June's just around the corner, signaling summer's approach, and even though San Francisco may not have gotten the memo judging by this weekend's weather alone, we've been making the best of the extended sunlight hours. Here are some of our favorite outdoor activities easily doable in a single afternoon.
1. Up, up and away! In our opinion, there's no better way of getting a taste of the Bay than from a bird's perspective. Hop on board the Airship Ventures' blimp Zeppelin and cruise from Moffett Field over to the North Bay and back again.
2. Biking the Sawyer Camp Trail. While we may crash from time to time, we still maintain that on a pretty day, peddling along the 12-mile paved trail in San Mateo County's Crystal Springs Reservoir can't be beat.
3. Will hike for Beer. Deep in Muir Woods, a Bavarian-style beer hall, the Tourist Club, eagerly waits to fill all your thirst-quenching needs. You may have to put up with attitude from the volunteers who man the lodge each weekend--they don't like opening up the place to non-members--but for that view and that beer, it's totally worth it.
4. Fore! From time to time, we like to indulge our inner prep (shhh, don't tell!). While hitting the links isn't cheap, courses like Lincoln Park Golf Club offer affordable deals for non-club members (off-peak times like weekday afternoons at twilight tend to be cheapest). If you tag along but don't golf and prefer not to be stuck as caddy, take a walk along one of the trails that border Seal Rocks State Beach and offer sweeping views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.
5. Permission to come aboard. If heights aren't your thing and the blimp seems a bit too, well, high, consider cruising the Bay by the preferred method of transportation: a boat. While Alcatraz Cruises includes a leisurely ride out to the island and guided tour of the premises, if you're not interested in a little history (or a ticket seems too pricey), opt for a round-trip trip aboard any of the Blue & Gold Fleet ferries that go to Tiburon, Angel Island, Vallejo, Sausalito or Oakland instead.
