The Central Coast and Highway 1 are finally open again. What better way to celebrate than a trip to Big Sur? Limekiln State Park is a tiny slice of the California State Parks that should not be missed on this stretch of paradise.
When I think of redwood hikes, I think of Muir Woods and the whole Bay Area peninsula. The East Bay, however, can hold its own when it comes to these tall wonders. I don’t make it out to the East Bay often, but the Sequoia Bayview trail in Joaquin Miller Park does not disappoint.
The Little River Inn recently extended an invite to attend their first ever Ferment and Forage Experience celebrating the gathering food from the land and sea. I grew up picking blackberries on bushes at summer camp and eating vinegar ants right out of the ant hill. After hearing countless stories of how friends foraged for mushrooms and the like in my metaphorical backyard, I wanted to learn how.
The Little River Inn brought Kevin from Countryman Forager, folx from Freedive Shop, Erica from Rising Tide Sea Vegetables, and the Inn’s own manager and resident fermenter, Cally, for foraging and cooking demos. If you’ve ever been curious about eating in the wild, this event is an excellent stepping stone.
Earlier this month, I had the chance to check out Bear Creek Open Space Preserve in Los Gatos. Up until recently, I didn’t know that this spot existed right off bustling Highway 17. It’s a chunk of land under the care of Midpeninsula Open Space Trust that’s currently not accessible to the public, except by permit.
Big Basin Redwoods State Park is one of my go to hikes when I’m bumming around the Bay Area on the weekends. I never really venture away from the Berry Creek Falls loop though. It’s such a good one.
When my friend Brie vetoed Berry Creek Falls in favor of the Dool-Middle Ridge-Meteor-Sequoia Loop, I was skeptical.