Things to do bout 1 hr N of SFO?
May 4th, 2004, 04:55 PM
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Things to do bout 1 hr N of SFO?
WE are going to take a road trip, now, I think we have finally decided, unless I find an awesome cruise deal this summer and talk DH into that. We want to go up the coast from LAX to SFO. Stay here and there along the way. Niether one of us have done much north of SFO. I went to Sonoma about 25 years ago with some girl friends for the day.
Any special stops you recommend? Could stay a night or two. Thinking Sonoma, Russian River, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Bodega Bay. What of these are must sees? Any recs on eating and hotel would be appreciated.
Will be four of us, me, H, DD (17) and son (13). DH would love to go flyfishing if anyone has info or experience in that area.
Thanks to all.
Any special stops you recommend? Could stay a night or two. Thinking Sonoma, Russian River, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Bodega Bay. What of these are must sees? Any recs on eating and hotel would be appreciated.
Will be four of us, me, H, DD (17) and son (13). DH would love to go flyfishing if anyone has info or experience in that area.
Thanks to all.
May 4th, 2004, 07:04 PM
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Hi Heavens! I live in Sonoma County
so I will give you a few of my
favorites that I think you AND your kids might enjoy.
Healdsburg/Russian River:
There are fun places to
rent a cabin along the river,as well as kayaking or tubing on the river. Search wineroad.com or google RR lodging
Santa Rosa:Your kids are the perfect age for a jeep safari trip at Safari West. Not a giant amusement park-it's a
wildlife sanctuary-the tour is a blast
and you could spend a night here.
Bodega Bay: There is a nice stretch of coast to hang out at at the Salmon Creek Beaches and a little further up is Goat Rock State Beach.
Have you considered Pt. Reyes?
There's kayaking in Bolinas lagoon,
all kinds of hiking, horseback riding.
A trip out to the Lighthouse always entertains my nephews.
There's always the wineries, but kids get pretty bored with that!
If you click on my screen name you can scroll through many posts that I have
written about the Sonoma area.
If you can narrow it down I'll be happy to advise on say, the best place for
pizza.
R5
so I will give you a few of my
favorites that I think you AND your kids might enjoy.
Healdsburg/Russian River:
There are fun places to
rent a cabin along the river,as well as kayaking or tubing on the river. Search wineroad.com or google RR lodging
Santa Rosa:Your kids are the perfect age for a jeep safari trip at Safari West. Not a giant amusement park-it's a
wildlife sanctuary-the tour is a blast
and you could spend a night here.
Bodega Bay: There is a nice stretch of coast to hang out at at the Salmon Creek Beaches and a little further up is Goat Rock State Beach.
Have you considered Pt. Reyes?
There's kayaking in Bolinas lagoon,
all kinds of hiking, horseback riding.
A trip out to the Lighthouse always entertains my nephews.
There's always the wineries, but kids get pretty bored with that!
If you click on my screen name you can scroll through many posts that I have
written about the Sonoma area.
If you can narrow it down I'll be happy to advise on say, the best place for
pizza.
R5
May 5th, 2004, 04:38 AM
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Don't waste your time at Bodega Bay - very overrated !! Sausalito is great !! also we stumbled on a little beach area called Stenson's Beach - if you like oysters - great Bar-B-Qued ones there !! Also, further north is Napa Valley - definitley a MUST SEE !! Enjoy !!
May 5th, 2004, 07:30 AM
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HI all, thanks for responses. You are getting me started anyway.
We weren't including Napa b/c we took kids through there for a wedding about five years ago. We kind of wanted this trip to be a bunch of new things. Here is how our itenerary might be:
Leave the dessert and drive up the road, maybe stay a night in Santa Barbara or Salinas (with friends to see their new BIG house). Then up to San Jose to see BIL. Checking out San Jose area, Santa Cruz, Berkley area.
Then go up to SFO. Kids have been there for day trips, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, Ferry ride, bridge. Also seen Napa. So, to see something new were thinking different areas in SFO, not sure where, a Giants game, Sausalito, then up the road for a day or two. Then head back down to BIL's house and then home.
Going north of SFO would be new to all of us. We have never seen RR area or Santa Rosa, Healdburg. So, you have given us some great tips to explore these places. thanks.
Any restaurants, other sights that we should not miss on this road trip???
I asked H if he would do the drive along Big Sur. Would love to see that. He's not sure he can do it. Also love the wine country north of Cambria.
Yes, I agree that the wineries can be boring. We will keep this to a minimum. Usually the wineries are beautiful places and have nice shops. Thanks again for any tips.
