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Click on locations to see area information |
Mendocino
The drive to Mendocino is almost as beautiful as the town.
Many Bay Area residents take the scenic route up Highway 1, which runs along the coastline
from San Francisco all the way to Mendocino and beyond. When you get to the town, you'll
feel like you stepped back in time. Victorian-style bed and breakfasts and shops abound in
this quaint, seaside town. You can take a stroll along the dramatic coast trails, find a
sheltered cove and walk along the beach, go shopping "downtown", or just curl up
with a good book in your room at one of the many bed and breakfasts in the area, such as
the Whitegate Inn, pictured here. Mendocino is
a destination suitable for a weekend getaway or a week's retreat from the hustle-bustle
life in the Bay Area.
More about Mendocino
Driving time: 5-6 hours
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Lake Tahoe
Skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling in winter, and
hiking, camping, boating and swimming in the summer make Lake Tahoe a favorite vacation
destination of Bay Area residents. Outstanding ski resorts surround the lake, as well as
modern hotels, motels, private residences and many recreational facilities. On the Nevada
side of the lake you will find the big hotels and casinos with gambling of all kinds. Even
with a lake elevation of over 6,000 feet, Lake Tahoe still boasts 300 + days a year of
sunshine. Tahoe is a great year-around vacation getaway.
More about Lake Tahoe
Driving time: 4 hours
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Wine Country
Just a short drive north of the Bay Area are the Napa and
Sonoma valleys, collectively known as the "Wine Country". These valleys produce
some of the best wines in the country, and are a wonderful place to spend a day or more.
Driving up the Napa valley the visitor comes upon winery after winery, offering tastes of
their wines and picnic areas for a leisurely lunch. You can also find luxury inns, bed and
breakfasts and numerous health spas. At the north end of the valley is the small town of
Calistoga, known not only for it's sparkling bottled water but also for it's relaxing
mineral and mud baths. On the west side of the dividing Mayacamas Mountains is the
beautiful Sonoma valley. This less crowded valley has it's own collection of
wineries, and the historic town of Sonoma, a site of one of the original California
Missions.
More about the Wine Country
Driving time: 1 hour
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Sacramento River Delta
The Sacramento River Delta is a collection of rivers,
sloughs and tracts that connect the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers to the San Francisco
Bay. The area is known for it's myriad of water sports, including sailing, windsurfing,
water-skiing, fishing, and houseboating. Marinas dot the banks of the delta, providing
boat storage, restaurants and other facilities.
Map of the Delta
Driving time: 45 minutes
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San Francisco
San Francisco -- the City by the Bay, home of the cable
car and the Transamerica Pyramid, center of business, art, and culture for the Bay Area.
"The City", as it's called by Bay Area residents, provides just about anything
you could want in a big city, and yet it still keeps it's "neighborhood"
feeling. Noe Valley, the Mission, Chinatown, the Sunset District, Nob Hill, North Beach,
and the Marina all have their own flavor, their own identity. Golden Gate Park provides
residents and visitors alike with playing fields, museums, gardens, and miles of walking
paths. For an evening out, you can choose from: symphony, live theater, Opera,
restaurants, night clubs, musical reviews, comedy clubs, and much more. And, if you want
to really get away, the San Francisco International Airport provides
flights to virtually anywhere in the world!
More about San Francisco
Driving time: 30 minutes
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Sailing the San Francisco Bay
Sailing in the San
Francisco Bay is a favorite among enthusiasts. Conditions vary from gentle breezes to
double-reef blows. And when you're not watching your sails, you've got some of the most
spectacular scenery in the world to look at -- the San Francisco waterfront and the
beautiful Bay Area. Many marinas surround the bay, giving the day sailor places to duck in
and grab lunch, see the sites, and get back on the water. For the more adventurous, you
can sail out the Golden Gate and try the open ocean. Watch for whales!
More about SF Bay sailing
Driving time: 30 minutes
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Yosemite
Yosemite National Park,established in 1890, consists of
nearly 1,200 square miles of the Sierra Nevada range in central California. The park is
most famous for the spectacular Yosemite Valley with it's beautiful waterfalls and unusual
rock formations. The park also includes Glacier Point, a scenic lookout over the valley,
Tuolome Meadows, a favorite for picnicking, camping and hiking, and Hetch Hetchy
reservoir, a major source of drinking water for the San Francisco area. Hetch Hetchy is
the jumping off point for many back country hiking trails.
More about Yosemite National Park
Driving time: 3 hours
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Monterey Peninsula
The Monterey peninsula is known for it's awesome
coastline, charming cities, fine dining, and comfortable accommodations. The City of
Monterey is the site of the always phenomenal Monterey Bay
Aquarium. The Aquarium has attracted world-wide attention with it's 3-story tall kelp
forest, hands-on activities, and exhibits with over 350,000 creatures who live in the
Monterey Bay. The aquarium is located in historic Cannery Row, the inspiration for John
Steinbeck's novel of the same name. Cannery Row was the center of the fish processing
industry in the Monterey area, and many buildings still exist today. The Monterey
peninsula is also home for some of the most challenging golf courses in the country. The
courses at Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Poppy Hills
host the annual AT&T Pebble
Beach National Pro-Am, formerly known as the "Crosby Clambake".
More about the Monterey Peninsula
Driving time: 2-3 hours
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