Things to do / Travel Guide
Getting around Napa Valley and Sonoma County
The best way to get around Napa Valley and Sonoma County is by car. While there are many options for tours in the area, there is very little by way of public transportation. Bicycling is also another way to get around, but keep in mind both the Napa Valley and Sonoma County are hilly, so some of the rides might be a challenge for the inexperienced (or inebriated) biker.
Getting around San Francisco
San Francisco has excellent public transportation, which is a good thing because, with all the hills and the premium placed on available parking space, driving can become a nightmare to the inexperienced. The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) provides direct train service from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK), downtown San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding suburbs. In addition to the BART, there's also the San Francisco Municipal Railroad (MUNI), which operates buses, cable cars, and trains throughout the area. Prices are affordable on MUNI and BART and various pass options are available.
Here's the thing about San Francisco and cars: You might be sitting behind the wheel of a car with your foot jammed on the brake to keep the car from rolling backward, since, at the top of the hill, where the steep street finally levels out, there's a stoplight and it's red, and you're sitting nine cars back. Or, on the other hand, you might turn a corner to go down a street and find you didn't anticipate the sudden slope of the road! Driving in San Francisco is truly an adventure.
Despite the hills bicycling is also a great way to get around town. There are many bike rental operators located all across town and basic rates usually run $10 per hour or roughly $50 per day with discounts for groups, and multiple-day or weekly rates.
San Francisco is famous for cable cars; the most popular hopping on and off spot in the city is perhaps on the western edge of Union Square. The cable cars themselves run along Powell Street to the Hallidie Plaza terminus and then back again; in addition to being a local novelty and tourist attraction, the cable car system is also a great way to transport yourself around San Francisco. The city also employs buses and trolleybuses to help people get around the city.
San Francisco's relatively compact geography makes it a great city to walk around, provided that you don't mind hills. The Golden Gate Bridge is a great walk, from Golden Gate Park it will take you a little less than an hour to walk over the bridge to Marin County, the views are not to be missed.
Getting around San Jose
Busses and trolleys will help you get around to all major points in San Jose, although the light rail is geared towards servicing the downtown area.
Getting around Santa Cruz and the Monterey Peninsula
The downtown metropolitan area of Santa Cruz is not terribly large and can easily be conquered by foot. If your desire is to get around the larger area of Santa Cruz and beyond to the Monterey Peninsula and Big Sur you will need a car of your own.
Getting to and from Napa Valley, San Francisco, and the Bay Area
It's possible to take a bus from San Francisco to Oakland, Berkeley, and Treasure Island via AC Transit. Golden Gate Transit leaves from the Transbay Terminal and connects to points in Marin and Sonoma County. If you're trying to get across the waters of the bay, there are several ferry companies that operate in the city. The ferries run year round and usually cost less than $10 a person with frequent daily departures. From Pier 41 you can catch a ferry to Tiburon, Sausalito, Vallejo, Oakland/Alameda, Angel Island, and Alcatraz. Amtrak's “Coast Starlight” line has daily service from Oakland to San Luis Obispo (with stops in San Jose, Salinas, and Paso Robles along the way) and takes about 6 hours. San Jose can be most easily reached either by bus or car. The easiest way to get around the region is by car, here are some of the driving time and distances from San Francisco:
- San Francisco to Napa - 45 miles, about one hour
- San Francisco to San Jose - 45 miles, about one hour
- San Francisco to Santa Cruz - 75 miles, about an hour and a half
- San Francisco to Monterey - 115 miles, a little over two hours
- San Francisco to Morro Bay - 230 miles, a little over four hours
|
|
|