We weren't including Napa b/c we took kids through there for a wedding about five years ago. We kind of wanted this trip to be a bunch of new things. Here is how our itenerary might be:
Leave the dessert and drive up the road, maybe stay a night in Santa Barbara or Salinas (with friends to see their new BIG house). Then up to San Jose to see BIL. Checking out San Jose area, Santa Cruz, Berkley area.
Then go up to SFO. Kids have been there for day trips, Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square, Ferry ride, bridge. Also seen Napa. So, to see something new were thinking different areas in SFO, not sure where, a Giants game, Sausalito, then up the road for a day or two. Then head back down to BIL's house and then home.
Going north of SFO would be new to all of us. We have never seen RR area or Santa Rosa, Healdburg. So, you have given us some great tips to explore these places. thanks.
Any restaurants, other sights that we should not miss on this road trip???
I asked H if he would do the drive along Big Sur. Would love to see that. He's not sure he can do it. Also love the wine country north of Cambria.
Yes, I agree that the wineries can be boring. We will keep this to a minimum. Usually the wineries are beautiful places and have nice shops. Thanks again for any tips.
May 5th, 2004, 08:30 AM
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If your husband doesn't think he can handle the drive through Big Sur, there are some interesting things to see off of Hwy 101.
Mission San Antonio is about 15 minutes off the highway and it worth a stop. Unlike a lot of other missions, a town was not built up around it so you can get an idea of the solitude of mission life. Also, the drive through the rolling hills and oak trees to get there is nice. The mission is actually on the grounds of a military post, which you drive through to get to the mission - that's interesting too.
Solvang is a kitchy kind of place - a "Danish village" in the middle of California. I think it makes a nice stop to get out of the car, wander around a bit, and have a pastry.
Pismo Beach is fun - you could stop there for a couple hours to wander around and check out the beach.
San Luis Obispo is also a good place to stop. There is a mission right downtown, plenty of little restaurants and shady streets to wander around. The university is there.
Up Hwy 1 just a bit are Morro Bay and Cambria if you wanted to make a little detour - this isn't the twisty part so your husband should be fine.
When you are in Salinas, definitely drive over to the Monterey area to check it out. If you want to get a feeling for the Big Sur coast without actually driving it, go to Point Lobos and walk around a bit.
Mission San Antonio is about 15 minutes off the highway and it worth a stop. Unlike a lot of other missions, a town was not built up around it so you can get an idea of the solitude of mission life. Also, the drive through the rolling hills and oak trees to get there is nice. The mission is actually on the grounds of a military post, which you drive through to get to the mission - that's interesting too.
Solvang is a kitchy kind of place - a "Danish village" in the middle of California. I think it makes a nice stop to get out of the car, wander around a bit, and have a pastry.
Pismo Beach is fun - you could stop there for a couple hours to wander around and check out the beach.
San Luis Obispo is also a good place to stop. There is a mission right downtown, plenty of little restaurants and shady streets to wander around. The university is there.
Up Hwy 1 just a bit are Morro Bay and Cambria if you wanted to make a little detour - this isn't the twisty part so your husband should be fine.
When you are in Salinas, definitely drive over to the Monterey area to check it out. If you want to get a feeling for the Big Sur coast without actually driving it, go to Point Lobos and walk around a bit.
May 5th, 2004, 08:33 AM
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Heavens: If the weather's good, a great drive is to leave Highway 101 at Mill Valley and drive up to the top of Mt. Tamalpais for an incredible panoramic view of the Bay Area. I first saw it at age 12 and thought it was really keen. Then you can stop at Muir Woods, which is on the slopes of the mountain, and drive on to Stinson Beach (mentioned, but mispelled, by a previous poster. Then have your DH drive south on Highway 1 until it intersects 101. When he's done, tell him if he can handle that stretch, he can handle Big Sur (which you shouldn't miss.)
Another beautiful drive is to take River Road, which intersects 101 just north of Santa Rosa, through the beautiful Russian River Valley to the ocean at Jenner. You can also take 101 up to Healdsburg and then cut down to River Road, passing many wineries on the way. The very picturesque Korbel Wine Cellars are on River Road. Any distance you go along the ocean north or south of Jenner will be spectacular.
Put some of the place names you are interested in, and you have mentioned in your posts, in the search box and click on Find. You will find many, many helpful past threads.
I hope you enjoy your discoveries. But let me just add a longtime resident's plea. SFO is the appropriate abbreviation for the airport--but for The City? Never!
