That is where we stayed. I loved the location. DH was on a business trip (I tagged along) It was very easy to get around from this Hotel. I was on my own all week and had no troubles...except the one time when a touring company never picked me up.. I just hurried and rebooked with another company
San Francisco thread - to discuss all things San Francisco
- Thread starter PrincessInOz
- Start date
That is where we stayed. I loved the location. DH was on a business trip (I tagged along) It was very easy to get around from this Hotel. I was on my own all week and had no troubles...except the one time when a touring company never picked me up.. I just hurried and rebooked with another company
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Wonderland in Alice (Alice's Restaurant along the California SR 35)
The Skyline Boulevard or California State Route 35 is one of those scenic routes that is just so pleasurable to drive down. It cuts along the ridgeline of the Santa Cruz Mountains and at different points along this drive, you get views of the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay and Silicon Valley. It isn't a long drive; and without traffic, it would take roughly 1.5 - 2 hours to drive down. For those of you that get car sick, make sure you have your dose of dramamine beforehand.......or bring some sick bags! It can be a windy road.
Aside from the views, you will also be driving through a number of redwood forest reserves. At this time of year, it was an even more beautiful drive as there was plenty of fall foliage on display. There was no doubt about it. I had made a great decision to avoid the major freeways this morning.
Granted, it took me longer to get to my destination than planned but sometimes, life is also about the journey as it is about the destination.
So, when I turned a corner at Sky Londa and saw this place, I knew I had to stop.
I was to find out on returning to Silicon Valley that Alices Restaurant is about the only place worth eating at when on the Skyline. It is a firm favourite of the bikies (both the motor and pedal variety) during the weekend.
As I got out of my car, I noticed that there was a white limo also in the parking area. The driver gave me one of those friendly nods and a cheery smile. I guess I must have had that kind of aura that morning......he then struck up a conversation with me. Turns out he was driving some corporate bigwigs to a love-in around the area. He asked if I intended to eat at Alices and when I responded that I was just after coffee, he recommended that I order the homemade cinnamon coffee cake. With his "you won't regret it" ringing in my ears, I thanked him for the heads up and made my way in.
The promise that Alices Restaurant holds on the outside was matched in spades inside. At least, I thought so. It was wonderfully quaint and delightful on the inside. The sort of place that remind me of all things Americana!
The bar stools were covered with cow hide....
....and the cow hide was repeated in the seats for the table booths.
I guess you could say that the cowboys had been replaced by computer squares.
I chose to sit in the booth closest to the door. As there was only two other people in the place, service was brilliantly prompt and exceedingly friendly. I checked out the menu and it offered the standard breakfast fare, burgers of every description, sandwiches and even Texas BBQ.
Mindful of the chauffer's recommendation, I ordered the cinnamon coffee cake......
....and decided to have the Hot Apple Cider to accompany the cake instead of coffee.
The random acts of kindness by total strangers! That.cake.was.to.die.for! It came warmed up and was soft and delicious and sweet and fragrant and oh so warm!! It was a taste of Wonderland in Alice and the hot apple cider was the perfect drink to have with it.
I couldn't finish the cake; so I got a box to go. It didn't go to waste as DH also got to enjoy a little slice of heaven.
As I walked out and reflected on the surrounds.....
....I realised that this place had become a definite must-do the next time I'm in the area!
The Skyline Boulevard or California State Route 35 is one of those scenic routes that is just so pleasurable to drive down. It cuts along the ridgeline of the Santa Cruz Mountains and at different points along this drive, you get views of the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay and Silicon Valley. It isn't a long drive; and without traffic, it would take roughly 1.5 - 2 hours to drive down. For those of you that get car sick, make sure you have your dose of dramamine beforehand.......or bring some sick bags! It can be a windy road.
Aside from the views, you will also be driving through a number of redwood forest reserves. At this time of year, it was an even more beautiful drive as there was plenty of fall foliage on display. There was no doubt about it. I had made a great decision to avoid the major freeways this morning.
Granted, it took me longer to get to my destination than planned but sometimes, life is also about the journey as it is about the destination.
So, when I turned a corner at Sky Londa and saw this place, I knew I had to stop.
I was to find out on returning to Silicon Valley that Alices Restaurant is about the only place worth eating at when on the Skyline. It is a firm favourite of the bikies (both the motor and pedal variety) during the weekend.
As I got out of my car, I noticed that there was a white limo also in the parking area. The driver gave me one of those friendly nods and a cheery smile. I guess I must have had that kind of aura that morning......he then struck up a conversation with me. Turns out he was driving some corporate bigwigs to a love-in around the area. He asked if I intended to eat at Alices and when I responded that I was just after coffee, he recommended that I order the homemade cinnamon coffee cake. With his "you won't regret it" ringing in my ears, I thanked him for the heads up and made my way in.
