Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there? We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

From my perch on the pine-covered grounds at the , I was staring down at Tomales Bay, an hour north of San Francisco, trying to make out what was splashing in the water. My mind went to the most obvious place: sharks.

In late summer, the white shark is known to frequent northern Tomales Point, on the Pacific. I calmed down, then reasoned: Maybe bat rays. The shape billowed and shrunk and appeared to be made up of separate pieces. It had to be a school of fish. Beautiful. I鈥檇 never seen anything quite like it.

Access to nature on this gorgeous, quiet stretch of Northern Cal abounds at Marconi. The newly remodeled, 45-room property feels like a sophisticated, laid-back, improved version of summer camp. But one with a sauna to shake off the coastal fog after a day of adventuring, a bar serving harder-to-find regional wines, a massive central fire pit for evening gatherings in the woods, and an ideal position on Highway 1 for quick foodie field trips or wildlife-watching.

In the span of a few hours, I observed a great blue heron stalk a gopher, a bugling bull elk with five-point antlers court a handful of females, and a wild turkey sprint across the road.

The Lodge

The setting is a hilly 62-acre , with a curious recent past that still resonates with the Bay Area鈥檚 present. In the early 1900s, Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi used the site as a receiving station to test long-distance radio signals鈥攁 precursor to today鈥檚 Wi-Fi and the Bay Area tech community. In the sixties, the property changed hands from innovative to more eccentric owners: the founders of Synanon, which began as a therapeutic drug-rehabilitation center but was eventually called out as and closed.

Today the Lodge at Marconi is all good vibes. The September weekend I visited, I shared the property with a large wedding party, young couples carrying toddlers and strolling trails with the family pup in tow (dogs are welcome overnight), and day-trippers picnicking at tables shaded by oaks and surrounded by pink lilies, with postcard views of moored fishing boats bobbing at high tide.

Marconi is on the verge of attracting considerable attention from Bay Area city-dwellers seeking a rural, comfortable hideout they can head to with family and friends. An on-site indoor-outdoor restaurant will open at the end of September with dinner service and a small bar. A day spa is in the works, as is a vegetable garden and farm-style cottages.

Eight miles south, the town of Point Reyes Station has a burgeoning artist and music scene, says Leah Fritts Vitali, Marconi鈥檚 general manager, who has resided down the road for 12 years.

鈥淭here鈥檚 an energy shift happening,鈥� she told me, one that seems to reflect the interests and values of more visitors. Marconi appeals to those who want to learn about and buy food grown locally, eat meals made from scratch, and spend time exploring protected lands, notably Point Reyes National Seashore, across the bay. 鈥淗ere you have the wilderness and a luxury lodge at a state park, and then this great community. Is this the benchmark of what鈥檚 to come elsewhere?鈥�

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel

The state park is crisscrossed by 3.5 miles of gently graded hiking trails. On an afternoon stroll, I topped out at the knoll called Tower Hill and looked toward the mouth of the narrow bay and across the water to the Point Reyes peninsula. Coastal clouds slid lazily over the low hills.

When the weather holds, the lodge offers free outdoor yoga on Sunday mornings, an ideal way to take in the eucalyptus- and pine-scented air. There are horseshoes and cornhole and volleyball and basketball courts. And whether you intend to or not, you鈥檒l be birding; I saw turkey vultures, red-tailed hawks, and woodpeckers during my stay. If you鈥檙e looking for something rare, keep your binocs trained to the shoreline at the base of the property for , a threatened species.

Trips afield should definitely be part of your stay at Marconi. Reception staff can book horseback riding, photography safaris, and kayak rentals or guided tours of the bay鈥攊f your stay coincides with a new moon, be sure to get out on the water one night to paddle through the .

Before check-in, I spent the morning hiking the 9.7-mile (round-trip) at the northern tip of Point Reyes in search of the resident Tule elk herd. I came upon a half dozen after a mile, practically right next to me, and another handful ambling up steep bluffs through the mist about a mile later. The park has countless possibilities for recreation, is a quick and beautiful 11-mile drive from the lodge, and admission is free.

Choice Rooms

Marconi鈥檚 midcentury-modernistic buildings blend into the forested surrounds, with the fire pit as focal point. The popular spot is ringed with Adirondack chairs and just a quick trot to the lobby鈥檚 grab-and-go store, stocked with snacks and drinks. I loved how the main cluster of rooms so thoughtfully brought folks together.

If you鈥檙e a family, request one of the room configurations with a central downstairs bed and a loft with a second bed. I heard the mom in the room next to mine use that as an enthusiastic pitch to her youngster: 鈥淟ook, your own space!鈥� If your group is looking to sleep up to six, book rooms 304 and 305, which connect.

If you鈥檙e a couple here for a secluded getaway for two, the homey, singular A-frame is the best nest. The newlyweds who were married at the property holed up there, canoodling on the sunset-facing deck that overlooked the bay and eastern shores of Point Reyes. It provides a full kitchen, a huge, handsomely tiled bathroom with a tub, a spacious living room, and a king bedroom at the structure鈥檚 apex.

Eat and Drink

Starting September 30, you can amble the short distance from your accommodation to a brand-new 63-seat restaurant and bar called Mable鈥檚 (a loose acronym for the marine atmospheric boundary layer鈥攖he air that cools the Northern California coast in summer). The Mediterranean menu and wine and cocktails will draw largely from local ingredients, and by the end of 2025, Mable鈥檚 is expected to offer breakfast and bag lunches that you can stick in your daypack.

If you鈥檙e like most foodies, though, you already have a list of places nearby you intend to check out. One of those is probably the famous . Breakfast pastries from its downtown Tomales location are delivered to the lodge for guests to purchase, but you should go for yourself to indulge in the mouth-watering scents and test your power of restraint in the face of so many variations of warm bread. The waterfront Marshall Store, just a mile from the lodge, has all kinds of homemade sandwiches, soups, and goodies to satiate you during 听your stay or bring home to gift.

I like to have lunch in Point Reyes Station at the , a micro food hall. Pony up to The Farmer鈥檚 Wife for some gooey goodness鈥攐ne of its signature seasonal melts. The menu boasts 18 of these sandwiches, and the Belly and Jelly鈥攚ith bacon, apricot conserve, and aged Cheddar and blue cheese鈥攊s a customer favorite. What I鈥檓 suggesting next could be dairy overdose, but you absolutely can鈥檛 leave town without trying Double 8 Dairy鈥檚 buffalo-milk soft serve paired with whichever daily fermented fruit soda Wild West Ferments has on tap. The combo is a one-of-a-kind . I鈥檒l say no more.

When to Go

Fall is the heralded season in West Marin, when the marine layer gives way to more frequent sunny days; that said, you should always pack a puffy and expect evenings that drop to the fifties this season. Elk rutting happens from August through October, when males are their most vocal.

Fritts Vitali likes the 鈥渄rama of the weather鈥� in winter. December is when elephant seals begin to appear on beaches at Point Reyes National Seashore, where they remain generally until March.

The spring months are the greenest of the year. Wildflowers are in full bloom mid-April through mid-June, and the spring bird migration is celebrated with a three-day in April.

Four species of whales can be spotted off the Pacific in the summer months. August through November, Tomales Bay tends to have more nights of bioluminescence, because the water is warmer and calmer鈥攅specially enjoyable conditions for night kayakers.

How to Get There

You鈥檒l want a car to reach the Lodge at Marconi and make the most of your time in the area. The closest airport is in Santa Rosa, 40 miles northeast, but if you鈥檙e coming from farther afield, fly into the international airports in San Francisco and Oakland, both some 60 miles south.

One word of advice: If you鈥檙e headed up from San Francisco and prone to carsickness or vertigo, avoid Highway 1. The more streamlined route to Marconi is via Highway 101, turning west in Novato and continuing to Point Reyes Station.

Don鈥檛 Miss

Although there are a handful of farms that harvest oysters in Tomales Bay, is my favorite, and here鈥檚 why: not only is it the most convenient to the Lodge at Marconi, but it鈥檚 sustainable, founded by two marine biologists devoted to responsible practices, and the only such local farm to offer regular educational tours to the public ($48).

Marconi staff can secure you a spot here鈥攖he 75-minute tours book up in advance, so it helps to have an in. You won鈥檛 go out on the water but you will have a chance to see the construction of the oyster beds, understand the whole process from seed to table, and end your schooling with a primer on how to properly shuck the bivalves and a tasting.

Stick around for a fantastic brunch at its simple and scenic bayfront Boat Oyster Bar. The ripe tomato, peach, and apple salad I ordered (above left) was just as bright as the sweetwater oysters in mignonette sauce, and all of it washed down nicely with one of the best sake Bloody Marys of my life. Tops.

