It has been said that while the city has its charms, nothing quite compares to the beauty of a tall tree, the sweet smell of flowers, or the feeling of a fresh breeze on your face. And who better to experience such joys with than your family? You need not venture far, the Marin Headlands are just over some hills and through a tunnel!
At Marin Horizon we believe that learning outdoors contributes to the development of independence, confidence, creativity, empathy, and problem-solving skills. And spending time together with your children in nature creates stronger family bonds, improves parent-child communication, and encourages physical activity for all!
I'm Ally Zimmerman and I joined the Marin Horizon staff this year! As a former SFUSD naturalist, public program director at NatureBridge, and interpretive National Park Ranger, I have spent 20+ years leading student groups and creating family programs within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Marin Headlands. As a mom, I’ve experienced no greater joy than exploring the wilds with my son; sharing sunsets, wildlife sightings, and first experiences through his eyes
Here’s my cheat sheet for the perfect family outing in the Marin Headlands.
Pack A Bag
Sunscreen (even when it’s overcast!)
Warm layers, you never know what the weather will be doing out there!
Water bottle & trail snacks (there is no food for sale in the Headlands)
Fun extras:
Magnifying glass and/or binoculars (the more you look, the more you see!)
Ice cube tray- great for sorting beach pebbles by color, size, or shape
A small clipboard, paper, colored pencils, crayons, etc.
Where To Go in the Marin Headlands
Rodeo Beach. Break out a magnifying glass and sift through the rainbow of pebbles dotting the shore. The vibrant colors are the result of the most common rock found in the Marin Headlands: bedded ribbon chert, which you can see exposed nearby at the south end of the beach. Traces of iron in the chert are oxidized in different amounts to produce a wide spectrum of colors, including red, green, yellow and black pebbles. Use an ice cube tray to sort the rainbow beach pebbles by color.
Lagoon Trail. Follow this one mile unpaved loop trail all around Rodeo Lagoon and keep your eyes out for shorebirds and maybe a few river otters frolicking about.
Battery Mendell. This 1905 military battery was built as a coastal defense equipped with the largest cannons in the United States and is now the perfect backdrop for a fun round of hide and seek.
Point Bonita Lighthouse. The hike down to the third oldest lighthouse on the West Coast is steep but worth the journey through a hand carved rock tunnel with impressive views of the Golden Gate Bridge and a chance to see some marine mammals napping on some sunny rocks below. The lighthouse is only open on Sundays and Mondays, 12:30-3:30 PM.
Nature Activities for Kids
Color Match. Pick up some paint chips from your local hardware store to bring outside on your next adventure. Let your child randomly select a few paint chips to match to flowers, leaves, rocks, and other natural objects along the trail.
Senses Map. This is a great activity for some quiet time reflection using all five senses. Find a comfortable outdoor sitting spot. Using a piece of paper and a pencil, have your child mark a small “X” in the middle of the paper to represent themselves. Ask them to spend a few minutes observing all the sensory inputs around them,; listening for sounds, feeling the breeze, and taking deep breaths. Have them draw/write out what senses they experienced and the direction they were coming from in relation to the “X” on the paper.
Eco Art. Andy Goldsworthy is known as an environmental or land artist who uses natural artifacts—branches, leaves, rocks, ice, etc. to create sculptures and installations. Goldsworthy’s art is temporary. He never creates anything that won’t eventually be destroyed by waves, wind and natural processes. Get inspired by the colors and patterns along the trail and collect twigs, fallen leaves, or stones to create your own temporary eco art.
Leave No Trace
It’s never too early to share the principles of Leave No Trace with your child with the goal of leaving wild places better than we found them. While traversing with your family in nature, pick up a few pieces of garbage and remind your child to leave all natural treasures behind. Leave only footprints and take only memories!