Since Andrew and I had the day off due to MLK , we decided to spend the day exploring nature.  Located only about an hour away in Marin County, Muir Woods has one of the most amazing views of giant redwood trees.

We started off our day picking up some Safeway sandwiches for lunch, picked up a few friends and headed up to Marin. The weather couldn’t be more perfect for being the middle of winter and I was so excited to explore something so close to where we live.

We started our hike on the top of the Panoramic Highway leading into Troop 80 trail (part of Mt. Tam State Park).  Initially we had planned to take Bootjack trail to the heart of Muir Woods, but the trail was closed so we took Ben Johnson trail.

The trails were amazing and the redwoods were even more mesmerizing.  The forest was wonderfully lush and the sunlight that peaked through the large redwoods made the hike even more ethereal.

We ended our hike by taking Ocean View trail back to the car.  At the top of the trail there was a huge boulder to sit on and enjoy the partial view of the water. The total hike was a little over 8 miles and the most grueling part was definitely the hike up Ocean View.

On our way out, we decided to make a stop at Muir Beach Overlook (a must stop)! The view was spectacular and it was an amazing way to finish up the day.

Most of the time we think of a vacation or a trip as a place far away from where we live.  I have come to realize that we take for granted the beautiful places that are right around the corner. These small getaways to a local destination often provide us the escape we need.

I encourage you all to explore the areas you live around  and take time to treat every weekend like a vacation!