San Franciscans-Help Rescue a Honeymoon that Got Volcanoed!
 

Our mid-twenties daughter and son-in-law were due to leave today for their long-awaited honeymoon in Switzerland, France and Spain. They waited a year after the wedding so they would have the funds and be less stressed.

Well, you guessed it, along with the rest of the world's travelers, DD and SIL are currently stuck in an airport with no chance of making it to any of their pre-paid European destinations.

On their side, they have time (nearly 3 weeks) and love and, as of an hour ago, tickets to San Francisco, a city they had spoken of as a place they always wanted to visit that the airline has offered as a substitute.

So who knows a wonderful apt. for rent in town? or a cozy cabin in the hills outside the city? a place in wine country that doesn't cost the earth this time of year?

These two love to hike, bike, swim, kayak and are adventurous foodies. They have very little money, but lots of spirit.

Ideas, please for our lovely bride and groom, who saved so long and hard for the trip that cannot be: can we build them a new dream?

how much $$ is not much?? That would be a big help.

Budget? And there really aren't many (any) cabins 'in the hills outside the city' - unless you mean in the mountains quite a long ways from SF.

How long will they be in the area? Do they want to tour northern California (SF/Sonoma/north coast/Tahoe/Yosemite/Carmel) -- or -- do they pretty much want to stay in one place?

you might have them look at Sea Ranch -= a development sev hrs north of SF< cabins in a lot of price ranges.

http://www.searanchescape.com/

Friends owned a cabin for years, it was quite lovely but i think it's like VRBO, some are nicer than others.

Some places to look into, though availability could be tough at all...

treebonesresort.com in Big Sur

costanoa.com in half moon bay

slideranch.org near muir beach

Could also look at the russian river area, point reyes, mendocino, bodega bay, calistoga, even lake tahoe?

Here are my ideas

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35129049

And I would stay in a B&B in the Noe Valley

http://www.noevalleyvoice.com/2006/June/Gues.html

Stu Dudley

Go to Yosemite and stay in a tent cabin.

All the above are really good ideas -- but the "<i>They have very little money,</i>" bit worries me. We really do need to know what sort of budget they have. Some of the ideas above are not 'low budget' choices.

Treebones and Costanoa run approx $200 a night give or take. Housekeeping cabins at YNP are not too expensive, but they generally book up well in advance and they'd be lucky to find availability at short notice -- or more than a couple of nights available at any rate. Certainly not for a substantial part of their 3 weeks.

Also -- Stu, do you have more current info on those Noe Valley places. My guess is most have gone up in 4 years.

One area they might find semi-bargain places is at Lake Tahoe. Ski season is winding up even though there is still snow. Most of the resorts are closed and the rest are closing very soon. And the summer rush won't start until Memorial Day. So there would be lots of availability and discounts.

soooo - what is the budget??

Budget is tough for most Fodorites to imagine (like me!) but truly rock bottom...I would say that they probably have about $100 US per night (for 2) to spend on a hotel or ???? and it must have a kitchen because food money will be also be budget: street food, make-it-yourself, and a credit-card splurge or two.

And, yes, they will consider traveling up and down the coast from San Francisco by rental car if possible, but they will also use buses to get where they need to go: they are accustoned to this.

As to how long they will stay...well, when the monty runs out, they will take the return flights back home, having had a wonderful time, because they are young, cheerful, and in love.


(You have to remember that they had all their money tied up, in flights, pre-paid weeklong apts. and train passes. Some funds won't be refunded at all. The airlines have told them that though this flight is only 1/3 the cost of the European flights, they will not see their refund come through for two months.)

Please keep those ideas coming: the lovebirds will be checking in on this thread as soon as they hit town...one night in a SF hostel is already taken care of.

Didn't they have travel insurance? If so they should be getting their money back before too long.

buses?? there is not the system there was even a few years ago when oyu could go form SF all the way to mendocino/gualala by bus...if they are depending on buses and local transport they will have to pick a location and stick with it.

$100 is not a lot of $$ and with little time to research it will be even harder. maybe the families could kick in some $$ till refunds come through?

also checking Stu Dudley's links..the first one is quite long and not that helpful in terms of finding the salient info...and the 2nd one lists several properties for which the rates have definitely gone up $10-20/night.

