This 5K marathon is quite a laid back version of the marathons held in the bay area. When this was…read moreposted in Groupon it was advertised to be in the Fairground but it was actually held at the Almaden Lake park. The beauty of the place makes it a relaxing and fun event for all ages. Anyone, young and old was geared up in their super hero costumes. There was even a guy in the wheelchair participating. During the pre-run event, the organizers set up a bouncy house for the kiddos with music playing for the participants. There was also a photo booth to take your super power poses and fight the evils of morning cramps, dehydration and kiddo tantrums. The registration starts at 8 am., 8:45 would be the warm ups and 9:00 is the start of the run/walk. There are different stalls for vendors with goodies to offer. There is also a booth for free massages if you can wait. The weather is breezy with no hint of rain. Thank heavens! It was such a fun experience to see people and kids doing this. I personally ran for about 15 seconds and then walked the next hour and 10 minutes...Lol! Was I bummed with my time? Heck no! I was just glad I got to finish it like everyone else and got to reach every poke stop to replenish my supplies for Pokemon Go . Got my medal, water bottle and banana at the end of it all....and got to evolve my Rhyhorn

Scenery: Forrest, Redwoods, Creek Difficulty: Easy…read moreDistance: 1.0 mile Elevation Gain: Pretty Level Duration: Route Type: In and Out Good for Kids: Yes Strollers: Yes Bikes: Yes Pets: Fees: Parking $10 My family & I recently went on an easy backpacking trip here with Stroller Hikes (http://strollerhikes.com/). To get here, drive towards Waddle Beach. Across the street from Waddle Beach, enter through the iron gate and drive down the road. You will then pass a small ranger office, park at the day use parking. Parking is $10. We started our hike at the Skyline to the Sea Trail. There were two trails, one for hikers, the other for horses, bicycles, and handicapped. We hiked the road trail, to your right, since we had the jogging stroller. The trail was very easy to follow and well maintained with lots of signs. In addition, you are mostly exposed to the sun until you get closer to camp, where you will be under some shade. On the trail, you will pass a ranch/home on your right, cross over a bridge, and pass another bridge on your left. You will finally see a sign that reads, Alder Camp. Follow the sign and you've reach the campsite. This is a very easy backpacking trip to hike with kids. Our group had about 8 kids, 4 of them were 2 years old and under. I especially liked how the campsite was next to a creek. The kids were able to play/swim in the water. We were also able to hike with the kids since the trail near the camp was easy enough for the kids. In addition, the campsite had trashcans & non flush toilet. Tips: Backpacking stoves only Bring a rope to tie your food on the tree

Too Big to Trail San…read moreVicente (SV) is one of the newest parks to open in Santa Cruz County (ca. 2023), which already has some of the region's biggest and best parks, including nearby Henry Cowell and the venerable Big Basin. SV consists of ±8,900 acres of privately-owned mixed-use land that is operated by the Living Landscape Initiative, which is a combination of multiple conservation groups (Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, The Nature Conservancy, the Save the Redwoods League, and the Sempervirens Fund). The land was recently devastated in 2020 by the CZU Lightning Complex fires, which delayed the park's opening, but the first seven miles of trails finally opened in 2022, with another thirty-one miles scheduled to open sometime in the future. ***Please be aware they want you to register (for free, calm down you cheapskate) thru their website and you'll get a lifetime pass to access the park. Please check the website for more details before visiting.*** The Good: *Huge parking lot *Restroom w/ pit toilets (don't look down!) in the aforementioned restroom *Fantastic signage! Maybe some of the best you'll find at any park. *If you forgot to register ahead of time, there is a kiosk in the lot where you can get a day pass. *Trails are in very good shape and would be great for Trail running, if that's your thing. *The one good thing that came from the fires is the burned trees now give way to great views of the Pacific Ocean. *Not popular at all, and you'll pretty much have the whole park to yourself. We were there for three hours and saw four people the entire time. *You'll get a little bit of road noise from the occasional car on the nearby street, but otherwise it's mostly piece and quiet. *Leashed dogs ok on certain trails (check signage) *Bikes ok on certain trails (check signage) *Equestrian OK on certain trails (check signage) *We read on AllTrails that the shadeage wasn't great on the trails but we actually found them to be OK for the most part. However, with that said, the one section we didn't reconnoiter was the Canyon Trail, which supposedly is the worst in terms of shade. *Lots of loops available, as we were able to pair several together and had very little overlap so it was nice to not to have to see the same stuff twice. *Great park to bring young kids as none of there's very little elevation gain and most of the trails are fairly flat. The Meh: *While the signage is fantastic, be aware the overall maps are oriented the same direction, so there'll be times when they're transposed (i.e., left is right, and right is left) from your actual location. But, if a big dummy like me can figure it out, then you'll be OK. *Seven miles of trails isn't very much, as we did nearly five of the seven miles on our first trip. We would've done the last two, but we were sta'hvin' kid! The Ugly: *Pretty crazy to see the devastating effects of wildfires even after five years of repair. *The drive up is a bit harry, but if you've been to Big Basin, then this should be no sweat. Conclusion: Fantastic new addition to the Santa Cruz hiking circuit.

