If the dozens of sleek black SUVs cruising downtown and idling in front of hotels hasn’t clued you in, the Super Bowl has come to town. (Well, Santa Clara, but good luck getting City Hall or most of the city’s businesses to acknowledge that.)
How will you enjoy the Big Game? That’s up to you and your corporate gods. We humbly suggest you spend Sunday outside on a hike.
Glen Canyon Park Loop
Challenge: Easy
This winding, create-your-own-adventure, inner-city park will fill you with awe and a potent dose of righteousness for skipping the game without having to go totally granola. Lace up your sneakers, grab that oat latte, and take BART one stop south of 24th and Mission. (Yes, BART does run off the Edge of the Earth and don’t worry, you’ll still be more than 45 miles away from Levi’s Stadium.) A hike in this neighborhood gem will eat roughly an hour, leaving you plenty of time to indulge in a Sunday afternoon trip to the Hayes Valley Trader Joe’s without having to fight for a dozen eggs jump-ball style with a girlypop named Marissa. (Marissa will be getting ignored by her boyfriend at a Super Bowl party in Russian Hill. Pray for Marissa.)
Tres Sendas, Joaquin Miller Park
Challenge: Easy
Just a few minutes past downtown Oakland, this trail in Joaquin Miller will take you far away from the hustle and bustle, through the redwoods and up to beautiful vistas. We hope the sounds of the running creek will calm your parasympathetic nervous system after taking transit with all the bro’s and bro-affiliates to one of East Bay’s many fine drinking establishments. Similar to Glen Canyon, Joaquin Miller is easy to access and has a well-planned, easy to navigate trail system. If you never check your phone, it’s like there’s nothing going on in the world.
Dipsea Trail, Mt. Tam
Challenge: Moderate
For those keen on disappearing for the entire day, head north out of the city and into idyllic Marin. This long but approachable hike will keep you far away from chest-beating spectators and cheeseballs for at least the duration of the game, roughly 3.5 hours.
Alamere Falls, Point Reyes
Challenge: Difficult
There are several ways to access the gorgeous Alamere Falls on Wildcat Beach, the shortest of them being 13 miles round-trip. Pack well, come prepared, and enjoy the day among red-tailed hawks, not Seahawks. The Phillip Burton Wilderness is home to dozens of breathtaking species of flora and fauna, from elephant seals to Tule elk and bobcats. And, as noted on the website, stay away from the erosion-prone cliffs. Nothing like a reckoning with one’s mortality and the cold mist of nature’s bounty to recalibrate you.
Russian Gulch State Park, Fort Bragg
Challenge: Expert
Inn brochures once described this area as “The Place To Go To Get Away From It All.” For the S-tier escapists, we recommend you make like Jim Ford and disappear into a quiet life along California’s rugged coast. If you can’t commit to a lifetime, then perhaps the weekend: Camp out, kick rocks, and leave our world of excess behind, save for your Nemo sleeping pad and the emergency supply of GoMacros in your glove compartment.
