With a myriad of options, San Francisco travel options to consider should include excursions from San Francisco. In a few days one can venture out and experience a natural beauty unmatched in the world. During one day on your trip, you can see the magic that has captured the world’s imagination since the Spanish first arrived in California. Of the many possibilities is the 17-mile scenic drive across Monterey Bay, the chance to tour San Francisco wine country, or the chance to visit Muir Woods with several options in this choice alone. Each one has its own flavor of the Golden State for your fascination and enjoyment.
Monterey’s extremely scenic 17-mile drive is one of the most captivating drives in the state. Winding through the coastal mountains, the trail will take you past several famous landmarks. From City by the Bay, traveling south on Highway 1, you’ll see some of the most spectacular coastline in the world. Passing through Santa Cruz and continuing on to Carmel (where Clint Eastwood was once mayor), scheduled stops include the row of canneries that John Steinbeck immortalized in a novel. Seaside exploration, shopping, and activities for every taste you’ll find while visiting Carmel. The drive back to the city will take you through Silicon Valley, home of the technological revolution, as you complete a grand tour of the San Francisco peninsula.
When you talk about San Francisco wine country, you talk about the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. In extreme contrast to the previously mentioned rugged Central Coast, you’ll see gently rolling green hills with high grassy land showing the waves of the wind rolling over their tops in spring, a sight I’ll never forget. In other areas, vineyards as far as the eye can see indicate a winery is nearby. A childhood trip often with the family, this is truly a beautiful part of California. The contrast of the two places, less than 100 miles from each other, is tremendous. During the trip, you will visit some of the best wineries in the world and taste wines that reflect that excellence. The culmination of this excursion from San Francisco is a lazy cruise around the bay, missing traffic to end a special day.
Muir Woods, a national monument, is home to some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world. The old-growth coastal redwoods are steeped in history, as humans have affected the park, for better and worse, for centuries. Home to many miles of hiking trails; Camping, biking, horseback riding, and smoking are not allowed in the national monument. Even food is allowed only in a specific place. Trees need and deserve our protection, some are a thousand years old or more. As a child in Northern California, I remember seeing a tree stump with a timeline of history pointing to specific rings (trees are dated by the number of rings to the center). The highlight was the marker for the birth of Jesus, 2000 years of growth is as old as it gets. The tour is combined with a full city tour after your 90 minutes in the woods. Alternatively, you can visit Sausalito, the charming village across the bay at the northern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Finally, you have the option to enjoy a cruise around the bay after the Muir Woods experience.
Like I said, the surrounding areas are San Francisco travel options worth considering. A well-planned City by the Bay trip can allow you to experience more of California during an efficient and well-rounded vacation. Tour San Francisco’s wine country, learn a new appreciation for the art of winemaking. The scenic 17-mile drive will leave you in awe of the magnificent seaside mountains of the Central Coast. Then Muir Woods will allow you to step back hundreds of years as you visit giants of the coastal lands. This is California. This is California accessible for a day trip from San Francisco during your special San Francisco vacation experience, a collection of trips that build memories.