Almost 2 years ago, we registered to get passes for San Vicente Redwoods. Today was our first time…read morechecking it out. When we arrived shortly after opening at 9, there was nobody there but when we left there were about 6 cars in the large parking lot. If you arrive without having a pass, there is a kiosk where you can register. There is also restrooms and picnic tables. We ended up doing the Live Oak Trail and the Lizard Trail so ended up about 4-4.5 miles today. So many cool trees and lots of birds. There's also a nice view of the ocean. Signage and trails were great. We did have to climb under/over one spot where a tree had fallen and blocked the trail. (Live Oak Trail) I would return for sure! This is phase 1 of the project and eventually there will be more trails open.

Let me start by saying that I'm amazed that nobody has yet Yelped this event. Considering the…read morepopularity of other running events in this area, it's actually quite surprising. In any case, allow me to offer the first review. This is actually a dual event, a half and full marathon (with the latter being the Surfer's Path Marathon) that is really a marriage between Wharf To Wharf and the Santa Cruz Half Marathon. I ran the half so hopefully soon someone can provide some feedback on the full. If you love Wharf To Wharf (and this year's race selling out in one day suggests that you do), and you're into the half marathon scene, then you're going to love this run! Let me premise with this: The course is almost the precise route Wharf To Wharf is held on - with the difference being that runners loop around the Capitola wharf area and obviously run back. Expect a few rolling hills throughout the course to add a bit of challenge for you (in case 13.1 miles isn't enough) and the typical support of the Santa Cruz and Capitola communities as you run by. It would be irresponsible for me not to mention the finish line. Once you've completed about 13 miles, they've saved the last 30 or 40 yards for you on the beach... in the sand. So, if the miles you've just completed weren't difficult enough, be prepared for the change in footing. I actually stumbled a bit at that point and then gave a quick look around to see if anyone noticed. Oh yeah, it's the finish line, there are several thousand people there, and yes, they noticed. To rub salt into that would, my name was read by the race announcer as I crossed the finish line. Now everyone knows my name - you know "that guy that almost fell." That said, don't expect any glamorous photos at the finish line, and yes, there are photographers there to capture your special moment. I would suggest positioning yourself for more favorable action shots from the photographers elsewhere throughout the course. If you're into the bling, you'll appreciate the finisher's medal. Though smaller than many of my other medals, it's still pretty cool and has a fancy ribbon (I'm big on a nice ribbon - details man). This year's race was met with an absolute clear sky and a nice cool morning air that was perfect for running. That's part of the reason why I waited a week to post this. I wanted to wait and come off of my high from the race so I could give a better thought out perspective. My only real knock on this event is with the limited expo. Though at the beach in Capitola (which is cool), there weren't a lot of vendors. And of those that were there, many were advertising other races. Also, the packet pick up is kind of a pain. Considering the time of year, the weather is warming and more people are headed to the beach. So the seemingly simple task of parking your car to pick up your gear can become quite adventurous. Also, being from the San Jose area, it's inconvenient to have to make that drive just to pick up my bib. I will offer this though: Did I see a packet pick up on race day? I'm pretty sure there was a table that was staffed with WAY too many volunteers that was for race day pick ups. If that's the case, then please ignore my earlier complaint. To sum this up, think of the little things that you dislike about Wharf To Wharf and imagine those things no longer being an issue. Imagine not having to deal with parking and those damn bus lines! Imagine a race where there are only a fraction of the runners that are in Wharf To Wharf. I'm not sure. Now that I think about this, I like the race the way it is. Maybe I'm shooting myself in the foot here by providing a Yelp review and drawing more attention to it. Maybe I don't want too many people knowing about this. Maybe I don't want it to lose its charm by becoming more popular and bigger. I'm conflicted.

Hike Path A ±7-acre…read morepreserve that was purchased by the City of Scotts Valley in 2003 and is currently managed by the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. This is the last piece of undeveloped land in the City of Scotts Valley. The park itself is split into two halves: East Glenwood OSP & West Glenwood OSP. We visited the East half, so this review will be for that half. It is worth noting that the two halves do have different rules, so please be aware of which portion you're visiting. The Good: * Free to visit * Dedicated parking lots on Glenwood Dr & Canham Rd. * Port-o-potty in the parking lot * There are three different short loops that can be combined into one larger ±4-mile loop. * Trails are in decent shape * Good place for wildflowers, but it can be hit-or-miss depending on the year. * Access points from the surrounding neighborhoods * Pond in the east side The Meh: * No dogs on the East half, but leashed dogs are OK on the West side. * No biking on either half * Horses OK on the East side but not on the West * There can be trail closures due to cow grazing so check the website for info. * Mostly unshaded trails The Ugly: * No trail connects the East and West halves. Yeah, you can get there by walking Canham Rd, but it would be nice if they connected without having to leave the park. Conclusion: Overall, a nice park to visit, and it would be even better if you lived close by, but I don't consider it a destination-worthy spot.

