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Caribbean

Exploring Grace Bay, Turks & Caicos

June 9, 2017
by Carrie

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Exploring the SF Bay Area & Beyond!

I’m Carrie, a native to the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a huge passion for outdoor adventures (hiking, kayaking, zip-lining, scuba diving to name a few) and love taking my family along with me. I love to inspire other families to get outside with their kids and find outdoor activities everyone will enjoy. We love exploring not only the Bay Area but also California & beyond! I aim to show families with busy school & sports schedules that you can still find time to adventure together!

Follow me on Instagram!

marquezfiveadventures

🌁SF Bay Area
🥾Inspiring families with teens to plan amazing outdoor adventures & explore California
👇🏻 Pescadero: Amazing stop on CA Hwy1👇🏻

📍Arastradero Preserve | Palo Alto 🥾We recen

📍Arastradero Preserve | Palo Alto

🥾We recently checked out Arastradero Preserve in Palo Alto which has 10+ miles of well-maintained trails.

My 13yo picked the shortest of the 3 routes I offered him. We hiked a 3-mile loop which began/finished at the trailhead right next to the parking lot (Redtail Loop → Portola Pastures → Meadowlark → Wild Rye)

Things to know:
✔️Trails are well-maintained & well-marked
🚗Parking lot is not huge and there is no street parking nearby. We arrived around 8:45am on a Sunday and had no problem parking. But by the time we left around 10am there was a line of cars waiting for our spot.
🦮Dog-Friendly, Bike-Friendly, Horse-Friendly. We saw lots of trail runners too.
☀️Most of the preserve is exposed with lots of sun. I think this is a good place to hike in the cooler months or early morning/late afternoon
🐍Be on the lookout for coyotes, bobcats & snakes! We saw a coyote!
✔️Easily accessible off 280 (Page Mill Rd exit)

I preferred the trails to the west of Arastradero Rd, with the wooden bridges, Arastradero Lake, and I especially loved the morning light streaming through the oak trees. Everything is super dry & golden right now - I think I would have preferred the Redtail Loop section a little more had there been a little bit of green. We’ll have to check it out again after some rain! 💦

#midpeninsulaopenspace #arastraderopreserve #midpenos #postlandtrust #posthikes #explorewithkids #bernedoodlesofig #adventureswithkids #familyhikes #bayareahiking #californiahikingadventures #dogfriendlyhikes #outdoorfamily #chooseadventure #stayadventurous #discovercalifornia #activefamily

Three of my favorite photos: 📍Golden Gate Brid

Three of my favorite photos:

📍Golden Gate Bridge | San Francisco, CA
📍On Safari with @roarafrica | Masai Mara, Kenya
📍Hiking among the redwoods | Mendocino, CA

#citybythebay #visitsanfrancisco #sanfranciscocalifornia #goldengatebridge🌉 #masaimaranationalpark #visitmendocino #montgomerywoods #familyhikes #familieswhotravel #wonderfulwestcoast #californiatravel #goldengatebridgeview #sanfranciscoviews #travelkenya #kenyawildlife #africanlion #hikemendocino #californiaredwoods #familyadventure #activefamily #havekidswilltravel #experiencesoverthings #howsfseessf #discovercalifornia #adventurefamily

Where are you hiking this weekend? I’m trying t

Where are you hiking this weekend?

I’m trying to decide between 3 very different hikes:
🥾The Coastal Trail Loop in the Marin Headlands
🥾Little Yosemite - Sunol Regional Preserve
🥾Lexington Reservoir Trail - Sierra Azul Open Space

Go to my stories and vote on which hike we should do this weekend.

We’ll do the hike that gets the most votes. Or just drop a comment here and let me know if you recommend any of these hikes!

📍Hawk HIll, Marin Headlands

Pescadero is one of my favorite stops along Hwy 1.

Pescadero is one of my favorite stops along Hwy 1.

You’ll be surprised by how much there is to see & do:

🌊 Stunning Beaches perfect for exploring, fort building, picnicking, and frisbee throwing. Plus fabulous tidepooling at Bean Hollow.
🌲Hike among the coastal redwoods in Butano State Park
🦅 Pescadero Marsh - largest coastal wetlands between San Francisco and Monterey
🍓Berry picking & Produce stands
🐐Tour a goat farm & try their farmstead cheeses, honey, jams & jellies
🔭Pigeon Point Light House - tallest lighthouse in California
🐳 Whale watching in the winter
🍔 Great restaurants!

