2 days in San Francisco and 5 in Napa???? I would reverse this allocation. Unless you want to visit every winery in the Napa valley - you'll run out of interesting things to do after about 2 days. Actually, 5 days in San Francisco isn't even enough unless you just hang out at Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square and ignore all the other fabulous stuff that makes this a great place to live.

Try reading some of my ideas of things to do & see in SF. Concentrate on the stairway walks, Crissy Field/Fort Point, Land's End walk, Alcatraz tour, free City Guide tours (over 30 different ones), bicycling from the Wharf over the Golden Gate Bridge into Sausalito and they taking the ferry back to San Francisco.

http://www.fodors.com/community/united-states/san-francisco---stu-dudleys-recommendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

Agree with Stu- do 5 days in SF and 2 in Napa or Sonoma or Healdsburg.

Or drive down the coast to Monterey and Carmel -

thanks so much! I will be posting more questions soon!

If your boyfriend's favorite activity is going to the gym perhaps he would like hiking more than wine tasting. Does he even drink wine? I would head to the coast, particularly the Big Sur area.

He does like wine, as I am reading responses I am also researching everyones suggestions. It is hard to ask what someone wouold like if they never go on vacation.

What month?
If he likes bicyling, instead of working out inside a gym, there are bike tours of Napa/Sonoma Valleys or he can rent a bike and just do a "criss-cross the cross roads" in Napa Valley thru the vineyards to Silverado Trail then back to Hwy 29.

We use Yountville as a base. Love the funky Railway Inn.

It also shares a gym with The Villagio Spa so while he's working out you can walk across the street to Bouchon's Bakery and have a nice nosh and a cup of coffee...or hit the patio for a good breakfast at Pacific Blues Cafe.

Plenty of GREAT restaurants within walking distance in Y'ville.

Hey...it's THEE Stu! 'zup?

October 6 - 13th I was thinking Yountville because of their restaurants. I will look at the railway inn. We are NYers if that helps.

OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Not NEW YAWKAHS!!!!
hahaha just kidding.

Our fave Y'ville resto is still Hurley's, especially if their patio is still open. However, we still haven't been to The Fr. Laundry.
Thomas Keller's other resto Ad Hoc is still superb.

Bottega is also still cranking out good stuff and some times Michael Chiarello is in the house and is a great schmoozer (HINT: if you get the great gnocchi, eat it with the slotted spoon or he will yell at you!)

The guy who owns Redd just opened up a new one on the other end of town (you can walk end to end in maybe 15 mins?).

If you like wine, drop by Groezingers and meet up with the wack-jobs that run it. Fun people and a lot of wine knowledge for being "young pups".

Love the oysters at Bouchon's.

yeadonite, I saw your name and instantly thought of FamousUncleArt. I loved his reports.

"yeadonite, I saw your name and instantly thought of FamousUncleArt. I loved his reports."

Same here

Thanks - you brought a tear to his eye. Art turned 85 this May, he is not writing that much but is still traveling, now we do cruises because they are easier for him

On our last cruise with a Charlie Chaplin temporary tattoo on his head!

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2257367290043572607ajhjHe

I love that picture! I am so glad to hear he is still traveling.

FamousUncleArt, I miss your reports of your adventures but am glad you are still having them!

Here are some music events in San Francisco taking place during your stay:

Glen Hansard
Oct 6 The Fillmore
Oct 7 Golden Gate Park
http://www.youtube.com/user/antirecords/videos?query=glen+hansard

Conor Oberst
Oct 7 The Fillmore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9OEV7Wc7do

Patti Smith
Oct 8 The Fillmore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyYAe0fPCvA

Ben Howard
Oct 9 The Fillmore
http://www.youtube.com/user/benhowardmusic

Deftones
Oct 10 Warfield Theatre
http://www.youtube.com/user/deftones?feature=CCQQwRs%3D

Marcus Miller
Oct 11 Herbst Theater
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22ziBLBZIZ4

Smashing Pumpkins
Oct 12 Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
http://www.youtube.com/user/SmashingPumpkinsVEVO

Joshua Radin
Oct 12 Warfield Theatre
http://www.youtube.com/user/Joshuaradin

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival (free) is Fri Oct 5 , Sat Oct 6, Sun Oct 7 in Golden Gate Park http://www.strictlybluegrass.com/

Treasure Island Music Festival is Sat Oct 13 & Sun Oct 14 on Treasure Island
http://lineup.treasureislandfestival.com/?sort=day

I have printed Stu's information - and we will definitely change our itinerary. What about Monterey??

>> What about Monterey??<<

Unless you are huge wine lovers & want to visit many wineries, I think the Carmel/Pacific Grove/Pt Lobos/Big Sur area is 100 times more interesting than the Napa Valley. I'm not a big fan of Monterey itself - but Pacific Grove, Spanish Bay, & Carmal are fantastic places to stay overnight to explore the entire region. Allow at least a 2 night stay in this area. There is info about it in my post that you printed out.

