From pottery to pitmaster: 5 fun activities to try this summer in Marin

Reconnect with the world by exploring these unique hobbies in Marin.

By Jennifer Allen

Don’t waste your summer flipping through the same few Netflix series, hoping to find something to keep you entertained. It’s time to unplug from your screens and turn to non-digital activities for fun and fulfillment. Reconnect with the world by exploring these five unique hobbies that will take you on exciting adventures and fulfill your creative itch.

Food adventures

If you’re getting bored of eating the same few meals on rotation, it’s time to expand your horizons by joining a cooking club. Whether you’re a beginner or a self-proclaimed master chef, you’ll surely learn something new. It’s the perfect opportunity to mingle with other food lovers and discover recipes or ingredients from different cultures. From potlucks to cooking classes, your tastebuds will thank you for taking on this new hobby.

Some of the cooking classes coming up at the Cavallo Point Cooking School in Sausalito include a Parisian lunch (June 29), paella party (June 30) and tacos (July 6). Admission is $145 per person per class, plus tax and gratuity. Register online at cavallopoint.com/discover/cooking-school.

And if you’re looking for a great way to connect with others over a great meal, look no further than SIXTOP, Marin resident Derek Brown’s service that organizes communal dining tables for neighbors at local restaurants. Designed to address the loneliness epidemic, their events are free for members ($6 for the first three months for new members) or $9 for nonmembers; meals are not included. An upcoming one is at Le Garage in Sausalito on June 28. For more information, go to sixtop.io.

Explore local green spaces

You can find your next adventure just a few minutes away at your local park. There are plenty of activities to do in this free green space such as making new memories with themed picnics on a warm, sunny day. You could also throw a carnival-themed picnic and set up games like bean bag toss or ring toss and carnival classics to munch on, like popcorn, hot dogs and cotton candy.

Enjoying your local park can also be as simple as throwing around a frisbee or gathering your friends and family to play spikeball. Whatever outdoor activity you choose, the important part is disconnecting from your screens and relaxing in nature’s playground instead.

Forage your next meal

You may not realize it, but your neighborhood is likely home to wild edible plants. Picking up foraging as a hobby means that you’ll be able to indulge in the freshest ingredients at no cost. This may not be the most conventional hobby, but it’s a great way to source your food sustainably and reconnect with nature.

From dandelions to elderberry and watercress, you can make a delicious salad from your local backyard. If you’re interested in foraging, it’s important to do your research before becoming a shopper in the woods — never eat anything you’re unsure of.

Looking for inspiration? Check out Sausalito chef Maria Finn‘s new cookbook “Forage. Gather. Feast: Recipes from West Coast Forests, Shores, & Urban Spaces.”

Become an outdoor pitmaster

There’s nothing more mouthwatering than the scent of outdoor barbecue. With your free time, you can brush up on your grill side skills and learn to cook up perfectly charred, smoky flavors. To get started, you can choose from different types of grills based on the fuel source and flavor you desire. Whether it be a smoker, charcoal, gas or pellet grill, find the one that best suits your preferences.

You can prepare burgers, grilled corn or skewers to enjoy on a nice summer day using your new equipment. Becoming an outdoor pitmaster opens a whole new world of cooking and endless recipes to experiment with on the grill. With your newfound abilities, invite your friends and family over for cookouts and get ready for the stream of compliments on your delicious creations.

Get hands-on with a pottery class

Create works of art by molding and shaping clay into plates, vases or whatever your inner artist desires. Pottery classes are rewarding, especially as you start to get a grasp of it. For a few hours, you get to tune out the world and get into your zen, using your hands to make something from scratch — the sense of accomplishment afterward is unbeatable.

There are several forms of pottery to explore. You won’t run out of techniques to perfect, from wheel throwing to hand carving and hand building. There’s a level of surprise in this, too — if you try a technique that requires kiln firing, you won’t really know what the finished product is until a few hours. Whether it turns out to be a bust or a success, that’s all in the fun of pottery.

One option is the new Amphora Ceramic Studio, an educational studio that offers ceramic classes, workshops and memberships in San Rafael. For more information, go to amphoraceramicstudio.org.

Decrease your screen time this summer

With a whole bunch of hobbies that you can pick up, there’s no excuse to spend your summer inside watching TV. From going on a park adventure to getting hands-on experience in a pottery studio, these unconventional analog hobbies will push you out of your comfort zone. It’s time to embrace the same curiosity for the world you had as a kid and explore what life offers beyond your screens.

— Lifestyles Editor Colleen Bidwill contributed to this report.