Bay Area Road Trip March 2026 Part 1

Sunday, 1 March

Hit 3 nearby state parks on my way there.

Placerita Canyon State Park
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park
Antelope Valley California Poppy State Park
Finally caught the poppies in bloom! 🙂
Slept in my car in a church parking lot in Santa Cruz

Monday, 2 March

Mission Santa Cruz State Park
It was not open to the public but I got some pics from outside
Cotini-Coast Dairies State Beaches – Laguna Creek
Man, I love the ocean! It’s like coming home every time I make it back…
Pigeon Point Light Station State Historical Park
Since we are not allowed up into the lighthouse, they have a fresnel lens on display in the museum/gift shop. I also discovered that there is a Lighthouse Passport book that you can stamp so I bought one and started my collection of stamps even though I have been to tons of lighthouses already 🙂
Bean Hollow State Beach
Best place ever for work meetings haha
Burleigh H. Murray Ranch State Historic Park
Started with a beautiful hike
…out to a historic ranch site
Craziest shape for a building!
Pretty brilliant design…accessing both levels
Grey Whale Cove State Beach
Thornton State Beach
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area…this is a pretty big place but I only had time to snap a quick pic before they closed it for the night

Stayed at the Doubletree near the SF airport

Tuesday, 3 March

San Bruno Mountain State Park
Couldn’t get all the way up to mountain 😦
Golden Gate Bridge
Had some filter fun haha
Mount Tamalpais State Park
Went for a short but beautiful hike
Muir Woods National Monument
I have been here several times, but I can’t ever resist a revisit
Such a gorgeous and peacful place
Took the ferry from Tiburon…
…to Angel Island State Park
Some historical buildings
and a hike through some beautiful woods
View of San Francisco from the ferry ride back