What you'll see: One of the best drives on the Peninsula can be topped off with great easy hikes at two adjoining open space preserves, or a challenging mountain bike trek. From the Peninsula foothills to Skyline, the drive climbs on winding two-laners until it hits the ridge at Sky Londa. You turn south and enjoy an easy rolling cruise with views of the foothills and South Bay. You arrive at Vista Point with a South Bay panorama (on the left) and access for Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve (on the right), or continue your drive south to Alpine/Page Mill roads, with Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve on your right. For mountain biking, continue south on Skyline past Alpine Road to parking and a trailhead on your right.

Russian Ridge hike: Across from Vista Point, look for the sign, nearby gate, trailhead and map box. Walk past the gate, turn left and take the easy 0.5-mile climb up to 2,572-foot Borel Hill for a sweeping lookout, one of the best easy payoff walks on the Peninsula.