We gratefully welcome back Annie Burke, founder of Outside Kids, for today’s post.
Most people say that the Bay Area doesn’t have seasons.
I disagree.
The Bay Area has a dry season (roughly May-October) and a wet season (November-April). There’s the summer fog season and the hot and dry days of September and October. If we pay attention, it’s more complicated and interesting than simply wet and dry, fog or no fog.
Our winter means green hills that are great for hiking up, down, and around. Winter brings rain that makes the creeks flow, and there’s some kind of magic that happens with kids and creeks. At this time of year millions of birds make the Bay Area home. Our wetlands fill up with birds who have traveled literally thousands of miles. Also in the winter it’s typical that the inland valleys are cooler than the coastal areas. This means that Half Moon Bay can be warmer than Walnut Creek, decidedly different than our summer patterns.
What does this mean for you and your kids?
It’s a great time to go outside! Find a creek and explore it. There are waterfalls on Mount Diablo, at Point Reyes, and in Big Basin that actually have water falling. Go see it happen!
One place the Bay Area winter is on full display is Sunol Regional Wilderness. The hills are big and Alameda Creek flows right through it. Here are three great outings at Sunol this winter:
- A Gift We Can’t Return – Dec 26 from 2:00-4:00pm – Fresh air, wet leaves, shiny rocks, raccoon tracks – what’s not to like? Easy two miles.
- Puddle Jumping Hike for ages 7+ – Jan 3, 2016 from 1:30-3:30pm – Where is the water? On a short hike we’ll look for big and small critters in pools and puddles and under the bridge.
- Games with sticks and stones for ages 3+ – Jan 31, 2016 from 1:00-3:00pm – Find the forgotten fun with the earliest game pieces on earth! We’ll play traditional games of chance, strategy, and skill with local sticks and stones – without breaking bones!
There’s so much to do outside this winter. I’ll post another article here on 510Families soon with more ideas and tips. Share your favorite Bay Area winter outdoor activities on the 510Families Facebook page. We want to hear!
Do you love and want to preserve the Bay Area’s natural wonders? Learn what you can do to take care of these pockets of local wilderness with Annie on Outdoor Voice!
[All photos provided by Annie Burke and used with permission]