For details, click on the link in my bio. What’s your favorite thing to do in Pescadero?

Bonus: And check out @sanmateocoaststateparks for details on celebrating 151 years o f Pigeon Point Light Station this Saturday, November 18 from 1pm to 7pm

#californiatravel #discovercalifornia #sanfranciscobayarea #sanmateocounty #pescaderomarshnaturalpreserve #pescadero #sanmateocoast #pigeonpointlighthouse #pigeonpoint #adventureswithkids #explorewithkids #californiaredwoods #hikewithkids #californiatravelguide #stayadventurous #adventurefamily #experiencesoverthings #activefamily #familytravelblogger #chooseadventure #familyadventure #wonderfulwestcoast

I’m trying to think of the last time we went on

I’m trying to think of the last time we went on any hike that wasn’t met with at least some resistance from my kids. And once I get them out on the trail, there’s always at least one kid who vocalizes one complaint or another.

Is this frustrating? Yes. Does it stop me from taking them? Sometimes, yes. We hike together less frequently, but I still make them come along on a family hike every now and then. Does it stop me from going? Nope. Mike & I leave them behind and enjoy a complaint-free hike.

Despite the complaints, each of my kids will usually find some positive in the hike once we’re done. I’ll take it. Mostly I want them to take away a few things:

💪🏼Being outside and exercising is great for your physical & mental health
📍Hiking is a great way to get out and explore your area
🌎 You can find hikes almost anywhere
🆓 Hiking is a cheap form of entertainment (usually free except for an occasional park entrance fee)

#citybythebay #howsfseessf #visitsanfrancisco #sanfranciscobayarea #sanfranciscocalifornia #exploresanfrancisco #mtsutro #familyadventure #explorewithkids #discovercalifornia #adventureswithkids #hikewithkids #bayareahikes #bayareahiking #activefamily #stayadventurous #experiencesoverthings #adventurefamily #wonderfulwestcoast #outdoorfamily
#californiaexplorers

Just an hour south of San Francisco, it would be e

Just an hour south of San Francisco, it would be easy to drive right through and not know what you’re missing! Here are some fun things to do in the coastal town of Davenport on Hwy1:

🌊Visit the beaches: Shark Fin Cove, Bonny Doon Beach, Panther Beach
🐚Check out the Davenport Swing: Be ready for a precarious hike down!
🥾Hike along the coastal bluffs over looking the ocean
🍓Berry picking at Swanton Berry Farm
🥧Great places to eat: Davenport Roadhouse, Whale City Bakery, Pie Ranch

#sanfranciscobayarea #northerncaliforniacoast #californiacoastline #swantonberryfarm #sharkfincove #pacificcoasthighway1 #davenportca #davenportcalifornia #bonnydoonbeach #visitsantacruz
#californiatravel #discovercalifornia #adventureswithkids #explorewithkids #explorecaliforniacoast #stayadventurous #familytravelblogger #familyadventure #chooseadventure #hiddencalifornia #californiatravelguide

Sometimes our weekends are filled with ⚽️sport

Sometimes our weekends are filled with ⚽️sports ⚽️ or other activities, but that doesn’t mean we still don’t try to get out!

If you’ve got sports playing kids in the Bay Area, chances are you’ve spent some time at Twin Creeks Sports Complex in Sunnyvale. Did you know there are several trails that are within walking distance?

🥾The Bay Trail Loop - an easy flat 2.5 mile loop that literally encircles Twin Creeks. We walked to the trailhead from the Twin Creeks parking lot. We could hear the whistles & cheers coming from the fields, but also felt far away in the marsh where we saw lots of birds & ducks, but not many people!

🥾Baylands Perimeter Loop - Sunnyvale Baylands Park is next door to Twin Creeks. This smaller 1.3 mile loop is flat & accessible and is also walkable from the complex.

🥾Also nearby: San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail, Guadalupe River Trail & Mallard Slough Trail

#stayadventurous #discovercalifornia #activefamily #chooseadventure #adventureswithkids #explorewithkids #outdoorfamily #sanfranciscobayarea #baytrail #sfbaytrail #sunnyvalebaytrail #santaclaracountyparks #sccparks

When you realize you’ve taken your kids a lot of

When you realize you’ve taken your kids a lot of the same places you went as a kid.

