Finding solitude amongst giants...

My absolute favorite place on the face of this planet to re-center myself, put little me in perspective, is the Muir Woods. Standing amongst 350 foot tall Redwoods, without another person around you, in utter silence except for the wind, birds...nature...light filtering through the trees...you just can't help but be at peace.
I mean, look at the tree below. Just standing there, reaching up for the light, truly magnificent in its own right, and very poignant and beautiful.

Of course, put someone like me in the mix, and I practically ruin the beauty of the place.

VISITOR'S TIP: Go on a weekday, and get there as soon as it opens. Immediately start walking the trail and go back to Bridge 4, then come back on the hilltop trail. Assuming you stop and look at things, etc., this will take a couple hours. And, most importantly, you will miss all the crowds/tour buses/etc. that come in afterwards. By the time you're on your way out, they will have started to arrive, and the place gets packed and noisy. You want to go alone (or with your S.O.) so that you can enjoy the majesty of this park before it's trampled on by the daily crowds.