by miadelie

May 18, 2006

From journal Fresh & Fishy San Francisco!

We spent 1 day in San Francisco while driving up the Northern Coast. We took the drive the the infamous Stinson Beach, and it was well worth it! The beach is a classic with surfers and Great White Shark enthusiasts alike. Personally, I would never go swimming there, and the several signs warn against it. If the sharks don't get you, the rip tide will! I don't think anyone really surfs here anymore, but I'm not positive. It was a big spot in the 1950s. Anyhow, the drive is terrible if you have a fear of heights, but it provides a gorgeous view of the coast! There are hardly any guard rails, and the extremely windy road is perched right atop giant jutting cliffs!

After Stinson Beach, we continued our drive into Muir Woods. This National Park is famous for it's spectacular Redwood Trees. These trees are some of the tallest in the world, and grow up to 260 feet in the park. There are several paths for you to explore these great trees on, which I definitely recommend. Also, if you go in the winter, you can get a chance to see the trout swimming up the river- a spectacular sight in itself! This is a must see, especially for the family! It is a perfect spot for the afternoon picnic. Beware, though—make sure to bring a sweater along, even if it is a warm sunny day. Once you get in the shade of the forest, it is suddenly very chill and cool. A fun fact about Muir Woods—they shot several scenes from the movie "Return of the Jedi" here.

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