To: bovik@cs.cmu.edu
Subject: trip to California
Date: Tue, 06 Apr 93 17:34:45 -0400
Message-ID: <18711.734132085@SWIFT.PRODIGY.CS.CMU.EDU>
From: Alicia_Perez@SWIFT.PRODIGY.CS.CMU.EDU

Dear Harry, 

Below are the answers I got to my post about places to go North of
San Francisco. 

We ended up going Highway 1 up to Mendocino and the Avenue of the
Giants (a redwood forest, with several state parks in it), which was
pretty impressive. The coast all the way to Mendocino is really
spectacular and not as exploited as south of San Francisco. Mendocino
is kind of touristry but small and pretty, and has a beautiful park by
the cliffs. It has many little shops, restaurants and cafes. It seems
Mendocino is well known for the interest on theatre of the local
people (many of them artists of different kinds I think). In fact at
night we went to a quite good performance. 

About places to stay I would recommend a very nice Bed&Breakfast not
too far from San Francisco going north in Highway 1 (it took about an
hour from San Francisco International airport): the Inn at Valley
Ford. Their phone number is (707) 876 3182. It is a farm. The room 
was very nice and the breakfast very good. Price was about $80 for the
two-bed room. 

If you look for cheap lodging ($9), the Youth Hostel in the Golden Gate
Recreation Area (just past the Golden Gate north-bound) is quite nice
and it is in a very beautiful location. You can watch a wonderful
sunset or see the Golden Gate and San Francisco from different
locations at the Golden Gate Recreation Area. A car is required to get
there though. 

Have a wonderful trip! 

Alicia

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Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1993 14:46-EST
From: David.Zabowski@AZALEA.LEARNING.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Re: places in Northern California

Alicia,

If this is vacation like travel then you might want to try a bed and
breakfast in Ukiah.  I don't remember the name of it but it is quite
nice (old fashioned, quaint, romantic, stuff like that).  Ukiah is quite
far north of SF (several hours drive at least).  

Stork
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Date: Wed, 17 Mar 93 14:53:46 EST
From: Mike Blackwell <mkb@frc2.frc.ri.cmu.edu>
Subject: Re:  places in Northern California


Take a drive up route 1. Hike around the redwoods. Spend a day (at
least) exploring Pt. Reyes national park (you can rent mountain bikes
at Bear Valley B&B right at the park entrance - a very nice B&B as
well). Bolinas is a cute little town with some good restaraunts. Take
the ferry from pier 41 in SF to Tiburon, have luch at Guyamas (right
on the pier), and walk around the town. Take a hike on Mt. Tamalpias
(how ever you spell it). Hike around Audobon Canyon Ranch (nesting
site for egrets and herons). Take a drive through wine country (Napa
valley), but don't get too sloshed from wine tasting... The list goes
on and on, any specific types of things you're interested in? This is
a nice time of year when it's not raining, everything is really green.
Have fun!  -m-
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Subject: Re:  places in Northern California
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 93 15:17:04 EST
From: jcj@FURST4.THEORY.CS.CMU.EDU

Hi Alicia,

Muir Woods is not very far north of San Francisco.  If
you want to see the tall trees, it's a good place to go.

Jeff
---------
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1993 15:09-EST
From: Scott.Nettles@LDL.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Re: places in Northern California


The pacific coast in Marin and Sonoma is very rugged and beautiful.  Of
course the classic thing to do is wine tasting which if the weather is
nice is a lot of fun.

Scott
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Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1993 16:28-EST
From: Lonnie.Chrisman@FLOWER.LEARNING.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Re: places in Northern California

Alicia,

  I know Northern California very well.  If you want to know about
areas or sites, let me know.  It somewhat depends upon what sorts of
things you wish to see, how far you are willing to drive, and what time
of year you are going.  Would you rather pick one potentially
interesting activity or site, or drive around madely trying to take in
as much as possible?  Stuff like that.

