mar vista stables :: horseback ride down to the pacific ocean :: Thornton Beach

If you ever find yourself in the Bay Area, looking for a beautiful and relaxing day trip, I have just the place for you to visit. During our spring break a few weeks ago, we took a horseback ride down to Thornton State Beach.

We meandered through rolling hills and wildflowers. Then we rode along the beautiful Pacific Ocean.

We were watching for dolphins, but didn’t get that big of a show on this trip. The coast of Northern California is beautiful, even if the weather is chilly and the clouds are covering the sun.

I chose Mar Vista Stables  for our Spring Break adventure. It is located in Daly City, California. Plan to wear layers. It’s always chilly and often windy in the morning in Daly City. The sun can peek through the fog and warm things up though.

If you research horseback riding in San Francisco, the price can be upwards of $100 for an hour. We found the rates at Mar Vista Stables to be very reasonable ($60/ hour). You can call 650­-991­-4224 to reserve you time (cash only). Rides depart at 10 am, noon, and 2 pm. CLICK HERE for more information.

We chose the ride that departed at noon. While it was brisk when we arrived, it was pleasant. The sun started to peek through the clouds before our ride ended and it was the perfect temperature. While it took a bit of time to get saddled up on our horses, we did get a full hour on the trail. That was just the right amount of time for my delicate bottom and tummy that was ready for lunch.

Charlie was our youngest rider at 8 years old. He was nervous, but excited. We were so touched by how kind everyone was and how they wanted to make him feel comfortable and ensure that his first ride was memorable. They tied a lead to his horse, but he did ride it by himself. He led the group with our guide towing his horse along. Charlie said he talked to him quite a bit and explained lots of things.

The adults in our group had limited experience on a horse. We got a quick tutorial on how to ride and manage our horses on the trail.

Jack and Annabelle were first time riders, but adapted quickly. The horses basically know the way, but they liked to stop for snacks once in a while.

Bathrooms are available at the stable. I feel like that needs to be noted since Covid regulations can make it tricky to find an open restroom.  You can bring your own bike helmet, but they have an assortment of helmets. They do require everyone to wear one for their safety, but I promise the horses were very docile.

To date in 2021, this is the coolest adventure we’ve gone on. It was worth every penny and I can’t wait to do it again. Our entire family enjoyed the ride. While I knew our animal loving daughter would like this experience, I even saw enthusiasm and smiles out of a 13 year old boy!

I’ll leave you with this video of the highlights of our ride. I hope you find this post helpful if you are ever in the area and looking for a fun adventure. This was a really special day for our family and I hope you can experience something similar!