(Sorry for the long hiatus! I have gone places this year, really I have...let's get to it! Supersized post!)
Kaleb's brother Jarrett and his wife Kate came to visit us for a week in early March. It was their first time in California (not including Kate's brief stay in San Francisco when she was younger), so we took them on a short road trip to various places of interest.
Napa was our first stop. Since Kaleb and I had missed eating at Boon Fly Cafe the last time we were in the area, it was on our to-do list. Arriving on a Monday at 11am, the tiny parking lot had a couple of open spaces, plus we were able to get a table right away. It did get busier at lunch time with people waiting outside. The restaurant had a casual chic atmosphere with an open kitchen. The food was delicious!
Boon Fly Benedict
yummy chicken and waffles
With food in our stomachs, we were prepared to visit the wineries. Our next stop was Hess Collection, up among the redwoods. The location is a bit off the beaten track, but the grounds are beautiful and the contemporary art gallery quirky and thought-provoking. If you own a Lexus, you and three guests can enjoy a complimentary tasting when you make a reservation through Lexus Drivers.
wine tasting menu
learning how to swirl, sniff, and sample
We ended up buying a couple of bottles of wine; it was stored at the front desk while we toured the rest of the building, including the art gallery. Last time we were here, we didn't have time to visit the third floor. I'm glad we made it up there, as I loved looking at the large scale paintings.
the "poop" room is always fun
visual art inside the scope
headless army
these paintings look like photos, even close up
Next was a visit to our favorite winery, Judd's Hill. Tastings are also complimentary through Lexus Drivers, but as Kaleb had a wine club membership here with similar benefits, we reserved our visit directly through their member's website.
After enjoying the wines, we headed over to the Petrified Forest, but unfortunately it closed just as we got there, as winter hours were in effect. We then proceeded to our home for the night, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. When I was planning this trip six weeks ago, there happened to be a Fairmont Great Rates Great Dates promotion for the hotel on the night we needed...great! You need to be a member of the Fairmont Presidents Club to take advantage of the sale. (register for free at the Fairmont website; this Flyertalk forum lists the specials each month)
Our rooms were in separate wings of the main building and far enough away from the lobby to lessen any noise. Said lobby was rather loud when we checked in as the complimentary afternoon wine tasting was going on. There was still half an hour left of the event, but it was so crowded that it wasn't worth fighting through to get a glass.
I brought my Theta S 360 camera and played around with it during the trip, so you can enjoy some spherical photos and videos. 360 videos are easily uploaded to YouTube, once it has been post-processed by the Ricoh Theta app. If you have Google Cardboard or similar 360 viewer, you can click on the "cardboard" icon at the lower right hand corner of the video to enable spherical viewing. Else, if you are on a desktop/laptop/tablet, you can pause the video and use your mouse or finger to drag the image around.
13-second 360 video of the room (be sure to pause it in order to drag the image around): (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
11-second 360 video of the bathroom (be sure to pause it to enable dragging the image around): (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
As we were still full from brunch and wine (we opened our complimentary bottle too), we ended up walking a few blocks down the road to grab dessert at La Michoacana, specializing in Mexican-style ice cream. The flavors were quite exotic and delicious.
fun bright colors
tasty ice cream!
After some souvenir shopping, we headed back to the hotel and turned in for the night.
Tuesday morning, we grabbed a quick breakfast at Subway and headed towards Point Reyes National Seashore. Rain was forecasted, but we were lucky to be able to visit the area without getting too wet. The lighthouse was closed today (closed Tue/Wed/Thu).
Kate and Jarrett's first dip in the cold Pacific Ocean, 47-second clip: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
We then headed to Muir Woods. Kaleb and I had tried to visit here on a Memorial Day weekend, but it was too crowded, with nowhere to park, not even on the main road. Coming here on a late Tuesday afternoon helped, but I could tell that cars had to park on the main road regardless. Fortunately, we were able to find a space in the remote parking lot as earlier visitors were leaving.
We stopped at a cafe inside the forest, Muir Woods Trading Company, for a bite to eat. The food was decent for being a concession, with lots of tasty healthy choices.
egg salad sandwich was pretty good
With warm beverages in hand, we explored the beautiful grounds.
Afterwards, we crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.
Driving on the Golden Gate, 66-second clip: (click here if you cannot see the preview below)
We checked into the Holiday Inn Express Fisherman's Wharf. I had redeemed IHG points for two rooms. With San Francisco properties having limited parking space, it cost $52 plus tax for valet, which was not included in the reward night. There were public garages that charged ~$35 plus tax, but were several blocks away and may be subject to break-ins, so I stuck with hotel parking. Our rooms overlooked the interior courtyard, which was good as it would help us get a quieter night's sleep, versus a room on the main road.
comfy bed
view of the center of the building
apparently our mattress is brand new
we all got a complimentary bottle of water
coffee and tea
Bath and Body Works toiletries
We walked to Hot Spud for their fancy loaded baked potatoes, then to Ghirardelli for dessert...yum! You can find coupons for $1 off Ghirardelli ice cream in most tourist brochures and maps easily obtained in hotels and visitor centers.
hip atmosphere
shrimp spud
free chocolate sample inside
table loaded with deliciousness
On Wednesday, we started the day with the hotel's "Express Start" complimentary breakfast buffet, then strolled around Pier 39, including a visit to the Aquarium of the Bay (discount coupon available in tourist guides) and lunch at Fog Harbor Fish House (15% off bill with aquarium ticket stub), before heading home. Though we checked out in the morning, the parking fee was still valid for 24 hours, so I was able to keep the car at the hotel until we were ready to leave in the late afternoon.
buffet spread
not breakfast of champions
jellyfish
underwater tunnel
diver feeding the sealife (and sharks!)
getting up close and personal with an octopus
are you using one finger?
sea lions hanging out
clam chowder topped with crab
baked oysters
fried combo
Coit Tower and Transamerica Pyramid
Our road trip comes to an end! It was nice to show Kate and Jarrett around, plus it was my first visit to Point Reyes, Muir Woods, and the Aquarium of the Bay, despite living in California all my life. Going on a weekday helped to avoid large crowds, though famous attractions are hardly ever deserted.
What's next on the agenda? An impromptu get-together in San Diego to celebrate my brother Edmund's birthday...stay tuned!
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Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go? Contact me at yellowdogtravel at gmail d0t com with your ideas and I can help you plan it! Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts. I have lots of happy returning clients - references always available.