I don't see that slide ranch has lodging??



If they are willing to do tent cabins coastanoa has some for $90-100 /night (rate changes over the next 2 weeks) but they would be stuck there.

Wouldn't it be cheaper for them to wait the few days for the air to clear and then rejoin their pre-paid itinerary?

>>and the 2nd one lists several properties for which the rates have definitely gone up $10-20/night.<<

I wouldn't assume that !!! If the honeymooners are in SF & call the B&B owners (who may have an immediate vacancy that won't be filled soon), and relate the volcano story & the honeymoon story - I'll bet the honeymooners can negotiate quite a bit. Just find one that has about 5 days "open" & I bet you'll get a good deal. This is not peak season yet & tomorrow is supposed to be rainy (weekend is OK).

Stu Dudley

It is what it is, financially-speaking and, yes, eventually they may be reimbursed for SOME of their expenditures.

But right now today, what is useful is your information and I thank those of you who have chimed in with really helpful suggestions.

Yes, they would be delighted to tent/cabin in parks etc.

Is there no longer a Greyhound bus service in California? Are there local tour companies that arrange back-packing or park tours or day tours of wine country? (The kids are checking Lonely Planet`s-- Thorntree forums, too).

Of course family would be chipping in...if we were allowed! these are very independent young people who are still reeling from the shock of NOT being in a lakeside-villa in Lucerne,an apt. in Barcelona and gite in the Pyrennees in France.I feel privileged they are even letting me do this `leg-work`!

With respect, I don't think waiting a few days is going to solve the problems with world travel and increasingly, the impact on Western Europes economy: first of all, the crisis has created an administrative backlog of absolute nightmare proportions...the air line is posting a two-hour phone wait mininum.

Secondly, some of these airlines are on the brink of bankruptcy: they are not about to pass out cash if they can delay or avoid it altogether...they are offering future credits, not cash.

Thirdly, airlines here in North America are starting to be impacted...three airports here were closed this morning due to the shifting of the volcanic cloud over the north east coast of Canada.

No, I don't think this is going to end tomorrow.

Please keep those ideas coming...very useful indeed! Any great bargain restaurants, cafes, freebie hot-spots in San Francisco?

Almost all Asian and most ethnic restaurants will be inexpensive.

The views of the Bay (Crissy Field, Ft Point - see my previous post) are free. The Lands End Coastal Trail is free and quite spectacular.

San Francisco City Guides offers about 50 different walking tours through the city each month. They are free (donation appreciated, but many walkers who are on tight budgets give 0) My wife is one of the volunteer guides and is leading the "Victorian San Francisco" tour this Sunday at 2PM.
www.SFCityGuides.org

Stu Dudley

Bless you, Stu, and all the others with such great specific info...the `kids`are tuning in and will be thrilled with such helpful hints!

to stu..i didn't assume anything, I checked the web sites for the properties you listed....and they might give breaks of course esp w/ the story but maybe not.

also not to be snarky, etc but if they are young an in love and wind up staying in SF it is one of the easiest American cities to find cheap food, interesting walks etc.
And Greyhound serves some towns but not as many as you might think, and with lots of delays along the way. They no longer serve anywhere in Napa County for example.

LJ, I'm not sure....do they want to stay in San Francisco for a few days of their trip. Even though it's probably not ideal, I checked Hotwire and there's a 3* hotel in the Fisherman's Wharf area for $54.00 a night (I checked for 3 nights starting tomorrow night) that is very likely the Holiday Inn. If they're willing to gamble a little....

Hello LJ, here is the Bargain Bites article and list or places eat at bargain price from the SF Chronicle. I hope that will be of help to them.
http://www.sfgate.com/food/bargains/

And a good thing about SF is that it is a wonderful walking city, which is of course a free way to see the City. And if they are interested popping into various old historical churches such as Old St. Mary's, St.Peter and Pauls, Grace Cathederal is free too.

Best wishes to the honeymoon couple, I am sorry their original plans didn't work out but I sure wish them a beautiful and fun time here in California.