kcapuani

My husband & I will be spending 6 days in San Fran this Dec - I am so excited to go to the Jelly Belly factory! I am addicted to these jelly beans. Anyways, we are planning to get there as soon as it opens (9:00am) and would imagine we would not be there more than an hour. What is there to do in the area afterwards? We will have a rental car and don't mind driving another hour or so north or east. We are spending 4 of our days strictly sightseeing in San Fran and one day at Muir Woods/Point Reyes. Also, neither of us drink wine so Napa is out.

Thank you for any suggestions!

Kal

KC,
Just becuse you don't drink wine, no reason not to drive thru some beautiful country in Napa/Sonoma and hit some nice restaurants and shopping. Come back to SF over the GG Bridge.

OR...take in the Delta? Rio Vista, Courtland, Locke?

travelisfun

I just wanted to say that my husband and I visited the Jelly Belly factory a few months ago and loved it! The tour is great and the gift shop is a lot of fun for the Jelly Belly lover! I love the "tasting bar" where you can taste all of the flavors...ask the workers for recommendations!

I'd second the opinion that you should go up to Napa Valley even though you're not wine drinkers. There are many great restaurants for lunch and beautiful scenery. Even taking a tour of a winery can be fun--just to see how it's made is so interesting!

Enjoy!

kimamom

We've driven by the Jelly Belly factory many times on our way to the wine country, but have yet to stop!

Hit Tra Vigne for lunch or Bistro Jeanty and enjoy the shopping in Yountville & St. Helena! ***kim***

Suzie

If you are crazy for outlet shopping you can head east to Vacaville and shop away.

Personally I think going to Napa or Sonoma to do olive oil tasting at some of the wineries can be a fun time too!

Suzie

If you drink beer instead you can tour the Budweiser facility in Fairfield. They provide samples too! Here's a link:

http://www.buschjobs.com/docs/Fairfield.html

Kal

Or if you're in shape and the weather is good, rent bikes and take a ride back and forth thru the vineyards? It's do-able sometimes even in December weather. We start in Yountville and go back and forth to the Silverado Trail and all "The Crossing" roads.

Suuuuuz,
Why didn't we suggest the Sacramento area?
Old Town, Rail Road Museum, The Capitol?
Us!

I do like to drink beer because it made Bud Wiser!

Suzie

Um Kal.....

I didn't see you suggest those places....

I thought they wanted to do something fun :0

Kal

<cricket......cricket....>

kimamom

Mud baths in Calistoga would be fun! Check out the Indian Springs Resort, www.indianspringscalistoga.com and have lunch at Wappo! www.wappobar.com ***kim***

kcapuani

Maybe I will look into Napa afterall. I certainly love to eat so good restaurants are always a draw for me. The only restriction I have is that we will have our daughter with us (who will be 11 mo's old) so I couldn't dine at anyplace too fancy. The olive oil tasting is a great idea!

Is Sacramento a worthwhile stop as well?

Thanks again!

Suzie

Not in December. Cold, possibly foggy and rainy. Not worth driving with 11 month old as getting back to SF would be pretty trafficky, heavy on the "icky"

bigtyke

We loved the Jelly Belly factory. You are smart in getting there early as ther can be quite a wait when the crowds appear. We stocked up on 'belly flops' - big bags of imperfect jelly beans at a very good price.

After the tour, we went to Napa and visitied the Francis Ford Coppula winery. IT was interesting even though I (nor my kids) drink wine.

mlg968

If you do decide to spend time in Napa, check out Copia, a cultural center and museum celebrating wine, food and art. I haven't yet been, but I purchased a membership for my dad last year. I hear the gardens are wonderful!

http://copia.org/pages/home.asp

fergie

I've lived here 15 year, before there was a jelly belly tour!
Some recommendations, depending on the weather, which will be cold but could be sunny, also depending on your interests
1) drive to calistoga up the silverado trail, look around, have lunch at Calistoga hotel restarant, drive down hwy 29 the other side of napa valley

2) drive to city of Sonoma, look around plaza, shopping, old fort and have lunch

3)drive south on hwy 680 to hwy 780 west to town of Benicia (was original state capitol!) cute main street, shops, restarants overlooking the delta

4) depending on the weather, the new Carquinez bridge in Vallejo, hwy 80, can park and walk to the south side of bridge, Crockett is interesting town at south side of bridge.

5) visit Berkely on way back to San Francisco..check out 4th st area just off University Ave

have fun and dont get sick on those jelly bellys