A recent New York Times Fashion & Style article explores the trajectory of the sport given the cultural craze. From Staten Island to San Francisco, sales of kid-size recurve bows have more than quadrupled this year!

Whether you have a Robin Hood fan, a small Cossack (a kid into ancient weaponry) or you just love fun, free, urban family activities, you’ve got to check out the Golden Gate Park Archery Range in San Francisco when you’re visiting the city. It’s a beautiful and well-maintained piece of park real estate, near the beach. It’s easy to park and accessible by public transportation. It’s always open for folks with their own archery equipment. If you’re looking to try it out as an activity, you can swing by the nearby Archery Pro Shop, where you can sign up for lessons, rent or buy bows or investigate other equipment. You can also buy bows and arrows on-line.

Many folks first try out the sport at summer camp. My kids got a taste of it at Camp Mather, the San Francisco family camp, located near Yosemite, that is beloved by many city families. The setup at Mather was low-tech and we had a blast. We invested in bows and arrows and started learning about the sport.

The next summer on a visit to my in-laws’ home in a somewhat rural area on four acres on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, we built our own archery range. We bought a bale of hay for $8 at a local Feed Store and my kids made a target out of a giant poster board.

You do need space and oversight. Archers need to be at least 5-6 years old or have exceptional dexterity and listening skills. The range etiquette is vital, as safety is paramount.

On a recent, glorious, fall afternoon, with perfect pumpkin light, we made a family outing to the range in Golden Gate Park. There were quite a few free targets. Three other parties were there and the mood was genial. One guy handed out cards for another range down the coast near Pacifica, wanting to make sure we all knew about it (archery buffs are quite passionate about their sport).

There are often Community College and other classes held at ranges, so check out local options. We spent about an hour; all shot a few rounds, and the kids left with smiles across their faces and rosy cheeks.

If you’re looking for a getaway, outdoor fun, sun, and maybe some wine tasting, the small town of Los Gatos is a great choice. Set in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, this affluent hamlet, with a Victorian downtown, is a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of urban living. As you drive into town, you pass Netflix headquarters, and you realize, this is perhaps where the 1% live, a notion that was confirmed at the stylish Purple Onion Café, where at 10 a.m., the place was hopping with expensively clad moms chatting and nibbling, post workout. The Illy coffee and yummy breakfast items made with cage-free eggs, local produce, and freshly baked whole-grain breads were tantalizing.

For lunch, a traditional Irish pub with Americanized pub grub, was a more down home option. C.B. Hannegan’s was bustling with business folks and families; the outdoor garden was so pleasant and portions big enough to share. The beer choices were impressive and International, with 15 on draught.

Another must dine spot, great if you’re on your way to Santa Cruz, is The Cats Restaurant and Tavern, just off highway 17. Originally a pit stop on the old stage line, the Cats Roadhouse was once a welcome spot for horse-drawn lumber wagons on their way to San Jose, as well as a rowdy social club for locals.  In the Roaring 20s, the Cats was one of the area’s most notorious speakeasies and bordellos! Renovated and reopened in 2008, the menu still features BBQ favorites and is certainly a crowd pleaser after a day at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk or hiking the mountains!

Camping options abound. Two of my favorites are Big Basin Redwoods State Park and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. It can get cold under the redwoods, so pack accordingly!

Finally, if you want to splurge, a stay at the Mediterranean boutique hotel and spa, Hotel Los Gatos, is quite a treat. The pool is small but with mosaic tiles and an ample hot tub, a perfect spot early morning, midday or at night for a dip and soak. The hotel has a Moorish feel mixed with California Mission, and the rooms were luxurious but in a cozy way.

Mediterranean food is one of my favorite cuisines, and I have to say since I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area nearly 20 years ago I have been on a constant hunt for Greek Cuisine from high-end to gyros. Dio Deka, fine Hellenic cuisine, really lived up to its Michelin Star hype. The food, ambiance, presentation and service were really top notch, from the marinated kalamata olives in chili and rosemary to the spanikopita, pork ribs and these delectable crispy potatoes with smoked roe.

The wine list was overwhelming, but we chose a crisp New Zealand white and sat out, talking and savoring the special tastes, as if we were on the island of Santorini or an Athens plaza. I took a close friend to celebrate a recent triumph, but I could imagine taking my two boys there, all rumpled in their “fancy” clothes, perhaps for a special occasion. Luckily there are plenty of tapas-like options I think many older kids would appreciate, if your budget allows.

