Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Big trees. A lot of really big trees. When you go to Sequoia National Park, that is what you will see. And, to be candid, not a whole lot else. There are a variety of hikes, from paved little trails to all day adventures (the quick but steep trek up the 'stairs' of Moro Rock was our favorite), a small museum and a visitor center. And while the giant sequoias are absolutely awe inspiring, once you have seen a few the wow factor does begin to fade .  After a couple of hours my son, generally a happy hiker, wondered "Are we going to do anything today but look at big trees?"

Luckily, Sequoia shares an east-west boundary with another impressive national park, Kings Canyon. The two play off one another, with the dense forests of Sequoia giving way to the jaw-dropping sheer cliffs and lovely water falls of Kings Canyon. Sitting almost at the border of the two parks in Grant Grove Village, which has a visitor center, restaurant, small grocery store and Ranger Station. Lodging options include a camp ground, a cluster of small, basic cabins or for those who prefer a few more creature comforts, John Muir Lodge. We opted for the cabins which, as our guide book said, are one step up from camping. They do have electricity, a small desk, two double beds and your own covered patio with a picnic table and nifty little outdoor stove.

California is a state of micro-climates, and these parks are no exception. As Grant Grove is at an elevation of about 6000 feet, temperatures were lovely. However, at either end of the two parks, it can be a different story. Entering Sequoia at the Foothills Visitor Center, the car dashboard read 104 degrees at 4pm - not exactly hiking weather. And, after a night up at Grant Grove we descended into the Canyon, losing about 3000 feet in altitude and gaining about 15 degrees in temperature. Taking the time to follow Kings Canyon Scenic Byway almost to Road's End is well worth the drive. A stop at Zumwalt Meadows made us feel we were in a mini Yosemite, but without all the people. We hiked two miles to the Roaring River Falls and saw a grand total of one other group (and one baby bear cub!) the entire time. We also stopped at Cedar Grove Lodge for some picnic supplies - from our quick stop not a place I would recommend for either eating or accommodations. Although other stops - including Grant Grove and Lodgepole - offer better food selection, your best bet, for both price and variety, is to load up on supplies before you even enter the park.

After a hot day on the trails, Hume Lake offered a welcome respite. One end of the lake is very busy, as there is a large, private camp. We drove a bit father and took a short path down to a shady spot at the far end of the lake, where our boys had a great time swimming, jumping off logs and exploring on the rocks.

Bay Area Parent - pick up a copy!

When we first moved to the South Bay, I found this magazine to be a great resource to help me get up to speed on whats what from a parent perspective. Its free, available at many local libraries, malls and community centers, and has articles that run the range from toddler tantrums to college applications. Published monthly, the magazine offers Silicon Valley, Peninsula/San Francisco/Marin and East Bay specific editions, so you get useful, local information and tips.  www.bayareaparent.com

Another useful link is Bay Area Kid Fun. Sign up to receive their regular email highlighting kid-friendly events across the Bay Area. It is a great way to get out and explore new places, and the variety of offerings - plays, music, sports, special events - never ceases to amaze me. They also provide links for summer camps, pre schools, birthday party places, kid-friendly restaurants...you name it! Check out www.bayareakidfun.com

Farm fresh

Living in Silicon Valley it is easy to overlook the fact that California is the nation's agricultural powerhouse, leading all other states in farm income. Over 400 crops are gown here, from almonds and avocados to peaches and pistachios, and you can find many of them at your local farmers' market. Now is a great time to visit a market, with so much fresh produce in season. Most towns have at least one weekly, often year round market - check out the listings at the California Farmers' Markets Association (http://cafarmersmkts.com/farmers-market-locations), if you want to be sure you are buying direct from a farm. There are also many other legitimate markets, you can simply search on line for a selection near you.

Another option is 'pick your own'. Many farms and orchards cater to the 'u pick' crowd, some with activities to entertain the kids when the novelty of gathering their own fruit and veggies begins to wear thin. The site www.pickyourown.org provides suggestions of where and when to go, as well as tips on canning, freezing and cooking with your bounty. Bon appetit!

