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Chick
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Head up the Coit Tower.  Some nice views from up there.

Go to Vista point (just over the Golden Gate bridge) for another nice view.

I've done a few wine tours when over in San Francsico.  My favourite is V. Sattui in St. Helena.  Their Madeira is particularly excellent.

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11 hours ago, Arch said:

Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39, Sea Lions and stuff but mainly the Sea Lions. 

GG Bridge

Alcatraz? 

Lombard Street.

Tram tour.

 
 

All tourist hell! :) Been there 4 times and the sea lions still fecking stink! Another first-timer thing is to cross the GGB to Sausalito or even better take the 30 mins ferry ride, it's on-par with the Hong Kong ferry for views and excitement.  By all means, spend a day or two doing the tourist stuff however you've got to head out of town for the real diamonds.

As Burble said, head up to the Napa Valley if you like wine, boutique hotels and relaxation or for something more stimulating rent a car and take the Cabrillo Highway (Highway 1) down the coast south of San Francisco. There you will find Half Moon Bay (great walking trails & beaches), Santa Cruz (Big Dipper wooden roller coaster from the 1900s), Monterey (Cannery Row, great seafood, whale watching and the famous Aquarium) and Carmel-by-the-Sea (Former artist haven with nifty main street shops, a unique little beach, and the famous 17 mile drive. Clint Eastwood was once the town mayor). Montara to Santa Cruz is a superb stretch of coastal road with breathtaking views around every curve. SF to Monterey is a two-hour drive so you'd need to book a hotel stopover to make the most fo it.

Then there's Stanford-Palo Alto, The Googleplex etc.

Weather in SF isn't so great in Jan, foggy and overcast similar temps to England but once you get the out the Bay area it can be much brighter and warmer. Places closer to San Jose almost have a Mediterranean climate when it's cold in the bay.

There's also lots of flight opens now from London: Norwegian fly from LGW to Oakland, BA to SFO and San Jose, and then loads of airlines fly into SFO. Oakland is a small airport within easy reach of SF.

Edited by Andy_Bangle
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Alcatraz on our list to do, not been to SF before so will need to do a few touristy bits +++

Looks like we are flying into Vegas for a few nights, then San Francisco for 29th Dec, spend NYE there and will then hire car and do the Big Sur drive heading down for Monteroy & Cambria and a night or so up in Napa too for wine tasting and chilling, probably another night or so in SF again before heading back home.  Not looking for a beach holiday so cooler weather will be welcome.  

If I want hippy culture I can just visit my parents  ....  :roflmao:

Edited by Chick
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16 minutes ago, Chick said:

Looks like we are flying into Vegas for a few nights, then San Francisco for 29th Dec, spend NYE there and will then hire car and do the Big Sur drive heading down for Monteroy & Cambria and a night or so up in Napa too for wine tasting and chilling, probably another night or so in SF again before heading back home.  Not looking for a beach holiday so cooler weather will be welcome.

Bastards. :coffee:

17 minutes ago, Chick said:

If I want hippy culture I can just visit my parents  ....

:roflmao:

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9 hours ago, Chick said:

Looks like we are flying into Vegas for a few nights, then San Francisco for 29th Dec, spend NYE there and will then hire car and do the Big Sur drive heading down for Monteroy & Cambria and a night or so up in Napa too for wine tasting and chilling, probably another night or so in SF again before heading back home.  Not looking for a beach holiday so cooler weather will be welcome.  

2

Take it you'll be flying the short hop Vegas to SF? I drove it last year, SF - LA - San Deigo - Vegas - SF lot of driving.

I found the website below useful for stealing some ideas on what to expect when driving down to Big Sur.

http://www.theamericanroadtripcompany.co.uk/roadtrips/classic-highway-1/

Vegas.jpeg

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We have decided to fly to SFO purely because a lot of the driving routes are closed due to snow (based on this yr) and we don't want to spend the whole holiday sat looking out of a car window!   If we want to look at Yosemite we can go into from SFO and will drive into Death Valley from Vegas as a day trip as neither of us have been, do another Cirque show and Grand Canyon as a helicopter ride (I've not done) - we've both done Vegas several times now so don't need to stay any longer than we are.   Did LA as a business trip and have no feelings of need to see it again yet (although I did like Santa Monica) so not bothering this time.

Still not quite sure on where to stay in SFO, but have found the site above for ideas too and bought a Moon guide book which was recommended and pretty comprehensive!  Seems we need to book now for NYE parties now too ..... 

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