San Francisco Hotel and Road Trip

I'm arriving in San Francisco on the 21st October with my Dad. The
primary reason is the Jazz Festival ( http://www.sfjazz.org ) and the
secondary reason is that we're going to take a few days out of the
city, and tour on Harley Davidsons.

So, I'm looking for advice on three fronts.

1. Where to stay. I found the Club Quarters via expedia.com but
booking online is problematic, because we're looking for two stays,
effectively - one from 21 - 25 October, and another from 27 October to
28 October (Dad) and 30 October (me). We're looking for something
nice-ish, in a nice-ish area. We don't plan on being in it very much:
out at galleries, museums and long lunches during the day, and jazz
gigs at night. Equally, I don't want to stay in a flea-pit. I
suppose 150 - 200 dollars a night is about our range. And it would be
nice if the hotel would look after our luggage while we disappear off
on the bikes.

2. Where to go on the bikes. We're going to spend three days (two
nights) touring. I thought about going north first, up through the
Redwoods to Napa or Sonoma, a tour of a vineyard and stopping the
night there with a bottle or two of wine with dinner. Then a full
day's riding south (where I understand the more spectacular pacific
coast road scenery is) to /somewhere/, another overnight stop, then
back to the city. Any route suggestions, or "must see" items?

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds that are
unmissable (though I obviously missed them last time!)? Cultural-type
things are top of the list, I suppose.

TIA

--
Ben Blaney

Ben Blaney wrote:
I'm arriving in San Francisco on the 21st October with my Dad. The
primary reason is the Jazz Festival ( http://www.sfjazz.org ) and the
secondary reason is that we're going to take a few days out of the
city, and tour on Harley Davidsons.

So, I'm looking for advice on three fronts.

1. Where to stay. I found the Club Quarters via expedia.com but
booking online is problematic, because we're looking for two stays,
effectively - one from 21 - 25 October, and another from 27 October to
28 October (Dad) and 30 October (me). We're looking for something
nice-ish, in a nice-ish area. We don't plan on being in it very much:
out at galleries, museums and long lunches during the day, and jazz
gigs at night. Equally, I don't want to stay in a flea-pit. I
suppose 150 - 200 dollars a night is about our range. And it would be
nice if the hotel would look after our luggage while we disappear off
on the bikes.

2. Where to go on the bikes. We're going to spend three days (two
nights) touring. I thought about going north first, up through the
Redwoods to Napa or Sonoma, a tour of a vineyard and stopping the
night there with a bottle or two of wine with dinner. Then a full
day's riding south (where I understand the more spectacular pacific
coast road scenery is) to /somewhere/, another overnight stop, then
back to the city. Any route suggestions, or "must see" items?

You don't go through the redwoods to Napa or Sonoma. Perhaps you mean
Muir woods and then Napa or Sonoma. The redwoods are further north.

Down south would be Carmel and Monterey.

Arlene

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds that are
unmissable (though I obviously missed them last time!)? Cultural-type
things are top of the list, I suppose.

TIA

arlene wrote:

You don't go through the redwoods to Napa or Sonoma. Perhaps you mean
Muir woods and then Napa or Sonoma. The redwoods are further north.

Very true. My memory is not what it was.

We'll probably take a ride up to the redwoods, then double back to hit
Napa or - more likely - Sonoma for the night.

Down south would be Carmel and Monterey.

Indeed.

--
Ben Blaney

Ben Blaney schrieb:

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds

I rather enjoyed the Asian Art Museum: http://www.asianart.org/

.... Martin

Martin Bienwald wrote:

Ben Blaney schrieb:

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds

I rather enjoyed the Asian Art Museum: http://www.asianart.org/

Super - thanks.

--
Ben Blaney

Martin Bienwald wrote:

Ben Blaney schrieb:

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds

I rather enjoyed the Asian Art Museum: http://www.asianart.org/

Super - thanks.

--
Ben Blaney

"Ben Blaney" wrote in message
...
I'm arriving in San Francisco on the 21st October with my Dad. The
primary reason is the Jazz Festival ( http://www.sfjazz.org ) and the
secondary reason is that we're going to take a few days out of the
city, and tour on Harley Davidsons.

So, I'm looking for advice on three fronts.


2. Where to go on the bikes. We're going to spend three days (two
nights) touring. I thought about going north first, up through the
Redwoods to Napa or Sonoma, a tour of a vineyard and stopping the
night there with a bottle or two of wine with dinner. Then a full
day's riding south (where I understand the more spectacular pacific
coast road scenery is) to /somewhere/, another overnight stop, then
back to the city. Any route suggestions, or "must see" items?