  Some things to consider.  White tasting in Napa and Sonoma valleys is
a very popular thing to do.  Whale watching in the spring and fall is
popular.  In the summer, taking the hike to the top of Mt. Lassen or
visiting Gold Rush cites, old mines, trails, etc, in the Donner pass
area, or hiking and cite seeing in the same areas of the high sierras.  
Any time of year (but in winter beware of the real possibility of being 
snowed in), if you like gambling, going to South Lake Tahoe or Reno.  If you
are willing to drive all the way to the border and then some, Crater Lake
is well worth it, maybe even your best option.  The coast line from
San Fran to the Oregon border is not the best available -- if you want to 
take in coast line, the Oregon coast or the coast from Monterey to SLO
is better.  There are the redwoods on North 101 south of Crescent City,
but I wouldn't personally recommend them.  There are a few little
stupid attractions in Sonoma county like the Petrified forest and the
Old Faithful of California geyser... a possible candidate if you're
doing the wine tasting, but certainly not worth planning a trip around.
Many people enjoy boating, either on the Delta (region sort of south
west of Sacramento around Stockton) or on many of the lakes (Lake
Bariesa (sp?), or Lake Don Pedro, or even Lake Shasta.  You can rent
house boats.  You may be able to rent water-skiing boats also, I'm not
sure, but you'd only want to do that if you are familiar already with
boating.  There are caves around various places, especially in the Sierras
or around Lake Shasta.  Some have some fairly interesting spelunking options. 
Anyway, you get the idea.  If I had one weekend to do something, out of the 
above choices I personally would probably pick Crater Lake.  If you do pick 
that one, however, have a backup plan ready if the weather doesn't look 
favorable, because it is only worth it if the weather cooperates.  Your 
tastes might be different from mine, however.

Lonnie
--------------
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 93 09:41:50 EST
From: Jade.Goldstein@ZOMBIE.CIMDS.RI.CMU.EDU
Subject: places north of SF

You might want to consider visiting Pt. Reyes.  This is a beautiful
park, along the ocean, where one can hike.  I frequently went there
growing up and in college.  A place not to miss is Muir Woods.  There
you will be able to walk among the redwoods and the redwoods are quite
impressive trees (which I don't think are found outside of California).

I'm not sure how far north you are talking about when you are talking
about north of SF.  These places are 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours north of SF.
Feel free to ask again if you want info on other places.

		--Jade
------------
Subject: Re:  places in Northern California
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 93 11:38:05 EST
From: goddard@B.GP.CS.CMU.EDU

Depends what you like.

Pt. Reyes park is pretty nice.  Muir Wood is good for a short walk.
If you have time, I would drive straight to Humboldt State Park,
about 150 miles norht of SF and find the virgin redwood forest.  It
is good for a long afternoon walk and truly amazing.  The coast of
Northern CA used to be covered with trees this size but almost all
of them were cut down and the logging companies seem unwilling to
let them regrow.  See this primaeval environment while it lasts.
Also in Scotia is a large redwood mill, quite interesting.  The
town is completely owned by the lumber company.

Not so far north is Mendocino.  Yuppie getaway from SF but cute
Victorian houses.  Go to Beaujolais cafe in Mendocino.  Visit 
the wineries in the Alexander Valley inland from Mendocino (pass
through a small second-growth redwood forest).  Pick up a copy
of the most amazing local newspaper in the US, the Anderson
Valley Advertiser (slogan: "Fanning the Flames of Discontent").

Drive route 1 north of SF, it is slow but very pretty.

Even closer to SF is Napa valley if you want to visit wineries.

Nigel
------------
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 1993 14:09-EST
From: Thomas.Stricker@PUFFIN.WARP.CS.CMU.EDU
Subject: Re: places in Northern California


I visited with my parents the Muir Redwoods along the coast
across the Golden Gate and also visited some wineries in
Napa Valleys. It was in Fall and we spent a great time
having lunch out-doors at a smaller winery in the middle
of a wineyard.

I guess Lassen Vulcanic National park is too much North
and probably still snowed in.

Tom
--------
Date: Thu, 18 Mar 93 14:56:51 -0500
From: pmj@SEI.CMU.EDU
Subject: North of San Francisco


Muir Woods
Point Reyes

-Purvis