Details

Price: From $299

Address: 18500 Highway 1
Marshall, CA 94940

To book: Click to get a 15 percent discount when making your reservation or听 (If you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This supports our mission to get more people active and outside. Learn more.)

Tasha Zemke is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 managing editor and a member of its online travel team. She thinks the greater Tomales Bay area is one of the best places in the world to work up an appetite outdoors and reward yourself with amazing locally sourced food and drinks.

The post The Lodge at Marconi Opens the Door to Gorgeous Nature and an Incredible Local Food Scene appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Last week I read that a 55-year-old woman named Amy Appelhans Gubser had swum from San Francisco to the Farallon Islands鈥攖he craggy archipelago at the center of Susan Casey’s epic 2005 book The Devil’s Teeth. Whenever I read about the Farallones, I envision the school bus-sized great white sharks that swim in the murky waters around the islands, which Casey profiled in her book. When I read about Appelhans Gubser’s amazing feat, all I could conjure were those sharks. I just had to ask her about them.

Appelhans Gubser, a nurse and grandmother who lives in Pacifica, completed the 29.6-mile swim from the Golden Gate Bridge to the islands on May 11 in 17 hours, three minutes. I caught up with Appelhans Gubser to discuss the massive swim and the big fish that undoubtedly swam below her.

What was your greatest fear during the swim?
The elephant in the room is white sharks, and they were in the back of my mind at all times during the swim. We didn’t take the shark thing lightly鈥擨 had a savvy crew that kept watch for them from a boat and kayak. They were ready to jump into the water to help me if I needed, but we had no shark sightings the whole time. My second fear was the cold. I trained to swim in cold but the water was 43 degrees that day, and that was unexpected and something I was not ready for. Then, I had to trust that my team was keeping me on course. We had three different instruments making sure we were going the right way. We were out of cellphone range so nobody could call us to tell us we were going the wrong way.

How did you come up with the idea for the swim?听
I’ve been around the ocean since I was ten years old. I was an ocean lifeguard in high school and college, and I swam at the University of Michigan. After I graduated I was done with the sport. I didn’t get back into the water for 24 years, and when I did return I was doing open-water swimming. I just fell in love with it and started doing more events like the open-water swims across Lake Tahoe and Monterey Bay. I can see the Farallon Islands from my house when it’s clear, and I’ve always joked with my husband that I can swim there. Five years ago I started planning and training for the crossing. I knew my body could withstand the cold and the distance. I sought out open-water swimming mentors for guidance.听 I got resources through the Marathon Swimming Federation, and then Covid broke out in 2020 and I couldn’t rent a boat. It was too bad because I was in the best shape of my life, but I was foiled. Then, the next two years I had to cancel because of strong winds. It was a challenge I wanted to do, but things never lined up.

What elements had to come together for you to even attempt it?
I had to wait for the weather systems and the currents to be right, or else you’ll swim as hard as you can and you won’t go anywhere. Wave height was another factor because the ocean can’t be too bouncy. Sometimes the current was OK but the wave interval was too tight. One day it was clear but the waves were six feet every nine seconds. On the day we went it was four feet every 12 seconds, which is doable. And then there’s the wind. If you get a prevailing southerly wind then you get foggy weather. If it’s from the north then you get blasted by Alaskan air. It can be beautiful in San Francisco but out at Point Reyes it’s 40 mile-per-hour winds. This year we spent three months monitoring surface currents. A week before my swim we could see conditions were magically aligning, and by Wednesday, May 8 we knew we were a go for Saturday the 11th. But I had a problem: the captain I had contacted for the follow boat said he had a different charter that day. I had to scramble and get a fishing captain who signed up and said “yes.”

How did you keep your mind occupied during the 17 hour swim?
Sometimes I’m thinking of nothing, other times I’m solving the world’s problems. A swarm of bats flew around us at dawn and I kept thinking it was the universe telling me I’m batshit crazy. I found that joke funny for way too long because I had nothing else to entertain my thoughts. My team would tell me jokes to keep my spirits up. I’d try to count but I’d always lose count at 77 so I’d start again.

What is the appeal of marathon open-water swimming?
As a pool swimmer, you’re following time intervals but you never see how much distance you’ve actually covered. When you do open-water swimming you can look across a body of water and see where you’ve come from. It’s so much more profound. In pool swimming you’re going for time, but in open-water swimming time doesn’t mater because you’re up against so many elements you cannot control. Your job is just to persevere so you can eventually break through. I like that.

The post This Grandmother Swam 30 Miles Through Shark-Infested Waters to Set a Record appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn鈥檛 it be something to stay there?听We do, too鈥攁ll the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Why We Love Nick鈥檚 Cove

This boat shack at the end of a pier is what first charmed me about , a 12-cottage property set on the eastern shores of Tomales Bay some 50 miles north of San Francisco.

You can grab a drink from the waterfront restaurant, and a plate full of oysters plucked from the waters just down Highway 1, then amble west across the wooden planks to that solitary shack to chill. Sit on the deck, which on a clear day sends your gaze a mile over the sparkling waters to Point Reyes National Seashore, maybe with fog creeping over its low hills; or find a seat inside the shingled shack itself, the woodstove lit and throwing out heat when the fog has turned visibility to nil, a moody experience so enchanting you positively might hope for it.

Regardless of who you鈥檙e with, or how you find yourself at Nick鈥檚, it鈥檚 romantic.

The quiet, low-key vibe of this place, and the prospect of eating fresh catch, have been two of its major draws since 1931, when Nick and Francis Kojich, immigrants from Yugoslavia, bought land here to settle down. The couple built a smokehouse for herring and then turned it into a restaurant, one that decades later is legendary in the Bay Area and beyond. The dozen cottages, each slightly different in design but all with what I鈥檇 call a kind of NorCal nautical theme, also exceed expectations; bay waters lap beneath the porches at five of them, and the remainder are scattered across the road amid towering cypress trees. Dogs are welcome on-site. The only disappointment I suffered was learning that the shack was built just 11 years ago鈥擨鈥檇 imagined it to be decades old鈥攂ut that鈥檚 easy to forget. You鈥檙e here for the atmosphere.

Marin County is full of getaway destinations, but Nick鈥檚 and the speck of its hometown, Marshall, feel humble and familial and fairly nonchalant about being the perfect base for hiking, road biking, kayaking, sailing, fishing, whale-watching, and fantastic farm-to-table (or boat-to-table) eating. Even with the amount of press Nick鈥檚 Cove has received since wrapping up property-wide renovations earlier this year, neither staff nor customers gave off any elitist airs when five friends and I visited one bluebird-sky Friday afternoon in August.

国产吃瓜黑料 Intel

Any sunny day in this area will see cyclists on the roads. The property鈥檚 new chef consultant, Chris Cosentino of Top Chef Masters fame, is also a sponsored cyclist, and when I asked for his preferred routes, he shared this starting at Nick鈥檚 Cove and this from Santa Rosa, which passes the property. (For his recommended foodie-centric route, check out the Eat and Drink section, below.)

Nick鈥檚 has started renting stand-up paddleboards and single kayaks, life vests included, to overnight guests ($25 and $35 per hour, respectively). Staff can also set up a four-hour guided fishing charter, which runs $1,400 for two people and includes a picnic lunch but not a fishing license. The captain can tell you what鈥檚 biting.

If you鈥檙e looking for a one-stop recreation spot, head 15 miles south to Point Reyes National Seashore. It has than 150 miles of trails, but I recommend in fall especially, because you鈥檒l pass through the Tule Elk Reserve (August through October is rutting season, so keep an ear open for the bulls鈥� bugling). Blufftop lookout points offer expansive lays of the land. Whale-watching is a year-round pastime along this stretch of coast; migrating humpbacks, blues, and fins frequently appear in the summer and fall, and grays in the winter and spring.

Finally, sign up for one of the of Tomales Bay offered by Blue Waters Kayaking (from $145 per person), which puts in at the seashore鈥檚 Heart鈥檚 Desire Beach. During the three-hour tour, held each month during the new moon, your guide will give you the geologic and Native history of the area and lead you to places where you can ply your paddle into the inky waters to activate the dinoflagellates鈥� brilliance. Equally magical is drifting in the darkness and being enveloped by the quiet of the bay, your senses fully alert (and maybe thrilled with fear). I don鈥檛 know which experience I loved more during my night tour this summer.

