Now that I'm such a seasoned hiker (tongue firmly in cheek), I can say with some temerity that I…read morefound this mile-long trail a bit, shall we say, short. I don't mind short trails, but I had to fill up my daily step requirement elsewhere and headed over to Briones for that purpose. That's not to say this trail wasn't worthwhile. It most definitely was as the 13% grade wasn't insurmountable. It allowed nice views of the Carquinez Strait and Mount Diablo at the top. The circuitous trails were surrounded by various oak trees and wildflowers. I made an attempt at following the riding trail that goes through a gamey tunnel under the highway, but it made a dramatic climb which deflated my unearned self-image of a seasoned hiker. Regardless you can see why John Muir took pleasure in taking his daughters with him through these hills. Wanda was the name of his eldest daughter. The trailhead is directly to your right at the Alhambra Avenue exit off Hwy 4. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

When the dog and I need a good hike that isn't too far from home and we can do in a reasonable…read moreamount of time, we come to Mt. Wanda. My man and I are hiking here every other weekend at least. The dog loves it. We recently did the Full Moon Hike that is put on by the Rangers. The kids tagged along. Its free and one of the few times you're allowed on the Mt. during the night. The kids had a wonderful time meandering around in the dark. It was fun to be out of our element with flashlights. The moon was beautiful. The only negative is ticks. We went hiking on Thanksgiving morning with our dog and proceeded to pull seven ticks off our dog. The most yet. Wear bug spray and make sure that your dog is properly protected. Morning, noon or night this is a great hike to take.

This place is a gem. Really good for walking your little dogs, for hikes, playing basketball, or…read morekids playground, and has a beautiful soccer area. There are picnic tables and plenty of parking. Clean bathrooms that the city of Martinez does a good job of keeping clean. We go to this place over and over again because it's just so nice.

An underrated park with trails and playground, soccer field and of course 'hidden lakes.' Very…read morepopular park that has good vibes. Its unexpectedly good. There are so many overrated parks around - this is not one of them. I think its an underrated park in an underrated city. Martinez is one of these cities that just isn't Walnut Creek or Danville or Orinda. A more affordable city and a family friendly one. Its good to get out and take a walk. I recommend you do that once in a while and why not try a different park from what your used to every once in a while? If you have a dog they will particularly love it sniffing around someplace new. Some of the park is noticed from the main road - Morello. You might even see some people enjoying the basketball hoop from there. Just the 'curb appeal' of the park will get you interested to see more. When I got here with Sweets had in gear this launch mode I hadn't seen since he was a bit younger. His enthusiasm was intense and I was surprised since for the most part he just likes to stay at home - Netflix and chill. There really is something for the whole family to enjoy here. A very underrated park that you need to make time to see one day soon.

Fantastic beach for younger kids, and a great option for East Bay residents who aren't up for the…read moretrek into the city or the even longer drive to Santa Cruz. The beach is clean and has useful amenities, including outdoor showers, picnic tables, and restrooms. I haven't actually used the restrooms, so I can't speak to their condition, but I can say I've never noticed trash on the beach, even on busy days. The crowd is generally respectful, which goes a long way. The downside is that the water isn't exactly pristine by appearance, smell, or feel...but you can't have everything. My favorite thing about this beach, aside from the fact that the water isn't freezing, is how shallow it stays. I can wade out with my kid what feels like half a mile and still not feel like we're anywhere close to being too far from shore. P.S. Do NOT forget to pay for parking if you're in the lot. It's yellow, located at the far end, the fee is 5 dollars and it's easy to miss. Also, they don't accept Discover debit.

In The Teen and I's new Friday ritual of water watching before we head home, we stopped by Crown…read moreMemorial before heading through the tunnel to let traffic die down a bit.. This was definitely the place to be back in the day! Parking was a snap and we found a bench to sit on starting the water watching. The view was awesome and the sun was shining just like Bob Marley said. There were people, young and old playing in the sand, lots of bike riders, and of course, those dog walkers. The Teen put the phone down and ventured out and some sand, touching and driftwood drifting.. Definitely, we will be back when it gets warmer with hopes of finding front row parking again!

I can't say enough positive things about Grow Fit Camp. My daughter had a tough time adjusting at…read morefirst, and Eric the camp leader, personally reached out to make sure they were doing everything possible to help her feel comfortable. They truly care about the kids and prioritize their well-being, and their communication is excellent. I would highly recommend this camp to any family!

Parents beware. My four year old walked away from camp on the first day to find home (even after…read moretelling the director I had a concern about this, and him coming up with a "plan"), and he was found by neighborhood teenagers and the police at a major traffic crossing after several calls were made by passersby. The camp is not licensed, nor are the teenage counselors properly trained to care for such young children. It was traumatic beyond belief, and I would highly encourage ANY parent looking for summer camp to ask the right questions about safety and staff/child ratio, especially in regards to preschool-aged children.