Archive for the 'Northern California' Category
Bay Area hotels: Beware the weekend two-night minimum
September 22, 2008 6:02pm
I’m going to San Francisco this coming weekend (Thursday to Sunday) and though mostly visiting with friends, I wanted one romantic night in a nice hotel Saturday, preferably north of the Golden Gate bridge where we have to be Sunday morning, and ideally not spending more than $250 for the room. Unable to find a room that meets these criteria, my requests have made me feel like I’m that annoying, atrociously high-maintenance diner that asks the waiter four questions before ordering her entree and follows it with substituting the steamed broccoli for the mixed vegetables only to then request all dressings on the side to boot.
Oh these rooms are out there, they just often have a two-night minimum attached. Is that what a down economy means to the hotel industry: Make them stay two nights versus we’d love to have your business for one and be thankful for it?
Tips for booking in Marin:
I’ve found good deals on Hotels.com before so I started with them. They did return results for a Marin County search, but my idea of a romantic night out wasn’t at a business hotel in San Rafael such as a Four Points Sheraton or an Extended Stay. Even the newish Marin Suites in Corte Madera didn’t quite seem charming enough. Cavallo Point would be terrific, but at $275 a night for the cheapest rooms, it was a bit high, plus I’d heard some word of mouth info that said the rooms you really want to stay in are not the cheapest ones.
Trip Kick: If I knew that I wanted to stay at a romantic or boutique hotel, Trip Kick was the online concierge to help me out. The only problem was that these would all be San Francisco hotels, and when I clicked “Romantic Getaway,” the results led to some pretty high-end hotels. That’s fine, but I didn’t want to give up on Marin just yet.
Apple-picking in California
September 22, 2008 9:40am
If apple-picking sounds like an East Coast kind of thing to do, you might be surprised to learn that California is among our country’s top apple-producing states. According to the California Apple Commission, Washington, New York, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania and Virginia — in that order — are our country’s primary sources of apples. California has more than 25,000 acres of land dedicated to the undertaking.
So venture out and get a first-hand taste of fall’s fiber/pectin-rich fruit: Some orchards and farms welcome visitors for picking trips or even overnight stays.
Read a Los Angeles Times article from last fall, “Finding autumn amidst Oak Glen’s apple orchards,” for a rundown on places to visit in Oak Glen, about 80 miles east of Los Angeles. Read the rest of this entry »
San Francisco: New California Academy of Sciences opens Sept. 27
September 16, 2008 10:25am
Having broken ground in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park in 2005, the new California Academy of Sciences is nearly ready for its unveiling. The widely anticipated facility, which will be open to the public on Sept. 27, 2008, will launch grandly with a free celebration, with acrobats and all.
What’s the fuss about? Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, the new academy has major environmental cred (e.g., efficiency-minded utilization of resources, reclaimed wastewater usage); it is impressive from the outside and will certainly be even more so on the inside; and the complex, which formerly housed 12 buildings, now consists of one structure covering 410,000 square feet.
The new facility will hold the Kimball Natural History Museum, Steinhart Aquarium and Morrison Planetarium — all under one literally green, living and visitor-accessible roof spanning 2.5 acres. Sneak a peak of the building on the academy website.
Among the many attractions, you’ll be able to gape at alligators in the Swamp from an underwater-level view; the Rainforests of the World exhibit, encased in a 90-foot-diameter glass sphere at the building’s center, will offer a hot and humid multilevel taste of flora and fauna; and the Philippine Coral Reef exhibit, using water from San Francisco’s Ocean Beach, will hold more than 4,000 fish. Read the rest of this entry »
Visit San Francisco in Sept./Oct. for summery fall days
August 28, 2008 2:07pm
If this last sunshine-filled weekend was any indication, a typically cold summer in San Francisco may soon be coming to an end (except in the Richmond and Sunset districts, and AT&T Park, pockets where cold is seemingly eternal). Locals talked of it having been “cold for weeks” before we arrived. But during our quick vacation, we enjoyed wonderfully warm afternoons, which hinted at more consistency in warmth to come, locals hope.
The chilling summer air of this city, with fog pockets that run deep, is widely known. You know that quote that may have been said by Mark Twain (but probably not) — “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco”? It’s a saying that, after all these years of weather shifts and global warming and what-not, still rings remarkably true. Have a look at this interesting rundown on the unique San Francisco climate.
