San Francisco with the Girls

Our San Francisco Biking Adventure

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Alcatraz! Photo - San Francisco, California

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The number one thing we knew we wanted to do on our vacation in San Francisco was to rent bicycles and ride across the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito. I wasn't 100% sure how this worked, if it was guided or if we had a time limit, but I was beyond thrilled with the whole experience.We walked from our hotel (The Westin Market Street) all the way down to their office on Columbus just past North Point St. We got down there at around 9:45am, and after we filled out the proper paperwork, we were then shown the route to Sausalito on a large map on the wall.We decided that since it would be a while before we made it to the bridge, we should probably eat something. So once we got the ...Read More

The number one thing we knew we wanted to do on our vacation in San Francisco was to rent bicycles and ride across the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito. I wasn't 100% sure how this worked, if it was guided or if we had a time limit, but I was beyond thrilled with the whole experience.

We walked from our hotel (The Westin Market Street) all the way down to their office on Columbus just past North Point St. We got down there at around 9:45am, and after we filled out the proper paperwork, we were then shown the route to Sausalito on a large map on the wall.

We decided that since it would be a while before we made it to the bridge, we should probably eat something. So once we got the bikes, it took us less than ten minutes to ride them down to the Wharf to see what we wanted to eat. We decided the Blue Mermaid Chowder House & Bar would be a great place for some Pacific coast seafood! Once we finished with brunch around 11am, we hit the road toward the bridge.

Something to note: in San Francisco, it's actually illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalk. There are bike lanes throughout most of the city, and if there aren't specific bike lanes, there are bike "compatible" lanes, that require motorists to share with cyclists. As I personally have not ridden a bike since I was 12, this was a bit unnerving for me!

The Blue Mermaid Chowder House is literally just a few streets away from Ghirardelli Square, as we saw the sign on our bikes as we were riding by. Not long after you pass by Ghirardelli, there's a pretty steep hill. We realized we would NOT be able to do this unless we walked our bikes up the hill, which gave us our first official view of the bridge! Then we were able to make it down to a gravel path portion of the bay, which was just a few feet from the ocean! Naturally, we had to briefly stick our feet in the water. :-) Then back on the bikes, we got closer and closer to the bridge. I must say- the houses facing the water are SPECTACULAR. I cannot imagine what the real estate is like down there, but the views are just fantastic.

Onto the most unpleasant part: the winding hill that leads you from the water to the opening of the bridge. Again- I haven't ridden a bike since I was 12, but even an avid cyclist would find this difficult (at least I think so!). Due to the humidity and the cute polyester blouse I chose to wear, this portion of the ride was absolutely miserable. The only reason I rode instead just of walking the bike up the hill was due to the fact that 1) all my other friends were riding and 2) it would have taken me twice as long. UGH. NOT fun.

When we approached the entrance to the bridge it was a MAD HOUSE. I'm guessing this was because it was very warm out that day, but also because it was the day before a holiday so tourist traffic might have been at a high. The narrow pedestrian part of the bridge was impossible to ride down. People were stopped to take photos and milled around, which was a complete nuisance to anyone on a bike. However, about 1/4 of the way down, the tourists cleared out, and we could actually start riding again. As you can tell in my photos- the fog on the bridge was pretty intense, and even though it was an abnormally warm day, the bridge was definitely 5-10 degrees cooler to begin with. Again- the farther we progressed, the more the fog lessened and the sunnier it became again. I must say though: the freedom you feel with the wind through your hair and the ocean breeze whipping across your face as your glide across the bridge is the absolute best.

Once you cross the bridge, it's actually fairly downhill from there- no joke. My favorite moment of the entire trip was the stretch of downhill street, where you're first able to see the bay from the Sausalito side. It's an absolutely incredible view, and one that truly solidified how wonderful this experience was. Once you've made it down a fairly long downhill stretch, you start to see all the cute little homes on the side of the hills. It's like a less colorful Cinque Terra (as I have yet to go there, I'm only assuming this based on picutres)! I would guess after another mile or two, you finally roll into the adorable little town of Sausalito.

Again, since this destination is EXTREMELY popular to bike to, there were probably HUNDREDS of people who had parked their bikes all throughout the little downtown area. Luckily the town was prepared, and we were able to finally find a non-full rack, just a little farther down the main strip.

After being there for probably 2-3 hours, a ferry ticket was included for our passage back to San Francisco. Again- since it was clearly a very popular day for tourists, we didn't quite realize just how many people would be doing the same thing. The line of cyclists to take the ferry back across was probably half a mile long. Regardless of this, we definitely had to wait and catch the next one at 6pm. The ferry ride was definitely a nice easy way to get back to the other side. For the amount of people AND bicycles, it seemed like they had things down to a science. It was probably only about 30 minutes, but we were enjoying the leisurely pace of the ferry and the up close views of Alcatraz, so we honestly didn't care. I actually don't even recall looking at my watch for the rest of the day after we'd finished brunch!

