What to do after brunch on Sunday in Palo Alto? Head to the Foster! Parking is a breeze, the…read moreadmission is free, and the experience works for all ages! As a dabbler in watercolors, I was transfixed--some of these paintings are huge--and he does not use photographs! As an educator, my mind was brimming with opportunities to integrate his work into humanities and human geography classes. The Foster website has excellent resources. This is a must see if you are in the area!

This turned out to be one of my favorite stops, especially when I'm in between appointments in Palo…read moreAlto. I knew in advance that on Thursdays (2nd & 4th weeks only), the public street parking in front of the building was off limits for street sweeping/no parking between 7am-11am, so I got very lucky pulling up in front at 11am sharp. Nice. Easy walk. The Foster Museum was very simple, decent, positive, and relaxing environment filled with gorgeous nature views/sketches/watercolor artworks by the U.K. artist, Tony Foster. Good feeling here. Free admissions and good customer service staffs. You can just walk in or register online. There's a tiny gift area not far from the public restrooms. I signed the guestbook at the end of my walk. Good place to hang around/includes unlimited paper, paper/pencils/samples/etc. If you like to sketch and get some creative inspirations, all the nature artworks in the gallery is definitely a good place to start. Not huge, but perfectly quite and calm for art lovers. You can request for an orientation and/or tour as desired. Great first impression during first visit. It's the positive feeling I get from observing the energy and various colorful artworks. Simple and stress-free. Good value/free admissions is totally worth the 1-2 hours here. They also host art classes too, but I will need to take time to browse around online. Good vibes. Staffs are friendly inside. Hidden place. Love it.

"What would you like for Christmas?". "I want you to find a person who we can spend all day in the…read morewoods with and they'll have answers for all the questions." Amazingly enough, this person exists in our own backyard. Christian has passion, knows his stuff, and as a result is an incredible teacher, a cool hang, and propagates a love for nature. I specifically wanted to level up my knowledge of mushrooms, but also hoped to gain a new understanding of plants and birds on the California coast. It was a deluge of info, and explained in a way that sticks. If you love the outdoors and want to spend time with someone who really gets it and has a contagious reverence for it, spend some time with Christian.

Redwood Coast Tours is a fantastic company and I was amazed by the mushroom tour we took with them…read morein Big Basin near Santa Cruz. Our expert guide, Christian, helped us find a multitude of different mushrooms as we meandered thru the Redwood forest. He filled our brains with practically a text book of information about mycology including mycorrhizal fungi. I highly and enthusiastically recommend Redwood Coast Tours for your educational tour on mushrooms!!

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!

Highly recommend you signing up for one of Leanne's hikes. I did the Oakland waterfalls hike with…read moreher. This was a gorgeous way into Joaquin Miller park. Along the way she pointed out the history and relationships of the native and non-native plants and trees we encountered. She had answers to all of my questions. I learned about some specific birds as well. Overall, I learned a lot. The sights, sounds and terrain were wonderful. Leanne's spirit, humor and depth of knowledge made a beautiful hike so much more. Check it out.

From the owner: Nature Rhythms tailors walks, hikes and experiences to meet people's specific interests and…read moreabilities.

We celebrated my kid's 4th birthday! Last minute thought and when I reached out to Tina she opened…read moreup some appointment for the date I needed.. and I truly appreciate it. The couple puts in a personal touch so the kids can enjoy and the group too. The tour was fantastic and well paced. The animals were happy, healthy, calm and friendly with the kids. Kudos to the couple for managing this beautiful tour while they have a little one We took the 12-1 tour but because I have kids, Tina was kind to let me use the picnic area and stay on for a little bit longer so I can feed the kids and also let them play around a bit.. Thank you, Tina

It's a small business started by Tina and Julian during the pandemic. They love the animal and…read morestarted the farm way before they started the business. If you like a small family exclusive farm educational experience, this is for you. Julian and Tina are such a sweet sweet couple! Julian knows all about his animals and takes great care of them. Our 7 and 2yo boys absolutely loved the animals and the very natural experience. There're dozens of hens, a few goats, ducks and even peacocks. We were especially impressed by how much attention Julian pays to safety. He separates the animals while our toddler was petting ducks.

The first charter we booked had to be delayed for weather, and let me tell you--it was worth the…read morewait. I had no idea what was in store for us. They took us out to the center of about a dozen whales and those guys were having a heck of a day. We saw everything from feeding to fluking. We got so close we could see the barnacles on their tails. They were swimming under our boat! I thought it would be scary but it was just fascinating. Captain Smitty was funny and he really knows his stuff. He taught us a bunch about the whales, birds, and seals we saw. We had a great time and will definitely be booking again. Minimum of 4 people to book, and be sure to take your anti-nausea meds if you're prone to sea sickness--Captain Smitty gets you really close to the action, which means waves. Two in our group took dramamine and were just fine.

My family and I just went on a whale watching trip today…read more It's always part luck. Thankfully, we got lucky. Spotted a couple Gray Whales from a distance, and after a tip from another boat were able to get closer to two others swimming together and ride along with them for a while. Captain Smitty and Lee were great! Knowledgeable, friendly, informative, and great stewards of the sea, and marine life. We definitely recommend these guys. Go with an open heart, patience, and have fun!

I have lived in the Peninsula for years and had no idea this place existed until I chaperoned my…read morechild's 2nd grade field trip here. The visit was very educational. The kids participated in a variety of hands-on activities, including working together to pull a fishing net and small fish out of the water. They were able to touch different fish, shrimp, and even small sharks, and observe plankton under microscopes. The staff were knowledgeable and engaging, and the kids had a wonderful time throughout the visit!

What a hidden gem in Redwood City! I got to visit the Marine Science Institute with my 3rd grader…read moreand her classmates. I never knew this place existed. We had the best interactive learning experience here. Children were split up into 4-5 groups with an educator from the institute. We were lucky to be in Emma's group. The kids got to see and touch shrimp, fish, spider crabs, mussels, clams, sea sponge and more! We also learned about the leopard shark and got to pet one. The kids worked collaboratively to collect samples from the bay and even got to look at plankton under a microscope. At the very end of the field trip the children all pulled on ropes together to reel in a giant net. They caught a few fish. It was such a fun experience. Thank you!!! Highly recommend

Came for my 30th birthday, left with one less irrational fear…read more I'm terrified of heights, but Nakela was so calm, funny, and reassuring that I somehow ended up actually enjoying myself. He made the whole experience feel safe and unforgettable. If you're on the fence (or white-knuckling it like I was), book with Nakela. He'll have you conquering fears and grinning the whole way. Thanks for making my 30th one I'll never forget!!! You rule!!

What a phenomenal experience! I surprised my husband with a Fly with Friends experience. No flights…read moreexperience needed, a pilot goes up there with you. Alexis took care of the takeoff and landing, and did an excellent job coaching my husband during the flight. I recommend this for anyone that wants to try flying and/or see the Bay Area from through new eyes'

Elliot (tour guide) was very knowledgeable, interesting, and attentive to our questions and…read moreinterests.

From the owner: Discover Marin County's most picturesque and historic town--Its history and the people who created…read moreit. Enjoy the fabulous views, the charming shops and the great restaurants. Make a day of it!

best Tech tour ever. It was a wholesome experience. Damon is very well versed in his knowledge…read moreabout the companies, history, Technology and the area.

Hello Damon, Thank U so much for the amazing experience U provided to my son !!! The highlight of…read morehis trip to San Jose !