Choice Cottages

According to Wade Nakamine, Nick鈥檚 general manager, the most booked cottage is the two-bedroom, waterfront Bandit鈥檚 Bungalow. 鈥淧eople who book it are usually couples who want the space, although it can sleep up to six,鈥� he says.

His personal favorite cottage, however, is Jerry鈥檚, which can sleep up to four. Its elevated wrap-around porch is ideal for people-watching, affords stunning views of the bay, and has served as a mini outdoor kennel when he and his wife bring their Yorkie mix: 鈥淲e bring a baby gate, so he鈥檚 able to roam around.鈥� This cottage is not situated directly on the water, but Nakamine likes to lie in bed and hear the sound of the water hitting the seawalls.

Eat and Drink

Chef Cosentino, who hails from coastal New England but established a career in the Bay Area and was hired over the summer to helm the restaurant, says it best: 鈥淭his is a fish house smack-dab in the middle of farm country, and all of our dishes feature seasonal and local produce and seafood.鈥� In the fall he recommends ordering the restaurant鈥檚 Rhode Island clam chowder, barbecued oysters, and an albacore sandwich, to pair with Lyre鈥檚 Classico, a nonalcoholic sparkling wine. Cosentino also loves to add Dungeness crab to the menu when it鈥檚 in season (this year beginning November 4).

For Nakamine, nothing on the menu beats the smoked black-cod dip with saltines and pickled celery. He also recommends two specific house cocktails: 鈥淚n fall,鈥� he says, 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna do a Marshall Manhattan, which has a house-made oatmeal-stout syrup paired with Redwood Empire whiskey, cloves, and cinnamon.鈥� For summery days, he likes a Tomales tonic. 鈥淲e make our own tonic syrup with cinchona bark鈥攊t鈥檚 earthier and has an orange tint to it鈥攁nd use local gin and a splash of soda water.鈥�

Off-site there鈥檚 almost too much to contemplate. Says Cosentino, 鈥淲est Marin is a magical place, and when I started riding my bike out by Nick鈥檚 Cove, it gave me a bigger picture of everything there鈥攁ll the dairy farms and cheese companies, the oyster spots and bakeries.鈥� His recommendations for a local foodie tour, which can be done by bike or by car, is as follows:

Start your morning with a pastry from Route One Bakery and Kitchen in the town of Tomales, just four miles east of Marshall. You can also at the nearby Tomales Farmstead Creamery. From Tomales, head south 17 miles to Point Reyes Station. 鈥淵ou have some of the most amazing local producers close by each other and can stop at farmstands for fruit, flowers, and honey,鈥� he says. In town, Cosentino likes to stop for buffalo-milk ice cream at Toby鈥檚 Feed Barn, sauerkraut and chili paste from Wild West Ferments, coffee and a cookie at Bovine Bakery, and 鈥渁mazing sourdough鈥� at Brickmaiden Breads.

To that I鈥檇 add a stop en route at the Hog Island Oyster Co., where you can sit outdoors and eat shucked oysters with a view of the bay (walk-ins available only Thursdays; otherwise make a reservation), or pick up picnic provisions to take on your way.

When to Go

Marshall tends to stay cool and temperate year-round, with highs ranging from the mid-fifties to low sixties in the winter and spring and low seventies in the summer and fall. Marshall sees an average of 260 days of sun annually, but it鈥檚 smart to carry听 a beanie, scarf, and puffy jacket in case the fog sets in.

I have always wanted to visit Nick鈥檚 for Thanksgiving鈥攊ts restaurant is open that day鈥攁nd fill the long holiday weekend with nice walks in the area (chances are you鈥檒l see a wild turkey) and some deep reading in front of my cottage鈥檚 woodstove.

How to Get There

You鈥檒l want to have a car to explore West Marin, and a rental is the best option if you鈥檙e flying into San Francisco or Oakland International Airports (both 65 miles south) or the smaller Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa (35 miles north). Regardless of which way you鈥檙e coming, the ranchlands, grand eucalyptus trees, and maritime seascape as you draw closer make for a lovely transition from the city and put you in the mood to relax.

Don鈥檛 Miss

The in Point Reyes National Seashore is a beautiful place for a leisurely stroll, for any ability and the differently abled. It ends at a historic Art Deco鈥搒tyle structure that formerly served as a ; touring it, and seeing the equipment used to send ships messages via Morse code, felt like a real step back in time.

Details

To Book:

Price: From $430 per night

Address: 23240 Highway One
Marshall, CA 94940

Tasha Zemke is 国产吃瓜黑料 magazine鈥檚 associate managing editor and a member of its online travel team. She lived on an Italian island for 13 years, and since she moved to Santa Fe, she always takes vacations to the waterfront. In October she鈥檚 off to another island: Japan.

The post These Bayside Cottages North of San Francisco Set the Scene for 国产吃瓜黑料 appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 a Saturday in early November, the opening day of Dungeness crab season in California. My friend Micah is pulling his boat up to the wooden dock at Horseshoe Cove, directly underneath the north end of San Francisco鈥檚 Golden Gate Bridge, in Sausalito. An avid fisherman from nearby San Rafael, Micah has brought hoop nets, his two sons, and enough foul-weather gear to ward off the encroaching fog and rain. My family and I pile in, and off we go, jetting across the bay and beneath the bridge, into a cove that we鈥檙e all hoping is teeming with crab.

After an hour or so, the ocean delivers. We pull in nets full of crabs, throwing back what we can鈥檛 keep due to size and daily limits, and dropping the rest into a tank on the boat. En route back to the dock, Micah asks if we want to come over for a crab lunch at his place. Obviously, the answer is yes. A quick stop at the Saturday farmers鈥� market at Marin Country Mart听in Larkspur yields a bag of fresh-from-the-soil potatoes and a crusty French baguette from Rustic Bakery to accompany the steamed crabs.

I鈥檝e eaten a lot of delicious food over the years in bountiful Marin County, a verdant peninsula surrounded by the Pacific just north of San Francisco. But honestly, those crabs we caught ourselves might top the list鈥攖he freshest of seafood, dunked in bowls of melted butter.

These days Marin is known as the affluent, family-centric home base for the Bay Area鈥檚 wealthy remote and tech workers. Real estate prices here are among the highest in the country. But it hasn鈥檛 always been that way. In the 1970s, Marin was the groovy epicenter of the Grateful Dead and the birthplace of the renegade sport of mountain biking. As a result, the area鈥檚 hippie, counterculture roots as a rock-and-roll commune still persevere and can be felt in Marin鈥檚 laid-back, unpretentious, outdoorsy vibe.

Over half of Marin鈥檚 open space remains off-limits to development, thanks to long-standing conservation efforts. The county boasts three federally protected wild spaces鈥擬uir Woods National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Golden Gate National Recreation Area鈥攁nd six state parks. And residents here treasure both their expansive public and private lands for more than just recreation, regularly frequenting the 250 local farms and ranches that make the most of the mild climate and fertile landscape, from cheesemakers and winemakers to apple, artichoke, and oyster farmers.

I love coming to Marin. There are many wonderful ways to spend a weekend here, but if you鈥檙e looking to tie together a variety of outdoor activities, accommodations situated near wildlands, and food options that will keep you singing the praises of this corner of the country for years to come, here鈥檚 my favorite itinerary to experience the best Marin has to offer.

Friday

3 P.M. Hit the Trails

Start your weekend outside with a short hike or trail run within the Marin Headlands, part of , where miles of winding singletrack offer ocean views. Go out and back on the 鈥攁bout two miles one way, though it connects to other trails if you want to make the hike longer鈥攆or vistas of the Golden Gate Bridge and a steady climb along a narrow ridge. It鈥檚 hard to believe a city as dense and populated as San Francisco is just a famous bridge commute or short ferry ride away when you鈥檙e out here exploring these areas of uncrowded wilderness.

5 P.M. Check In to Your Digs

A stay at the LEED-certified (from $425) is hard to beat.This gorgeous, 350-acre resort at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge was formerly the site of the U.S. Army post at For Baker听补苍诲 feels like a true getaway, with incredible views and the scent of eucalyptus permeating the air. The hotel has a spa, a top-notch farm-to-fork restaurant, and tries to keep its guests out and moving with offerings such as daily yoga, vintage electric bikes, summertime lawn games, and guided hikes that leave right from the property. Dogs are treated like VIP guests, and there鈥檚 expansive grounds for you and your pup to play.

If you鈥檇 rather sleep beneath the stars, there鈥檚 camping on the ocean at (from $40), west of the Golden Gate Bridge, from March through late November, or for year-round options, head about ten miles north to and stay in the rustic Steep Ravine Cabins ($100) or at one of its campsites ($25)鈥攖hough both are highly coveted and most reservations should be booked six months鈥� out. The (from $30) in Point Reyes National Seashore are stunning (not to mention more available), if you鈥檙e willing to hike in with your gear.

