The Bay Area is full of surprises, and getting off the beaten path is one of the best ways to discover them. For example, zipping through the currently naked vineyards of Napa along Highway 121, there's an unassuming, wide-open wetland that's home to over 100,000 migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. The Napa-Sonoma Marshes are a vast network of wetland, comprising more than 14,000 acres where Napa River meets San Pablo Bay. Explore this low-lying open space by taking a stroll starting from Huichica Creek Unit. From this staging area, a wide, gravel trail heads south along the border of a pond. Clear and wide views of distant mountains, including ethereal mainstays Mount Tam and Mount Diablo, frame the sublime scenery. Fair warning: while you're likely to experience mostly tranquility out here, duck hunting is allowed through January 31, meaning occasional gunshots can be heard (though thankfully, no desperate quacks). Our recommendation is to go an hour or two before sunset when the birds get busy. As you walk, scan the later afternoon sky, water, and grass for great egrets, American goldfinches, grebes, and even golden eagles. About 130 species of birds can be observed from this section of the marsh. Keep walking south to the row of eucalyptus trees and further on if you like (there aren't official trails, so be sure to remember where you came from). Winter sunsets here can be magnificent: periwinkle permeates the mountainous background as the marsh waters gather more glow, shimmering in silence before settling into the dark.

In Napa on Hwy. 12/121: turn south on Duhig Road and proceed approximately 2 miles then turn left on Las Amigas Rd. Follow Las Amigas Rd. east until it connects with Buchli Station Rd. then turn right (south) on Buchli Station Rd. and follow the road through the vineyard areas and cross the rail road tracks The CDFG parking lot will be on the left. The marshes are dog-friendly from July 1 to February 28.

Discover what all the flap's about at Palo Alto's Baylands Nature Preserve. The 2,000-acre industrial marshland—the largest tract of undisturbed marshes in the Bay Area—features over 150 species of birds. With nearly 15-miles of flat, multi-use trails unwinding directly beneath the Pacific flyway, this preserve offers excellent chances at spotting rare birds, including the star attraction, the endangered Clapper Rail—identified by its cinnamon-coloring, white flanks, and pale curved beak. Embark from Byxbee parking lot for a leisurely 4.9-mile (round-trip) walk along the wide dirt trail of the Adobe Creek Loop to Charleston Slough. Stroll the first half-mile to the marsh's edge and gander the American avocets, black-necked stilts, pelicans, and ducks paddling up a winter pool party in the high tides of the brackish marshes. Before turning back, pause at the rails on the southernmost end of Charleston Slough to gaze at the grass reeds bordering Adobe Creek, and soak up views stretching from Loma Prieta to Mount Hamilton. Nearing the trailhead on the return journey, take an easy, quarter-mile detour up through the park's pole field, a quirky art instillation of telephone poles in varying heights. Make a beeline for Baylands!

From San Francisco, take Highway 101 South, exiting at Embarcadero Rd. in Palo Alto. Follow signs for Embarcadero Rd. and continue on Embarcadero about a mile and a half until it dead ends at a stop sign. A right will lead you to the free Byxbee parking lot. Dog friendly!

Here's a big statistic: 80 to 90 percent of the Bay Area's wetlands have been destroyed over the past few centuries as a result of development. Good thing there are places like the East Bay's Hayward Regional Shoreline. It's the site of pioneering and ongoing efforts to restore local wetlands. Get up close to their efforts on a 3-mile (round-trip) hike starting from the West Winton Avenue Park entrance. Venture south into the expansive saltwater tidal wetlands. Skirting the perimeter of the Cogswell Marsh—restored in 1980—the raised gravel paths and wooden bridges are ideal vantages for surveying this marshy labyrinth. Time your visit several hours prior to peak low tide, and you're in for a shorebird hoedown: During high tide, water fills the channels, but as the tide rolls out, it's game on! Hordes of shorebirds like sandpipers, willets, and godwits crowd the mud flats, pecking at tasty crustaceans and worms burrowed in the sandy Bay bottom. Remember, stay on the sidelines during this feeding frenzy, or you'll definitely ruffle some feathers.

To reach the West Winton Avenue Park entrance, take the I-880 to the Winton Ave. exit (exit 28). Head west on W. Winton Ave. until it dead ends at the trailhead parking lot. From the traihead, turn left, skirting behind the area marked "landfill" on the trail map. With the marsh in view, the trail veers right, crossing a bridge and then forking at the start of the marsh loop. Follow the loop clockwise (you'll walk north along the shoreline) and retrace your steps back to the parking lot. To extend the hike, complete the first half of the loop and then follow the trail that continues south along the shoreline. This trail section extends 1.15 miles to the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center passing two other marsh areas (Hayward Marsh and H.A.R.D. Marsh). No dogs allowed in this section of the park.