It was the day after Christmas, and we were headed out with our family for a ride on the Bay Area’s iconic Tilden Park Steam Train. A quick Google check had shown the train opening an hour early at 10 a.m., a great idea we’d thought, given the attraction’s typically long lines.
When we arrived, however, the train was closed. Opening time: 11 a.m. With an active three-year-old and five-year-old, and rain predicted to dance in and out of the chilly winter morning, we quickly needed a back-up plan. Emily immediately thought of the nearby UC Berkeley Botanical Garden. Although it didn’t offer the enchantment of riding a steam train through a forest, there were trails to explore and themed gardens from around the world – and it opened at 10 a.m.
One of the unwritten rules of travel is that sometimes what we discover on the way to our destination is as wonderful as the destination itself. Even on a little family outing, the journey can reveal something unexpected, and in this case, catch us by surprise.
Winter Trees
I hadn’t planned to photograph the day beyond pictures for our family, but as we walked through the various gardens, I was captivated by their beauty and sheer interestingness. We walked through Southern Africa, Australia and Asia, and deserts found in South and North America. We headed up winding wooden steps, along pebbled pathways, around small ponds, under gracefully flowing branches. Even on a winter’s day, the trees were as vibrant as if they were blooming in glorious peak-season splendor.
And in a way, maybe they were.
Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Destination
We wandered through the botanical garden for about an hour, mindful of the time and our primary destination for the day. The Redwood Grove and the Cloud Forest would have to wait for a future visit and another season. Maybe in summer, when the rose gardens are in bloom. But for the moment, we had a train to catch.
We arrived at Tilden Park at about 11:15, where a good-sized crowd had already gathered. We found a parking spot, picked up our tickets and took our place in line beneath the lights and ornaments and holiday decorations that were strung along the redwood trees. It was a beautiful scene, almost as if were expecting the magical Polar Express to pull into the station.
A light rain began to fall as we waited for the train to arrive. The only covered spot was the wooden depot adjacent to the ticket office. With one umbrella between the six of us, we took turns waiting out the rain at the depot and keeping our place in line.
We could have returned on a sunnier day – our tickets had no expiration date – but none of us really wanted to leave. Ironically, the moody drizzle turned out to be a memorable part of our ride through the forest. And after our unexpectedly delightful detour at the botanical garden, we learned that the best thing to do when setting out on even the shortest of journeys is to keep going.
You never know where the road will take you.
Shades of my time at Cal in the 60s. Thanks for the reminder and update, Mary.
Robin, I’m delighted to take you back to your time at Cal! So glad you enjoyed the post, and Happy New Year!
Mar ~ What a wonderful capture of the great family day you had! You are all such troopers to stay out in the rain with such wonder and joy!
Thanks so much, Mar! The rain sort of took on a story of its own as it wove in and out of our morning. The little ones didn’t seem to mind at all, reminding me that I probably wouldn’t have given the weather a second thought either when I was their ages!