All in all, if you’re looking for a staycation in the Bay Area, a romantic getaway, a taste of “Peninsula living” or an overnight splurge, the combination of great food and wine, ample hiking and biking spots and wineries galore, make a trip to Los Gatos, the Cat’s Meow!

There are many popular canoeing rivers in Northern California. The Sacramento River, from Red Bluff, 30 miles downriver in the shadows of Mount Shasta, to Woodson Bridge, is not one of them.

It was July 4th weekend so we were expecting crowds, and save for a few kayakers and boat enthusiasts, we pretty much had the river to ourselves.  We had planned a moderate backpacking trip but when one in our party had abrupt knee surgery in April, we opted to paddle to our campsite instead of forcing the kids to hike with packs a la the Bataan Death March.  The preparations were similar to a backpacking trip, but we could bring comfy pads and a cooler. I was concerned about tipping the canoe, but my friend hails from Minnesota and has done this sort of thing before.

We rented canoes at the Driftwood RV and Fishing Resort in Los Molinos, CA. The crowd at the park was definitely more of a beer drinking, horseshoe throwing, BBQ crowd, some more hardscrabble than others. The equipment we rented was in great condition and they provided life jackets (of course) and unexpected cushions and small portable seat backs, which made the trip that much more comfortable.

It must be said that the Sacramento River flows, so the canoeing is anything but arduous. We actually did a lot of floating, which was fine with me, since I was in a canoe alone with my two boys, ages 10 and 6. It was glorious, and gave us time to enjoy the scenery. We saw tons of birds: osprey, pelicans, an eagle, egrets and even though the water was chilly we often pulled ashore to frolic and sort of swim. The temperature was in the 100’s so the snow melt temperature of the water was much appreciated.

The first night we canoed back to the Driftwood, feeling a bit insecure about the whole thing and wanting to get our proverbial feet wet first. This spot is clean, well maintained and has that feel of most camp sites, like perhaps they had their heyday in the ’70s. The manager was sweet and brought us pastries in the morning and charged the kids 40 cents for cans of generic “pop.”

The second night, we decided to pull up on shore and set up camp. We were told (and did a bit of research) that the banks are pretty much public land, so we could pitch a tent anywhere we pleased. The challenge was picking a spot and not feeling like there might be a better one around the bend.

It was a perfect spot and the kids enjoyed the clay-like mud. Having been engrossed in the FIFA World Cup, they were smitten with South African names and promptly named the mud “Mbele”… literally hours of mud play ensued, what more could you ask for an outdoor adventure? No ipod, video games or TV, even if the photo looks a bit like Lord of the Flies. We cooked on backpacking stoves, enjoyed the sunset and slept surprisingly well.

You can explore the small offshoots of the river, finding a variety of small beaches and spots to investigate. We finished up our journey and the Driftwood folks met us to take our gear back to the RV Park. They hired a local to drive one of our cars to meet us — all in all a pretty seamless adventure.

My first night I spent at the Tenaya Lodge, right outside the park. The Tenaya had the feel of a Park Lodge, animal heads on the common room walls, giant beams and an outdoorsy style, but was considerably fancier than a rustic lodge. The bed was big and comfortable but unfortunately I slept poorly due to the altitude and a late night specialty coffee (decaf) that I suspect had more alcohol in it than I could tolerate. Elk was on the menu (which my kids were excited about) and I would love to take my family back to explore all the Lodge’s offerings.

The Tenaya is very family friendly and even welcomes pets! The holiday schedule at the Tenaya sounds magical; horse drawn sleighs, gingerbread house making workshops and Santa on Ice to name a few. Although not guaranteed, there is often snow on the ground here from December through February.

Next we took a whirlwind tour of the Wawona Hotel. This Victorian-style lodge in Yosemite is a favorite of those who prefer a more authentic Yosemite stay. Walking the grounds I felt like I could be carrying a parasol and negotiating the narrow walkways with a big hoop skirt. It is a National Historic Landmark and worth a visit just to get a taste of what it was like to visit the park in the early days.  I met a couple who were celebrating their 20th anniversary and were relishing the slow place and the lack of technology. The facilities really seeks to maintain the 19th century feel but the fare is purposely 21st century, offering local, primarily organic products.  We had breakfast there and the homemade ginger granola and frittata were scrumptious. Renovation work was going on which distracted from the Victorian charm and I discovered the Wawona is closing its doors for parts of 2009/2010 season so make sure to check the website for details.

