Things to do / Travel Guide
Transportation around San Francisco and Napa Valley
It is generally pretty expensive to travel around the central coastal region of California; gas prices can really take a bite out of your budget, as California's gas prices are higher, on average, than those in other parts of the country. Reasonable prices and extensive public transportation is available in the larger cities, such as San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. In cities like San Francisco, where there is an extensive public transportation system, prices are reasonable.
Attractions around San Francisco and Napa Valley
Many of the attractions in central California are free, such as walking along the Santa Cruz boardwalk or across the Golden Gate Bridge. Of course, there are plenty of different attractions in this region, ranging from museums to open city parks. Generally speaking, prices for all of these places range from about $5-$15 for museums and up to $25 or so for specific tours (such as an Alcatraz Island boat tour, a winery tour, or a tour around San Jose's Mystery Spot). For visitors to Napa Valley and Sonoma County wineries, keep in mind that while most of the vineyards and wineries are open to the public and offer tastings to guests for a minimal fee, this is not always the case. More than a handful of wineries require advance reservations, admission fees for tours, as well as tasting fees. For the most part, many of the places that do require some sort of cost of admission usually only charge about $5-$15 per head.
Dining around San Francisco and Napa Valley
As far as food is concerned, so long as you're not eating every night in a five-star restaurant, prices should be relatively inexpensive. Food shouldn't cost too much and, virtually every kind of cuisine is available in the large cities. San Francisco is famous for its fine Chinese and Asian restaurants and, for the most part, midday lunch at any Chinese or Thai café should cost less than $10 per person. In Napa Valley and Sonoma County, both of which are somewhat affluent areas, you can expect the price of dining to be a bit higher than it would be in a place like San Francisco or Morro Bay. Expect to be served some of the area's locally produced wines when dining in the California wine country.
Prices for Hotels and Accommodations around San Francisco and Napa Valley
Prices for central California hotels and accommodations reach a peak during the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which is the high tourist season for the area. While prices tend to fluctuate for hotels, motels, and Bed and Breakfast establishments (B&Bs), as a general rule of thumb, San Francisco is generally more expensive than the rest of the region. Prices are also higher during the Thanksgiving-Christmas season. In some areas, such as the central California wine region or up in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, there are some pricey high-end resorts . There are lots of places to go camping and a limited number of hostels; affordable motels can also be found off the Pacific Coast Highway and off major interstates.
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