I was looking through some old photos of my siblings & I recently and realized, I have a picture of my kids in that exact same spot! My dad is such a big reason behind why I travel, hike & adventure with my kids. His time living abroad and giving us the opportunity to explore new countries & cultures, as well as exposing us to his love of the outdoors and his zest for life had such an impact on me. I’m not sure I ever told him this. I wish I had.

This weekend marked 2 years since we lost him. Gone way too soon. While I have accepted that he’s no longer here, I still have such a hard time with it. This time of year is especially hard as I can’t seem to get past it without replaying his last 6 months battling an aggressive cancer, fighting for his life, and especially his last 24 hours, and then the days, weeks, months, and now years that have followed and everything he has missed.

But most of the time I’m able to just appreciate the exceptional life he lived and the intangible gifts he passed along to me - I carry them around with me every day and I aim to pass them along to my kids. ❤️Thank you, Dad ❤️

#wecollectmemories #familytraveladventures #wanderlustkids #travelhawaii #havekidswilltravel #familieswhotravel #travelwithteens #takeyourkidseverywhere #teentravel #takethetrip #experiencesoverthings #adventureswithkids

3 peninsula dog-friendly trails - we hiked these w

3 peninsula dog-friendly trails - we hiked these with our dog for the first time this summer!🥾🦮

📍Pedro Point Headlands, Pacifica - 2.5 mile loop trail just north of Devil’s Slide. Decent elevation change throughout the hike and a little steep with loose gravel in places. Gorgeous views along the bluff of the Pacific Ocean, Golden Gate Bridge, Pacifica State Beach, and Linda Mar. The hike finishes through a shady eucalyptus grove.

📍Junipero Serra Park, San Bruno - Short & easy 1.6 mile hike under the cover of Coast Live Oaks, Eucalyptus, and Monterey Pines. At the top of Quail Loop, we could see SFO and out toward Mt. Diablo. For being a relatively small park surrounded by residential areas and the 280 freeway, Junipero Serra Park feels quiet and remote.

📍Bay Trail & Seal Point Dog Park, San Mateo - Part of the extensive trail system that will one day circle around the entire Bay Area through 47 cities. We parked in the large lot at Seal Point Park which is right near restrooms and the dog park. We walked south to Mariner’s Point, turned around, looped around Seal Point, and then came back to the 3-acre enclosed dog park for a total of about 2.5 miles. The great thing about the Bay Trail is you can go as far as you’d like. You’ll see walkers, runners, cyclists, and bird-watchers on the trail. There is no shade on this section so best on a cool, breezy or foggy day. Often, you’ll see windsurfers & kayakers in the bay as well as low-flying planes on their approach to SFO.

Click on the link in my bio for more details on these hikes as well as other dog friendly favorites on the peninsula! Happy Hiking!

#northerncaliforniacoast #sanmateocounty #californiaparks #pedropoint #sanfranciscobayarea #pacificacalifornia #sfpeninsula #juniperoserrapark #baytrail #hikewithkids #bernedoodlesofig #pacificahike #bayareadogpark #bayareahiking #explorecaliforniacoast #californiacoastline #bayareadogadventures #dogfriendlyhikes #familyadventure

I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but if it

I’m almost embarrassed to admit this, but if it wasn’t for my 13yo, I would have walked right by this cool (and not small) rock labyrinth without even noticing it 🤦🏼‍♀️

We had just begun our descent down Middle Ridge Trail from Pedro Point Bluff. I had my face in my phone looking at the Alltrails App to make sure we were headed the right way 🗺️ and just wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings.

I won’t blame my phone per se, because if I’d been looking at a physical map the same thing would have happened.

This leads me to a somewhat obvious hiking tip: Stick to monitoring a map (whether it’s an app or a paper one) to when you’re stopped. It’s important to keep your eyes on the trail and your surroundings. Watch for uneven surfaces, drop-offs, wildlife, other hikers, and of course cool views, flowers, and rock labyrinths! 👀🌲🐍🥾

This is your sign to do all those things you’ve

This is your sign to do all those things you’ve been putting aside:
✨Follow your curiosity
✨Try new things
✨Make new connections
✨Invest in yourself
✨Invest in your goals
✨Strengthen friendships
✨Trust that your people at home will be fine without you
✨Take a chance that everything will work out

Whether you take off on a girls trip like I did or spend dedicated uninterrupted time at home focusing on yourself, the time investment is worth it. I don’t do this often enough, but I’m always so grateful I did. I felt like I came back from this trip a better person: more patient, inspired, motivated & content. That’s good for me and for my family.