7 P.M. Nosh Time

Head to the upscale hamlet of Sausalito for an evening stroll along the water, followed by dinner of kale-and-ricotta pizza at Bar Bocce, with views of houseboats in the harbor. Afterward, go for a pint next door at Joinery, a casual beer hall with picnic tables on the dock. Save room for a scoop of mango or cinnamon-horchata ice cream at Lappert鈥檚.

Saturday

7:30 A.M. First, Coffee

There鈥檚 coffee and complimentary pastries in the hotel lobby at Cavallo Point if you need an immediate fix. For a proper meal, start your day with a leisurely breakfast of avocado toast with perfectly poached eggs鈥攑lus a side of vanilla bean doughnuts鈥攁t , the in-house restaurant.

10 A.M. Take a Guided Food Tour听

Love learning where your food comes from? Sign up with , a locally owned outfitter that leads public, small-group excursions around Marin County鈥檚 best oyster farms, cheesemakers, and flower and food growers. As part of two of its tours, you鈥檒l snack on pastries at the Bovine Bakery, in Point Reyes Station, which is worth standing in line for.

1 P.M. Yes, You Should Order the Oysters

There are many superb places to dine on locally harvested oysters in coastal Marin. The most famous is probably Hog Island Oyster Co.,听in Marshall, a dreamy outdoor caf茅 with a raw bar, barbecued oysters, and cheese platters stacked with offerings from nearby Cowgirl Creamery. If you鈥檙e on the Food and Farm Tour, you鈥檒l likely make a stop here; if not, make a reservation well in advance to score a table. (If you can鈥檛 get a reservation, there鈥檚 a grab-and-go shack for picnic supplies to take with you, or there鈥檚 an easier-to-get-into Hog Island caf茅 in the southern Marin town of Larkspur.) As an alternative option, check out in Marshall, where you can dine on oysters harvested from Tomales Bay at the lodge鈥檚 on-site restaurant, situated at the end of a pier. The cottages at Nick鈥檚 (from $375) were recently renovated and make for a great home base as well.

3 P.M. Taste Wine Made from Bees

Marin isn鈥檛 known for its wine鈥攖hat would be neighboring Sonoma and Napa counties鈥攂ut the sparkling mead wine made from honeybees by a geologist turned brewer at , also in Point Reyes Station, is worth a stop for a quick tasting.

4 P.M. Make a Break for the Beach

With 80 miles of shoreline, you can enjoy by walking endless sandy beaches, like Drake鈥檚 Beach or North Beach, both of which are easily accessible via car. If you鈥檙e feeling adventurous and want to get out on the water, you can rent a kayak from , which also runs nighttime bioluminescence tours from Heart鈥檚 Desire Beach in Tomales Bay. If sailing is more your style, book a chartered trip with in Point Reyes.

8 P.M. Splurge on the Best Sushi in the Bay

Ask anyone around and they鈥檒l tell you the best and freshest sushi in the Bay Area is at Sausalito鈥檚 Sushi Ran. The owner, Yoshi Tome, who grew up in Japan, knows a great deal about sake and has been running his beloved restaurant since 1986.

Sunday

8 A.M. Fill Up with a Farmers鈥� Market Breakfast

Pick up coffee and breakfast鈥攁s well as everything from pies to pickles鈥攆rom the plentiful and iconic Sunday in San Rafael, the third-largest farmers鈥� market in California, which is set at the Frank Lloyd Wright鈥揹esigned civic center and open year-round on Sundays from 8 A.M. until 1 P.M.

9:30 A.M. Walk in the Woods

Wander among old-growth redwoods in , which has six miles of trails (again, you can connect to other trail networks for longer outings). In order to visit, you鈥檒l need to make a in advance or arrive by shuttle. The oldest trail-running race in the country, the Dipsea Race,听first held in 1905 on the steep Dipsea Trail and now a bucket-list event for many that happens each June, crosses through Muir Woods as competitors make their way from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach. But anyone can test their mettle on the trail year-round鈥攊t makes for a technical and challenging 7.4-mile hike.

11:30 A.M. Stop for Sourdough and Surf

Another reason to love Marin: the 24-hour honor-system farm stand from the family-run , about a mile and a half north of Bolinas Beach on the Olema-Bolinas Road. Drop your money in the box or make a Venmo payment to grab fresh eggs, a loaf of homemade sourdough, or produce grown in the adjacent field. If you鈥檙e a surfer, the break at Bolinas is the place to be. The in the quaint coastal town of Bolinas rents boards and wetsuits and offers lessons.

1 P.M. Taco Time

A solid morning of exertion calls for a lunch of fish tacos or a midday brunch of saucy, avocado-topped huevos rancheros at the nearby .

3 P.M. Spin Your Wheels near the Birthplace of Mountain Biking

Fifty years ago, a group of road cyclists from Marin began using fat-tire, singlespeed vintage bikes to ride the trails around towering 2,571-foot Mount Tamalpais, recognized as the birthplace of mountain biking. These days, the area鈥檚 best purpose-built mountain-bike trails can be found at , a Boy Scout鈥搑un open space west of Fairfax. In town, is known for its tune-ups, rentals, and a staff with ample local trail knowledge. Another great option is , which leads guided trail rides in Marin and also rents bikes. Next door is the Marin Museum of Bicycling, well worth a stop to learn more on the history of the sport in the area. Afterward, order a cold K枚lsch, surrounded by mountain bikes hanging off the walls, at Gestalt Haus,听a lively beer hall.

When to Go to Marin County

There鈥檚 no bad time of year to visit the San Francisco Bay Area, but late fall鈥攆rom September to November鈥攊s actually when the city sees some of its warmest weather of the year. And there鈥檚 a reason Marin is called the sunny side of the Golden Gate Bridge: winter temperatures rarely drop below 50 degrees. Early winter is a great time for spotting migratory birds and whale-watching. California gray whales can be spotted heading north along the Northern California coast between mid-January and mid-March, and is a great place to look for them.

Megan Michelson is a frequent听国产吃瓜黑料 contributor who lives in Tahoe City, California, and travels to Marin County a couple of times per year for trail running and the good food.听

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The San Francisco Marathon鈥攃elebrating 45 years!鈥攊s a race around the perimeter of San Francisco. Iconic Landmarks and historic neighborhoods will, once again, welcome the runners who embark on this journey through Golden Gate Park, over the Golden Gate Bridge, and many more awe-inspiring places. On this 26.2-mile loop, nearly 30,000 runners will compete in the impossibly scenic USATF certified course which is also a Boston Marathon Qualifier and an Olympic Team Time Trials Qualifier race.

What has become a monumental and extraordinary race is rooted in the ambitions of a passionate and authentic local running community. It was the Pamakids Runners Club that put on the inaugural San Francisco Marathon on July 10, 1977. A taxi driver from Reno won that year, running the course in 2:24:59. Nobody knew back then that the race would become one of the largest marathons in the US.

One of the best inadvertent benefits of running is that it presents the opportunity to explore a city and its inhabitants in minute detail. From marveling at the fluid synchronized movement of rowing teams along the Charles River while running in Boston鈥檚 Back Bay to watching the first rays of sunlight paint the Midtown skyline during a run atop New York City鈥檚 High Line Elevated Park, the most intimate way to get to know a city is by running through it.

鈥淲hen I watch TV with friends and see the Golden Gate Bridge; I nod with a smile saying, 鈥業 ran over that bridge,鈥欌�� wrote Jeanne Corey Marchand, 2019 San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, in her race report.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the places that leaves the most visceral memories in San Francisco Marathon runners. Some dread it, some are excited to get on it. One thing is for sure: nobody is indifferent when it comes to this portion of the race.

鈥淭he Bridge itself, while quite a challenge, is unique and a fun experience. It鈥檚 one of those moments that helps this race stand out against every other road marathon鈥︹�� wrote Ethan Newberry, The Ginger Runner, in his race report.

Even though the bridge might be the single most talked-about landmark, there are many other breathtaking places along the way, like the Golden Gate Park. Besides the above-pictured Conservatory of Flowers, runners can encounter wildlife not everyone would expect to see in the middle of a city. For example鈥攁nd this is not an April Fool鈥檚 joke鈥攂ison. The park, in short, is yet another unforgettable part of the course.

鈥淲here else can you see Bison and botanical gardens in the same location? Certainly not in Connecticut!鈥� wrote Marchand.

