Alum Rock Park in San Jose, California is one of our recent outdoor adventures we’d love to share with you. Can’t believe we’ve lived in the SF Bay Area for years, and this was our first visit! Don’t make our mistake. If you are near San Jose and looking for a beautiful hike in a historical setting, Alum Rock Park is a great place to start. Alum Rock Park History and Curiosities Founded in 1872, Alum Rock Park is the oldest municipal park in the entire state of California! Modeled after European spa retreats, the park boasted close to 30 mineral hot springs, baths, pavilions, Tea House, and even a…
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San Jose Rose Garden: Outdoor Adventures in San Francisco Bay Area
San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, voted “America’s Best Rose Garden”, is one of the most popular urban outdoor places for visitors and residents alike. Nestled on the corner of Naglee and Dana avenues, it’s just a couple of minutes away from the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. There, now you have a whole day planned! 😊 We love visiting the garden, whether it’s for a relaxing stroll along the rows of rose bushes (over 3,500 of them with 189 varieties!), have a picnic or kick off the ol’ shoes and enjoy a book on the lush grass lawns. If you’re lucky, you might even get a chance to observe a wedding by…
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Ulistac Natural Area: Outdoor Adventures in San Francisco Bay Area
Ulistac Natural Area is the LAST 40-acres of undeveloped land in the City of Santa Clara. It is a phenomenal environmental walk that lets you experience how the San Francisco Bay Area looked long before the first settlers moved in. We are so fortunate to have an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the seasons bring to the Bay Area, and Ulistac is definitely a place to enjoy all year round. Like many locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Ulistac was inhabited by the Ohlone Tribe, who occupied the Northern California coast. They founded a village in this area, called “Ulistac”. “Ulis” means basket, and “tac” means place –…
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Rancho San Antonio: Outdoor Adventures in San Francisco Bay Area
In the heart of the fast-paced Silicon Valley, Rancho San Antonio County Park and Open Space Preserve offers a refreshing escape from the daily grind. With its lush green meadows, scenic rolling hills, and dense wooded forests, Rancho San Antonio is perfect for anyone who enjoys just “getting away” now and then, without having to travel very far. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountain range, this park is a local favorite destination for hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. Rancho San Antonio is easily accessible from anywhere in the Bay Area, and is quite extensive. The 165-acre Park combined with the 3,988-acre Preserve, has plenty of hiking…
