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Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:09 am
by karagg
Just relocated to California SFO Bay Area and parents are visiting us

Please advice the places to visit (no kids and all are adults) [LIST=1]
  • In and around Bay area
  • In and around California
  • In and around West Coast
    [/LIST]in that order.


    Also please advice on any economical and effective tour service providers to cover the above areas

    Thanks!

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:36 am
    by vampire
    san francisco : pier 39, alcatraz , golden gate
    Napa,mendocino
    santa cruz,
    monterey
    yosemite
    Los angeles (disney, universal studios)
    sandiego (sea world)
    Las vegas
    grand canyon

    if you have more time i would recommend

    crater lake
    yellowstone

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:40 am
    by karagg
    vampire;393133san francisco : pier 39, alcatraz , golden gate
    Napa,mendocino
    santa cruz,
    monterey
    yosemite
    Los angeles (disney, universal studios)
    sandiego (sea world)
    Las vegas
    grand canyon

    if you have more time i would recommend

    crater lake
    yellowstone


    How about adding Lake Tahoe to the above list

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 6:54 am
    by vampire
    yeah.missed that.. lake tahoe is also a good place to go..

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 4:39 pm
    by poofygoogle

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:34 am
    by samv
    vampire;393133san francisco : pier 39, alcatraz , golden gate
    Napa,mendocino
    santa cruz,
    monterey
    yosemite
    Los angeles (disney, universal studios)
    sandiego (sea world)
    Las vegas
    grand canyon

    if you have more time i would recommend

    crater lake
    yellowstone


    That is a good list.

    1. Remove Yellowstone from the list. Too far from west coast :)
    2. Definitely spend at least one afternoon on the beach in Southern California in June-Sept.
    3. If you have interest, sample food in SF/chinatown
    4. If there is time drive on highway 1 from BayArea-LA

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Thu Jun 09, 2011 4:06 am
    by M V
    karagg;393128Just relocated to California SFO Bay Area and parents are visiting us

    Please advice the places to visit (no kids and all are adults)
    - In and around Bay area

    The Mount Madonna Center in Watsonville is worth a visit. Time the visit to the Hanuman Temple around the daily Aarthi time. Now, they require advance reservations. If not interested in attending the aarthi, can take a walk around that time, and it is divine to be in that hilly area, looking at the Monterey Bay in the distance, with the aarthi and temple bells ringing in the background. Chai/coffee and decent Indian snacks are available to buy at certain times and eat in the cafeteria area itself or take to a spot a little far away and enjoy.

    There is also a Buddhist temple/monastery nearby worth a visit to experience the peace. There is a tall Buddha statue, and in the late afternoon, the sun's rays shine from behind the statue, and there are tall redwoods all around...

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:26 am
    by karagg
    Please advice the primary attractions in Half Moon Bay with the pointers to the address/direction to reach there.

    A quick look at the Wiki shows the following local attractions:

    Montara Mountain, located North of Half Moon Bay, is a popular outdoor recreation spot, and home to the old Highway 1. Visitors to the Harbor have the chance to purchase freshly caught sea food straight off the boat.

    Fitzgerald Marine Reserve located just North of Half Moon Bay past the small airport, is a natural refuge for plants and animals adapted to live at the edge of the ocean.


    Half Moon Bay, and the areas immediately around host several state parks and beaches, including:

    Not sure which one is worth looking at and how to get there through 92 West

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 8:55 am
    by layman
    Don't spend too much time on half moon bay. It is just another beach. Spend some time in half moon bay state beach and move on. There are lot more things to see. If you are visiting other beaches you can even skip Half moon bay. Instead you can go through 17 miles drive in Monterey and spend more time in Monterey.
    karagg;393658Please advice the primary attractions in Half Moon Bay with the pointers to the address/direction to reach there.

    A quick look at the Wiki shows the following local attractions:

    Montara Mountain, located North of Half Moon Bay, is a popular outdoor recreation spot, and home to the old Highway 1. Visitors to the Harbor have the chance to purchase freshly caught sea food straight off the boat.

    Fitzgerald Marine Reserve located just North of Half Moon Bay past the small airport, is a natural refuge for plants and animals adapted to live at the edge of the ocean.




    Half Moon Bay, and the areas immediately around host several state parks and beaches, including:

    Not sure which one is worth looking at and how to get there through 92 West

    Places to cover in Bay Area / California / West Coast and Tour Service Providers

    Posted: Fri Jun 10, 2011 7:40 pm
    by M V
    layman;393693Don't spend too much time on half moon bay. It is just another beach. Spend some time in half moon bay state beach and move on. There are lot more things to see. If you are visiting other beaches you can even skip Half moon bay. Instead you can go through 17 miles drive in Monterey and spend more time in Monterey.

    That is true. It is just another beach, and there is nothing nearby to also see in the visit. If the group likes to try out seafood, then there are some famed restaurants in Half Moon Bay including Sam's Chowder House and Barbara's Fish Trap. The latter's clam chowder, fish & chips, and dungeness crab sandwiches are to die for (or drive miles for :-). Can get directions to either from the web and the beaches are about 1-3 miles from it. We mostly go to Venice State Beach. If I remember right, it has the cleanest restrooms.