The promise that Alices Restaurant holds on the outside was matched in spades inside. At least, I thought so. It was wonderfully quaint and delightful on the inside. The sort of place that remind me of all things Americana!
The bar stools were covered with cow hide....
....and the cow hide was repeated in the seats for the table booths.
I guess you could say that the cowboys had been replaced by computer squares.
I chose to sit in the booth closest to the door. As there was only two other people in the place, service was brilliantly prompt and exceedingly friendly. I checked out the menu and it offered the standard breakfast fare, burgers of every description, sandwiches and even Texas BBQ.
Mindful of the chauffer's recommendation, I ordered the cinnamon coffee cake......
....and decided to have the Hot Apple Cider to accompany the cake instead of coffee.
The random acts of kindness by total strangers! That.cake.was.to.die.for! It came warmed up and was soft and delicious and sweet and fragrant and oh so warm!! It was a taste of Wonderland in Alice and the hot apple cider was the perfect drink to have with it.
I couldn't finish the cake; so I got a box to go. It didn't go to waste as DH also got to enjoy a little slice of heaven.
As I walked out and reflected on the surrounds.....
....I realised that this place had become a definite must-do the next time I'm in the area!
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Walking in the Shadow of Giants - Big Basin State Park
I was enjoying the journey to my destination this morning. The drive is along the Skyline is beautiful!
But sometimes....it IS also about the destination and my destination this morning was Big Basin State Park. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest State Park in California.
I got into the Park Headquarters area a lot later than planned. I had hoped to have taken a walk out to the local waterfall but time was against me. I checked with the ranger and he agreed with my assessment.
A cold change had been forecast and if I'd taken the 4 hour return walk, I would have been soaked somewhere on the return leg. So the ranger recommended that I take the sedate Redwood Trail instead.
This trail is roughly 1.5 miles round trip; and exceedingly gentle to walk.
More importantly....it provides you with a glimpse into one of the most amazing of trees....the Redwood tree, Sequoia sempervirens.
Like it's cousin, the giant Sequoia, these trees are tall.
How tall are these trees?
Tall! Even when they fall, you can see how tall they are.....
I took my time on this trail. There were all sorts of interesting informational boards to read and explore.
This is what they call a Fairy ring.
Aside from sprouting from seed, the redwoods can also reproduce asexually by layering or sprouting from the root crown, stump, or even fallen branches. There were a few examples of these growths where a ring - a Fairy Ring - of trees have grown around the parent root crown or stump on this trail.
In some instances, you could walk right in....
....in the Shadow of Giants!
There was lots of scope for contemplation along this walk.
Some of these trees have been here for over 2000 years.
They provide shelter, shade and protection from the elements.
They are home to a myriad of animals.
I even saw a baby deer....but wasnt fast enough with the camera to catch it.
You get to see the Father of the forest on this walk.
And in true Equal Opportunity, there is also the Mother of the forest.
It certainly was a very pleasant walk!
I stopped in at Camp Central.
And found an Aussie connection here. The 26th of January is Australia Day, commemorating the day the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay.
It had been an interesting grass roots glimpse into this amazing tree.
I totally get why they call this State Park one of the best places to go see the Redwoods in the peninsula. The trees here are magnificent and I will certainly carry with me the memory of that walk in amongst the giants for a long time to come.
I was enjoying the journey to my destination this morning. The drive is along the Skyline is beautiful!
But sometimes....it IS also about the destination and my destination this morning was Big Basin State Park. Founded in 1902, it is the oldest State Park in California.
I got into the Park Headquarters area a lot later than planned. I had hoped to have taken a walk out to the local waterfall but time was against me. I checked with the ranger and he agreed with my assessment.
A cold change had been forecast and if I'd taken the 4 hour return walk, I would have been soaked somewhere on the return leg. So the ranger recommended that I take the sedate Redwood Trail instead.
This trail is roughly 1.5 miles round trip; and exceedingly gentle to walk.
More importantly....it provides you with a glimpse into one of the most amazing of trees....the Redwood tree, Sequoia sempervirens.
Like it's cousin, the giant Sequoia, these trees are tall.
How tall are these trees?
Tall! Even when they fall, you can see how tall they are.....
I took my time on this trail. There were all sorts of interesting informational boards to read and explore.
This is what they call a Fairy ring.
Aside from sprouting from seed, the redwoods can also reproduce asexually by layering or sprouting from the root crown, stump, or even fallen branches. There were a few examples of these growths where a ring - a Fairy Ring - of trees have grown around the parent root crown or stump on this trail.
In some instances, you could walk right in....
....in the Shadow of Giants!
There was lots of scope for contemplation along this walk.
Some of these trees have been here for over 2000 years.
