Ranking up there with substitute teachers and show and tell, field trips were a highlight of the good-old school days. Bring back the feeling on any of these entertaining and educational outings in some intriguing urban spaces. No permission slip necessary!
Sure, Saratoga's Hakone Gardens is the oldest Japanese-style garden in the Western Hemisphere, and the filming location for Memoirs of a Geisha; but you wouldn't know it. Hakone isn't a showy kind of place. Nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Hakone Gardens is all about tranquility. Get a cultural zen experience by participating in the once-a-month tea ceremony. Hosted in the tatami room, a tea master dressed in the traditional kimono gives people a glimpse into Japanese culture. The hour-long ceremony includes a tasty Japanese sweet, and some fresh (amazingly bright!) green tea. Remove your shoes and get ready for a mind massage: The meditative atmosphere relaxes you from head to toe, down to the bones. Afterwards, mill around the hillside estate: multi-tiered waterfalls, koi ponds, and individual gardens stretch for 18 acres. Wander to the Moonviewing House and under the Wisteria Arbor to a secluded pavilion. Or stroll through the Bamboo Garden (pictured) where plants rise over 60 feet. Hakone is heavenly.
Hakone Gardens, 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga; 408-741-4994. There is a $5 admission fee. Attending the once-a-month tea ceremony is an additional $5. Tea ceremonies happen every third Sunday of the month at noon, 1 and 2 p.m. No dogs.
A cemetery might not be the obvious choice for an afternoon stroll, but Mountain View Cemetery isn't any ordinary graveyard. Joggers, dog walkers, bicyclists, and baby strollers all take to this sprawling green space in the Oakland Hills. With lumbering live oaks, acres of grass, winding roads, and elaborate mausoleums, this is one of the finest examples of memorial parks on the West Coast. Designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted—the architect behind New York's Central Park—Mountain View Cemetery can be more, ahem, deeply understood on one of the free bi-monthly docent-led tours: See the final resting place of notable, and infamous, Californians like John C. Hays (aka Devil Jack), Julia Morgan (architect of Hearst Castle), Domingo Ghirardelli (the chocolate king), Samuel Merritt (former mayor of Oakland), and others. "Millionaires' Row"—a tribute to many of the wealthy and historical figures buried at the cemetery—has beautiful views looking out to San Francisco. Dare we say that death becomes it?
Mountain View Cemetery, 5000 Piedmont Ave., Oakland; 510-658-2588. Tours happen on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month at 10 a.m. and last about three hours. The cemetery grounds are open daily without a tour from 7 a.m. to one hour before sunset. Dog-friendly!
Nobody likes a know-it-all, but everyone appreciates a well-versed local. Increase your urban knowledge by joining one of San Francisco City Guides 58 available walking tours. Organized by volunteers who love the city's lore and legends, these anecdotal walkabouts aren't snoozy ho-hummers. We recently joined the Sutro Heights City Guide tour. Almost all of the 10 people who showed up were from the Bay Area; this tour's a little too off the beaten path for the tourists! Docent Dan regaled us with entertaining stories of inventor, entrepreneur and real estate developer Adolph Sutro who welcomed the public to enjoy his lavish estate and gardens in western San Francisco. Today, people can still stroll the area now run by the National Park Service. Visit the site where Sutro's home once overlooked Ocean Beach and his other famous property, the Cliff House. Then head down to the Sutro Baths ruins and learn how San Franciscans entertained themselves in the early 1900s. Cap off your academic afternoon with a stroll through Lands End. "A" for effort!
San Francisco City Guides has dozens of walking tours. It is a nonprofit and there is no fee or reservation to attend, although donations are appreciated.
No summer is complete without a trip to the lake. Get to Lake Tahoe South Shore this summer for the West's best combination of outdoor adventure and alfresco entertainment.
Bike Big Blue: Join an elite club by cycling the full 72 miles around North America's largest alpine lake. The 8th annual Tour de Tahoe has been named one of America's most beautiful bike rides.
Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan will be strummin' and hummin' to help wrap the 2010 Summer Concert Series at Harveys Outdoor Arena at Lake Tahoe South Shore. The Three Divas and Chickenfoot are also on the calendar. The stars are even brighter at 6,200 feet!
Sample the Sierra: The inaugural market-to-table event features tastings from the Sierra Nevada's best chefs and restaurants––all created with local produce, and paired with regional wines and brews. Whirl through a marketplace filled with honey, jams, olive oil and soaps, and enjoy acoustic musicians and other entertainment. Sample the Sierra!
Personal Best: Gain serious bragging rights by running from Tahoe City all the way to South Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe Marathon Week is a five-day celebration of high-altitude running, with a range of options including an all-downhill 10k and a standard 5k. Or straddle state lines in the new Aflac Iron Girl Lake Tahoe South Shore Triathlon. Start with a swim in California and transition to biking and running in Nevada. Happy feat!
Visit tahoesouth.com to plan your lake break.