No trip to Yosemite would be complete without at least a tour of the famed Ahwahnee Lodge. Built to blend into the granite cliffs, this is a premier National Park lodge and has welcomed many a statesman and celebrity. If you can’t swing a stay, at least cozy up by the giant hearth with a good book and a hot toddy or treat yourself to lunch in the majestic dining room.  The Ahwanee chef is a charismatic wizard and a tour of the kitchen was a high point of my trip. There are a number of special holiday events at the Ahwahnee, the signature event being the Bracebridge dinner and performance. Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee into a 17th century English manor for a feast of food, song and mirth. The inspiration for this yuletide ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.  Both the Tenaya and the Ahwanee are not cheap but there are deals to be had and for what you can experience they are worth the splurge.

If you’d like the Yosemite experience at an affordable price you might consider the tent cabins.  All guests who book the Temp-RATE-ture Special will receive a reduced rate in a tent cabin based on the previous night’s recorded low. If the temperature is 17 degrees, you pay $17 per night. And yes, if the Fahrenheit temperature falls below zero, they’ll pay YOU the difference to stay overnight. This sounded like an adventure to me but for my money I was most excited about The Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort. Run by a dynamic Bay Area refugee who has whipped an old Boy Scout camp into shape, this spot captured my fancy. Maybe it was the Euro-hostel feel infused with California panache, or maybe it’s my desire to travel like I did in my twenties (not really). Nestled in the forest, the Bug as it is called, offers quirky but very comfortable accommodations, a yoga studio and lovely spa and the biggest surprise… phenomenal food. I had eaten so much meat I went for a butternut squash risotto. It was topped with Asian pears and paired with a local red and a green salad it made a yummy meal! The place had a bit of hostel feel, probably because a busload of SF Art students had just arrived for an annual retreat. I found the atmosphere appealing; nice lighting, lots of board games and laughter in the main room. I noticed this guy setting up his dominoes run; certainly not something you see in every hotel lobby. Rates are affordable and although not for everyone, I will definitely head back there, maybe for a big birthday bash as there is a newly remodeled common room which is used for parties and weddings.

So if you’d like to visit Yosemite, there are accommodations for every budget or taste, but most importantly, get out and witness the incredible national treasure that is Yosemite! I recommend Ken Burns’ PBS documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea to really learn the history of the Park.

I spent the 4th of July holiday weekend there, my first visit in 25 years, which told me a couple of things: just how quickly time can pass and a quarter of a lifetime can slip beneath your feet; and how short-sighted I’d been to allow so many years to drift away without making the simple four-hour-plus drive up from San Francisco. I swam in Tenaya Lake, fished the pools and streams that fed into it, got some strikes in the Tuolumne River as it wound through the meadows, and later, at Cathedral Lake, saw a trout with a head as big as my fist emerge from the depths to strike my lure repeatedly before losing interest, too smart to be caught by an occasional fisherman like me.

And I vowed to get up here again a lot sooner than 25 years from now.

So imagine my surprise when my daughter’s 6th Grade class planned a field trip to Tuolumne Meadows and Mono Lake for September. I signed up and barely two months after my summer visit was here again.

This time I joined the kids to explore Mono Lake and its strange tufa formations that grow when freshwater springs bubble up into the saline lake and create chemical reactions. We hiked to the top of Lembert Dome, the final 50 feet a steep and intimidating scramble up a smooth granite mound to views over the meadows and river and surrounding peaks. We cast flies in the river and swam in pools, later drove to Tioga Pass and hiked up the steep trail to Gaylor Lake where the fish were starving and hitting anything red (but we’d left our rods at camp!). We swam in the frigid lake that put an ache in our bones but banished the heat and left us refreshed and ready for more.

At night, with the crescent moon long gone over the horizon, we lay in the meadow to gaze at skies as brilliant and awe-inspiring as any witnessed by our ancestors over the millennia of human history, identifying such common constellations as the Big and Little Dipper, Scorpius, Hercules, Capricorn, and lesser known ones such as Delphinus and Equuleus, the little horse.

On our last day we strolled across the meadow through the golden grasses along the river to Soda Springs, where naturally carbonated mineral water bubbles up through the mud. Some of the kids were skeptical but most drank their fill after tentative sips, enjoying the fizzy iron-flavored water.

Campfires are permitted in the campsite fire rings, and there’s nothing better than conversation, reading aloud, singing, and keeping warm around the fire before slipping into sleeping bags and dreams. For me, this second trip to Tuolumne Meadows sealed my appreciation of the place. I’ll get up here again soon, next summer, or the summer thereafter, because this high country region of this wondrous national park is a treasure for us all, not to be underestimated, and not to be missed.

