Me and Karen along with my parents went on a long weekend trip up north to San Francisco and Lake Tahoe over Memorial Day weekend (Road trip!).
Day 1:
We took a 6 hour drive from my home in southern California to San Francisco. Since we were planning on driving down PCH on our way back, we took the 5 freeway for faster timing on our way north. We saw lots of vineyards on both sides of the freeway along with some other trees and plants while passing through Central California. There are lots of opportunities to stop at various Farmers Markets along the way to pick up locally grown fruits, nuts and other goodies.
We were staying at the Holiday Inn Express, Burlingame which is right next to the SFO International Airport. In fact you can see planes landing on the runway by the bay all day long right from the hotel lobby. This hotel had a great view of the bay from the lobby area.
After checking in and having a quick lunch, we drove to Golden Gate Bridge. There was some major construction going on near the Golden Gate Bridge and also it was the day before its 75th anniversary (so it was slow going). There were tons of people and lots of preparations for the next day celebrations. Me and Karen had done the bay cruise tour below the Golden Gate Bridge on our last trip, but this was our first time walking on the bridge. Beautiful views of the city, but it was very windy and a little chilly, so bring your coat. Just an FYI, there is no reason to cross the bridge in your car. If you walk at least halfway across the bridge, you won’t get any better views, plus they charge a toll to cross.
Next up, Palace of Fine Arts. The Palace of Fine Arts has very nice architecture. The dome and tall pillars remind me of Europe. There is no cost for this locale and its a great place if you’re looking for something romantic (there was a wedding party being photographed last time we were there). Also, if you like cool science exhibits, the Exploratorium is located right next.
Next stop was the famous Lombard Street, one of the most popular tourist-traps in San Francisco. There were so many tourists checking out the cars driving down this serpentine street that they had 3 traffic cops there ensuring smooth flow of traffic.
One word about driving in San Francisco; you should know that driving in this city is not for the faint-hearted. The roads are very steep and parking on the streets whether on the curb or as T is no joke.
Day 2:
Left early in the morning after a complimentary breakfast for a 4 hour drive to Lake Tahoe. As we approached Lake Tahoe, the drive was very scenic. Steep cliffs, tall pine trees and some snow on the mountains too.
The water was extremely cold in the lake. We hung out on the beach (south end, Zephyr Cove) for about 3 hours. You could rent a speed boat, paddle boat or take the big river boat tour of the lake. There’s a large restaurant and gift shop there as well.
Day 3:
Took the Pacific Coast Highway drive back to Santa Maria. Although planning to see Solvang and Santa Barbara on the way back, we found a Candlewood Suites (Priority Club brand hotel) in Santa Maria for the cheapest rates so decided to stay there (just a little out of the way).
We stopped at different vista points on the PCH along the way (taking lots of pictures). Driving on a narrow 2 lane road with mountain on one side and steep cliff and Pacific Ocean on the other is definitely a once in a lifetime experience.
We stopped for an hour at the Julia Pfeiffer Burns National Park (a definite don’t miss stop), located half an hour south of Big Sur. I had seen pictures before of the beautiful waterfall by the ocean, but photos do not do justice to the beauty there. It was such a serene, beautiful environment there. There is a little bit of a walk, but it is doable for both children and elderly. You can park your car outside of the park on the side of the road, then head into the park down the drive way. The entrance to the waterfall view is on the right, down a few steps onto a dirt road that will take you under the highway (toward the ocean). Once you see the ocean, its just a few more steps until you see the waterfall. After you finish taking in the beauty of the waterfall, be sure to go the rest of the short distance on the trail to see the memorial for the founders.
Day 4:
Went to Solvang in the morning. It’s a quaint Danish town close to Santa Barbara. The streets and shops was eerily empty, probably due to the fact it was a weekday and the day after Memorial Day. Later went to a public beach in Santa Barbara before heading off home.
Cost (Total for 4 travelers):
- Hotel: $634 *
- Gas: $250
Miles/Points/Certificates Redeemed: None
Miles/Points/Cash-back Earned:
- 69,700 Priority Club Points (from various stackable bonus codes)
- $150 Prepaid Mastercard **
* 2 nights x 2 rooms at Holiday Inn Express, Burlingame: $452
1 night x 2 room at Candlewood Suites, Santa Maria: $182
** $75 x 2 Prepaid Mastercard for “Stay for 2 weekend nights, Get 75$ to play” promo from IHG Hotels.