Want to cool down? Escape the Stanislaus heat with day trips to these destinations
In the midst of a prolonged triple-digit heat wave, thousands of Central Valley residents no doubt wish they were somewhere else. If you’ve yet to escape the sweltering temperatures, there are plenty of summer days to visit these cooler destinations within three hours of Modesto.
Davenport
Davenport is north of Santa Cruz and is an ideal day trip destination.
The town is known for its Shark Fin Cove, which offers visitors a picture-perfect beach with its giant shark fin-shaped rock. The trail to the beach is steep but worth it for a more secluded experience.
Whale City Bakery is a local favorite offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s live music several nights a week.
Daily high temperatures into next week in Davenport are predicted to be from the upper 60s to upper 70s. Davenport is about two and a half hours from Modesto.
Muir Woods
For those not interested in a beach day, Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County gives visitors the chance to walk among the redwoods.
The trees range from 400 to 800 years old and are up to 250 feet tall, according to its website.
The entrance fee is $15 per person, free for age 15 and under. Parking reservations are required and can be made at gomuirwoods.com.
Muir Woods is in Marin County, about two hours from Modesto. Daily highs well into next week should run from the upper 60s to low 80s.
Petaluma
Located in Sonoma County, the city of Petaluma is beautiful and a great place to get out of the heat.
Go kayaking, paddleboarding or row boating in the Petaluma River that leads right to the historic downtown district. Downtown Petaluma offers an abundance of eateries, boutiques and live entertainment.
Helen Putnam Regional Park has six miles of trails for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. Parking is $7 and the park is open till sunset.
Petaluma even has Modesto connections. It was a principal filming location for Modesto native George Lucas’s “American Graffiti,” and the city is home to Rancho Obi-Wan, a nonprofit museum that boasts the world’s largest “Star Wars” memorabilia collection.
Petaluma, in Sonoma County about two hours from Modesto, doesn’t offer quite the heat relief of the more coastal communities, but days in the 80s, some hitting 90, are better than the Valley highs.
Bodega Bay
A scenic coastal town in Sonoma County, Bodega Bay is known for its coastline, sandy beaches and seafood.
Doran Regional Park is a two-mile stretch of beach with over 120 campsites available for reservation, making it an ideal destination for either a day or weekend trip.
After a day at the beach, consider a visit to Sonoma Coast Vineyards for a picnic overlooking the bay. The vineyard is family- and pet-friendly, and no reservations are required.
These days, the high temperatures in the area are in the 60s. Bodega Bay is a little under three hours away from Modesto.