Thanks to @macs_explore explore for leading this trip! Amazing once again💕

#canadianrockymountains #jaspernationalparkcanada #jasperalbertacanada #lakelouisecanada #explorealbertacanada #discovercanada #canadanationalparks #canadagirlstrip #canadatrip #falladventures #takethetrip #adventuremom #stayadventurous

I love to hike. My kids don’t. Yes, they’ll hu

I love to hike. My kids don’t. Yes, they’ll humor me sometimes, but mostly we have to compromise on other activities. And truthfully I don’t mind. I’d rather meet my kids where they are and enjoy things alongside them. It used to be I pushed them to try new things - now it seems the opposite is true. They are more fearless than me and now that they’re teens I’m the one trying to keep up with them! I honestly wouldn’t change a thing!

In fact, when I recently went to Canada on a girl’s trip, I chose to do the more difficult via ferrata course because my kids said I could do it despite my fear of heights. They were right. Because of them I tried something new, challenged myself, and proved I could do it.

What an amazing gift my teens have given me

#havekidswilltravel #takeyourkidseverywhere #familieswhotravel #adventuremom #adventurefamily #activefamily #stayadventurous #familyadventure #explorewithkids #experiencesoverthings #chooseadventure #adventureswithkids #travelwithteens #funwithteens #teentravel #outdoorfamily

If you ever have a chance to ride rail bikes, DO I

If you ever have a chance to ride rail bikes, DO IT!

We rode the Skunk Train Rail Bikes in Fort Bragg, CA. This stunning family-friendly ride through the California Redwoods will delight younger kids while providing a thrilling experience for older kids & teens in the driver’s seat🌲🚂🚲

Things to Know about the Skunk Train Rail Bikes:
💪🏼Bikes are motor-assisted
🚲Each bike accommodates 2 riders
🌲2 courses to choose from: Pudding Creek (7-miles), Noyo River (25 miles!)
👦🏻All riders must be at least 6 years old
☀️Rain or shine!

We followed the same tracks as the Skunk Train for a 7-mile out-and-back adventure across bridges & trestles and through the California redwoods. They now offer a longer 25-mile route along the Noyo River which looks pretty amazing too!

Click on the link in my bio for more details!

📍Another Pacifica Gem! Pedro Point Headlands -

📍Another Pacifica Gem! Pedro Point Headlands - a Dog Friendly Hike! 🦮

What you need to know:
🥾2.5 mile loop (South Ridge Trail -> Bluff -> Middle Ridge -> Arroyo)
📈600 ft elevation gain
✔️Moderate Difficulty. Some steep areas along the Bluff Trail.
🅿️Use the north Devil’s Slide Parking lot
🚻Vault restrooms in the parking area
🐶Dog Friendly
❌Not Stroller Friendly

🌊Pacifica might just be my favorite coastal peninsula hiking spot. I keep finding gem after gem and many of the hikes are dog friendly.

#sanmateocounty #sanfranciscobayarea #thesfpeninsula #discoverpacifica #pacificacalifornia #sanmateocoast #pedropoint #pacificahike #bayareahikes #bernedoodlesofig #sanfranciscoviews #bernadoodles #bayareadogadventures #dogfriendlyhikes #activefamily #stayadventurous #familyadventure #adventurefamily #outdoorfamily #bayareaadventures #letsgohiking

If you are a Disney expert, please let me know wha

If you are a Disney expert, please let me know what’s considered Disney’s “low” or “shoulder season”!! According to my searches, mid-Sept through mid-Nov would fall into this category, but it was so crowded when we were there last week I can’t believe this is true! Or if that was low season then I can’t imagine what “busy” season looks like!

I grew up in California and have made many trips to Disneyland. I remember my first trip when I was 9, playing in the Disney Magic Music Days in high school 🎶, coming back in college, and as a young adult... Disneyland was magic! ✨Maybe I’m just disappointed because I had an expectation that my kids would have the same experiences I did and that’s just not the case.