Starting just before sunrise, the race fits a full week鈥檚 worth of sightseeing into one morning. The sky usually gets lighter as the race participants pass Fisherman鈥檚 Wharf and the sun comes out as they near the Golden Gate Bridge.

鈥淭here is nothing like seeing the beautiful sunrise over the water as you鈥檙e running downtown and then up to the bridge; that really leaves you breathless. It is absolutely stunning,鈥� wrote Lindsay Walter, 2020 San Francisco Marathon Ambassador, in her race report.

A hundred miler might be a life in a day but any distance of the San Francisco Marathon can leave behind just as much emotion.

鈥淚 left my heart in San Francisco (and my quads, and my glutes, and my hamstrings…)鈥� wrote a runner who calls himself Doctor Will in his race report on JustRunLah!

From 5K to 50 miles (okay, 52.4 miles, but who鈥檚 counting), the San Francisco Marathon can be the experience of a lifetime. As the runners leave the coast, the bridge, and the park behind and enter the city streets, they may think that all the good parts are behind them. The gorgeous views and exciting landmarks are, however, only a part of the race鈥檚 charm鈥攊t鈥檚 the people and the community that make it what it is.

Every year, hundreds of volunteers and thousands of spectators come out to support the race participants in any way they can. Even if the San Francisco Marathon wasn鈥檛 one of the most scenic city races in the US, offering stunning views of fun and interesting attractions, the community would be perfectly capable of making up for it.

San Francisco Marathon participants are supported not only by the race organizers, volunteers, and medical crews, but also by the local community and both running and non-running spectators.

Along the course and as the finish line nears, runners are welcomed by cheering crowds, witty signs, and the Bay Bridge announcing that there are only a few minutes left until they reach the finish line.

鈥淭ake in the scenes, read all the signs, high five every kid, and smile for the cameras!鈥� wrote Marchand.

鈥淐hafing the dreams!鈥� might have read a sign held by a spectator along the way while another offered runners who forgot to treat their skin an anti-chafing salve, saving their thighs or their entire race.

Everybody takes part in getting the runners to the finish line, no matter how big or small their contribution. The race, despite its size, is still a community event, just as it was when it was first organized 45 years ago.

鈥淚 fell in love with this race the moment I ran [it] but not just for the views and challenging course, but because of the community,鈥� wrote Walter.

Any finish line is a place made of dreams. The San Francisco finish line is a place where those dreams have been made true for decades, and the community and organizers wish for nothing more than to keep helping others reach their goals, no matter how big, for years to come.

国产吃瓜黑料+ Member Perk

The 国产吃瓜黑料+ Cheer Garden post-race party gives all San Francisco Marathon participants an opportunity to celebrate an amazing day of running. 国产吃瓜黑料+ members will enjoy VIP perks at the Cheer Garden with unlimited drinks tickets and the opportunity to bring a friend or family member along for the fun. Find your Cheer Garden access code to enter during San Francisco Marathon registration in the MyPerks section of your 国产吃瓜黑料+ member account. If you鈥檙e not yet an 国产吃瓜黑料+ member, join 国产吃瓜黑料+ today.

2022 San Francisco Marathon

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If you haven鈥檛 discovered at least a dozen hidden gems in your backyard and hometown since the start of the pandemic, you鈥檝e been doing it all wrong. But don鈥檛 worry, there鈥檚 still time to build that list. For those of us living in cities, there are plenty of weekend-long detours that will make you feel as if you鈥檝e escaped the grind, without having to had to travel very far at all.

If You鈥檙e in Seattle or Portland听

Go to Sisters, Oregon. The听听(from $125), three hours from Portland or five from Seattle, has everything you want in a quick summer getaway: a lake with kayaks, canoes, and SUPs on loan, a bar serving up lakefront cocktails, mountain bike trails nearby in听, and musicians playing music around the campfire most nights. Stay in one of 11 newly restored lodge rooms or 16 rustic cabins on Suttle Lake.

If You鈥檙e in San Francisco or Los Angeles听

Go to Mammoth Lakes, California.听It鈥檚 a six-hour drive from San Francisco, or听five hours from Los Angeles. 听is staying open for skiing through Memorial Day; then the resort offers lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking trails, and scenic gondola rides. Need a camping rig?听听has rental campervans you can pick up in L.A. or San Francisco. Or check in to the听听(from $169), which has independent chalets.

If You鈥檙e in Boston or New York听

Go to North Adams, Massachusetts. A听three-hour drive west of Boston and a 3.5-hour haul from New York City,听the northern Berkshires in the spring is a good place to be: the summer crowds haven鈥檛 arrived yet and hiking on a stretch of the Appalachian Trail is good to go. For birdwatchers, you鈥檒l find plenty of action at the Audubon Society鈥檚 in Lenox, which has seven miles of hiking trails. Stay at , 1.5 miles from downtown North Adams, which has 100 lakeside and wooded sites for RVs, campers, and tents (from $25). Pick up barbecue and a growler of craft beer at in town.

If You鈥檙e in 础迟濒补苍迟补听

Go to Ellijay, Georgia. Less than two hours from Atlanta, this is a mountain biker鈥檚 dream spot, but there鈥檚听plenty to do here鈥攆rom hiking to fly-fishing through听鈥攊f you don鈥檛 ride听bikes. Stay in a cabin or park your van or RV at听听(from $70 per person) and you鈥檒l have miles of singletrack and gravel riding from your door.

If You鈥檙e in Chicago

Go to , Illinois.听Its waterfalls and wildflowers come alive in the springtime, and the park鈥檚 campground and lodge see relatively fewer crowds. Hike into the sandstone canyons or scenic bluffs via 13 miles of marked trails or fish for white bass and walleye in the Illinois River. Less than two hours by car from Chicago, the park has a sprawling (from $25) and a (from $120), built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.

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This summer is set to be another huge season for camping and road trips. Already听many places are seeing major campsite听补苍诲 shortages, with reports of to get around. Luckily, a growing crop of companies are leasing overlanding rigs and camper vans to road-trippers looking to get away without the burden of hard-to-get bookings.听

These outfits also allow those who want to sample nomadic life a way to test out options before committing to ownership听补苍诲 the dizzying array of equipment choices that now confront van builders. 鈥淭he [overlanding] gear industry has grown so big that it鈥檚 easy to get overwhelmed,鈥� says owner Alex Birukova, who explains that many of her customers appreciate the ability to test out the various features and systems on her rental rigs before they purchase their own.听

Others rent Birukova鈥檚 vehicles while theirs are being听built. Waiting听lists at van conversion companies and camper manufacturers normalized remote work and made an untethered lifestyle more plausible for many. , a company that makes pop-up truck-bed campers designed for off-road travel, reported a dramatic increase in sales (and wait times) since last May, when its factory reopened. And , a website dedicated to converting Sprinters to campers, has seen a 50 percent increase in site traffic since the pandemic began鈥攁nd wait times for new vans ranging from several months (for a Ford Transit) to nearly a year (for a 4×4 Mercedes).听

We rounded up our favorite听rental companies in six cities, plus the best听weekend trips to test your rig out on.听

San Francisco, CA: Cypress Overland

The vehicles: Choose between a Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro with a GoFast pop-up truck bed camper, a lifted Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with a rooftop tent, or a Jeep Gladiator with a rooftop tent. All come with a refrigerator, a deluxe Kanz Outdoors kitchen kit, memory-foam mattresses, and bamboo-topped camp tables with chairs. From $195 a day

The trip: Hire Cypress Overland to design your own beach or mountain itinerary, complete with GPS coordinates to jaw-dropping dispersed campsites. Or听drive three hours north from the Bay Area to California鈥檚 Lost Coast, leaving Highway 1 for six miles of steep and twisty unpaved road to Usal Beach and its dispersed oceanside camping spots. Watch the sun sink into the Pacific, then next morning, continue north through to Shelter Cove, where you can spy on seals and sea lions or swim from black-sand beaches walled by steep mountainsides. Finally, drive east to Highway 101 to return to San Francisco, stopping in Petaluma for Lagunitas鈥檚 freshly brewed ales.

Las Vegas, NV: Pacific Overlander

The vehicles: The Las Vegas location (Pacific Overlander also operates out of San Francisco) leases a Toyota Tacoma fitted with an Alu-Cab Khaya camper that sleeps up to听four in a heated interior that comes with a fridge-freezer and on-demand hot-water shower system. Also available: a听Tacoma with two rooftop tents (to sleep four), a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (with one rooftop tent) and a Toyota 4Runner (with one rooftop tent). Upgrade to an Exped Megamat for ultimate sleep comfort. From $195 a day

The trip: Drive 200 miles east to Tuweep, the least-trafficked district of Grand Canyon National Park, and claim one of nine campsites beside Toroweap Overlook, where sheer sandstone cliffs plunge 3,000 feet down to the silvery ribbon of the Colorado River. Hike the Tuckup Trail along the North Rim for unparalleled views of the Big Ditch, then drive east to aptly named Point Sublime and claim one of two little-known campsites beside pink cliffs dotted with pines ($15 permit required from the Backcountry Permit Office).