Now that fall is fast approaching, San Franciscans are finally putting away their jackets and gearing up for the traditionally hotter months of September and October. So, what to do in the dog days of fall, if you’re visiting then? Read the rest of this entry »
A fall full of deals in Monterey County
August 28, 2008 10:06am
Take advantage of the warm weather, fewer crowds and winery harvests of the fall season in Monterey County with deals under the “Big Skies, Big Savings” promotion.
Deal: The promotion features 50 hotel deals, including the following: a $100 gas card with a two-night stay at Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa; 30% off midweek reservations at Candle Light Inn, Dolphin Inn and Svendsgaard’s Inn in Carmel; two free dual massages with a one-night stay at the Monterey Bay Inn ($339 per double, pre-tax), Portola Hotel & Spa ($349) and Victorian Inn ($269); and dinners for two at Wills Fargo Restaurant and Los Laureles Restaurant plus wine tasting at five wineries with a two-night stay in Carmel Valley’s Los Laureles Lodge ($310). Read the rest of this entry »
Do the Bigfoot bash in Northern California’s Willow Creek
August 27, 2008 12:02pm
Monterey Bay has the Strawberry Festival.
Gilroy has the Garlic Fesitval.
Willow Creek, in lush Humboldt County, doesn’t produce strawberries or garlic; its claim to fame is Bigfoot sightings. That’s right, sasquatch. Yeti. The big-footed creature with the fallen arches that was allegedly first spotted there — and named Bigfoot for the tracks it left — 50 years ago.
So, it’s no surprise that Willow Creek, along California 299, is home to the annual Bigfoot Days, starting Labor Day weekend.
Read the rest of this entry »
Bigfoot, Humboldt County’s native son
August 15, 2008 5:30pm
Richard Stenger is sure of one true thing.
“We want everyone to know that Bigfoot is from Humboldt,” says the media and marketing spokesman from the Humboldt County Convention & Visitors Bureau. His comments come after two men held a press conference today to proclaim that they found Bigfoot in northern Georgia — and have the body on ice to prove it.
Read the rest of this entry »
Bigfoot found in Georgia? California spots where Sasquatch was reportedly sighted
August 15, 2008 11:13am
Two Bigfoot hunters claim to have bagged the body of a creature they say is the great hairy one and plan to present their evidence today at noon a hotel in Palo Alto, according to news reports. Rick Dyer, who also offers Bigfoot tours, and Matthew Whitton say they made the find in northern Georgia.
And yes, there’s a photo.
Which got us wondering where a traveler might go to find his or her own Bigfoot. Bigfootencounters.com has compiled a handy database of sightings nationwide where you can access dated reports on each “encounter” submitted by contributors.
Update: LAT’s intrepid Web Scout David Sarno has a roundup of what he calls “all this Bigfoot ridiculousness happening right now.”
Sightings in California include:
Read the rest of this entry »
Win a Gold Country trip fit for foodies
August 15, 2008 9:00am
Each month, the California Wine & Food Adventure Sweepstakes, run by California Tourism, gives away a food- and wine-focused trip to a region in California. The winner, chosen randomly from online entries, receives two Southwest Airlines tickets to the month’s feature destination, accommodations, ground transportation and a six-day, five-night suggested itinerary bound to get the taste buds dancing.
This month’s prize destination is the Sierra Nevada’s Gold Country. The lucky winner’s nights will be spent in Groveland, near Yosemite National Park; in Sutter Creek, near the wineries of Amador County; in Lotus, near the American River; in Folsom, alongside the American River; and in Sacramento, on the Old Sacramento waterfront. The itinerary includes winery visits, outdoor attractions and fine-dining options (some, not all, of the meals and entertainment are covered).
Entering the contest couldn’t be easier. Read the rest of this entry »
Half off second night or second room at Wyndham hotels
August 14, 2008 4:00pm
Wyndham is offering a special weekend deal at more than 60 of its hotels worldwide, from Panama to England, though most of the participating hotels are in the United States. In California, you can take advantage of the half-off offer detailed below at Wyndhams in Bakersfield, Costa Mesa, Fullerton, Palm Springs and San Jose.
Deal: The “Wyndham Weekender” package offers 50% off a second consecutive night’s accommodation. Alternatively, you can choose to get 50% off a second room for one night. Read the rest of this entry »