We took two great hikes to waterfalls. One to the Hetch Hetchy reservoir where the temperature peaked at 107 and we saw a bear!! I was awestruck, I have been hiking and backpacking for my whole life and I have seen a lot of bear pooh, but this was amazing. The kids were rightfully scared and as we all banged rocks together I snapped a few pictures with my heart pumping. The kids named her ‘Ruperta’ after a Korean couple alerted us to the fact that it was a momma and a cub!

Every day we swam multiple times in the beautiful Birch Lake, the pool or a river stream. We played badminton, ping pong, volleyball, and tennis. Both boys rode horses (well the little one a Burro named ‘Tweety’) and did archery and other activities. My husband and I took a sunset ride which was lovely. I get anxious doing Lego or knitting but I LOVE making lanyards; go figure… very meditative. One day I worked on making beaded dragon flies. The area is full of gorgeous blue and red ones. In the evening after dinner I would go for a swim and the dragonflies would dance around me on the surface of the water. I practiced yoga every day; it helped that a couple in our posse own a yoga school and we were able to squeeze in a few sessions.  The cabin for a family of four, with all meals included was about $1400; not cheap but I must say for what it was the food wasn’t so bad.  The cabin is rustic and you need to bring your own bedding, but  that was fine by me; we now have a ‘Mather Bin’ in our garage. Tent spaces are also available for about $900 for a family of four, food included. We may do the camping option next year, but it is quite dusty/dirty and I kind of like the no-frills nature and privacy of the cabins. You can get coffee starting at dawn; which is great for those that get up that early. I loved getting my morning Joe and sitting in our hammock reading my current novel. In true SF spirit most people bring wine to dinner which is eaten on a terrace and often linger till the kitchen staff  has to kick you out. We biked everywhere and you find a rhythm to your week pretty quickly. There are hippie residues like Tie-Dye (which is so fun) and you can really make of it what you want.

The camp, originally created for city workers and now open to all SF residents, has been around for many years. Many folks came as kids and now bring their kids. Best of all the natural surroundings are stunning! Mather is 20 minutes from Yosemite and many go off the grounds for day trips. People can also pay a day rate and swim in the lake and partake in activities; I ran into a Dutch family who had done this.

Another fear I had was forced relentless socializing. Both my husband and I are very social but we feared it would be too exhausting… but you know it was great. There are plenty of people you know peripherally, others you develop random acquaintances with in the bathroom, on a horse ride,  on the dock or floating around the lake on a floaty; I even went to BINGO night.  My ten year old found a few buddies, dudes actually, and although he was still a fervent pollywog catcher, I can see the tween years fast approaching. Family camps exist all over the country, I definteily recommend it as a summer option. The only bummer was on our last day with the car packed tightly and the bike rack on we backed into a tree and smashed our back window and hatch to the tune of $2000; apparently we weren’t the first city slickers to do this. But you know, I think we’ll be back.

I had been to the same spot last summer for an epic 50th Russian Dacha birthday party, where many guests camped and a Russian BBQ ensued with a zip line, trampoline, bubbles, pool, jacuzzi and pogo-sticks for the big and little kids and of course shots of vodka and blinis for the hearty adults. This time it was for a five-year-old’s party, the daughter of my friends, the innkeepers.

Healdsburg lies at the crossroads of three of California’s most famous wine growing appellations: Dry Creek Valley, Alexander Valley and the Russian River Valley. It is surrounded by more than 60 wineries and is a favorite Sonoma Wine Country destination.

It was a surprise when I realized my son’s week at “Farm School” would be just down the road from the B & B. Deergnaw, as it is called, is an estate owned by the founders of my son’s small school in San Francisco. Synergy School 4th-8th grade students are lucky to spend a week in the spring at Deergnaw studying botany, gardening, fishing, writing poetry in the forest, hiking, camping, swimming, kayaking and learning about nature as an integral part of the curriculum. They all return in the autumn for Harvest Day. I have been looking forward to this since Sasha was a wee kindergartner. Parents told me it was a peak Synergy experience and since I love all of the above I was keen to help out, as were many other parents.  At any given time there were at least 8-10 parents and three teachers for 21 kids! I include all this seemingly random information because the experience was just so amazing, something every kid should experience.

