I like my lists.  I always have several going at a time.  Grocery shopping, to-dos, projects.  But one that I enjoy most is my “Favorites” – the things that put a smile on my face every day.  Surprisingly, that list is pretty fluid, changing with the season, my mood, how the New England teams are doing.  But there are a few things that NEVER drop off that list.  And one of them is the Marin Headlands.

Wandering the Headlands has been my “thing” since I arrived in San Francisco 17 plus years ago.  Minutes out of the frenzy of urban living but you feel like you are hundreds of miles away.  Convenient AND serene.  Does it get any better?

Bob was an easy convert.  I think it was our third date (a long long time ago) that I brought him on our first Headlands hike.  He was sold.  Our dogs followed.  They were in.  The kids took a bit longer but we can now get a solid 6 mile hike out of them with minimal complaints.  Now it’s everybody’s “thing”.  That alone makes my list of “Favorites”.

We have one hike, in particular, that works for the whole crew.  One that we enjoyed just yesterday – the perfect anecdote to an incredibly busy (yet rewarding) last couple weeks at Eat Life Whole.  For all my fellow Bay Area folks, I suggest you check it out.  It’s stunningly gorgeous, 5 minutes across the bridge, a great workout AND dog friendly.  Perfect.

Directions:

• Park at Rodeo Beach.  Follow the Miwok Trail east, leaving Fort Cronkite on your left and the Rodeo Lagoon on your right.
• Continue on the Miwok Trail up a 1.5 mile climb to the Wolf Ridge trailhead, take a sharp left and continue your climb.
• You will hit a crossroad where you can go right to Tennessee Valley or left onto the Coastal Trail.  Stay left.
• Follow the Coast Trail back down to Rodeo Beach.  There are some very cool WWII bunkers along the way.  Be sure to check them out.

All told, the hike is about 2 hours without kids.  2.5 to 3 hours if you have the little ones along.  That said, we did it a few weeks ago with a 4 year old and he CRUSHED it – leaving my 7 and 9 year old girls in the dust.  You just never know.

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