Another beautiful drive is to take River Road, which intersects 101 just north of Santa Rosa, through the beautiful Russian River Valley to the ocean at Jenner. You can also take 101 up to Healdsburg and then cut down to River Road, passing many wineries on the way. The very picturesque Korbel Wine Cellars are on River Road. Any distance you go along the ocean north or south of Jenner will be spectacular.
Put some of the place names you are interested in, and you have mentioned in your posts, in the search box and click on Find. You will find many, many helpful past threads.
I hope you enjoy your discoveries. But let me just add a longtime resident's plea. SFO is the appropriate abbreviation for the airport--but for The City? Never!
May 5th, 2004, 09:19 AM
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Johncharles,
You are right. It is a leftover from my flight attendant days. Didn't even catch it at first. Old habits die hard. LOL. Thanks for pointing out my error. Is there a way to edit this post so my ignorance isn't showing?
We have seen SLO (lived there for a year), Hearst, Monterrey, Carmel and all that. Also Solvang. That is why I left them out.
Also, folks, what about restaurants? No one has hardly mentioned food. How about where to eat in Santa Barbara? Was seriously considering Alice Waters place in Berkley, is that still worth a stop? The Chez Panisse?
Will probably have to hit Tdich's in SF. My H's favorite. Kids hate seafood. Maybe a good place in South Beach? Also will probably do Roys on the 17 mile drive. Great food, great view. Any other ideas for SF or north of???
Thanks all. Will have to print this out when we are all done.
You are right. It is a leftover from my flight attendant days. Didn't even catch it at first. Old habits die hard. LOL. Thanks for pointing out my error. Is there a way to edit this post so my ignorance isn't showing?
We have seen SLO (lived there for a year), Hearst, Monterrey, Carmel and all that. Also Solvang. That is why I left them out.
Also, folks, what about restaurants? No one has hardly mentioned food. How about where to eat in Santa Barbara? Was seriously considering Alice Waters place in Berkley, is that still worth a stop? The Chez Panisse?
Will probably have to hit Tdich's in SF. My H's favorite. Kids hate seafood. Maybe a good place in South Beach? Also will probably do Roys on the 17 mile drive. Great food, great view. Any other ideas for SF or north of???
Thanks all. Will have to print this out when we are all done.
May 5th, 2004, 12:12 PM
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If you are considering a Giants game
run, don't walk to their website, and purchase your tickets NOW. They sell out quite quickly and yoou may only get 4 together in the nosebleed section.
Now for food north of SF-here's a quick list:
Petaluma:
Bricks, Dempsey's, girl & the fig,
Central Market, Graziano's, Jelleyfish
Santa Rosa/Sebastopol/Rohnert Park:
Zazu, Popina, Latitude, Lucy's,
K&L Bistro
Healdsburg:
Willi's Raw Bar, Sake'O, Ravenous
Jenner: River's End
(GREAT view and food)
Calistoga:
Calistoga Inn, Wappo Bistro, Brannan's
Sonoma:
Cafe le Haye, Meritage, Swiss Hotel,
General's Daughter, Piatti
and do a search as johncharles suggested
the topic has loads of infomative threads in this forum.
R5
run, don't walk to their website, and purchase your tickets NOW. They sell out quite quickly and yoou may only get 4 together in the nosebleed section.
Now for food north of SF-here's a quick list:
Petaluma:
Bricks, Dempsey's, girl & the fig,
Central Market, Graziano's, Jelleyfish
Santa Rosa/Sebastopol/Rohnert Park:
Zazu, Popina, Latitude, Lucy's,
K&L Bistro
Healdsburg:
Willi's Raw Bar, Sake'O, Ravenous
Jenner: River's End
(GREAT view and food)
Calistoga:
Calistoga Inn, Wappo Bistro, Brannan's
Sonoma:
Cafe le Haye, Meritage, Swiss Hotel,
General's Daughter, Piatti
and do a search as johncharles suggested
the topic has loads of infomative threads in this forum.
R5
May 5th, 2004, 01:20 PM
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Heavens,
Restaurant suggestion in Santa Barbara: If you like Chinese food, go to the Mandarin Palace. It is always voted Santa Barbara's best Chinese restaurant. The restaurant is beautiful, light and airy, and the food has a California twist.
Restaurant suggestion in Santa Barbara: If you like Chinese food, go to the Mandarin Palace. It is always voted Santa Barbara's best Chinese restaurant. The restaurant is beautiful, light and airy, and the food has a California twist.
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