I have no idea how or when it started, but Bean is a rock collector. We have to limit her to her favorite rock wherever we go. We explain that, well, we need to leave rocks for other children to find too! Because if it was up to her, she’d take all the rocks.

Dave came up with the idea of taking her to Rodeo Beach, our favorite pebble-covered beach just north in Marin. Walking over the scrunch scrunch scrunch of millions of pebbles underfoot, Bean’s eyes widened in wonder and awe. We sat down and got to work. Uncovering rust colored rocks, milky sea glass, sage colored rocks, we created small piles classifying interesting rocks, beautiful rocks, and (her favorite) blue rocks.

I think a rock obsessed toddler could spend an entire day here, quietly sifting and finding, digging and sorting.

For the adults, there are beautiful cliffs to wonder at over thermoses of hot coffee, and dozens of surfers to watch, lined up along the coast and riding the mesmerizingly periodic waves. If you can pull your toddler away from the pebbles, you can walk across a swaying pedestrian bridge over Rodeo Cove’s marshland with pastoral views of old military establishments (and excellent water fowl watching too). And of course, there’s always the dramatic hike over to Battery Townsley with dramatic sweeping views of the coastline and San Francisco skyline.

It makes for a slow, restful morning and an occupied toddler.