During my time at Berkeley, I’ve begun countless Saturday mornings by jumping in my car and going for a daytrip. Our campus’s proximity to so many beautiful parks, beaches, and mountains is just one of the many amazing things about the university. I’ve spent my fair share of time going on hikes and enjoying the lovely nature of the Bay Area, and these are just some of my favorite places nearby:
Muir Woods
This is a classic spot that anyone in the bay should visit! Muir Woods National Monument is situated just north of the Golden Gate Bridge and is home to a beautiful old growth forest of coastal redwood trees (my favorite tree and the California state tree!). There are a lot of hikes to do here, including a really beautiful stroll through the redwood grove. A must see!
Mount Tamalpais
Located just next to Muir Woods is Mt. Tamalpais State Park, which is a really lovely spot to view the sunrise or sunset. You can drive up nearly all the way to the top of Mt. Tamalpais if you want, and it’s then a few minutes hike to reach the summit. Alternatively, you can start at the trailhead further down the road and hike a few miles up the mountain! There’s a bit of elevation gain, but it’s worth it for the views along the way! On a clear day, you can see across quite a bit of the bay.
Point Reyes National Seashore
As someone who loves geology, Pt. Reyes is the place to be! There’s so much to do here, from hiking and shell-combing on the beaches to sea kayaking or visiting the lighthouse. My personal favorites are Drakes Beach and Kehoe Beach, but there are so many in the area to choose from. Pt. Reyes is also home to the famous cypress tree tunnel you may have seen pictures of! The drive over here from Berkeley is also especially beautiful, making a trip out here definitely one of my favorite things to do on a weekend in the Bay!
Bodega Bay
Go a bit farther north, and you’ll find Bodega Bay. This is another great spot along the coast. I love going to beaches here to look for sand dollars, and it’s also really fun to camp right near the ocean! Again, the drive out to Bodega Bay is really beautiful and takes you right along the water!
Point Bonita Lighthouse & Golden Gate Bridge Overlook
On the way back from other sights in the North Bay, one of my favorite quick stops is the Point Bonita Lighthouse. You get really great views of the San Francisco skyline from here, and you can also spot sea lions on the walk over. Driving back from the lighthouse, there are pull outs along the road where you can stop and see the Golden Gate Bridge as well. This is a pretty popular spot for tourists, but it is definitely worth visiting at least once! Make sure to go on a clear day, because sometimes it is so foggy that you can’t see the bridge at all!
Mount Diablo
If you’ve been in Northern California, chances are you’ve seen Mt. Diablo, because it can be seen from all the way across the Central Valley! Mt. Diablo is located just East of our campus on the other side of the Berkeley and Oakland Hills. Similar to Mt. Tamalpais, you can actually drive right up to the summit of the mountain if you’d like. However, I prefer to drive part of the way up and then hike the rest, because there are many different trails to explore that loop around the mountain. On a clear day, the views from the top are incredible. To the East, you can see across the valley to the Sierra Nevada mountains; and to the West, you can see San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Mt. Diablo is especially beautiful in the Spring when the vegetation is so green, but it’s great to visit at any time of the year!
Half Moon Bay
Another iconic Bay Area fixture, for good reason. Half Moon Bay has gorgeous beaches that I’ve been coming to visit since long before I moved to the Bay for university! Half Moon Bay is known to be amazing for surfing, but it also has exceptional tidepools! Mavericks Beach and Moss Beach are definitely not to be missed if you’re into tidepooling. You can spot anemones, sea stars, sea urchins, crabs, and many more little critters here, as well as seals.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
This state park is just north of Santa Cruz. All of the surrounding area is exceptionally beautiful as well, but this park in particular has a special place in my heart. You can often spot banana slugs on your walk through the redwood groves here, on trails that wind through the forest right alongside the river. It is so incredibly picturesque here, and the environment is such a vivid green no matter what time of year that you visit. There are even small waterfalls to see as well along your walk. And, since this park is located so close to Santa Cruz, it’s easy to make a stop at nearby Santa Cruz or Capitola beaches before heading home for the day!