A few weeks ago we took a weekend off to get away from the daily routine of work and house work. We had a $100 credit with United and after some research and given that we had only the weekend, we decided to fly to Northern California. On the agenda we had Muir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, Safari West, Tomales Bay, and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve.

After beating Friday afternoon San Francisco traffic we reached Muir Woods National Monument 2 hours before closing. Apparently we got there when the crowds were not very bad and we were able to park not too far from the visitor center. It’s a nice park, but still too many people for my liking 🙂

The next day we were scheduled for a safari tour with Safari West in Santa Rosa. They specialize in antelopes with representatives from more than 15 varieties. My expectations were low, but it proved to be pretty fun. They promised to get us up close and personal with the animals and we did, on a cool double deck safari car. Antelopes were cool, but I loved the giraffes.

Next we headed to Tomales Bay for an amazing oyster lunch at Hog Island Oyster Company. Happy we made a reservation – it was packed.

Point Reyes is always nice to visit. The road to the shoreline goes through wide open hills with grazing cattle and an occasional caribou. It’s such a contrast to the busy city.

Finally, Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve looks a lot like Muir Woods, but with less crowds. We were there early in the morning so I don’t know how crowded it gets later during the day, but I suspect that it’s not as bad as Muir Woods.