visiting San Francisco area for a week...

[rh71]

We'll have a week, but SF doesn't have a week for us. What other city that is within driving distance would be worth hanging around in for 3 days or so ? It's more like a family trip, not a bf/gf trip.

LA is out, been there already.

 

[everman]

I hear Fresno has cows.
m00

 

[Aquaman]

I like chilling in the Monterey Bay/Carmel area........ also maybe try to hit Yosemite if your into national parks.

Or just ditch the family and come up to Vancouver and help me stalk Jessica Alba while she is filming Fantastic Four

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[rh71]

SJ or Sacremento have anything worth checking out ?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Marin County and the wine country are really beautiful. I have a soft spot for Santa Cruz as well. San Jose is nothing to write home about, IMO, nor is Sacramento. Definitely swing by Lake Tahoe if you have time - it's one of the most beautiful places in the world.

 

[Baked]

Buy a traveler's guide, 'cause there's too many to name. Just stick w/ the coastal cities and stay from the inland dumps. SJ and Sacto are dumps. Monterey Bay is real nice.

 

[andylawcc]

how about them Wine counties in Sonoma and Napa Valley ???

 

[Aquaman]

Originally posted by: andylawcc
how about them Wine counties in Sonoma and Napa Valley ???

Next time I go there I will definately go there

Cheers,
Aquaman

 

[MAME]

come visit me 40 mins north of the city

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: rh71
SJ or Sacremento have anything worth checking out ?

Sacramento is actually really sweet downtown. There's an area called Old Sacramento and you can walk around and there are shops and diners and the like, as well as a railroad museum and some other cool stuff.

 

[zoiks]

Go down to Big Sur south of Monterey and you can see whales this time of year cruising by. I was fishing and saw many sea otters and dolphin pods go by.
Check the Monterey bay Aquarium. Really a sight to see when you're there.
I love the ocean and I explore it a lot. There's a place on Hwy 1 about 23 miles south of Half Moon Bay called Bean Hollow State Beach. That place is absolutely magnificent. You can walk on the reefs and rocky areas and venture out far during a low tide. In the tidepools you will see small baby fish, variety of crabs and snails and sea anemones.
Here's a link to the californiacoastline.org site that shows it. Click on the picture for higher res pics.Bean Hollow

If you want to explore north of SF, go to Point Reyes National Seashore. Nice views for sure from the lighthouse.
Lots of places around here. Depends on what you want to do.

 

[OREOSpeedwagon]

Originally posted by: andylawcc
how about them Wine counties in Sonoma and Napa Valley ???

make sure you drink pinot noir

 

[GTaudiophile]

Go wine tasting in Napa Valley.

Did that two weeks ago

 

[andylawcc]

Originally posted by: zoiks
There's a place on Hwy 1 about 23 miles south of Half Moon Bay called Bean Hollow State Beach. That place is absolutely magnificent.
Here's a link to the californiacoastline.org site that shows it. Click on the picture for higher res pics.Bean Hollow

is that where they filmed American Pie III (ala American Wedding) in that RitzCharlton (or Marriot?) in Half Moon Bay? That place is STUNNInGLY beautifully romantically spectacular

 

[z0mb13]

napa valley is a must

 

[ts3433]

Originally posted by: everman
I hear Fresno has cows.
m00

I tend to associate cows more with adjacent Tulare County (more cows than people there), but we have those here too.

Nothing really worth checking out in Fresno (which is 3 or 4 hours from SF) that I know of. The most exciting things (for locals) are probably big-box retailers along Shaw and Blackstone, and maybe the Save Mart Center if something's going on there. Stick to the coast, or go through Sacramento up to Tahoe if you want to see the Sierras.

 

[lavagirl669]

Originally posted by: rh71
SJ or Sacremento have anything worth checking out ?

I would pass on those....I personally can't stand those cities.

Check out Sausalito or Marin County as suggested.
Napa Valley is nice too.

 

[amol]

Marin County, Carmel, Napa Valley

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: andylawcc

Originally posted by: zoiks
There's a place on Hwy 1 about 23 miles south of Half Moon Bay called Bean Hollow State Beach. That place is absolutely magnificent.
Here's a link to the californiacoastline.org site that shows it. Click on the picture for higher res pics.Bean Hollow

is that where they filmed American Pie III (ala American Wedding) in that RitzCharlton (or Marriot?) in Half Moon Bay? That place is STUNNInGLY beautifully romantically spectacular

I havent seen that movie but the Ritz is just south of HMB on Hwy1.

 

[dfox227]

 

[Rage187]

Reno, about 3 hours from San Fran.

 

[dfox227]

Go see the Redwoods in Muir Woods....unbelievable....the best part of my trip to California

 

[dfox227]

Go see the Redwoods in Muir Woods ..the best part of my trip to California

 

[aplefka]

Originally posted by: Rage187
Reno, about 3 hours from San Fran.

I live right by an I-80 on/off ramp, and Reno is East and SF is West for a bit, so I highly doubt you could make it to Reno in 3 hours from SF if it takes about 2.5 hours from Sacramento.

 

[dakata24]

i went to twin peaks my first time. if you have a chance, and it's a clear night, take a trip there. you get a great view of the city.

well, looks the the weather isnt too god. or elese i would have suggested hakone gardens in saratoga. it's supposedly the oldest japanese-style garden in the western hemisphere. 18 acres.. nice thing is that it's free.. well, almost. it's $7 per vehicle.

i've never been to it, but saw it on a local tv show featuring it.