we did, but the views were nice. There's not much shade along the trail we took so I'd say wear a hat if you can and stay hydrated. Once in a while, we saw a random cow walking along which was cool. This place is popular - we saw a lot of families and bicyclists when we were here.

What a beautiful way to begin the Lunar New Year…read more Yesterday, we hiked 4.2 miles at Del Valle Regional Park, and it felt like the perfect start to my new year goals. The trail was absolutely beautiful, even with a light drizzle along the way. Rain or shine, we still show up and that's something I'm really proud of. I'm so happy to say that my stamina is getting stronger with every hike. Each time we head out, I can feel the progress. The hills feel a little less intimidating, the miles go by a little easier, and my confidence grows a little more. When we reached the top and looked out over Lake Del Valle, the view was breathtaking, calm, peaceful, and completely worth the climb. Moments like that remind me why I keep pushing forward. Growth doesn't happen overnight, but step by step, mile by mile, I'm getting better. And thank you, Hubby, for always motivating me and believing in me. Having someone by my side who encourages me to keep going makes all the difference. Here's to starting the Lunar New Year strong and continuing to chase every goal ahead of us.

We road our bikes through here years ago. This past weekend we finally camped here for 3 nights…read more We had a great time. The beach and trails were great. We will definitely come back.

Great beach for barbecues, but a little windy. A lot of grills available and about ten dollars to…read moreget in. Nice area about 10 or so miles from San Francisco. Gets windy later in the day which can make it challenging to make a fire but tables set in front of the ocean. Three bathrooms near picnic area. Overnight camping is allowed in separate area for $35 a night. Nice beach. Will visit again when in the area.

I have been a member for many years…read more Great place. Great people. An experience that should not be missed. Come on up!

Absolutely love this place, Wednesday was my first time I was so nervous at first. It was quiet and…read moreperfect to go for my first time and let me tell you, it felt amazing to relax and be free with your body. Around noon to 1pm a few guest started to come to the pool. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. And really look out for each other, which made me felt safe being there. Highly recommended to go. I wish I found this place sooner. I haven't yet experienced the weekend but the quiet relaxing weekday is great especially for nervous new comers like myself. I promise you will not regret it.

Kirby cove is a must-visit, easy hike just across the Golden Gate Bridge. Park at the Battery Ridge…read morearea in Marin. then you can hike out too the Battery Spencer viewpoint, then over to the Golden Gate bridge; there is an underpass so that you can reach the East viewpoint. Then you can hike down to Kirby Beach. Go during the week, and try to arrive before noon for good parking.

Kirby Cove is one of those hidden gems that feels like a true escape even though it's right next to…read morethe Golden Gate Bridge. The views are absolutely stunning--especially at sunset--and the beach feels peaceful and uncrowded compared to most spots in the city. The walk down is manageable but be ready for a bit of a climb on the way back up. If you're looking for a scenic, low-key place to relax or take photos, this is hard to beat.