NorCal : San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Sierra Nevada, etc.

[mama squeak!]

@cutiepie, be sure to bundle up as it gets to be very cold and windy. For New Year's eve fireworks head on to the waterfront (Embarcadero) for the best viewing option.

@moonstar_004, if you have 12 days to spend masyadong mahaba the time just to spend it in San Jose. Go with your original plan of visiting Napa Valley. You can do it as a day trip, better starting from San Francisco para one hour drive lang mas malapit kasi compared to coming from San Jose. For your Yosemite Park, you can start from San Jose kasi ito naman mas malapit but it's still a 3 hour drive (without stops ha). If you're a nature tripper baka bitin yung overnight mo sa Yosemite. Every time we go there kasi with family minimum namin is two nights. There are so many things to do there!

San Francisco to San Jose is a 45 minute to an hour (depends on the traffic) drive. I would suggest to base yourself half the time in San Francisco and the other half in San Jose to cut back on your driving times. On hotels/rentals, it's a lot cheaper in San Jose. We usually stay with family when we visit but the times we had to stay in a hotel, we use my hubby's points with Marriott. We've tried Towne Place Suites and San Jose Marriott. Both are okay and central to all must-sees.

[moonstar_004]

^thanks for this! we really intend to laze around san fo lang din kasi talaga. both of us have been there before, did the usual sight-seeing, but not with each other. so we really want a relaxed trip since honeymoon. but thanks so much for the tips!

[mama squeak!]

Ay sorry! I misread your post I thought 12 days in San Jose. 12 days pala in San Francisco. I think better to rent an apartment as it will be so much cheaper (better if you can get one with parking because parking in SF is horrible and expensive as you may already know).

You can still do both Napa and San Jose as day trips but on separate days. Since you've both been to SF before maybe  you can drive down to Monterey and Santa Cruz. Or better yet overnight in one of the romantic B&Bs in Carmel.

[jazzlawyer]

^^ try monterey and big sur din sis kahit 1 day tour lang  do the 17mile drive .. monterey is just 2 hours lang away from sf. pwede din kayo mag overnight sa mga motels don. malinis naman and mura. we stayed somewhere in Carmel

[moonstar_004]

we've been to monterey as well. i liked their aquarium!

[cutiepie]

^^ thank you mama squeak! will backread for hotel recommendations. Hehe.

[cheriesanges]

My husband and I just went to US last week, we were there for 13 days inclusive of our travel time ( Singapore – Bangkok – Korea – Los Angeles)

Indeed, it was an awesome travel experience we had, with the help of our cousins in LA and San Francisco.

Los Angeles
1.   Huntington Beach, California
2.   Disneyland, California
3.   Walk of Fame, Hollywood
4.   Griffith Observatory, Hollywood
5.   Angel Stadium of Anaheim

San Francisco/ San Jose
1.   The Trolley, San Francisco
2.   Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39
3.   Silicon Valley, California
4.   Napa Valley, California
5.   Golden Gate, San Francisco
6.   Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco
7.   Lombard Street, San Francisco
8.   City Hall, San Francisco
9.   Twin Peaks, San Francisco
10.   Victorian Houses, San Francisco
11.   Coit Tower, San Francisco

Las Vegas
1.   Las Vegas Hotel, Shopping, Walk

Nevada - Arizona
1.   Hoover Dam, Nevada-Arizona

Utah
1.   Zion National Park, Utah
2.   Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah
3.   Salt Lake City, Utah

Washington
1.   Snoqualmie Park Falls, Washington, Seattle
2.   Pike Place Market, Seattle
3.   Space Needle (Day), Seattle
4.   Space Needle (Night), Seattle
5.   The Georgian Lunch, Seattle
6.   Hamilton Viewpoint Park, Seattle

Oregon
1.   The Grotto

We drove from LA to other states and back to San Francisco ( my cousin lives in San Fo) then we travel back to Los Angeles. On our way back to LA for our flight, we missed our 8am scheduled bus we paid it online for $60, our flight from LA is 1.30am the next day,  we thought of buying airline ticket but it cost $450 for 2 paxs. Last resort, we just bought the bus and train ticket $110 for 2 - 10 hours travel.

it was a bus going to Sta Barbara that will take 7 hours and train -  3 hours to LA. However, while traveling at the bus, we experienced flat tire and waited for 2 hours and after it was repaired, the bus did u turn so that it can go back to freeway but sadly nasiraan na naman ang bus, another 1 hour. hence, we missed the train going to LA. We thought of reschedulng our flight ticket. When we were in Sta Barbara, we just took taxi from Sta Barbara - Los Angeles airport and paid $225 (we tried to haggle and that's the lowest fare we could have) We decided to give it a go instead of rescheduling our flight ticket which is more expensive. Glad, we arrive home safe, sound and broke hahahha

[mrs. sweet]

May alam ba kayo sa Sanfo na nag-ooffer ng ride going to Yosemite? Plan ko kasi is Sanfo to Yosemite, overnight there, then sunduin sa Yosemite the following day and back in Sanfo. Thanks.

