Expert: Ernest Tufft - 2/10/2010

Question
QUESTION: From North Carolina, I (age 34) am planning to take my mom (age 64) with me to San Fran for 5 or 6 days in mid April. I have to spend all of a Saturday and just the morning Sunday at a seminar in Hayward (she'll most likely read and hang at the hotel gym unless my Alameda friend can come hang with her). Otherwise, I am hoping to give my mom a little sample of city, wine, trees, and Pacific.  She loves to read, day hike, drink wine...and I want to expose her to something different than the east coast!

San Fran is dear to my heart, and I need a little help to fit it all in.  Any suggestions as to an itinerary fitting in some city food, used book store, which redwoods (Muir or Big Basin), quaint winery, and a little ocean.  My mom is adventurous at heart, fun, and is open to camping in secure areas.  I will be renting a car.  I have to budget a little.  Thanks for any suggestions you may have. And, anything spectacular! Off we go!

ANSWER: Hi Renee,

I can't complete an itinerary for you, but I think that a drive from Saratoga through to Big Basin and Santa Cruz along CA 9 would be a trip you will enjoy yourself, and along the way you mother will find plenty that is relaxing and interesting.  You can visit the UC Santa Cruz coastal museum exhibit (I can't recall the name exactly).  All along the way are good used book stores.

Within SF itself, your mom can't miss City Lights Bookstore, the famous artsy and politically radical store founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti who still frequents the North Beach neighborhood where it's located.  The newly rebuilt DeYoung Museum and Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park are also highly recommended--She might also like a stroll through the Japanese Tea Garden in April.

Good luck...  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the great suggestions.  The city suggestions are now on the list.  We will either be taking that route down to Big Basin or drive north on 101 to Anderson Valley Wineries and the Hendy Woods in the Mendocino direction.  I believe both trips are 3 hours, just two different directions.  I am just undecided as to which one will offer all the variety, most moving trees, ease of driving, and beautiful scenery. If you have a thought, I would love to hear it.  Further, I am curious if you could give me an opinion on which airport to fly in and out of.  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Renee,

Depending upon your flight options, I would try to fly in/out of the Oakland Airport.  It has access to BART, easier access to Hayward, probably cheaper rental car options (SF taxes are high), and is generally less busy than SFO.  San Jose and Sacramento Airports are farther away with fewer public transit options.

I recommended driving south because the weather should be slightly better down that way in April.  I love Anderson Valley, and the towns of Boonville, Philo, Mendocino and Fort Bragg too, particularly in summer.  The smaller old growth forests are a pleasant walk that can be accomplished just prior to completing a drive out to the rugged Pacific coastline at the mouth of the Navarro River.  Unfortunately, camping at Hendy State Park won't be available until May, according to the state website.  I also think that you will find Mendocino farther away and more spaced out in terms of stops than is the path south toward Monterey Bay along Hwy 9.

From Saratoga, a quaint upscale village in the Silicon Valley, drive up through oak and bay tree forests until you reach the ridge line on Hwy 9.  Then in just minutes descend dramatically into the basin of redwood groves.  Big Basin is California's oldest state park for a reason, with a fantastic stand of old growth redwoods in a geologically unique "basin".

An older person might find more comfort staying overnight at the rustic tent cabins available in Big Basin than in pitching a tent a Hendy, should you have this in mind.  CA state park website notes less regular trash pick up at Hendy, while busier Big Basin should continue to be well serviced during the recession.

After a short hike in the woods, it is an easy sport car drive on winding roads through villages of Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, and Felton where antique stores and bookshops are very numerous.  There are also nice bed & breakfast lodging in the Santa Cruz Mountains.  At the curvy end, Hwy 9 arrives in Santa Cruz, which has a lot to offer in terms of window shopping.  I actually prefer Santa Cruz over Monterey as a town in which to "hang out".  For example, hopefully, your day in April will be warm enough for a simple fresh crab on sourdough sandwich on the Pier, while you amuse yourself by watching barking seals lounge on the pier woodwork below.