Hopeline

In mid-May we (two 50 something parents and 4 young adults) will be visiting SF area for 5 days. We'd like to stay in a central location (Stanford Court Renaissance Hotel?) and would appreciate ideas for SF experiences and wine tours. A day for hiking/touring would be good. Thanks already. Lisa B

elnap29

We enjoyed Stanford Court. You can walk everywhere - location is great. I alway recommend the book "Stairway Walks of San Francisco" for hiking in the city ideas. Are you considering a wine tour that takes you to several wineries? If so, we have used Platypus Tours a few times - check their website. You can take the ferry to Vallejo and they will pick you up there and take you to some special Napa Valley wineries and provide a picnic lunch. Small and personalized. In the City, explore North Beach, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, so much to do.

Hopeline

Thanks for your ideas elnap29. We are also considering the Fairmont now, the nighttime Alcatraz tour, a trip to Sausalito and a wine tour. Thanks also to Stu Dudley for all his info in another post. Lisa B

beazor

You might consider taking the ferry to Angel Island for some hiking. Nice trails and great views.

trippinkpj

I love Angel Island also, and it's a great ferry trip over. You can get picnic supplies at the Ferry Building marketplace.

sobolik

Do like I did go across the Bay Bridge during RUSH hour speed wise, with high winds on a Motorcycle! Just kidding don't do that! It took me years to get back on a motorcycle.
But do go across to view the city of SF at dusk\after dark. Very beautiful. Take the BART for a fast ride and subway thrill. Try to get close to the sea lions on Fisherman’s Warf or on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, ocean side. All the other SF easy to know stuff i.e. cable car which I think is the only moveable National Monument or something like that.
Me I could care less about farming i.e. wine tours I would rather head east and see something really special. Calaveras Big Trees SP ( http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=551 )
the kind of trees that cars fit in.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/searc...p=mss&ei=UTF-8 About 3 hours drive

Hopeline

Wow. I just looked at the pictures of the big trees. Thanks to all who responded about possible plans for our vacation. I like the idea of Angel Island and hiking. Sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf sound like an experience as well. Thanks again!

Perigrinator

Hopeline: I would take the Fairmont off my list! I was a long time Fairmont customer but they recently, apparently, underwent a management change and their service is absolutely atrocious... I have stayed at the Fairmont for the past 10 years (I lived in SF for 5 years and always used them when friends were visiting) but I will never go back. The treatment they gave me last time I was there was appaling - won't go into the sordid details - it would take a hundred pages - but suffice to say, the new management lost a long time customer. I would try the Four Seasons, the Omni, the Ritz Carlton (newly remodled) if you have the budget for Fairmont, all of these hotels are superior! as is the Stanford Court. Might also try the relatively new Hotel Vitale or some of the upscale boutique hotels from the Joie de Vivre or Kimpton group (no, I do not work for them but have had fantastic results with their properties - quirky but interesting and generally luxurious - in an old fashioned, creaky staircase sort of way). Good luck!

Michael

For wine tasting and sightseeing, there's Jack London State Park, with the ruins of Jack London's Wolf House and the house that his wife Charmian built, containing memorabilia from their trip to the South Pacific. Benziger is near the entrance of the park for those who want to wine taste. Glen Ellen has a store that specializes in olive products, and has tastings of various locally made olive oils.

Kal

We just stayed at The Omni this past weekend. Nice and a good location right on California St at Montgomery.

Calif St Cable car right there. Short walk down to Ferry Bldg, Union Square and a brisk walk to No Beach.

kleroux

I'd cross the Golden Gate bridge, and drive 1 hr. North to Healdsburg. Great little town, lovely shops, wonderful restaurants in all price ranges, and tons of wineries to visit. The drives are lovely all around Sonoma County.
In San Francisco, on Wed. night, try to get to the top of the Mark... Mark Hopkins hotel...lovely room, great view, and on Wed. night, LaVay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet lickers play..swing, jazz, etc...lots of dancers in period costume will be dancing too.....great fun

beazor

Going north to Sonoma county is a nice drive and Healdsberg is pretty, but, it will take more than an hour especially if you hit rush hour and the 101 widening project in downtown Santa Rosa slows traffic a bit. On the north end of Santa Rosa the drive out River road to the coast takes you past Korbell Winery which is nice to visit and it is a gorgeous drive. When you hit the coast go south a bit on highway 1 then east on hwy 12 back thru Sebastopol and back to 101, head south back to SF. There is Armstrong Woods in Guerneville which is a great place to walk and has very nice stands of Redwood trees. There are many very nice places to stay up in this area.

Hopeline

You all are great! I appreciate all your ideas. I planned a trip to Italy last summer and used this forum with wonderful results. Thanks to everyone.

One more question: Any good places for rock hounds in the SF area? Lisa

Michael

Any good places for rock hounds in the SF area?

I doubt it. You will see wild twisted formations around San Francisco wherever there are bare rocks, but it is compressed sandstone and mud, not the type of rock I would imagine a rock hound would be interested in.