The ferry docked at the Port of San Francisco, and by that time, the original bike office was closed, so we had to navigate ourselves to the evening dropoff location. I'm not actually sure how far this was from the port, because we drove the wrong way/got a bit lost, but again, we were enjoying ourselves and the pedestrian view of the city so we really didn't mind. The bike lanes down close to the port are all painted a very bright green, which made this a lot less scary for me. It's such a cool thing to be able to bike right along the water and cars and have down town San Francisco be just several feet away.

Getting to see the city of San Francisco AND Sausalito at our own pace was an experience of a lifetime. I think being in such a bike friendly city made me want to live there- as it feels almost European. Of course, the 70 degree temps probably did most of the work, but still; I will never forget our bike tour on the west coast. Read Less

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The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Hotel and Spa

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Hotel | "Great hotel with little extras"

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This hotel was a little pricier than I would normally ever book, but I think we waited a bit too long to decide on a hotel for a Friday night stay on a holiday weekend (in an area that is already somewhat smaller), so our options were limited. The photos looked fabulous, and it had great reviews so I knew it'd be worth it- but glad that we were only staying for one night.The hotel is relatively easy to find and is across from the large, family friendly Train Town attraction. We checked in during the later afternoon, and I think there was only one other person at the desk, so it was very efficient. The gentleman who checked us in was extremely nice, and to our delight informed us that ther...Read More

This hotel was a little pricier than I would normally ever book, but I think we waited a bit too long to decide on a hotel for a Friday night stay on a holiday weekend (in an area that is already somewhat smaller), so our options were limited. The photos looked fabulous, and it had great reviews so I knew it'd be worth it- but glad that we were only staying for one night.

The hotel is relatively easy to find and is across from the large, family friendly Train Town attraction. We checked in during the later afternoon, and I think there was only one other person at the desk, so it was very efficient. The gentleman who checked us in was extremely nice, and to our delight informed us that there was a shuttle that runs from the hotel to downtown Sonoma pretty much all night long until 10:30. We were having dinner at The Girl and the Fig later that evening so that would be perfect! We were also informed of the Happy Hour wine tasting that would take place in the lobby from 4:30-6:30, which I had also read about online.

We were pretty tired since we had spent the entire two days prior walking around the city of San Francisco, and from getting an early start that morning, so we got to the room and immediately took a nap. By the time we woke up it was time for happy hour, so one by one each of the girls went downstairs with a book to grab a taster of wine and sit on the large patio with lounge patio furniture. The tasting was great, and the pool was pretty hopping with a bunch of families. I imagine this is a good family friendly hotel because you're able to get a "villa" which allows a little more privacy with noisy children. There were also little covered cabana benches surrounding the pool which would be PERFECT for a day full of sunbathing with friends! Once we were all downstairs and reading on the patio, we decided it would be the perfect time to consume our chilled rose (pronounced Ro-say since I don't have accent marks!) we had purchased earlier at Gundlach Bundschu. The bartender in the hotel bar was more than happy to uncork it for us, and playfully said the fee would be a small taste (as he said he loved rose and complimented our taste)! We saw some others at the bar enjoying some charcuterie and thought that would go nicely with our wine on the patio! Once it was prepared, the bartender brought it out to us on the patio and we enjoyed lazily reading and sipping as the sun was setting.

The room was adequate for the 4 of us ladies- two double beds and one vanity, and a mini fridge which was good for keeping wine chilled. A nice perk was having the toilet in a separate "room" with a door- good for multiple people! I will say the beds weren't too comfortable, so that was a disappointment. But we did have a balcony with a chair and a table, which was also good for a little place to read in the outdoor breeze.

As this hotel is a resort and SPA, their tiled deep basin garden tub was a nice touch, and would be good for a bubble bath if you're lucky enough to enjoy one. I checked out the Spa Treatment menu, which was unsurprisingly pretty steep- but seriously contemplated a foot massage for $45 since my feet were aching from walking around San Fran. There are certainly more "affordable" treatments if you just want a little pampering, but be prepared to pay!

The property appeared to be pretty large, as we were staying in the very front of the main building, and saw villas sprawling towards the back. There's even a little mini-vineyard area with real grapes and an irrigation system! There's benches and chairs and an ashtray, so it would appear this is just a scenic place for smokers to sit, but I felt it was a great opportunity to grab a photo since we didn't have time to do so at the actual wineries!

