Each year, I have only a couple of requests for Mother’s Day.
- I want to do a family hike at Arastradero Preserve
- I don’t want to referee any sibling issues
- I want a day off from the dishes
Pretty simple requests don’t you think? This year I was 2 out of 3, not bad I suppose!
Arastradero Preserve
Our family loves to hike. We started the kids young and always had the expectation that they would participate. I’ve written about some of our foolproof tricks here before that have always helped to keep our kids agreeable. There are so many beautiful place near our home that within a 15-30 minute drive offer miles and miles of trails. Our favorites range from 3-7 miles total. Each one has a slightly differently flavor than the other. For Mother’s day this year, we choose a small preserve with easy access and miles of dog-friendly trails.
Arastradero is a favorite for hikers and mountain bikers on the peninsula about 30 miles south of San Francisco. It has some shade, but is mostly sunny which makes it best in our mild winter and spring months. Each trail twists and turns into the next with none of them being too long individually. They can be stringed together for longer hikes as well. This weekend we hiked a 4.5 mile loop through the park. My middle daughter is breaking in some new hiking boots for a backpacking trip in 3 weeks and was carrying a new backpack to get the feel for things to come. My youngest who was leading the way the majority of the trip began to fade in the last mile. that’s where having a big brother really makes things more fun!
The Simple Proof is all about helping families access the outdoors and be inspired to travel together learning about people and cultures around the world, but also right at home. There are also few things in life that are as fulfilling as a walk in nature, especially with those you hold most dear.
More family friendly hikes throughout the Bay Area and greater California can be found in our travel section.
