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Location:

Ohm Rd, Tracy, CA 95304

Timings:

There are no particular timings for this area. I recommend starting at around 12:00, because it takes a little more than an hour to reach there. Make sure there is good sunlight before leaving, because you need sunlight to take good pictures with the almond blossom. The months to go to the Almond Farm is from February to March. Anytime before or after that there won't be any almond flowers.

Parking:

There is no actual parking area, all you have to do is go into the farm. There will be a long road, and just park on that road. The name of the road is Ohm Road.

Location:

8515 Croy Rd, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Timings:

Uvas Canyon is open from 8 AM - 7:30 PM Monday through Sunday. I recommend going to the park at around 2:00 PM. The wether is usually nice during that time.

Parking:

For parking, you will have to book a reservation for a particular time slot. You will have to book the reservation at least a day before to get the time slot you want.

Trails:

There isn't exactly a trail in Uvas Canyon, it is more like walking around and looking at waterfalls. There are 5 main waterfalls in Uvas Canyon and a few smaller ones. Their name's are: Basin Falls, Granuja Falls, Black Rock Falls, Triple Falls, and Upper Falls. All falls are extremely beautiful. You can climb up the side of the falls as well. There isn't a particular path to climb the side of the falls, so you should be careful not to slip.

Location:

2234 Laughlin Rd, Livermore, CA 94551

History:

Brushy Peak got its name from a mountain in the Diablo range, that has a historical significance to the Native Americans before European settlers arrived. It was a trade route that connected the Ohlones, Yokuts, and the Miwoks tribes. The first European to make an expedition into Brushy Peak was Pedro Fages. During the California gold rush, Brushy Peak became a hideout for bandits, most notably Joaquin Murietta. By the 1870s, the land around the peak was becoming increasingly occupied by immigrants from the east, and less hospitable to the outlaws. In 1900 and 1901, the Bohemian Club of San Francisco held outings on the top of the peak.

Timings:

The gates are open from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM everyday from Monday - Sunday. The Gates may close a little early due to bad weather, darkness, or the absence of visitors. The park curfew is 10:00 PM to 5:00 AM. (For those of you who don't know what park curfew means, it is the time when any vehicles or pedestrians are not allowed in the area.)

Parking:

There is only one parking lot for this place. The parking lot is not always full but can be sometimes so it is best to go at around 11:30.

Trails:

There are 3 trails in Brushy Peak: West Side Loop Trail, and Brushy Peak Loop Trail. The West Side Loop is around 2 miles long. This would be great for some morning hikes. The Brushy Peak Loop Trail is around 4.4 miles long. This would be great if you would like more of an exercise.

Location:

550 May Rd, Union City, CA 94587

History:

Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park was created in the nineteenth century when two farms combined. The park was made on one side of a small ridge, that is why Dry Creek is usually quiet. Many settlers arrived at Dry Creek because of its great landscapes after the gold rush in 1849. Dry Creek first had many wineries, but many of them were closed done because they were banned.

Timings:

Dry Creek is open year-round but from Thursday through Saturday it is open from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM while from Sunday through Wednesday it is 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Also, it is better to go to Dry Creek at around 5:00 PM because it is less busy then.

Parking:

The parking always open, but sometimes it is hard to get parking because it is crowded and you will have to park outside of the parking lot.

Trails:

There are around 10 trails in Dry Creek, but the longest one is close to 4.5 miles. Most of the trails are loops so you don't have to go the same way back.

Lake:

When you are nearing the end of the trail you will see a lake that is very big. You can't go fully around the lake but you can go half-way around the lake.

Location:

16055 Sanborn Rd, Saratoga, CA 95070

History:

Sanborn County Park was founded in the late 1970s in an expansionary era of the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department under the leadership of Robert Amery and Charles Rockwell. A series of land acquired throughout the county, with the intention to develop a greatly expanded set of county parks that were very large. The County Board of Supervisors approved the park plan and began development of necessary road and trail improvements.

Timings:

The park is open year round from 8:00 a.m. to sunset. Vehicle entry fees are collected year round. Fees are also required for RV camping, hike-in camping and group picnic areas.

Parking:

There are two parking lots. One is the one at the bottom and the other one is at the top. The parking lot on top is better and it has way more space than the one on the bottom.

Trails:

There are many trails, but the longest one there is 6.1 miles. It is called the Sanborn trails and it has the best scenery and most lush habitat. Sometimes you can see some clouds in the area you walk. You can even touch the clouds. The place is extremely humid and has super tall trees.

Lake:

After you exit the trails, you are going to find a beautiful lake. This lake is covered in green algae, making it look like wonderland. You can go around the lake like a loop, but it isn't that long.

Location:

11799 Page Mill Rd, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

History:

This place was opened by the city of Palo Alto on December 17, 2020. The land for Foothills Park was sold to the City of Palo Alto by Dr. Russel Lee, founder of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, and his wife Dorothy in 1958, on the condition that it be preserved as open space. The park was formally dedicated in 1965. Previously, only residents of Palo Alto could use the park. If other people even tried to use it they would be fined. After a long 51 years it was finally opened to the public.

Timings:

To enter the park you have to be early or else they won't let you in because it would be way to full. Make sure you check the opening timings before going. They are constantly changing. As of now, the timings for Monday-Fridays it is 8 AM to 5 PM, and Saturday-Sunday it is 8-10 AM and 3-5 PM.

Parking:

There are many parking lots in Foothills Park. The one which is the best and has access to all the trails is the Interpretive Center parking lot. There is also a parking lot near Vista Point if you want to go to the highest drivable area in Foothills Park. Vista Point has the best view of the whole park, it is truly breathtaking!

Trails:

One thing that may be a little confusing is picking which trail to go on. There are so many trails that are all extremely beautiful. The longest trail there is the Los Trancos Trail, which is 7.7 miles long. You can go undisturbed on the trail since it is only a one-way trail. In my opinion this is the best trail there, it has the most fascinating tree structures, and it seems like a wonderland. It might get a little cold so you should be prepared with jackets and hats. We weren't lucky enough to see any animals except a banana slug, but you might be, so make sure to bring a camera!

Lake:

One more place you should visit in Foothills Park is Boronda Lake. There are a lot of different types of ducks there. If you like to go boating and own a boat, you can take a small break from hiking and chill in your boat on the lake. You can also go fishing. All anglers age 16 and over must have a California Sport Fishing License. Fish species in the lake include bass, and sunfish. Just as a reminder, one thing you can't do in Boronda Lake is go swimming.

This is one of our favorite places to visit. It has many different kinds of birds, and is very refreshing. There are many trails you can go on. Some are very short, while others are long. The hikes will range from 30 min - 1 hour. You bike or walk on the trails. There is 978 acres of land, with deers and birds. This place was dedicated to public use only starting from 1967. The location is 8000 Patterson Ranch Rd, Fremont, CA 94555. This place is kid friendly, and everyone who loves to walk can come. There is plenty of parking space, although the entrance might be a bit crowded. If you don't find parking in the entrance you can go to the Visitor Center, or the parking lot just before that. If you go there you might get a better picture of what we are talking about. From the top of the mountains you can see a beautiful view of the San Francisco Bay. If you love the outdoors and fresh air, you will totally love this place.