Beating the crowds at Yosemite

The first time we visited this National Park, the novelty and the scenery managed to combine to outweigh a fact you otherwise cannot ignore: it is a very narrow valley with a lot of people. And all those people want to see and do pretty much the same thing, at the same time, and stay within a small couple of square miles. So when planning a return trip this spring we decided to try something a bit different. While the areas in and around Yosemite Village and the forest of yurts in nearby Currey Village account for the most foot traffic, it is a very big park. And making the effort to go just a few miles off the beaten path is worth it.

We tried a night at a yurt at White Wolf Lodge, and loved it. With just 26 yurts and 4 cabins, White Wolf is a cool oasis above the valley floor and provides easy access to some fabulous vistas and impromptu hiking. By that I mean that rather than taking your place in a stream of people marching along a marked trail, (although there are many marked trails and far fewer people, so that is not a bad option) you also have the opportunity to simply spot a good looking piece of rock, pull over and start climbing. You can pretend, as our kids did, that you were discovering a new spot and give it your name. You can visit mountain lakes, meadows, sequoia groves, creeks and mini domes. True, you don't have all the dining options of the Valley, and accommodations are pretty much limited to camping and yurts, but the sense of exploring something new and different; of truly getting away, are well worth it. And with no cell coverage, it is the perfect place to bring an overworked friend or spouse for a forced withdrawal from their electronic tethers. Don't get me wrong, we're glad we hit the highlights around Yosemite Village on our first trip, but there is much more to see and do. A ranger told us the average visit to Yosemite lasts just four hours, and that is a shame as the park deserves much more!

Memorial Day...what is it all about?

The last Monday of May is Memorial Day. Many newcomers wonder what exactly are we marking with this holiday. It is a uniquely American event, first observed to commemorate soldiers who died in the American Civil War. It is now both a day to remember Americans who have died in all wars and armed conflicts, and an opportunity for more a general expression of memory, when people visit the graves of family and loved ones. Towns host military-themed parades with marching bands, or present fireworks. For many people, however, Memorial Day simply marks the official kick off to summer - a great excuse to host a BBQ or hit the beach. However you chose to spend it, enjoy!

Reserve America...and do it early!

California offers an incredible variety of camping options. From the coast to Lake Tahoe, Death Valley to the isolated northern stretches of the state, there is a site for everyone....or so it might seem until you actually try to book one. This past weekend, as I furiously searched the Reserve America website for some - any - Memorial Day weekend option, I realized I need to think a bit farther ahead. Reserve America is a great site - you can put in a zip code, a park name, amenity requests or a combination there of and it will - ideally - provide a list of private and public, state and federal camp grounds that meet your criteria. However, the best spots often involve serious pre-planning. You can generally reserve about six months in advance so, as I have now learned, if you want to camp at Sunset Beach in late May, you better be at your computer November 1st at midnight to nab your spot.

The good news is that cancellation fees are nominal if they exist at all, so checking the site regularly a few weeks prior to your planned trip can sometimes land you a spot. This is true even for Yosemite, which books months in advance for peak season, but often opens up if you check again about ten days before you hope to go. The other piece of good news is that many camp grounds do not take reservations, or set aside a section on a first come, first serve basis, so if you don't mind taking your chances and getting up early, you have a decent shot at nabbing a spot. And, while it can be chilly, Northern California is chock full of camp sites, and the crowds are much thinner than the rest of the state, making it a good choice for last minute plans.

A visit to the de Young

A rainy week with guests to entertain found us at the deYoung Museum last week, the first time I had been to just visit the museum, not a special exhibit. The art museum is located in Golden Gate Park, and going during the week (or, I presume, early on a weekend) means four hours of free street parking, which was a nice bonus. The museum has a full range of free, docent-led tours, and we decided to take advantage of one - a great decision. Our guide, Suzanne, took us through several galleries, stopping at one or two key pieces in each. In a little over an hour we covered part of the American, African and Oceanic galleries. Suzanne was the perfect combination of knowledgeable while also be very accessible and friendly. After taking in about all my mind could process, we stopped for some lunch in the museum's very nice cafe, then headed up the de Young's tower for a view of San Francisco and area through the clouds. I noticed a family-oriented docent tour on the list, and we will no doubt be back on another rainy day to check it out. Your entry to the galleries also includes same day admission to the San Francisco Fine Arts Museum's other location, the Legion of Honor, which is in nearby Lincoln Park, so a well planned day could certainly include a stop at both.