You are first going north, then double back south in three days? May I
suggest going south. There are wineries south of SF, and not nearly as
touristy as the Napa and Sonoma.

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds that are
unmissable (though I obviously missed them last time!)? Cultural-type
things are top of the list, I suppose.


I second the other suggestion of Asian Art Museum.

TIA

--
Ben Blaney

On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 22:03:01 GMT, "Mimi"
wrote:


2. Well the coast north of SF isn't so bad. Highway 1 goes along the coast.
Yes, Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur are more startlingly beautiful, but there's
still plenty to see up north. You could combine Highway 1 with Muir Woods
and Sonoma/Napa/etc nicely. I prefer Sonoma to Napa myself, but I haven't
been to some of the smaller towns like St. Helena in some years.

During the 16 years we lived near SF I had a standard tour to
take visitors on. Across the GGBridge, thence to Muir Woods, then
to Hwy 1 and lunch at Stinson Beach, to Point Reyes vistor center
and the earthquake walk, and then across to Petaluma and Hwys 116
and 12 to Sonoma and a vist to Sebastiani Winery (it's so-so wine
but they have a nice tour of the winery). Thence Hwy 12 down Hwy
37 to US 101 and back to SF.

In Sonoma, TrainTown looks like a tourist trap, but it's actually
kind of nice.


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *

"Ben Blaney" wrote in message
...
I'm arriving in San Francisco on the 21st October with my Dad. The
primary reason is the Jazz Festival ( http://www.sfjazz.org ) and the
secondary reason is that we're going to take a few days out of the
city, and tour on Harley Davidsons.

So, I'm looking for advice on three fronts.

1. Where to stay. I found the Club Quarters via expedia.com but
booking online is problematic, because we're looking for two stays,
effectively - one from 21 - 25 October, and another from 27 October to
28 October (Dad) and 30 October (me). We're looking for something
nice-ish, in a nice-ish area. We don't plan on being in it very much:
out at galleries, museums and long lunches during the day, and jazz
gigs at night. Equally, I don't want to stay in a flea-pit. I
suppose 150 - 200 dollars a night is about our range. And it would be
nice if the hotel would look after our luggage while we disappear off
on the bikes.

2. Where to go on the bikes. We're going to spend three days (two
nights) touring. I thought about going north first, up through the
Redwoods to Napa or Sonoma, a tour of a vineyard and stopping the
night there with a bottle or two of wine with dinner. Then a full
day's riding south (where I understand the more spectacular pacific
coast road scenery is) to /somewhere/, another overnight stop, then
back to the city. Any route suggestions, or "must see" items?

3. Anything else. I've been to SF once before - three years ago. I
didn't do much, stupidly. I went to SFMOMA, of course, and we'll do
that again. Any other museums, galleries, sights, sounds that are
unmissable (though I obviously missed them last time!)? Cultural-type
things are top of the list, I suppose.

1. Lots of hotels in SF. You shouldn't have any problem finding something in
your price range. Personally I like staying downtown near Union Square.

2. Well the coast north of SF isn't so bad. Highway 1 goes along the coast.
Yes, Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur are more startlingly beautiful, but there's
still plenty to see up north. You could combine Highway 1 with Muir Woods
and Sonoma/Napa/etc nicely. I prefer Sonoma to Napa myself, but I haven't
been to some of the smaller towns like St. Helena in some years.

3. Museum: Palace of the Legion of Honor, newly remodeled building in a nice
location, European art.

Marianne

"Hatunen" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 05 Oct 2004 22:03:01 GMT, "Mimi"
wrote:


2. Well the coast north of SF isn't so bad. Highway 1 goes along the
coast.
Yes, Monterey/Carmel/Big Sur are more startlingly beautiful, but there's
still plenty to see up north. You could combine Highway 1 with Muir Woods
and Sonoma/Napa/etc nicely. I prefer Sonoma to Napa myself, but I haven't
been to some of the smaller towns like St. Helena in some years.

During the 16 years we lived near SF I had a standard tour to
take visitors on. Across the GGBridge, thence to Muir Woods, then
to Hwy 1 and lunch at Stinson Beach, to Point Reyes vistor center
and the earthquake walk, and then across to Petaluma and Hwys 116
and 12 to Sonoma and a vist to Sebastiani Winery (it's so-so wine
but they have a nice tour of the winery). Thence Hwy 12 down Hwy
37 to US 101 and back to SF.


That's a nice trip but a very long day.

In Sonoma, TrainTown looks like a tourist trap, but it's actually
kind of nice.


************* DAVE HATUNEN ) *************
* Tucson Arizona, out where the cacti grow *
* My typos & mispellings are intentional copyright traps *