Summer Cool Down

The heat is on! So get to nature's best air conditioning by heading out to these Bay Area beaches. Time to chill out...

Week: 08.31.2022
Regions: Northern CA

More Cowell-bell!

Hike to Cowell Ranch State Beach on the San Mateo Coast

If you didn’t know it was there, you might just drive right on by it. But for those who make the 0.5-mile walk (or bike ride) to the wooden stairway leading to Cowell Ranch State Beach, the reward is sinking your toes into one of the best beaches in Northern California.
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Dillon Darling

Relax at Dillon Beach in Marin

dillon beach in marin
dillon beach in marin
Dillon Beach in Marin
dillon beach in marin
Often overlooked, Dillon Beach in Marin can be magical in fall when the mist lifts to reveal a 1-mile swath of wide and sandy terrain backed by dunes and dotted with picnic tables.
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Whiskey You Were Here!

Getaway to Whiskeytown National Recreation Area near Redding

waterfalls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
waterfalls in Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
beach fun at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area is surrounded by miles of trails for hiking and mountain biking, beaches for lounging, and waterfalls. It’s also home to some of the best mellow paddling in the state.
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Have Some Funston

Enjoy Fort Funston Beach in San Francisco

Fort Funston Beach San Francisco
Fort Funston Beach San Francisco
Fort Funston Beach San Francisco
Fort Funston Beach San Francisco
Wind-sculpted sand dunes, serrated golden cliffs, and artwork as irreverent as Banksy’s all feature into this easygoing 1.5-mile scenic beach stroll at San Francisco's Fort Funston.
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Kirby Your Enthusiasm

Bike or hike down to hidden Kirby Cove just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin

A biker stopped to take in the scenery on the fire road leading to Kirby Cove and overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge
A biker with a yellow backpack standing at a vantage just above Kirby Cove Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
A few people relaxing on the beach at Kirby Cove with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background
Biker passing the official sign to Marin Headlands Golden Gate in the San Francisco Bay Area
Just west of the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin is one of the Bay's most-accessible secluded beaches. Kirby Cove is accessed by hiking or biking a 1-mile fire road down to the beach, where the reward is an all-time classic Golden Gate view.
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Love You Some Limantour

Spend the Afternoon at Limantour Beach in Point Reyes

Limantour Beach Point Reyes
Limantour Beach Point Reyes
Limantour Beach Point Reyes
Limantour Beach Point Reyes
A lot of places in Point Reyes National Seashore don’t allow dogs, but Limantour Beach has split the difference, offering ample dog-friendly space that’s bluffing beautiful.
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Trending Stories NorCal

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  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

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  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

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  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

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  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

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  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

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  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

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  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

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