Clearly, we are not doing Disney the right way. IF we ever go again I’ll spend a decent amount of time stalking the accounts of Disney pros and see if it makes a difference 🏰

#disneylandhalloween #halloweenatdisneyland #halloweenatdisney #falladventures #havekidswilltravel #familieswhotravel #travelwithteens #teentravel #familyadventure #experiencesoverthings #adventureswithkids #disneycrowds

🌮🧗EXPERIENCES AS GIFTS 🎁 Instead of get

🌮🧗EXPERIENCES AS GIFTS 🎁

Instead of getting Mike another “thing” he didn’t need for Father’s Day this year, we surprised him with a food tour in San Francisco. Not only that, but we went with our friends which made it that much more fun for everyone 🙌🏻

We ate our way through The Mission: burritos stuffed with melt in your mouth carnitas at La Corneta, birria tacos at La Vacca Birria, the best croquettes from Media Noche, and the perfect hot chocolate with homemade marshmallows from Dandelion Chocolate 🌯🌮☕️

Not only did we taste amazing food and learn about new restaurants to try, our guide (who is a chef himself and spent a ton of time living & working in the Mission) pointed out buildings & homes of interest, explained all about the murals in the Mission and took us down famous Balmy Alley, and told us interesting facts about the area none of us knew (even though all of us adults had spent years living in San Francisco!) 🌁

Food tours have become one of our family’s favorite things to do when we travel and clearly when we’re at home too! I highly recommend @secretfoodtours in San Francisco. Definitely a memorable gift that the whole family got to enjoy!

With the holidays quickly approaching, let me know what some of your favorite experiences are to gift!

Guilty 🫣 The timing of my trip to Banff & Jasp

Guilty 🫣

The timing of my trip to Banff & Jasper the last week in September was perfect for catching peak fall foliage - and it was AMAZING! 🍁🍂 I’ve seen fall colors before but never like this! The whole area is breathtaking to begin with - then add in crazy fall colors - every corner we turned I kept saying, “this can’t be real!!!”

I can’t wait to take my family back to experience this as well. But seriously, the whole time we were there ooohing & ahhhing over the colors, this audio was playing in my head!

Do you have a favorite spot for fall foliage??

#banffcanada #banffnationalparkcanada #explorebanffnationalpark #explorebanff #explorealbertacanada #canadianrockymountains #larchvalleytrail #discovercanada #hikecanada #hikealberta #canadatrip #autumnfoliage #changingleaves #canadagirlstrip #adventuremom #experiencesoverthings #letsgohiking

If this doesn’t make you want to take your dog o

If this doesn’t make you want to take your dog on a hike then I don’t know what will ❤️🐶

Good thing the Bay Area has so many dog friendly options!

These are 2 of our newest finds:
📍Fremont Older Open Space, Saratoga
📍Skyline Dog Park, Burlingame

#fremontolder #fremontolderopenspace #bayareadogpark #sanmateocounty #sanfranciscobayarea #burlingamedogpark #dogfriendlyhikes #getoutandhike #bayareatrails #bayareadogadventures #bayareaadventures #dogfriendlybayarea #bernadoodles #bernedoodlesofig

🌴BIG ISLAND, HAWAII WITH KIDS & TEENS! 🌺 Th

🌴BIG ISLAND, HAWAII WITH KIDS & TEENS! 🌺

The Big Island is BIG (obviously!), diverse (with 8 different climate zones!), stunning, and full of adventure 🙌🏻 I think it’s the most underrated of all the Hawaiian Islands, but it’s popularity seems to be picking up.

Here are some of our favorite Big Island activities to do with our teens:
🌴Ziplining through the rainforest
🥾Hiking: to beaches, across a volcanic crater, and to waterfalls
🌊 Boogie boarding
🐠 Snorkeling
🚁 Helicopter tour: of the Kohala Coast with a waterfall landing, doors off ride over Kilueua
🏝️ Papakolea Green Sand Beach. This is the southern most point in the US and one of only 4 green sand beaches in the world!
🌋Volcanoes National Park
🏎️ ATV

All the details plus more ideas in my new blog post (link in bio)

Last week on my trip to Canada, we joked that we g

Last week on my trip to Canada, we joked that we got to experience all 4 seasons. But I don’t remember experiencing summer!

It was fun to get a taste of fall and winter, but I’m happy to be back in the Bay Area because September & October are my favorite months here: sunny, warm, and minimal fog!

#explorebanff #discovercanada #explorealbertacanada #banffcanada #canadagirlstrip #canadatrip #banffnationalparkcanada #explorebanffnationalpark #larchvalleytrail #canadianrockymountains #getoutandhike #letsgohiking #hikecanada #hikealberta #experiencesoverthings #stayadventurous #chooseadventure #adventuremom #happyadventuring

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