Tag Archives: Bay Area

Aloha Festival

heritage

Bay Area Aloha Festival

Pacific Islanders of the San Francisco Bay Area offer talents in music & dance during this 2-day festival of arts. Entertainment highlights include Pacific Islander music as well as Polynesian dance. The festival will also feature arts & crafts vendors, island cuisine, educational exhibits and workshops, and games for the kids! Located at the San Mateo County Event Center.

Annual event; August

San Mateo, CA

pica-org.org

 

Hawaii

Christmas in the Park, San Jose

Scene from San Jose Christmas in the Park 2011

San Jose’s Christmas in the Park

Opening Night is in late November and the events go multiple nights through Christmas; held in downtown San Jose at Plaza de Cesar Chavez. The tree lighting will kick things off in style. Ongoing for over 35 years, this is a family fun holiday fest in the South Bay!

Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Annual event: December
San Jose, CA

408-809-9627

christmasinthepark.com

Scene from San Jose Christmas in the Park 2011

Scene from San Jose Christmas in the Park 2011

Christmas in the Park, San Jose, CA

Samuel P Taylor Campground

San Francisco Redwoods Camping

Samuel P Taylor State Park
Samuel P Taylor Campground

San Francisco Redwood State Park

SamP is one of the large redwood parks north of San Francisco, CA. Coastal redwoods can be found in the mountains above Santa Cruz, as well as on the Point Reyes peninsula in Marin County. Hiking in the region is amazing w/ enchanted forests, dramatic fog, waterfalls, numerous trails in every direction.

califrepublic

One of the best developed campgrounds in the region for car camping and RV campers.

Consisting of several camp loops, a group camp site, a horse camp and hike-in or bike-in camp sites. There are even cabin rentals in the park. This park has several camp sites that can accommodate visitors with disabilities. Reservations are highly recommended, especially during summer months. Be prepared to pay hefty fees for overnight use.

RVMax RV Camper Length: 31′
Max Trailer Length: 27′

  • Creekside Loop
  • Orchard Hill Loop
  • Madrone Group Site
  • Madrone Cabins
  • Horse Camp
  • Hike & Bike in Sites
    (8 person max)

Marin Redwoods
CA State Park

Samuel P Taylor State Park
59 developed campsites
+ cabin rentals
Sir Francis Drake Boulevard
415-488-9897

15 miles W of San Rafael, CA

Samuel P Taylor

camp

hiker

nearby towns:

State Park link

nearby parks:

  • Mount Tamalpais State Park
  • Point Reyes National Seashore
  • Tomales Bay State Park

Bridge

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival MichaelOlsen/ZorkMagazine

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival
Mill Valley Art Fest

every autumn at Old Mill Park

This Fall Arts Festival is long running and highly competitive art festival that attracts hundreds of artists, many local and some from as far as Hawaii and New York. Thousands of art lovers come from all over the Bay Area to this beloved festival to stroll through the redwood park and discover treasures under the trees: sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, textiles, woodwork – over 15 media categories that are sure to appeal to all artistic tastes. The festival represents the finest collection of arts and crafts in the country to view and purchase.

Annual event: September
415-381-8090

Old Mill Park,
320 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, CA

mvfaf.org

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival MichaelOlsen/ZorkMagazine

Mill Valley Fall Arts Festival MichaelOlsen/ZorkMagazine

Monarch Butterfly Migration

Monarch

Monarch Butterflies, Pacific Grove

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

Each Autumn monarch butterflies invade the Pacific Grove region of California. A sanctuary has been established along this coastline.

Annual event: October
831-648-5716

Pacific Grove, CA

cityofpacificgrove.org/visiting/monarch-butterfly-sanctuary

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterflies in a tree

Marin Camping Point Reyes

Marin County Camping

Point Reyes Peninsula / Pt Reyes Campgrounds

Ocean View CampsitesOne of the most visited coastlines in the world, San Francisco – where 2 peninsulas almost meet – at the mouth of the “hidden bay”.

This is the Golden Gate to California and the Wild West.

So, you wanna escape the tourist masses… and camp out, overlooking an amazing place?

(put on your hiking boots)

lighthouse
Pt Reyes Lighthouse

Nope, the Lighthouse doesn’t have a campground! There are no camping facilities at Muir Woods National Monument, nor Muir Beach. No camping at Stinson Beach, nor Bolinas.

canoeThe Tule Elk Reserve has no camping at all. Tomales Bay State Park no longer has car camping or RV camping available; hike-in or boat-in
camping, maybe.