Stu Dudley

I love cycling south from the old wharf in Monterey to Lovers Point, through 17 mile drive(free for cyclists) to Carmel, Carmel Mission, to highway 1 to Point Lobos. Back north to Carmel Crossroads where you can take a local bus back to Monterey. Much of it is bike trail or lane. About 30-35 miles. Check out Monterey Bay Costal trail.
There is the Monterey Sports Club where he can get a day pass and you can go to Carmel and shop forever!

Stu - what area in San Francisco would you recommend staying in?

If you will have a car while in San Francisco, I would stay at one of the motels on Lombard St or just off Lombard where you can get free parking. I think the Columbus Motor Inn on Columbus St in North Beach (little Italy - but fewer & fewer Italians there) has free or cheap parking too.

If you won't have a car, try some place close to Market & The Embarcadero. If your BF jogs, he can jog along the Embarcadero in the morning or late afternoon. I think there is still a "Y" there - under the Bay Bridge. My wife went to this "Y" frequently 30 years ago.

I would not stay at Fisherman's Wharf. And if your BF doesn't like to vacation, I would steer him clear of the Union Sq area & all the vagrants there.

Stu Dudley

There is still a "Y" there - but it's not the one Stu's wife went to --- it's completely new. There are a few gyms in the Embarcadero area too - maybe he can get day passes, or reciprocity from his gym -- Crunch and Club One come to mind.

Stu - I appreciate your answers. Columbus Motor Inn looks like a possibility. I am also going to try to priceline a room.

P'line has been a beeeee-otch for hotel rooms lately.

I think there is a Y next door to The Harbor Court Hotel on Steuart.
Harbor Court. Nice hotel...good location. Some Bay Bridge view rooms too.

For a good workout as THEE Stu mentioned, he can run the Embarcadero to Levi Strauss Plaza then do the Filbert Steps up to Coit Tower. I get pooped just typing that activity.

>>he can run the Embarcadero to Levi Strauss Plaza<<

My wife ran from the Y along the Embarcadero, through the Wharf (in disguise), then along what is now Crissy Field, and touched the "medallion" at Ft Point. Then back the same way. She was training for the Ave of Giants Marathon, but got a stress fracture of the hip before the race. This was in about '79.

Stu Dudley

Kal - I have read somewhere else that it is difficult to get a room on priceline.

PL is usually quite easy for SF but I tried for rooms this past mid June and mid August and both times threw in the towel. Booked directly in June and dropped the trip in August.

jj...the past year has been tuff. We usually wind up getting last second rooms.
I think the days of the $75/nite room at The Hyatt or St Francis are gone?

The Columbus motor in was sld ut s I am trying the Alri

sorry my o isnt working

Tomorrow is my big day!

Excellennnnnnnnt

Should be great/chilly weather and Fleet Week is in town so beware of low flying jets.

This weekend is going to be nuts in and around town - Fleet Week (Blue Angels) Saturday and Sunday, Giants playoffs Saturday and Sunday, America's Cup World Series racing Saturday and Sunday, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (Friday through Sunday in Golden Gate Park) --- all in San Francisco, and Saturday Cal football in Berkeley at 7 p.m., and Stanford football in Palo Alto at noon.

I didnt know that when I booked, and it was to late when I found out to change plans.

No problem if you're not driving and already have a hotel (I understand hotels in the city are sold out this weekend). Plenty for you to do!

Hustle and bustle in The City.
What's NOT to love?

I do have a room - we splurged for the Omni! Just booked it.

Hustle and bustle??!!!!!!

The Omni is a great location and very nice hotel.
Stayed there when it first opened.
Just walked by it last Thursday while killing time before lunch with Dayenu at Palio.

Nice bar for a "final final"....or so I've been told.

Short walk down to "The 'baccos"...Per and Bar.

'baccos"...?????

Perbacco or Barbacco on California Street. Great places to eat.

As noted - jogging along the water/bay - includng out to Ft. Point is great. Also - rent some bikes and ride over the Golden Gate over to and around Sausaalit. If you get tired, take the ferry back.

Also - kick your bf in the buxx and tell him to improve/widen his outlook.

Dang - all thumbs on a laptop. That's supposed to read - over to Sausalito in Marin. Loved living there a long time ago.

Tomsd thanks for the morning giggle. The omni is not that impressive - at the price point I would expect more. 7 water! Small room with view of air shaft! Went to the baccos but they were packed!

You paid for a view but got the shaft? Ohhh myyyy.

I bet everything was busy in SF.
Where'd you wind up munching or will that be in a Trip Report?

Kal - We really did get the shaft - Tripadvisor hasnt printed my review! Couldnt afford to eat!