Looking for a date night activity that will really get you going? Well, giddy-up! Horseback riding in the Bay Area has never been so convenient and so fun, with countless ranches and stables ready to give you and your family a majestic day with horses. Whether you’re a cowboy at heart or a horseback riding novice, whether you’re taking the kids along or looking for a romantic activity alone as a couple, 7×7 has the dish on the best places to learn, ride, and play. So jump on up and gallop away to a new and exciting date night!
Learn
Skyline Equestrian Center and Ranch
Whether you’re a bareback champion or a wishful greenhorn, the Skyline Equestrian Center and Ranch in the Oakland Hills is the perfect place for learning the basics of horseback riding. Starting at $40, group and individual lessons cover English-style riding, as well as tacking, grooming, and handling. More advanced equestrians learn how to take on dressage and some jumping techniques. 5750 Redwood Road, Oakland, 510-336-0850, skyline-ranch.com
Ride
Mar Vista Stables
A 15-minute drive south of SF brings you to Mar Vista Stables, where you can take your boarded (or rented) steed up and down the sand dunes and through low tide. Perched on a picturesque bluff of Thorton Beach, the livery offers hour-long guided rides for $40. The 3-mile trail takes you through blooming succulents before getting down to the surf, where you can sometimes see dolphins swimming. Mar Vista is cash-only and has about 20 horses on hand, so don’t worry about a reservation unless you have more than five in your party. Private lessons are also available for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders. 2152 Skyline Blvd., Daly City, 650-991-4224, marvistastable.com
Miwok Livery
The Western-style Miwok Livery leads daily trail rides through the Marin Headlands. For $75 an hour, you can wind through the hills of Golden Gate National Recreation Area and catch glimpses of the ocean, Mount Tamalpais, and San Francisco’s skyline. Make a reservation at least a week in advance, and if it’s open, stop at the farm stand on your way up Tennessee Valley Road for delicious fruit and some carrots to feed your horse. 701 Tennessee Valley Road, Mill Valley, 415-383-8048, miwokstables.com
Play
Stern Grove
If you’re more of a ringer than a rider, check out Stern Grove’s horseshoe throwing pits. Well-maintained and not too crowded, the eight courts are home to casual Friday evening games. Other times, the SF Horseshoe Pitching Club (sfhorseshoepitching.com) hosts tournaments here and at Golden Gate Park’s 16 pits. Farther west into the park, patrolling officers mount their horses at the red Golden Gate Park Police Stables. Visit any 9 a.m.–2 p.m. to pet and feed the equine force. Stern Grove Court, Sloat Boulevard and 19th Avenue; Golden Gate Park Court, Fulton and Stanyan streets; Police Stables, James W. Bloesch Road and 36th Avenue, 415-752-6255
For more information and insider-tips, read the full 7×7 article here.
Written by John Knight
This is our weekly guest post from our friends at 7×7, a site that keeps you up on the best of SF. We’ve teamed up for an exciting partnership to bring you a fantastic Date Night idea each week. Be sure to check out their blog for hourly doses of the best of SF.