It was definitely a great experience and I didn't want to leave. I would hope that the rates aren't as steep on non-holiday weekends, and I would definitely look for a discount if at all possible. This is a Marriott affiliate so if you have points with them it would be worth using them here! If you're looking for a classy place to relax in Sonoma- this is your place! Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 16, 2013

The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Hotel and Spa
1325 Broadway
Sonoma 95476
(707) 935-6600

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The Westin San Francisco Market Street

Hotel | "Great hotel- just leery of the concierge"

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We chose this hotel because it was offering pretty good rates, particularly for the area of town that it was in. We wanted to be safe and within walking distance of either public transport and/or shopping, so this one seemed to fit the bill!It's located RIGHT on Market Street, and you pull off the street into a small circle driveway. We had taken a cab from the airport, so we were lucky enough to not have to deal with parking. Otherwise valet parking in their underground garage is mandatory, and I'm not sure what the rates are. Check-in was swift, and we went to our room on the 18th floor to drop off our bags. Since we arrived after 10pm, we were a little tired, so we didn't fe...Read More

We chose this hotel because it was offering pretty good rates, particularly for the area of town that it was in. We wanted to be safe and within walking distance of either public transport and/or shopping, so this one seemed to fit the bill!

It's located RIGHT on Market Street, and you pull off the street into a small circle driveway. We had taken a cab from the airport, so we were lucky enough to not have to deal with parking. Otherwise valet parking in their underground garage is mandatory, and I'm not sure what the rates are.

Check-in was swift, and we went to our room on the 18th floor to drop off our bags. Since we arrived after 10pm, we were a little tired, so we didn't feel like attempting to find a cool place to hang out. We agreed that the hotel bar would be fine for that night, since we didn't want to be out too late anyway. It was a full restaurant and bar, but since it was so late, the restaurant part was pretty empty. The bar was nice, a little modern, with four local beers on tap, and I'd actually only heard of one (Sierra Nevada).

The room itself was perfectly adequate for us four ladies- two double beds, one bathroom. It had a mini fridge, but it was already fully stocked with beverages (both alcoholic & non). This location isn't very close to the Wharf, but that's okay, we didn't necessarily want that. We did, however, learn how far it was by walking 30-45 minutes TO the Wharf, at the beginning and end of the day. At the beginning of the day it was great, because we basically got a walking tour of the city just by heading to the Wharf, however in hindsight we should have taken a cable car home.

Onto the unpleasant part: I had called the hotel on Sunday, before our arrival on Tuesday, and asked what rental car company was closest and/or which one they recommended. We were going to need a rental car on Friday, the day we were checking out, in order to drive to Sonoma for our last day and night on our vacation. When I called, I spoke with a female who informed me that they had a contract with a small local company, and that their rate was $55/day. I hung out and told her I'd call back if I wanted to make a reservation. After thoroughly looking online, I discovered their rates were at least $10-$20 less than what any other company was going to charge us. About 10 minutes later, I called back, and this time a man answered. I told him I'd just called and was told of their rental partner, and said I'd like to go ahead and make a car rental reservation with them for that Friday. He said "no worries- you can just book it when you get here." Then I naturally replied with "It's a holiday weekend...can't I go ahead and make the reservation now?" And his response was an overwhelmingly reassuring "No- don't worry- it definitely shouldn't be a problem- just make the reservation when you get here." Of course, come Thursday night, we went to the concierge to make our booking for the next morning, and this guy said "Oooo, I'm sorry- it's completely booked up what with it being a holiday weekend and all...." Luckily, I was with my friend who was an attorney, and who also had booked the hotel. Also lucky, was that we were able to call the local Hertz that was 3 blocks away and they had cars available for us in the morning. With the difference in price, it was going to cost us an extra $100, which we were definitely not happy about. In the end, we explained this whole issue to the front desk, and were able to get a $100 credit on the room.

Overall, I really would recommend this hotel for its proximity to the financial district, and the general respected quality of Westin hotels. However, if you need anything from the concierge, definitely write down or make record of which one you talk to, or just don't use them at all. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 13, 2013

The Westin San Francisco Market Street
50 THIRD STREET
San Francisco, California 94103
415-974-6400

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Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours

Attraction | "Great value for the experience- colorful employees"

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I wasn't the one who booked this bike rental company, but it certainly did not disappoint! This particular location (on Columbus Ave) wasn't ON the wharf, but it was a very quick jaunt, so that's not a big issue. If you're staying closer inland, this one might be easier to get to, thus you can bike down to the wharf afterward. You have 3 other locations to choose from as well.The bikes come with a small zipper pouch in front of the handle bars, a map of the bike trail to the bridge and across it, and a bungee cord on the back to secure any purses or larger items that won't fit in the pouch. You are also equipped with a helmet.This location was run by a German-American man named...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 15, 2013

