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Find the Giants
If you've been keeping up with news of giant gourds, you may have heard about the 1,895-pound pumpkin in Half Moon Bay, as well as the record breaking 2,032 pounder in Morgan Hill - pretty exciting! For those inspired to take a festive day trip and bring a pumpkin home, here is a list of nearby vetted pumpkin patches. Half Moon Bay: Farmer John's Pumpkins, Arata Pumpkin Farm, Lemos Farm. Drive north to Sonoma for Punky's Adobe Farm, McClelland's Dairy Pumpkin Patch and Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze. And for those who just need their pumpkin fix here in the county, visit Organic Pumpkin Patch at Marin Country Mart, Ian's Pumpkin Patch at Bon Air Center, Nicasio Valley Farms or Godmothers of Timothy Murphy School Pumpkin Patch.
See the Stars
For those planning way beyond this weekend, consider one of four Star Tours paired with snowshoeing at Northstar California Resort. "Our winter snowshoe star tours combine a two-hour easy to moderate snowshoe walk with the opportunity to learn about the cosmos and view nebulae and galactic star clusters through high-powered, professional Celestron telescopes," says Tony Berendsen, operator of Tahoe Star Tours. Dates include December 26 and 30, January 17 or February 21. Snowshoe rentals are available and dogs on leash are welcome. $52 adults, $37 for ages 10-12, reservations are recommended. 530.562.3270
Be a SUP Star
Last week, I had two different readers send me a note asking if we've written about the 24-room Lumeria Resort located in the upcountry Maui town of Makawao. And the answer is "yes." Our own Matthew Poole wrote about this gem last January right when the property opened, which is how I'd like to think the aforementioned readers heard about the property, but regardless I will tell you again. The Lumeria is luxe and unique and, with its on-site garden and chef, is billed as a detox and renewal getaway to whatever degree you happen to need. The hotel partners with a variety of health and athletic-based groups. For instance this month a Maui Yoga Retreat offers a seven-day getaway; including two yoga classes and three garden-to-plate meals a day for $1,960 per person, lumeriamaui.com. In January, for those who want to step up their stand-up paddleboarding skills, Maui fitness maven and sponsored SUP racer Suzie Cooney is leading a four-day, women-only retreat with daily personal instruction on the water, a three-mile downwind paddle, an on-site massage, three healthy meals a day and a celebratory dinner at Mama's Fish House. $7,630 per person, ultimateexperience.com
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