Disc Golf, Redwoods & Camp
An early start, a round of disc golf on the way up, an easy walk through ancient redwoods, then settling into camp for games and a campfire dinner.
Depart Santa Clara
About 1 hr 50 min to Rohnert Park. Leave by 8:15 so you are through San Francisco before the late-morning traffic. Pick up your disc golf starter discs and rental camping gear the day before, since the Sports Basement in Sunnyvale (1177 Kern Ave) sells discs and rents camping gear and opens at 11am.
Disc Golf: Crane Creek Regional Park
Rohnert Park, right off Hwy 101 on the way north. 128 acres of grassy hills and old oaks with views over the Santa Rosa Plain. The course is about 4,900 ft, with mostly open, straightforward holes and a few hills, so it works well for a group that is new to disc golf. Open 7am to sunset, with pit toilets at the lot. Baskets 13 and 14 are closed for trail construction, so expect 16 holes. Bring water, and keep an eye out for ticks in grass. I could not confirm that discs can be rented on site, so bring your own.
Lunch — Mendocino Farms
Santa Rosa, about 15 minutes from the course. Healthy sandwiches, salads, and wraps made with fresh ingredients, real variety without needing a detour.
Check In & Set Up Camp
Arrive early: one-night stays here are first come, first served, and check-in opens at 1pm. Under the redwood canopy, real shade, quiet, peaceful, no radios or generators allowed here.
Hike — Armstrong Redwoods
Armstrong Tree, Parson Jones Tree, and the Burbank Circle loop, 1,300+ year-old redwoods. Extend into Austin Creek if the group wants more mileage.
Free Time & Showers
River, hammocks, coin-op showers (bring quarters), whatever the group wants.
Dinner — Korean BBQ at Camp
Every site here has a built-in fire ring with a flip-down metal grill grate, confirmed, no portable grill needed. Marinated meat straight on the grate, plus chicken, a pre-packaged salad, and pre-cut fruit on the side. Bring a small cast-iron skillet or heavy-duty foil if you want more of a flat-top for thinner cuts. Paper plates keep cleanup easy.
Campfire Games — Skull
A bluffing/strategy game built for small groups, plays great at exactly 5. Bold, simple cards mean it still works fine by lantern light once it gets dark. Quick rounds, real strategy, easy to learn on the spot. Backup for later: Wavelength, mostly verbal so it is even more forgiving of low light. S'mores and stargazing after, download a stargazing app before you lose signal. Quiet campground, so keep it acoustic, no speakers.
Hike, Apples & Home
A real hike with forest and coastal views, then apple picking and phenomenal croissants on the way home. No rush, lunch can wait until you're back.
Slow Morning & Pack Up
Coffee, breakfast at camp, pack up before heading out so there's no rush after the hike.
Hike — Pomo Canyon Trail to Red Hill
Starts shaded in redwood and cedar forest with ferns, opens into coastal grassland, ends with panoramic ocean and Russian River views at the summit.
Duncans Mills
Under 200 people, real Old West charm. Gold Coast Coffee & Bakery for locally roasted coffee and their well-loved cinnamon rolls, plus a tea shop, art gallery, and antique shops to wander. Right on the way, not a detour.
Apple & Pear Picking — Ratzlaff Ranch
Family-run since nearly a century, U-pick runs mid-September through October, perfect timing. Gravenstein, Golden Delicious, and Rome apples, plus pears too, both available the same visit. Grab their apple cider while you are there. Call ahead to confirm picking availability.
Pumpkin Picking — Papa's Pumpkin Patch
Seven varieties, pick straight off the vine, all set in the shade of old-growth redwoods, right next door to the orchard. Open daily in October, 9am–4pm, no reservation needed.
Croissants — Patisserie Angelica
Daily almond croissants, organic ingredients, a genuinely respected French patisserie, specifically called out in Sonoma Magazine's best-croissants roundup. Closer than Healdsburg's Quail & Condor, and just as worth it.
Arrive Home
Lunch can wait, eat at home whenever, or snack on fresh apples the whole way back.