Bay City Bike Rentals and Tours
1325 Columbus Ave.
San Francisco 94133
(415) 346-2453

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Squat & Gobble Cafe

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Restaurant | "Great food- slow/lazy service"

The Squat & Gobble in San Francisco Photo - Squat & Gobble Cafe, San Francisco, California

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The name of this restaurant is actually "Squat & Gobble Cafe & Crepery" just to give you an idea on the type of food offered. They serve sweet and savory crepes, which definitely includes breakfast- all day long!I got the chicken pesto crepe- which was both huge and delicious! Your crepe includes a side, which is your choice of: salad, rosemary garlic potatoes, french fries, fresh fruit or the soup of the day. I got the side salad, with a chocolate chip cookie & a lemonade. The weather was fabulous, so we decided to take our meal to their back patio, which was an enclosed patio similar to a greenhouse. This did make things a bit toasty since you didn't get much of...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 16, 2013

Squat & Gobble Cafe
1428 Haight Street
San Francisco 94117
(415) 864-8484

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Auberge du Soleil Restaurant

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Restaurant | "Best brunch experience of my LIFE!"

Auberge du Soleil menu & sign Photo - Auberge du Soleil Restaurant, Sonoma, Sonoma County

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It's funny- when the 4 of us set out to Sonoma, we had no real concrete plans, other than two specific wineries we wanted to visit. No timetable, and definitely no meal plans other than dinner that night. So when we got on the road from San Francisco at 9:30am, it dawned on us that we should probably get some food in our stomachs before we started tasting (read: drinking) wine. As we got closer and closer to Sonoma, one of the girls got on their phone and started perusing Yelp! for possible brunch/lunch places. By complete accident and coincidence Auberege du Soleil was practically down the street/5 minutes from Caymus winery, which was where we were headed first, so it was beyond convenient. However...Read More

It's funny- when the 4 of us set out to Sonoma, we had no real concrete plans, other than two specific wineries we wanted to visit. No timetable, and definitely no meal plans other than dinner that night. So when we got on the road from San Francisco at 9:30am, it dawned on us that we should probably get some food in our stomachs before we started tasting (read: drinking) wine. As we got closer and closer to Sonoma, one of the girls got on their phone and started perusing Yelp! for possible brunch/lunch places. By complete accident and coincidence Auberege du Soleil was practically down the street/5 minutes from Caymus winery, which was where we were headed first, so it was beyond convenient. However, once we read the reviews/prices and that it had a "wind-around balcony with a view", we were sold.

Auberge du Soleil is an entire luxury resort, restaurant & spa, with the restaurant obviously open to the public. It's located on a hill with a narrow winding road that will take you up there. We were some of the first ones to arrive that morning, and the parking lot was relatively empty- but a handsome friendly valet asked us if we were going to be dining with them that morning to which we happily said yes. We walked in and were led out onto the balcony to a very large, round table for four, right on the edge. We all started staring and gasping in awe at the view before us, and I quite literally said "Is this real? PINCH ME!" The view absolutely cannot be beat, and of course the fact the temperature is already near perfect at 70 degrees meant this was just the icing on the cake. I was wearing a sheer/short sleeved sundress, and in the shade I was a bit chilly, and after making a mere off-hand comment about it, the server asked if I'd like a shawl. "That would be perfect!" and she promptly returned with a shawl. The servers placed the nice patterned cloth napkins in our laps and asked us what we'd like to drink. They came back with our drinks and a small coffee cake that had been cut into four quarters for the table.

Several of us got grapefruit juice, and one of the girls got a nice, large latte. The prices were by no means cheap, but considering this was a LUXURY resort, and we were beyond giddy at the experience so far, we had no problem paying $20 for finely prepared brunch entrees. Two girls got Eggs Benedict, which they said was divine and perfectly cooked (as this is hard to acccomplish when cooking Eggs Benedict at home), another got an ommelette, and I got their "signature" Esperanza Breakfast (Huevos Rancheros). "Mexican Eggs" is already my go-to/favorite breakfast item everywhere I go, so when they told me that was one of their best dishes, there was no question I'd be ordering it. Needless to say, I was happier than a pig in slop. The view, the food, the service- I still just smile thinking about how wonderful it was. Naturally, once we finished our meal, we HAD to get a photo with that fabulous view in the background. The lighting was best on the landing below, so we went downstairs and had one of the servers snap a few from the balcony.

I cannot recommend this highly enough. If you are going to Sonoma, please consider eating here-it will be worth it. And I'm sure if you can afford to stay here the experience would be just as phenomenal! Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 12, 2013

Auberge du Soleil Restaurant
180 Rutherford Hill Rd
Rutherford, California 94573
(707) 967-3111

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