Denver, CO: Titus 国产吃瓜黑料 Company

The vehicles: Lexus GX460, Jeep Wrangler Sport, and three听models of campervans. Rooftop tents sleep two to four people (on the Sequoia), and all vehicles come with a bat-wing awning, full kitchen kit, Yeti cooler, and even a Colorado state-parks pass. From $220 a day

The trip: For $30 a day, Colorado native Travis Titus designs custom itineraries complete with secret fishing holes, can鈥檛-miss barbecue joints, and little-known campsites. But oft-visited central Colorado still holds gems: Veer off I-70 to ogle aspens at , then drive over Crooked Creek Pass for knockout summit views and uncrowded limestone sport climbing in . Continue southwest past Ruedi Reservoir to hook trophy trout in the Fryingpan River before passing through the towns of Basalt and Carbondale to Marble. From here, the 13-mile Lead King Loop features panoramas of spire-like summits and wildflower meadows.

Jackson, WY: Teton Backcountry Rentals

The vehicles: The larger of TBR鈥檚 two options is a GMC Sierra fitted with a brand-new Four Wheel Grandby pop-up camper; the smaller Four Wheel Hawk camper sits on a Chevy Silverado. Both include upholstered bench seating,听a queen-size听bed,听an interior kitchen fitted with a propane-powered heater, refrigerator and two-burner stove, a 20-gallon water tank, and a six-gallon water heater with outdoor shower.听From $229 a day

The trip: TBR offers five levels of trip-planning consultation to help renters locate dispersed campsites in the Wind River Range or plan hiking or packrafting epics in the Tetons. Or just design your own adventure by driving north from Jackson to camp in the Gros Ventre Range east of Highway 191. The numbered dispersed sites at Shadow Mountain, in the , offer incomparable views of the Tetons. Then drive west to camp among the lodgepoles at (from $42)听in Grand Teton National Park: a听five-minute walk leads to Jackson Lake and its sweeping views of Mount Moran, and the Hermitage Point trailhead lets hikers explore the lakeshore on a ten-mile loop from camp.

New York, NY: Escape Campervans

The vehicles: The Maverick is a Ford E-150 or Ford Transit with a queen bed that converts to a table and benches听补苍诲 comes with an optional rooftop tent that expands sleeping capacity to up to four people. The larger Big Sur offers more cargo space in a Ford-350. Both models include kitchenettes and 鈥渂ug socks鈥� that cover the rolled-down windows with netting for nighttime ventilation. Rear-wheel drive lets vans handle highways and smooth dirt lanes (but not soft beaches or rocky roads). From $49 a day

The trip: With 13 rental locations across the U.S. and Canada, Escape facilitates point-to-point rentals for cross-country road trips. For a wild circuit that returns to New York City, drive north to the and Shelving Rock Road, a gravel lane offering dispersed camping among pines and hardwoods. Then roll east into Vermont鈥檚 to claim one of the 15 primitive campsites at Silver Lake, where six hiking trails hug the shoreline and scale the surrounding hills.听

Orlando, FL: Ondevan

The vehicles: Ford Transits and F-350鈥檚 fitted with custom beds and cabinetry sleep up to two people on extra-long, full-size听mattresses that accommodate seven-footers. Ceiling fans bring air in or out, an interior sink and seven-gallon water tank makes for easy dish duty, and camping extras (such as portable grills and hammocks) cater to epicures and lounge lizards.听From $89 a day

The trip: Drive five hours northwest to the state鈥檚 wildest forests and emptiest Gulf Coast beaches. Campsites at offer access to nine miles of undeveloped beaches and dunes. Then drive north into the near Crawfordville, where sandy, unpaved roads lead to secluded campsites among saw palmettos and longleaf pines, where black bears still roam. Returning to Orlando, stop off at Wakulla Springs to swim or paddle with the manatees that winter here.

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Alex Wilton lives in San Francisco, surrounded by water. That was once part of its allure; as someone who spent听many years sailing, Wilton had come to associate the ocean with freedom鈥攖he freedom to explore, freedom from outside demands.

Recently, though, he could hardly look at open water without his mind wandering to dark places. This was unfortunate, given that the San Francisco Bay bordered his running route along the Embarcadero and glimmered under the bridge he crossed to visit his parents in Marin County. The sea had taken on a sinister quality.

In March of 2019, Wilton, who was 32 at the time, traveled from San Francisco to Troncones, a sleepy resort town on Mexico鈥檚 Pacific coast, to attend a wedding with his then girlfriend, Asha Agrawal. When they reached their beachfront hotel, they changed into bathing suits and trotted outside to the sand. After splashing around in the blue-green water to cool down, Wilton had an urge to burn off some energy. He grabbed his goggles, swam out beyond where the surf was breaking, and turned听south.

That Wilton would so casually go on an open-water swim was once unthinkable. When he was eight or nine, he watched the movie Jaws, and the experience 鈥渒nocked him out.鈥� For years听he refused to wade into the ocean deeper than where his feet could graze the bottom, afraid that he might see a shark fin slicing toward听him. Slowly, though, he became听more comfortable, and open-water swimming became a pleasurable, if not entirely stress-free, pastime on sailing trips and vacations.

Even as an adult, Wilton would flinch at shadows as he swam farther from shore, but as a logical-minded Silicon Valley product manager who talks about dividing topics into 鈥渂uckets鈥� to be 鈥渄ouble-clicked on,鈥� he would quell his anxiety through reasoning.

The risk of being attacked by a shark varies based on geography, how frequently a person enters the ocean, and what activities they engage in. But the odds are vanishingly small for nearly everyone. According to the , a research group at the Florida Museum, the annual odds of being attacked by a shark in America hover around . In California, where Wilton lives, a 2015 Stanford study found that swimmers have a chance of being attacked during an ocean visit. Wilton was more likely to be killed or by a than breaststroking in the Pacific.

But that day in Mexico, Wilton thought only of how liberating听it was to stretch his legs after hours on cramped planes. He freestyled with a meditative rhythm, reveling in the warm water as it flowed over his skin.

One, two. One, two. One, two. (@*$)#&@)! 听

Something hurtled into him with what felt like the force of a tank. His right leg ignited with pain. Had he crashed into something? Did a boat just hit him?

Instinctively, he ducked underwater to investigate and spotted the outline of a large gray and white shark just feet from him. He snapped his head out of the water and gasped for air, trying to make sense of what had happened. When he tentatively dipped his head back under听a few seconds later, his eyes were immediately drawn to听his right leg, which had听been torn open, and then听the shark鈥檚 tail swinging through the water as it swam away.

As blood began to swirl around his body, Wilton bobbed vertically in the water, with both legs pointed toward听the seafloor. He could see in every direction this听way, but he knew he couldn鈥檛 remain there, immobile and watching the water听in terror.听He鈥檇 need to swim to shore before he lost too much blood听or鈥攚orse鈥攖he shark returned. For the first time in his life, he feared he might die.

Stopping twice to peer over his shoulder and scan the water for flashes of steely gray, Wilton听struggled toward听the surf break, his right leg dragging. Adrenaline had dulled the pain, but a crushing fear gripped him. His heart beat wildly. He was defenseless.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only a few minutes, Wilton propelled himself into a wave, letting it tumble him toward听the shore. When he felt the gritty sand beneath his left foot, he yelled out to Agrawal, his girlfriend, who was sitting on a chaise on the beach.

Agrawal grabbed her sarong and tied a makeshift tourniquet around his bleeding wound. She recruited other tourists who had been relaxing nearby to help carry Wilton off the beach, and sprinted inside for help. The hotel owner began to call an ambulance, but Agrawal convinced him there was no time鈥攈e had to personally drive Wilton to surgery or Wilton would bleed out.

As Wilton was rushed into the operating room, a doctor grabbed his hand and assured him: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to be OK.鈥� The bite听had come听within a few inches of Wilson鈥檚 femoral artery鈥攖he main supply of blood to the leg, which, if punctured, can lead to death within minutes鈥攂ut had not severed it. He would need 27 stitches, but he would survive.