They provide shelter, shade and protection from the elements.
They are home to a myriad of animals.
I even saw a baby deer....but wasnt fast enough with the camera to catch it.
You get to see the Father of the forest on this walk.
And in true Equal Opportunity, there is also the Mother of the forest.
It certainly was a very pleasant walk!
I stopped in at Camp Central.
And found an Aussie connection here. The 26th of January is Australia Day, commemorating the day the First Fleet arrived in Botany Bay.
It had been an interesting grass roots glimpse into this amazing tree.
I totally get why they call this State Park one of the best places to go see the Redwoods in the peninsula. The trees here are magnificent and I will certainly carry with me the memory of that walk in amongst the giants for a long time to come.
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Sitting out the Rain in Boulder Creek
I looked at the road as I got back in the car after the walk in Big Basin, checked the map and decided to keep going rather than head back out the way I came in.
Afterall, there is one road, the 236, that goes through the Big Basin. It loops in from one end of the 9 and heads back round to the 9 to re-join it at a different point.
At that other end, I headed right on the 9 and eventually ended up at Boulder Creek.
It might be a rather small country town but some of the building facades are truly fascinating!
There were hints of street art here....I had to push my camera through a locked gate to get this shot....but it was there in the open!
This mural depicts the time when Boulder was part of the rail system for transported logs to the wharf in Santa Cruz. We're going back to 1875 for this view.
And yes, there really is a creek here. I did try to find it.....
....but by the time I was ready to go looking, it was pouring rain.
I stopped in Boulder Creek for lunch. It gave me an excuse to "walk the street", so to speak, and check out some shops. There were a few places to eat but I was after something with a bit of ambience. There was a café in here but the menu didn't excite.
This shop caught my eye....
....aside from the obvious, take a look at the sandwich board.
The inside décor, whilst a little tired-looking, was charming enough for me to stay.
There really was a micro-brewery set up in here. It's behind the wooden partitions and there was a bar set up to serve patrons.
Because I was driving, I settled on the raspberry lemonade.
The burger? It was significantly better than the one I had at Santa Cruz and such a bargain at $6.50.
It was still raining when I finished lunch. Definitely time to hit the road.
I looked at the road as I got back in the car after the walk in Big Basin, checked the map and decided to keep going rather than head back out the way I came in.
Afterall, there is one road, the 236, that goes through the Big Basin. It loops in from one end of the 9 and heads back round to the 9 to re-join it at a different point.
At that other end, I headed right on the 9 and eventually ended up at Boulder Creek.
It might be a rather small country town but some of the building facades are truly fascinating!
There were hints of street art here....I had to push my camera through a locked gate to get this shot....but it was there in the open!
This mural depicts the time when Boulder was part of the rail system for transported logs to the wharf in Santa Cruz. We're going back to 1875 for this view.
And yes, there really is a creek here. I did try to find it.....
....but by the time I was ready to go looking, it was pouring rain.
I stopped in Boulder Creek for lunch. It gave me an excuse to "walk the street", so to speak, and check out some shops. There were a few places to eat but I was after something with a bit of ambience. There was a café in here but the menu didn't excite.
This shop caught my eye....
....aside from the obvious, take a look at the sandwich board.
The inside décor, whilst a little tired-looking, was charming enough for me to stay.
There really was a micro-brewery set up in here. It's behind the wooden partitions and there was a bar set up to serve patrons.
Because I was driving, I settled on the raspberry lemonade.
The burger? It was significantly better than the one I had at Santa Cruz and such a bargain at $6.50.
It was still raining when I finished lunch. Definitely time to hit the road.
Love your photo's so wish we had more time so I could take the family to see Yosemite Park(I went there when I was 13) but we are in San Francisco for only 2 nights with one day being taken over by jet lag no doubt!
We stayed at Handerly Union square which we loved but would like to stay somewhere a bit cheaper but still close to Union Square has anyone got any recommendations?
We stayed at Handerly Union square which we loved but would like to stay somewhere a bit cheaper but still close to Union Square has anyone got any recommendations?
crazy Cat Lady
Counting Down The Days The Next Trip.
- Joined
- May 12, 2013
Great thread PIO. San Fran was my first ever taste of the USA. Our first stop was the Westfield (what and eye opener!) and Crazy Cat Boys fav meal of the trip was at the Wolfgang Puck express under Macys. I've got very fond memories of the place. 
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
CJ2001 - In n Out burgers are one of those places that a lot of the Aussies here like to go to. Its been a long time since I've eaten at In n Out because there are so many other good burger places in the US and I like trying something different. I haven't been to the one at Fisherman's Wharf so I'm not familiar with how it is situated inside.
There is a Rainforest Cafe at Fisherman's Wharf; which is on Jefferson. If you've never been to RC, it might be worth trying out.
