Cali trip

[timdog]

my fiancee and I are going to visit her mom who lives in Mariposa, CA, but we'll be bumming around San Fran, Monterrey, Santa Cruz and that area. We've been to San Fran a couple times so we have done the obvious stuff (Pier, alcatraz, shopping downtown, etc).

any recommendations on what to check out in any of these places? we'll check out the monterrey aquarium but other than that not sure what to see.

[adidas]

Ive always found it best to search online...a few simple words in google will yield a lot of great results and personal reviews from individuals.

[timdog]

I have tried that, and got a few ideas. but like i said i have been to San Fran so I am looking for maybe the less obvious stuff.

If my brain was able to comprehend how to open a web browser, go to beyond.ca, login, post a topic in the correct forum, then you can probably also assume it was capable of doing some google searches.

[kaput]

.

[timdog]

well as someone who has been there only once I can say that there is alot to see and some pretty nice scenery. you could definitely spend alot of time there. you know how the U.S. is, alot more condensed than Canada so there is something to see every few miles. for me, we'll be borrowing a car and staying with people we know (except staying in a hotel in san fran) so it will be super cheap for us. but i still imagine with the economy the way it is you can probably find some pretty cheap deals... especially when it comes to shopping.

as for flights, we are going with westjet, $750 for two people, round trip with all taxes. you might be able to find cheaper deals last minute but that's still a pretty good price.

[googe]

Off the beaten path:

Check out half moon bay, get brunch at the ritz carlton:

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/HalfMoonBay/Dining/Default.htm

Half moon bay is kind of a less well known beach town compared to Santa Cruz. Right on the ocean, lots of farms in the area and lots of really fresh good food. Both seafood and farm food. There are places cheaper than the Ritz, but even the Ritz doesn't get a lot of traffic Monday to Thursday, so you can find really reasonable prices. It wouldn't be hard to trick the fiancee into thinking you dropped 1 or 2 bills and sneak out with a $50 tab :bigpimp:

Also check out this place in Woodside for a cheap lunch. Go on a Sunday afternoon to see some nice custom bikes:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/alices-restaurant-woodside

A lot of the silicon valley billionaires and retired celebrities that don't want an urban setting live in woodside, so it's kind of like a small town backcountry feel with giant mansions and ranches tucked in the trees. Watch out for crazies in their Teslas screaming around the quiet country roads :) I'd probably not go there if you don't have a GPS though, it's pretty hard to navigate.

Neither of these are very well known (even among locals), so they aren't touristy at all. Both areas look and feel nothing like the rest of the Bay area, so it's a good way to mix it up.

[timdog]

sweet thanks for all the good advice. that's the type of stuff I am looking for.

[D_2K]

^^^Half Moon bay is great place to check out. Id say go to Santa Barbara if possible. So beautiful, awesome beaches, I had an epic time there last year.

[timdog]

yeah i'd like to check out santa barbara but I think it's too far, we are pretty much sticking to San Fran, Monterey and in between. Half Moon sounds wicked though, I'll definitely look more into it.