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Plant-based beef from brands like 听补苍诲听 is quickly听becoming a new staple. If it鈥檚 not already on the menu of your favorite fast-food chain, odds are good that it鈥檚 coming soon, and it鈥檚 most likely already in the meat section of your local grocery store.

Sure, you might be able to tell the difference between an Impossible burger and one made with Angus beef. But if you鈥檙e crumbling the plant-based stuff into a recipe or seasoning it heavily for taco meat or kebabs, you鈥檇 probably be able to trick even the staunchest carnivore.

This is by design. Both Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods听have engineered their products to be almost identical to real beef in every sense. Jonathan Valdez, a dietitian and founder of , explains that both of these companies鈥櫶齪roducts are fortified with vitamins and minerals that aren鈥檛 naturally found in plant foods but that are typically found听in beef, like iron and vitamin B12. Their听total and saturated fat content is similar to ground beef that鈥檚听80 percent lean, 20 percent fat. That鈥檚 a choice the companies made, not for the sake of nutrition鈥攖he recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10听percent of your daily calories, regardless of whether it comes from plants or animals鈥攂ut so the faux beef better mimics the real stuff.听

Thanks to that careful formulation, you can substitute the same amount of plant-based beef in just about any recipe that calls for ground beef. (Although Valdez warns that plant-based beef is higher in sodium, so you might want to go easy on the salt.) If you鈥檇 like to follow a recipe that鈥檚 been developed and tested with plant-based beef, here are three to try.

Pineapple Tacos听

鈥淚 love this taco recipe, because it鈥檚 approachable, bright, and satisfying,鈥� says Jasmine Shimoda, chef and owner of , a plant-based restaurant in Los Angeles. She explains that imitation ground beef browns in a skillet just like the real stuff and actually packs a tastier punch than most store-bought ground beef, thanks to yeast extract that lends it ample umami flavor.听

Ingredients听

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 pound plant-based ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped听
• 2 garlic cloves, minced听
• 2 teaspoons chili powder听
• 1 teaspoon chipotle in adobo sauce (from a can)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or less,听to taste)
• 陆 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper听
• 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed听lime juice, divided听
• 1 small jicama, peeled and听cut into matchsticks
• 5 radishes, thinly sliced听
• 鈪� cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 serrano or jalape帽o pepper, seeds removed,听thinly sliced听
• 录 cup raw red onion, thinly sliced听
• 1陆 tablespoons Vegenaise听

For serving: warm corn tortillas, warm black beans, vegan crumbly cheese, cilantro, lime wedges

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saut茅听pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the plant-based beef, and break up with a large spoon or spatula. Spread it out in the pan to ensure the maximum amount of caramelization. Once the plant-based beef is browned, about four to five minutes, transfer to a plate and set aside somewhere warm, leaving most of the fat in the pan.听

Return the pan to the stove.听Cook the yellow听onion in the remaining fat until translucent, three to four minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes, then add the chili powder, chipotle, salt, and pepper, and stir everything together. Turn up the heat to medium-high, and toss in the diced pineapple,听cooking for two more minutes until the pineapple is heated through and slightly soft. Add the imitation beef and one tablespoon of lime juice. Stir everything to combine, then remove the pan from the heat.听

Meanwhile, mix together the jicama, radishes, and cilantro, as well as the remaining two听tablespoons of lime juice, the red onion, and the Vegenaise听in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble tacos by topping tortillas with the beef-pineapple filling, jicama slaw, and garnishes. Serves four.

鈥淏eef鈥� and Barley Stew

This veggie-filled soup recipe puts a spin on classic beef and barley stew, with the addition of chili powder for a pretty serious kick. And instead of hulled barley, it calls for pearl barley, which is softer and cooks more quickly because the tough outer layer has been removed. The recipe is reprinted with permission听from Adams Media鈥檚听,听a collection of simple dishes flavored with everything from fresh chili to homemade hot sauce.听

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 medium stalks celery, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 medium green bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup water
• 2陆 cups tomato juice (like Mott鈥檚 or V8)
• 鈪撎齝up uncooked pearl barley
• 1陆 teaspoons chili powder
• 1陆 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound plant-based ground beef
• 鈪浱齮easpoon salt
• 鈪� teaspoon black pepper
• Fresh parsley, for garnish

Instructions

Place a large soup pot or stockpot over medium heat, add the oil, and saut茅 the听onion, celery, carrot, and bell pepper until almost soft, about four to five minutes. Add the water, tomato juice, and barley, stirring well to combine, then add the chili powder, parsley, and bay leaves.听Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Add the plant-based beef and cook uncovered until the barley is soft, about听another five minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

To serve, remove bay leaves, and ladle soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with parsley, and serve with crusty bread for dipping. Serves six.

Chiles Rellenos

Traditional chiles rellenos are battered and deep-fried, but San Francisco chef 听prefers to roast them instead, which means that her version is easier and a little lighter. 鈥淲ithout all that fried batter, you really taste the interplay of the chile and the filling,鈥� Des Jardins says. She included this recipe in , which听she helped author.

Ingredients

• 8 fresh poblano or pasilla chiles听
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 12 ounces plant-based beef
• 陆 teaspoon dried oregano
• 录 teaspoon ground cumin听
• Pinch of ground cinnamon听
• Pinch of ground allspice听
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced听
• 2 cloves garlic, minced听
• 陆 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons raisins听
• 1陆 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves (about one small bunch)
• 录 cup slivered almonds, toasted听
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted听
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper听

Instructions

Preheat a听broiler. Place the chiles on a baking sheet and broil, turning every few minutes, until blackened on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer the chiles to a large mixing bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or place in a zip-top plastic bag. Let steam for about five minutes to help loosen the skins.

Line a听baking sheet with paper towels. Rinse the chiles under water, removing听the charred skin. Make a two-inch slit on one side of each chili, so you can open them up a little bit. Using a teaspoon, carefully remove the membrane and as many seeds as possible. Place the chiles on the lined baking sheet. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.听In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm one tablespoon of oil. Crumble the plant-based beef into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about three minutes. Add the oregano, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, and mix well, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onion, garlic,听补苍诲 canned tomatoes. Cook, stirring, until the onions soften, about ten minutes. Add the raisins, and cook for another two minutes. Add this听to the meat mixture, and stir.听Set aside one tablespoon of parsley, one teaspoon of听almonds, and some sesame seeds for garnish, then听add the remaining parsley, almonds, and sesame seeds to the meat mixture. Mix well.听

To assemble, spoon the picadillo mixture听into each chile through the slit in the center, filling it as much听as possible. Transfer the chiles to another听parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.听

Serve garnished with the remaining parsley, almonds, and sesame seeds. Serves four.

The post How to Cook with Plant-Based Beef appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In 2019, the RV Industry Association (RIVA), a trade federation,听.听And when COVID-19 first swept the nation in March, those sales dropped even more. But almost as fast as they fell, sales and rentals began to skyrocket. By June, 听in the U.S. were the highest they鈥檇 been since 2018,听, an 11 percent increase from June 2019.

As far as , it鈥檚 easy to understand why people are turning to RVs. With many concerned about the听safety of hotels and other lodging, RVs听offer more control and flexibility. Both existing and newly launched companies are getting creative with what this new era of road travel will look like, as people听have begun embracing听so-called听COVID campers for听long road trips in lieu of flights, turning to part- or full-time vanlife in response to companies switching to remote work, or leaving expensive real estate behind for a more budget-friendly option. Here鈥檚 how new听startups are going beyond the basic RV-rental formula by听being more on demand, millennial focused, and remote-work-friendly.

1. They Offer Socially听Distant Vacations

, an RV startup currently serving the Seattle area听that provides听rental-camper vans outfitted to look like a boutique hotel on wheels, seeks to offer听a more controlled environment than peer-to-peer rentals, in which guests can expect the same layout, features, and level of cleanliness every time they book. Cabana vans combine a stylish design with all the amenities you鈥檇 typically find in a home rental, from flat-screen TVs and memory-foam mattresses to full bathrooms and free Wi-Fi. What sets the company听apart are听contactless check-in and an on-demand concierge that makes it easy for the first-time camper to explore the outdoors.

鈥淧rior to COVID-19, the majority of the customers were from out of town and using a Cabana van during their vacation to the Seattle area,鈥� says Scott Kubly, the company鈥檚 founder.

According to Kubly, the pandemic completely transformed the company鈥檚 customer base. 鈥淪ince the shelter-in-place orders took effect in Seattle, Cabana has seen a 400 percent increase in bookings,听with the majority being local customers looking for a way to safely get out of town听for a socially distanced compliant vacation.鈥� Cabana听plans to launch in six more cities听next year, including in San Diego, Denver, and San Francisco.

