Livermore, in the heart of California Wine Country, enjoys temperate weather year round. Still, temperatures drop low enough in the fall and winter for visitors to enjoy a crisp seasonal climate. Here are 4 fun things to do in Livermore on a cool day…
Shopping
Livermore is home to San Francisco Premium Outlets. In short, it’s a shopper’s dream come true. Whether you’re looking for Armani or Asics, Calvin Klein or Carter’s, these outlets have it all. Shopping the outlets is definitely one of the fun things to do in Livermore—especially with the crisp air that invokes the holiday shopping season.
Visit a Winery
Most people associate wineries with the imagery of Tuscany bathed in golden sunshine. While we certainly love our warm weather vineyard events, visiting a winery is still on the list of fun things to do in Livermore when the weather cools off.
The events don’t stop after the harvest. Enjoy any number of tastings, tours, music performances and even holiday themed events at Livermore Valley vineyards. To see the full list of seasonal events, visit the Livermore Valley Wine Country website.
Spend the Day at De Valle Regional Park
Del Valle is like a lakeside resort only 10 miles south of Livermore. The centerpiece of the park is a lake five miles long with a variety of water-oriented recreation, from swimming to windsurfing and boating. Still, there’s so much more to the park. It’s a wonderful place full of fun things to do in Livermore that are outdoors-oriented: hiking, horseback riding and nature study are a few. Del Valle also is the eastern gateway to the Ohlone Wilderness Trail, 28 miles of scenic backcountry trail.
Enjoy Brushy Peak Regional Park Preserve
Brushy Peak is a 1,702-foot landmark at the juncture of the San Francisco Bay Area, the California Delta, and the Central Valley. The peak and its environs have been recognized as sacred by generations of native Californians. Brushy Peak offers great opportunities for hiking, biking, running, nature study, dog walking over the park\’s scenic trails.
For nature lovers, Brushy Peak is one of the top fun things to do in Livermore. Brushy Peak Regional Preserve\’s wide variety of wildlife species is supported by a similarly broad range of plant communities, including California annual grassland. The most obvious grassland wildlife species is the ground squirrel, whose burrows are inhabited by amphibians, reptiles, badgers, burrowing owls, and the San Joaquin kit fox.
Particularly if you’re interested in wildlife, Brushy Peak is a must-visit location. The park’s website enumerates the many species you can encounter:
Squirrels and cottontails are prey to red-tailed hawks, ferruginous hawks, and golden eagles. Western meadowlarks nest and feed in the grasslands, and fill the air with beautiful song. Sandstone rock outcrops provide nest sites for a variety of raptors and rock wrens. Woodland habitats range from pure stands of coast live oak and California buckeye to intermixed habitats of valley oak, bay laurel, and sagebrush. Shrubs include poison oak, monkeyflower, gooseberry, and elderberry. The oak woodlands support deer, bobcats, rodents, and many bird species such as hummingbirds, cedar waxwings, orioles, robins, woodpeckers, and various raptors. Several spring-fed ponds, constructed by ranchers in the past, lie along the seasonally wet drainages and provide habitat for federally protected California red-legged frogs and the California tiger salamanders.
Indulge in a Spa Day
There\’s almost nothing so relaxing as a visit to the spa. You can experience real tranquility and togetherness with a visit to our Livermore day spa. The Purple Orchid, situated in the gorgeous Livermore Valley wine country, features sweeping views, quiet landscapes and total mind-body spa immersion. See some of our package options on our website, as well as a full list of massage options.
Whichever fun things to do in Livermore you choose, we’re certain that a stay and spa visit at The Purple Orchid should be at the top of your list.