I've eaten at Lori's Diner which is at Ghiradelli's Square. The decor is very Americana and pure diner. The food is variable; but if you stick with the burgers, fries and milkshakes you'll be fine there. It's on the upper level and the view isn't too bad.
Both RC and Lori's should be fine for kids; although it can be noisy at Rainforest Cafe.
However, if your kids love eating fish and chips, and you're at Pier 39, check out either Neptune's Seafood or the Pier Market Seafood. The views from Neptune are spectacular! If you can score a window seat at the Pier Market, you'll be treated to views of the Sea Lions and the bridge. From memory, both the Pier Market and Neptune's offer a kids menu and colouring in papers and crayons (like most restaurants in the US).
There is a Rainforest Cafe at Fisherman's Wharf; which is on Jefferson. If you've never been to RC, it might be worth trying out.
I've eaten at Lori's Diner which is at Ghiradelli's Square. The decor is very Americana and pure diner. The food is variable; but if you stick with the burgers, fries and milkshakes you'll be fine there. It's on the upper level and the view isn't too bad.
Both RC and Lori's should be fine for kids; although it can be noisy at Rainforest Cafe.
However, if your kids love eating fish and chips, and you're at Pier 39, check out either Neptune's Seafood or the Pier Market Seafood. The views from Neptune are spectacular! If you can score a window seat at the Pier Market, you'll be treated to views of the Sea Lions and the bridge. From memory, both the Pier Market and Neptune's offer a kids menu and colouring in papers and crayons (like most restaurants in the US).
Thanks PIO for all that information, we haven't been to a Rainforet cafe so will be trying that out & Lori's dinner sounds good too.
Might have to give neptunes a go too, got to try seafood from fishermans wharf!
franandaj
I'm so happy, I could BOUNCE!
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2009
We have a show here in the US called Diners, Drive Ins and Dives hosted by Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri. Whenever there is a place that he has been to, it's almost always a sure bet for some good grub in a pretty casual environment. There is a place 16 piers away from Pier 39 where he featured on one of his shows that looks like a lot of fun and really good. On the episode where he featured it there was a jazz combo playing on the patio and the food looked great. Here is a link to the website.
http://pier23cafe.com/
dollarmite
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2009
Has anyone done any of the hop-on hop-off bus tours in SF? If so, any particular companies you'd recommend?
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
I've seen that place from the F line. Next time I'm there, I'm going to have to seek and eat!
Thanks!
Flossbolna
Sea days are just so relaxing!
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2006
Alison sent me here as she knows that I am planning a trip to California this summer! Thank you for all the great info! How interesting what gems one can find in the hidden corners of the DIS. I just spent a pleasant afternoon reading through the thread with all kind of new ideas! And the best tip I found so far is that the Japanese Tea Garden is free if you arrive before 10am!
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
Alison sent me here as she knows that I am planning a trip to California this summer! Thank you for all the great info! How interesting what gems one can find in the hidden corners of the DIS. I just spent a pleasant afternoon reading through the thread with all kind of new ideas! And the best tip I found so far is that the Japanese Tea Garden is free if you arrive before 10am!
Nice to see you here! Glad you found the thread useful. Are you doing a PTR/TR on your Cali trip? Let me know and I'll follow along.
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
@Flossbolna - If you're looking for wider than the Bay area, my TR thread on the Disneyland section of the boards covers 3 trips to California. The second post will have the quick links and I hope the description of each day will be sufficient for you to hone in on the bits you're interested in.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...pier-and-band-performance-1518-04-05.2614243/
http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...pier-and-band-performance-1518-04-05.2614243/
franandaj
I'm so happy, I could BOUNCE!
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2009
Did you end up driving up Highway 1 on one of these trips? I know she was thinking about coming down Highway 1 perhaps that might be helpful if you did.
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
I did. It was the 2011 trip and we took 2 nights to drive along the PCH. We stayed a night each at Solvang and at Monterey.
Flossbolna
Sea days are just so relaxing!
- Joined
- Sep 8, 2006
@PrincessInOz thanks for the additional link, I will check that out, too!
I actually drove Highway 1 already in 2005, so know what I am in for. We want to do it in the other direction this time and my boyfriend has never been in that part of California despite living in California for several years some time ago. Should be fun and we are planning to break it up in several days as well.
I actually drove Highway 1 already in 2005, so know what I am in for. We want to do it in the other direction this time and my boyfriend has never been in that part of California despite living in California for several years some time ago. Should be fun and we are planning to break it up in several days as well.
PrincessInOz
Thanks for my avatar, Mary Jo!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2010
@Flossbolna - do you mean up towards Washington state or heading inland a little? Or just the reverse drive from SF to LA?
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