Cabana鈥檚 change in demographics exemplifies what could be a long-term switch from long-distance air travel to domestic road travel.听This was the case for Kay Kingsman, founder of the听, a blog that seeks to inspire听underserved and underrepresented communities to travel, who rented her first RV through during the pandemic.

鈥淢y interest in RV travel increased during the pandemic, because I wanted to road-trip domestically and get into nature, but trying to map and plan out hotel stays鈥攁nd sanitized hotels at that鈥攚as difficult and stressful,鈥� she says.

Though most hotels have implemented new sanitation practices in line with CDC guidelines, hotels require significantly more sanitation than a camper van due to a greater number of contact surface areas and shared spaces, like lobbies. Cabana鈥檚 vans are cleaned using current best practices, and, according to听Kubly,听鈥渋rradiated with UVC light and then left to stand for six to eight hours between rentals.鈥� Not only that,听but van rentals offer more control over who you鈥檙e exposed to, says Kingsman:听鈥淚 tried doing a more traditional staycation and rented a hotel room in a nearby town, but no one in the hotel was wearing a mask, including the staff. I couldn鈥檛 trust that they were actually taking sanitation seriously, so I ended up leaving,鈥� she听says. 鈥淚 felt as though I had more control over sanitation in the RV since I didn鈥檛 have other hotel guests or staff to consider.鈥�

On the other hand, , a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and sustainability consultant, podcast host, and digital creator who lives full-time听in her personally customized Ford Transit Connect, has avoided traveling in the听van during the pandemic听because听she doesn鈥檛 want 鈥渢o contribute to the spread of COVID.鈥� Instead she has opted to park at friends鈥� houses and boondocking sites. Despite the lack of mobility, Edmondson is听grateful for the affordability and flexibility living in her van has allowed听during so much听uncertainty. Her听relationship to vanlife, which is less about travel and more about ease and affordability, illustrates another trend coming out of the pandemic: different types of accommodation.

2. They Provide听Alternative Housing

In 2019, RIVA reported that over one million people听in the U.S. lived in RVs full-time.听Those numbers are growing as the pandemic has given more folks听a nudge toward permanent听vanlife, now that many jobs have gone remote and the outdoors is听more appealing than populous COVID-19 hot spots like cities.听That, combined听with rising housing costs, could result in RVs and camper vans becoming viable alternative forms of long-term听housing.

鈥淭he vehicle is no longer just a way to move around, but it鈥檚 now a real house that clients are looking for,鈥� says听Paul Aubert, cofounder of , a company that converts old school buses into bus hotels, or 鈥淏-hotels,鈥� which are design-forward听RVs with custom cabinets, living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms, and roof terraces. Some are outfitted with solar panels, water heaters, and other gadgets that allow them to be independent of water and electricity hookups.

Before the pandemic, Mybushotel customers were primarily international tourists who rented the buses turned RVs to explore North, Central, and South America, but when rental bookings dried up with the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the company adjusted its focus completely to exclusively selling the custom conversions.

鈥淲e received more than 400 [requests] from May to August听for our B-hotels. Lots of people were thinking about the possibility of changing their way of living, and COVID-19 was a good opportunity to go forward,鈥� Aubert听says.

The kitted-out buses are custom-made, so prices can vary greatly听but are on the expensive end, with the average build costing between $45,000 and $80,000.

3.听They鈥檙e Embracing the Shift to Remote Work

Meanwhile, the new company , which creates RV parks geared toward听working millennials,听with amenities, work spaces, and community perks, will bring on its first members in September. 鈥淲e have been thinking about how we can use camper vans and communal spaces to create a new model for flexible housing for a few years,鈥� says听CEO Collin O鈥橠onnell. 鈥淲ith the pressure from shelter-in-place orders, the record-high rents, and the opportunity presented by the new work-from-anywhere economy, we decided that we couldn鈥檛 wait any longer and decided to launch.鈥�

Kibbo is positioning itself as a 鈥渇ull-time alternative to the traditional apartment.鈥� In addition to offering vans for rent, it鈥檚听open to members who already have听their own vans. The company is听hoping to attract adventurers who will actively contribute to听creating a community based on shared outdoor values鈥攕omething it听hopes to ensure with an application process. Those accepted will pay a sign-on fee of $485 and monthly dues that vary (starting at $150), according to how often members want access to a clubhouse. It also plans听to offer single-use passes for overnight听access to nonmembers.

Starting as early as September, members can access community clubhouses out west in Ojai, California, Nevada鈥檚 Black Rock Desert, 听near听Zion National Park in Utah, and, as of press time, Big Sur, pending the spread of the wildfires. In 2021, Kibbo plans to听open clubhouses in San Francisco and Los Angeles听补苍诲 eventually expects to go national.

Where decades-old RV companies have long focused on comfort features for retired or affluent customers, RV startups like Cabana, Kibbo,听补苍诲 Mybushotel see the future of RVs centered around digital nomads in need of remote working capabilities.听鈥淥ur clients are looking for a new product that allows them to travel and work in the best conditions.听They need to have internet access, a possibility to work in their vehicle, and a good-size vehicle to travel in,鈥� Mybushotel鈥檚 Aubert听says.

Kibbo鈥檚 O鈥橠onnell says,听鈥淩ight now听over 60 percent of Americans are working from home. We are asking: Why not work from anywhere? Why are you paying rent in a city or suburb close to your work when you no longer need to commute? We offer the flexibility to live and work from wherever you want,听in nature or in the city, changing locations whenever you want, but at the same time being part of an intentional community.鈥�

The vision to create a long-term RV community is one that O鈥橠onnell hopes will last well after the pandemic is over. Until then, Kibbo will follow CDC guidelines and include those听recommendations in its听code of conduct for members.听鈥淚nherently, we are offering people more choice, so they can be together when it makes sense and is safe to do so or be on their own when they want,鈥� he says.

4. They鈥檙e Becoming More听Accessible

In addition to travelers looking for socially distant vacations, and a new sector of remote workers drawn to full-time vanlife, there鈥檚 a third group interested in RVs for another reason: affordability.听Sites like Outdoorsy have made RV rentals more reasonable since the start听of the pandemic. With rates as low as $50 a night, people of different income levels now have more access to them.

Natasha Van Horne of , who is an EMT, a full-time vanlifer since July,听补苍诲听mother to听a five-year-old, sees camper vans as a means to travel continuously on a budget.

鈥淭he cost of living 20 years ago is听astronomically different from today,鈥澨齭he says. 鈥淎lternative living, in my case听vanlife, is a financial breath of fresh air. It provides the ability to pay off debts, save money for a future home, and create beautiful memories along the way.鈥�

The single mom travels the country with her daughter, who听she homeschools. While the van satisfies Van Horne鈥檚 dream of traveling full-time, it gives her family something even better: 鈥淚 breathe easier knowing that I can save money for my daughter鈥檚 college education, while still putting money away.鈥�

Kingsman, the blogger, thinks the increased accessibility to a wider range of social classes may be one of the reasons RV experiences are appealing to more听solo women, families, and people of color.

鈥淢y image of people who听travel听in RVs and camper vans was mainly older, wealthier, white couples,鈥� says听Kingsman. 鈥淓ven when hiking and camping, which usually have听a younger demographic, I was often the only Black woman in the area. Recently, I鈥檝e noticed a huge surge of diversity in the RV and camper community.鈥�

Kibbo is aware of the outdoor industry鈥檚 push for diversity, and it鈥檚听hoping to be a safe community for groups听who may have historically been excluded from outdoor recreation. This includes developing a holistic strategy with advisers and board members to include people of diverse backgrounds听as well as听speaking with potential customers about听challenges they may face on the road so that the company听can adjust accordingly during the initial launch phase.听鈥淲e are open to everyone听补苍诲 are intentionally trying to foster a diverse community and actively invite people from all walks of life to participate, particularly people of color, women, and the LGBTQ听community,鈥� O鈥橠onnell says.

Cabana, Kibbo, and Mybushotel鈥檚 adaptability could pay off immensely, especially if they continue to focus on catering to new RV enthusiasts. From providing a safe travel experience to remote-friendly housing, these companies illustrate a larger, more permanent shift toward听mobile living.

鈥淐OVID showed us that cities can change overnight, but this isn鈥檛 just about the pandemic,鈥� says听O鈥橠onnell. 鈥淲hen everything is changing鈥攃onsumer trends, economic opportunity, climate, health situations鈥攜ou need services that are adaptable and responsive.鈥�

The post The New Camper Companies Redefining Road Travel appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.