Easter Sun 4/20/25 my first time at Glenwood OSP, Scotts Valley. They have 2 sections of the park…read moreseparated by Glenwood Dr. First we did the East entrance, closest from the freeway. This is the more scenic side either larger parking lot, 1 pit toilet. No dogs and no bikes on this entrance due to cows and horses being allowed. Wildflowers lupine and owls clovers were in bloom, so pretty! Good for photos. We did the three loops there: red, gold, navy, if you do all loops would be 4.2 miles. West Entrance we walked past Scotts Valley High School and entrance on the left. This lot is super tiny, only like 4 spots and 2 handicap. There are 5 small loops and if you do them all would be 3 miles. There are some wildflowers on this side, but not that good for photos. Worth going if you like wildflowers and short hikes.

I was in Malibu and was looking for a nice beach. The waves looked great. A lot of servers were out…read morebut because there's so many private beaches it's kind of hard to find a nice beach was nice sand and also nearby parking so I wanted to add this beach because this one is great due to state parking Area. You pay about 390 an hour and it's easy like this. You have to bring your own towels, even though there was a lady who was selling a couple of Beach items. The beach is covered in shells only at the beach area. Their little lagoons are over the beach, their live lobsters if you like it to find one sea urchins the sand wasn't the best But they did have a couple of rainy days ahead of me so maybe that's why the area is nice very medium populated and easy access so definitely bring your own. Your drinks bring your food and enjoy the sun. I will definitely go back.

This is my second time to take my granddaughter to Ride A Wave. I really like the buddy system…read more Last year she did the kayak once. Now at 8 she was excited to kayak and did so twice. I really appreciate the volunteers that give their time to do this special event. Next year we're determined to do the surfing.

I guess I'm one of those "hot humanitarian chicks in bikinis" Salty Von B. writes of in the only…read moreother review for RAW. While I'm flattered, I'm surprised no one else has shared the wonders of what it is that makes Ride A Wave so amazing. For a few weeks every spring/summer, Ride A Wave hosts children and adults with a range of disabilities from all over California to participate in the wonders of the Pacific Ocean at Cowell's Beach in Santa Cruz. On any given weekend in May or June, you will see a host of volunteers aiding in great kayaking, boogie boarding and surfing times! You don't have to be a water person to volunteer either. RAW is a completely volunteer based organization, and we can use you no matter what your skill set is. We always need folks on the beach to help keep our "campers" comfortable and safe. Sometimes it's just about being someone's special friend for the day. And trust me when I say this is one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. I've helped calm the nerves of an Autistic child get over his fears of the water to watch him completely wig out at how cool kayaking can be (and then not want to leave the boat, but that's another story). Every year we host children with pediatric cancers... knowing full well that we may not see them again next year... and for a couple of hours RAW makes it possible for them to just be kids again. No worries about needles and doctors. Just kids splashing around, throwing sand, enjoying life. Ride A Wave is outfitted to handle the most challenging of disabilities, and we try and accommodate everyone who comes to our camps. Regardless of how much is going on in your life, I always ask people to just come down for a day and check us out. I promise you will leave completely changed.

Jamie W and I would've never discovered this bucolic area were it not for a quiet weekend we…read moredecided to spend at Costanoa, our first time there (review: https://yelp.to/vaqsPWt1bI). While we really liked our lodge accommodations, we recognized we had to be resourceful about our time since we felt removed from civilization. Walking out of the property on the main drive, we simply crossed Hwy One. Easier said than done. We followed the trail that veers to the left and leads to the dunes. The views were beautiful with the bluffs lower than what you'd see in Big Sur. Consider it Little Sur. At 3-1/2 miles, the path was not excessively onerous except for the occasional patch of poison oak. The reward was the beach, but you can always turn back if nature gets too overwhelming. Might I suggest a campfire martini at Cascade in Costanoa as your alternative reward? RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails l've walked and reviewed: https://yelp.to/_QDxW4IQx4

Super great hike. Go thru the two sand dunes to get to the beach. Found two elephant seals (or…read morethey found me) great place to just enjoy the outdoors. Wildlife. Just a great hike. Two or so beaches south of Pescadero (we got the artichoke bread from the bakery). Great Sunday afternoon. just wonderful.