I moved to San Francisco almost two years ago. Prior to the pandemic, I lived in Toronto, Canada and although camping was a core tenant of my personality, all of the camping was 3-5 hours away. Well, you can imagine my delight when I realized just how the amount of amazing camping near San Francisco. In the post, I’ll introduce you to my favorite campgrounds near San Francisco. There’s a mix between car camping sites, short hike-in sites and full-on backpacking sites. Unless stated otherwise, I’ve personally been to every destination on this list. Thus, I’ve included my tips and recommendation ..read more

If you’re looking for outdoor adventures like wildlife spotting, paddling and hiking near Kingston, I have the destination for you. And unlike Algonquin, it’s not going to involve 1) 3+ hours of driving, 2) huge crowds of people, or 3) various fees and permits. Look no further than the Frontenac Arch Biosphere. With hundreds of lakes, thousands of islands and a provincial park, the Frontenac Arch Biosphere is a FABulous destination for outdoor adventurers alike (pun intended, sorry). In this post, I’m going to introduce you to the unique and ecologically significant region that makes up the Fr ..read more

Hawaii and its Garden Isle have long been on my budget list. There are tons of long lists of things to do in Kauai scattered across the internet. Some of the activities mentioned on these lists seemed like no-brainers (like going on a ridge hike) while others seemed like filler (like visiting a garden… the whole island is a garden!). So after much research and spending time in Kauai, I’ve arrived at a list of worthwhile activities to do on your Kauai trip. I’ve divided them into three categories: Must Do, Should Do and Could Do activities in Kauai. The Must Do’s are the activities I most recom ..read more

When we can’t actually get away from work or school to travel and explore, we satisfy our wanderlust with the adventures of others. I, for one, love reading outdoor adventure books. If it takes place on a river or mountain, perfect. If it’s a true story or memoir, even better. Continue reading for, what I believe, to be the best outdoor adventure books. And why not forward this post to your adventure buddies? Choose a book and start an outdoor adventure book club! 22 Must-Read Outdoor Adventure Books Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage By Alfred Lansing This is the 22nd book to be added ..read more

Hello friends! With summer on its way, it’s time to start planning canoe trips for the upcoming season. To help you plan some incredible canoe trips, I’ve put together a list of resources I use to find canoe routes. Some are great for planning specific itineraries (canoe trip maps and trip reports), while others are better for inspiration (Youtube). Some are great for answering specific questions (Facebook groups) and others are good for planning logistics (outfitters). All in all, I hope these resources set on the path to planning an amazing canoe trip! In this post, I’ve included details on ..read more

Trip Log is a blog series where I rip a metaphorical page out of my trip journal and get a little personal. I’m answering your questions, sharing stories and voicing opinions about the great outdoors. You can subscribe to Trip Log by filling out the form at the bottom of the page. Have a question? Send me a message. Never again will I criticize Ontario for being flat. It was my third and final day hiking the Highland Backpacking Trail in Algonquin Provincial Park, and the hills were relentless. Impossibly steep with a seemingly endless supply of ups and downs, my hiking motto echoed in my ..read more

Trip Log is a blog series where I rip a metaphorical page out of my trip journal and get a little personal. I’m answering your questions, sharing stories and voicing opinions about the great outdoors. You can subscribe to Trip Log by filling out the form at the bottom of the page. Have a question? Send me a message. It’s Saturday morning and I’m up at the crack of dawn. I’ve got a three hour ride to the trailhead and a whole lot of distance to cover this weekend. My destination is the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, a 28 mile (42 km) backpacking trail east of San Francisco. (It isn’t actually that fa ..read more

Let’s be frank. If you’ve read any other posts on things to do in Redwood City… they’re pretty pathetic. Watch a movie? Go to a community park? I’m not saying Redwood City is the most interesting place in the world, but surely we can do better than that. I’ve been living in Redwood City since September and I’ve taken the time to explore the area in search of better ways to fill the time in the peninsula’s best city. This post is the culmination of my efforts. I hope you find some great activities on this list! Here is a little preview of what’s included on this list… Things to do in Redwood Ci ..read more

Oh boy – I’ve just returned from backpacking the Ohlone Wilderness Trail and let me tell you… this trail is not for the faint of heart. Between the Del Valle and Stanford Staging Area trailheads, you’ll hike 28 miles and climb 8300 ft of elevation gain. But if you’re up for a work out, rolling hills and the occasional (many) cows, you’ll have a great time on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. Plus it’s a short drive from East Bay, making it one of the Bay Area’s most accessible backpacking trails. This guide covers the following topics: About the Trail (location, time of year, time to complete, not ..read more

I have slowly become a huge fan of Icebreaker. I love merino wool for moisture management and comfort, and I love responsibly-made clothing and ethical brands. So I thought it was time I do a proper Icebreaker review and discuss each of the Icebreaker shirts designed for hiking. Realistically, there are six Icebreaker hiking shirt designs. When you account for variations (i.e. 1/4 zip vs crew, T-shirt vs long sleeve) and print design, there are a lot more. But for this list, we’ll stick to the basics. I’ve also left off their shirts that are better suited to casual wear. I personally own every ..read more