I taught poetry writing one day, yoga the next and was a raft monitor in the afternoons. The location was just so stunning. I had been to a camp with my 4-8th grades in the 70’s outside NYC, but it was truly a camp: wooden bunks, sulphur-smelling water and lots of campfires. Alas, this time we couldn’t have a campfire because of our terrible drought and the advice/insistence of a 4th grade firefighter mom.

I was in awe of the beautiful property. We all camped, cooked and gathered outdoors, but the Deergnaw home, compound, estate whatever you want to call it, was right out of a Sunset Magazine spread, but not too precious—just perfect.  Built on more than 250 acres, Deergnaw is now an olive oil producing olive grove and one can buy their oil online and at local Farmer’s Markets.

The owners were not only gracious hosts but involved in the day to day schedule of Farm School. The parents helped with everything from cooking to tick removal. All the kids were obliged to do most of the work, including all the recycling, mulching and weighing the garbage to compare refuse production from year to year. Parents had moments to enjoy the surroundings. One dad took a killer mountain bike excursion, some fished in the pond. I hunkered down in a cushy hammock to read voraciously for an hour or so and squeezed in my own yoga practice on a beautiful deck overlooking a glorious garden.

We danced around a maypole, ate strawberries, cream and brown sugar and took a night hike to a spring. Each kid hiked alone in the dark, a sort of rite of passage/nature experience/empowerment exercise. I was only able to go for two days but look forward to future Farm School experiences and further exploring the Healdsburg area.

Others might choose the Inca Trail in Peru; the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain; pub-to-pub walking in the Cotswolds of England; the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.

I’ve been tempted by the Overland Track in Tasmania. But Robert D. Hershey Jr. extols the virtues of the Milford Track in New Zealand in a recent story in The New York Times. As far back as 1908 this 33.5-mile trail was called the finest walk in the world and many hikers feel it’s true today.

After reading Hershey’s story I’m ready to start planning a trip south. How about you?

It was the day after Thanksgiving and with stretched out bellies we threw our camping gear in our car, made sure we had hats, gloves, plenty of cocoa and we headed out of the city towards the Sonoma Coast. My husband had to work so I was initially reluctant to join our friends on the impromptu trip. I’m loath to admit it, but despite my claims of equality and the notion that I can do most anything I put my mind to, I usually wind up caring for the kids and organizing food when we go camping. Sometimes I over-think the food and this time I just raided the fridge and cabinets and grabbed what we had.

On a beautiful day, without much preparation, off we went. Near Jenner on the Sonoma Coast we turned inland to Pomo Canyon Campground; a stellar walk-in site for tents. The sites were nestled in the redwood forest, but rolling hills and coastal scenery were close by and the toasty autumn light accentuated the beauty of the surroundings. I discovered later in the week, that nearby, a new land trust had just been created called the Jenner Headlands. Run by the Sonoma Land Trust, the 5,630 acres were purchased adjacent to more than 13,000 acres of the Sonoma Coast State Park and will create more than 30 miles of a relatively unbroken stretch of preserved land from Bodega Head to Fort Ross.

The area is teeming with wildlife as we found out late at night when our camp was raided by a family of raccoons; the only moment I freaked out a bit on my own with my boys in the tent. Our group of three adults and four boys hiked, ate our motley, ad-hoc meals and explored the surroundings. We slept in our sleeping bags with both a quilt and a blanket to keep us warm. Tired from the day’s activities and looking forward to reading in the tent we all went to bed at about 8:30 and slept till 7:30; surprisingly we felt totally rested and chipper in the morning.

On our drive home, we stopped in Guerneville for possibly the best ice cream I’ve ever had at Flavors Unlimited. Now, if this getaway sounds appealing, minus the camping, I can recommend a lovely Bed and Breakfast in Gualala, just up the Highway 1 from Jenner.  The North Coast Country Inn would be fabulous in any season.  Great rooms, yummy breakfasts and a hot tub set in a redwood circle make this the perfect setting to experience the coast.  My husband and I spent a cozy, rainy weekend there without the kids, exploring the beaches, wineries and hiking trails of the Sonoma Coast.

It’s great to get tips from other parents who love to travel with their brood. Many parents do this informally with their parenting groups or extended circle of friends. I am constantly swapping links, information and stories with other parents wanting to take their kids traveling. A new site called trekaroo.com offers an interactive experience for traveling parents. 

At first, the name made me think of some kind of Australian outback adventure, but the site offers much more than a marsupial-inspired journey. You can share tips, ask questions, upload photos, rate destinations, follow a blog and become part of a community of fellow family travelers. The site was just launched on Thanksgiving Day by a group of parents living in Pacifica, California.