Family Day Trips

Here are the best green Bay Area destinations oM has discovered this year. A Wine Time: East Bay Winery Bike Tours | Oakland California’s newest wine sensation is closer than you think. And you can reach it by BART. And bike. Enjoy a day away exploring the urbanite oenophile’s dream in Oakland and Berkeley. American Pie: Pie Ranch| Pescadero A working farm with a pie-in-the-sky mission of spreading food knowledge to the community,

Sacramento. It’s our state capital, the birthplace (or nearly) of the Gold Rush, a field trip mecca, and that’s about it, right? Wrong. Yes, Sacramento is all of those things, but it’s also a happening metropolis with a great arts scene, fun nightlife, and delicious eats. Here, some of the best activities to do in Sacramento. 1. Explore landmark buildings, old-fashioned photography studios, and sweet shops galore in Old Sacramento, the first historic

Oh by gosh, by golly. It’s that time of year yet again. And with Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Mobile Tuesday, and all the other shopping days days out of the way (please!), it’s time to get down to what’s real this season: hot cocoa, time with loved ones, and that child-like sense of wonder. Sure, we’ve got our gorgeous trees in Union Square and Pier 39, but if a little

A new study by the Journal of Psychological Science reports that “the awe” of nature makes you feel like you have more time in your life. So it makes sense that many harried Silicon Valley CEOs choose to live in Saratoga. And those of us who don’t run Fortune 500 companies can still enjoy some of their perks… for free. Anyone can access the incredible number of hiking and biking

Railroads abandoned and later rediscovered hold a certain mysterious and captivating quality. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of treks through the English countryside, following old tracks as they boorishly carved their way through rolling hills and deciduous woodlands. So when I heard of a passenger train service on a restored 19th-century railroad in the Santa Cruz mountains, I had to take a journey on the Roaring Camp Railroads for myself. Backtrack(s) This being

An afternoon at Shoreline looks like something straight out of a Georges Seurat painting. Families and couples relax on the grass field feet from the lake as thrill-seekers try their hand at windsurfing or sailing. It might as well be “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” but this idyllic scene is really just a stop off the Caltrain in Mountain View. Enjoy the bay breeze on

In case you’ve been away (or living under “The Rock”) for a while, the 34th Annual America’s Cup is coming to our Bay next summer. It’s history in the making, and it promises to be a rollicking good time. To whet our appetites (and get in a practice run for the main event), the ships will be sailing in this year for the America’s Cup World Series (August 21-26 and

Maximize your day in Monterey with these adventurous and educational activities, from kayaking with sea otters to biking 17 miles along the rugged coast to free jazz parties at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Here are a few of our favorite ways to spend a quick getaway in Monterey.   1. Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational Trail The Monterey Bay Coastal Recreational trail is an easygoing path that extends from Castroville through Pacific Grove, allowing