What is available for campground camping on “the Point” is listed below, with phone numbers and links for more info.

foggy seashore

POINT REYES, CALIFORNIA

Point Reyes National Seashore Campground
reservations required
hike-in, bike-in, and boat-in camp sites only
415-464-5100
415-464-5137

Mount Tamalpais State Park Campground State Parks
reservations required
415-388-2070camp

  • Alice Eastwood Campground
  • Frank Valley Campground
  • Horse Camp Campground
  • Pantoll Campground
  • Steep Ravine Campground
  • Steep Ravine Cabins

Marin Headlands Camping
reservations required; no pets & no RVshiker
415-331-1540

Samuel P. Taylor Redwood State Park State Parks
reservations recommended; open year round
415-488-9897

  • Devils Gulch Horse Camp
  • Historic Camp Taylor
  • Madrone Group Camp
  • Car Camping / Tent Camp
  • RV max 27′
  • Cabin Rentals @ SPT

DSCN4484

Cycling, hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, kayaking and boating are all popular outdoor recreation activities.

Small towns located on the Point Reyes peninsula do have a few private campgrounds, some of which can accommodate motorhomes. Follow towns links for those.

RV camping

There are no RV parks, camper trailers or motorhomes allowed in campgrounds on the steep coastal region of Point Reyes. Most of the narrow, winding roads are forbidden for motorhome travels. No shoulder, no guard rails, on many curvy roads. Great viewpoints are best when you STOP to look, off the roadway.

hike NPS

Golden Gate National Recreation Area NPS

Point Reyes National Seashore

Stinson Beach Park

Tomales Bay State Park State Park

Tule Elk Reserve

dockside

nearby towns – 


Pumpkin Festival @ Half Moon Bay

Pumpkin Festival

Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Fest

This Pumpkin Festival is the one in Half Moon Bay, up near San Francisco. Been running nearly 50 years. Traditional, wholesome, family fun outdoor weekend on the coast near the Bay Area. Plenty of Campgrounds and Lodging nearby for visitors.

Annual event; October

HALF MOON BAY CA

pumpkinfest.miramarevents.com

The Big One

PA181004

Pumpkin Festival

San Francisco RV Park

RV Campground San Francisco / RV Camp Ground

San Francisco RVing

Beach RV Park
2505 Portola Dr
Santa Cruz, CA
831 462-2505

Betabel RV Park
9664 Betabel Rd
San Juan Bautista, CA
800-278-7275
831 623-2202

Candlestick RV Park
650 Gilman Ave
San Francisco, CA
800 888-2267
415 822-2299

Costanoa Coastal Lodge & Camp
2001 Rossi Road @ Hwy 1
Pescadero, CA
650 879-1100

Coyote Valley RV & Golf Resort
9750 Monterey Rd
Morgan Hill, CA
866 376-5500
408 463-8400
San Jose, CA

Marin Park
2140 Redwood Hwy.
Greenbrae , CA
888 461-5199

Novato RV Park
1530 Armstrong Ave
Novato, CA
800 733-6787
415 897-1271

Olema Ranch Campground
Point Reyes National Seashore
10155 Highway 1
Olema, CA
800 655-2267
415 663-8001

Parkway Lakes RV Park
100 Ogier Ave
Morgan Hill, CA
408 779-0244

Pinto Lake Park
451 Green Valley Rd
Watsonville, CA
831 722-8129

San Francisco RV Resort
700 Palmetto Ave
Pacifica, CA
877-864-2728
182 sites

Santa Cruz Ranch RV Park
917 Disc Dr
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
877-864-2728
Full hook up, pull-thru sites

Saratoga Springs Park
22801 Big Basin Way
Saratoga, CA
408 867-3016 x824

Trailer Tel RV Park
1212 Oakland Rd
San Jose, CA
408 453-3535

Treasure Island RV Park
1700 El Camino Real
South San Francisco CA
650 994-3266

see also –

San Jose Jazz Festival

SJ-Jazz-Fest-people

San Jose Jazz Fest

Live jazz festival in South Bay. 1 weekend, 80+ performances, 10 stages located downtown San Jose CA Come experience all flavors of jazz: Blues, Latin, Salsa, big band, jazz and more. International & homegrown favorites, jazz legends , plus rising stars.

Annual event; August

SAN JOSE CA

sanjosejazz.org

San Jose Jazz 2012