hiking

Day Trips and Sips: Pair a Hike with a Winery on Cupertino’s Montebello Road

Vineyards adjacent to the Water Wheel Parking Lot, Montebello Road. Photo by Ben Lilly.

By Ben Lilly

Jan. 2, 2024 (Updated Dec. 24, 2024)—Hilltrompers, we have good news: you don’t have to schlep to Napa or Sonoma to enjoy a day brimming with rural landscapes and local wines. Instead, just hit the vineyards of Cupertino.

Six Hikes for History Buffs!

The stone dairy house at Wunderlich Park was built in 1874. Photo courtesy SMCPF.

Where did Houdini challenge local policeman to keep him locked up? What almost became a 6-lane freeway? San Mateo County Parks are rich in history beyond the two historic sites, Sanchez Adobe and the Woodside Store. If you love nature and history, then we have you covered with these six hikes.

Five Fall Hikes Near Silicon Valley

Wild turkeys on a fall day at Rancho San Antonio Preserve. Photo by Karl Gohl

Enjoy the changing colors of the leaves and the serenity to be found hiking in the hills around Silicon Valley (Santa Clara Valley). Oh, and a chai recipe to warm you up!

Fun and Games for Students in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Quail Hollow Pond is a great place for animal tracking! Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History photo.

Here are a couple of kid-friendly hikes and gamified educational activities in the hills near Santa Cruz, just 45 minutes from Silicon Valley.

Day Trips and Sips: Explore Ancient Oaks and Savor Sustainable Wines Along Skyline Ridge

The Ancient Oak Trail brings you to one of the most stunning Live Oak groves in Northern California. Photo by Majken Talbot.

Explore the trails of Russian Ridge, enjoy a lunch at Alice’s Restaurant, and soak up the views from the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains while wine tasting at the Thomas Fogarty Winery.

Gray Whale Cove

The trail down to the beach at Gray Whale Cove offers beautiful views amidst Monterey cypress trees. Photo by Mike Kahn.

A sheltered beach and inland trail.

Alum Rock Park

A 140-plus-year-old stone bridge crosses Penitencia Creek in Alum Rock Park. Photo by Raul A./CC

A few miles from downtown San Jose, find history, wildlife, a diverse set of trails, and great picnic spots at California's oldest municipal park.

Almaden Quicksilver County Park

The Senador Mine Trail at Almaden Quicksilver. Photo by Don DeBold/CC 2.0 DEED.

Historic mine country.

Day Trips and Sips: A Coastal Hike and Barnyard Fun in Half Moon Bay and Pescadero

The accessible Cowell-Purisima Beach Coastal Trail features gorgeous views atop steep cliffs. Photo by Alina M. Darkhovsky/Shutterstock.

A visit to the Cowell-Purisima Beach Coastal Trail and the Harley Farms Goat Dairy, with a nice Cantina lunch and wine tasting at Sante Arcangeli Family Wines.

TikTok Nature Trends Pros and Cons: From 'Hot Girl Walks' to Pink Ponds

@dandeliondystopia shares a #HotGirlHike in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park on TikTok.

TikTok has evolved beyond dance challenges and lip-syncs to embrace a new genre: nature exploration, including silent walks, forest bathing, and "Hot Girl Walks." But how do these trends fit with conservation?

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