Calistoga/San Francisco
 

We are flying into Oakland this coming Sat to drive to Calistoga to spend two nights at Cottage Grove Inn. We leave on Mon from Oakland airport at 5 p.m. to fly home and are wondering if we would have time to go to San Francisco or are there places to stop on our way back to Oakland to explore that anyone would suggest. If we did go to San Francisco, any suggestions where we could leave our car and take Bart or drive into San Francisco and find cheap parking! Also, any wineries that anyone would suggest while we are in Calistoga. Thanks

Forget San Francisco. The town of Napa has a nice downtown, and across the river from the downtown there is a small food court for the most part where a good lunch can be had.

I agree you wouldn't have much time in SF - driving from Calistoga to SF and having to be back in Oakland around 3:30 for a 5 pm flight. I think you'd find plenty to occupy your time on Monday - St. Helena and Yountville if you stay on 29, or you could head down to the East Bay and go to Berkeley. Alameda has a nice downtown, too.

Okay, that's what I was thinking too - save SF for another trip! Thanks for your advice Michael and sf7307 - we will go that route instead. Now, since we will be in Calistoga are there any wineries or restaurants you'd recommend (I'm celebrating my birthday while there). Thanks.

A few of our favorites for dining in Calistoga:
JoLe
http://jolerestaurant.com/
Brannan's
http://www.brannansgrill.com/
Solbar at Solage
http://www.solagecalistoga.com/dining
Calistoga Inn
http://www.calistogainn.com/

For breakfast are go to place is:
Cafe Sarafonia
http://cafesarafornia.com/

Wineries:
Schramsurg (bubbly)
Frank Family
Twomey

Are you going to do a spa ?

Have fun & Happy Birthday !
R5

You are going to have a car to deal w/. I would get back to Oakland at least 2 hours in advance just in case there is some delay at the rental return.

Thank you R5 for the dinner suggestions. We will have breakfast provided at the place we are staying, but thank you for those recommendations. We just discovered that there is a Rutherford Appellation Wineries ~ Winter Passport Weekend ~ this weekend so we bought tickets for it for Sun. It's barrel tasting and food pairing and since those high end wines, will be a nice way to try them. I don't think we will have time for a spa - I know that's what Calistoga is all about too!

Janisj - yes we will have a rental car so we will plan on being back in Oakland early just in case. Thanks.