[mama squeak!]

^your best bet is to go with a tour company. There are several travel agencies there offering day trips (kapagod!) or overnight trips. May kamahalan nga lang since you'll be paying per person. If I remember tours start at $150+ per person.

But if you can manage it, cheaper and more flexible to bring your own car. It's a pleasant drive naman but yun nga if you have no car, marami nag-offer ng Yosemite tours in San Francisco.

[mrs. sweet]

^Sadly, d me feel ni hubs mag drive dun. Sanay sa driving dito sa Pinas, takot baka mahuli lagi sa US LOL

So, ok lang we don't book online for the tours sis? We can choose na lang when we are in Sanfo na? Kapagod nga ang daytour lang, kaya balak ko overnight man lang.

Thanks!

[mama squeak!]

^you can start scouring the Internet for tours so you'll have an idea how much and ano yung itinerary. Most hotels in SFO have mga travel desk or just ask the concierge for help.

[mrs. sweet]

^thanks sis!

Medyo OT lang ha, have your stayed a night in Yosemite? Which hotel is best kaya? Considering the location, amenities etc. I'm eyeing Yosemite Lodge, ok ba dun?

[mama squeak!]

^Yes sis but minimum namin is always two nights. Super bitin ang overnight kasi marami kang makikita and magagawa dun especially if you're into nature tripping. We stay at Curry Village and we've tried both their tents and cabins. Prefer ko cabin kasi may sariling banyo unlike sa tents common. We've tried water rafting and walang katapusan na hiking/bicycling.

But if you can't extend your stay, meron silang Valley Floor tour na iikutin nyo yung mga must-sees in one day. Here's the park's website to guide you: http://www.yosemitepark.com/yosemite-valley-in-1-day.aspx

Re Yosemite Lodge, my sister and brother in law stayed there the last time we went. Medyo may kalumaan yung mga rooms plus the decor was dark and dreary but I heard they were remodeling some rooms. Siguro request mo na lang yung remodeled room if you decide to stay there.

[mrs. sweet]

^I read kasi it's in the heart of the park daw? As in nandun na sya sa may falls area? We could only spare 1 night lang talaga, super iksi lang ng whole trip namin. Patikim tikim na lang muna ng mga sites hehe

Thanks mama squeak!

[mama squeak!]

^Magkatabi lang Curry Village and Yosemite Village where the YL by the Falls is located. They're all in the valley. Yes, you can just walk to the Yosemite water fall from the lodge. If you can manage it try to go to Glacier Point. There are tours leaving from the lodge in the mornings.

Enjoy your trip!

[pbrg]

Mama Squeak!  Please help... (please delete if not allowed, no thread about Vacaville/ Tahoe)

This is our travel date:
march 30 mla- sfo
april 8  la-tpe-mla

Until april 3 kami sa sfo, so we have 5 days left...
Planning to visit: Tahoe/ Vacavile (option for overnight going to Tahoe)
                         LA - DL & CA adventure (overnight at Anaheim) & other tourist   spots in LA
           

From Sfo, we'll rent a car na going to vacaville, overnight lang then the following day travel to Tahoe.  Would you suggest daytour lang then go back to vacaville or overnight? 

Or from Sfo, travel all the way to Tahoe (we'll leave sfo around lunchtime) tapos overnight dun.  Next day travel to LA na?

[nikki]

^sis, if I may-- just the part about Vacaville/Tahoe. I love tahoe but have been there only during the winter season but will always drive up whenever we're in the US. The part you will arrive at will be south Lake Tahoe and there's lots to do so I suggest at least stay overnight. Drive from Vacaville to Tahoe will take you around 2 or 2.5hrs na. So u will basically spend half day travelling pa Lang.

Any particular reason why the stop at Vacaville?

[bonzaigirl]

Hi sis moonstar, if you are going to stay in san Francisco for 12 days, it would be better to go with your original plan.  We went there last year.  I visited my fiance who is LA based.  We spent 3 days in Napa Valley and 1 day in SF then back to LA.  If you want a relaxing honeymoon, go to Napa Valley.  The quaintness of the place is really nice.  You can do wine tours.  And I recommend The Inn on First.  It's a bed and breakfast in Napa Valley.  It is just a walking distance to the main high street of Napa, where the restaurants are.  It's a refurbished mansion turned into a bed and breakfast, and the owners are the managers and the chef of the place.  Really great   Plus it is only a 45 minute drive to San Francisco. 

[rics]

Are hotels at Lombard St accessible to the tourist spots - FW area, China town, ect?
Was planning originally to stay near the wharf but price for accommodation is over the budget. Will not have a car so dependent kami on public transport.
Appreciate any suggestions.

[pbrg]

^^ nikki
A friend is offering their place for us to stay.  Planning to spend an overnight stay so my kids can spend time with her kids while we shop at the outlet  =)

So, is it better if from SF (around lunchtime) we travel all the way to Tahoe na and spend the night there?  Then nextday, from Tahoe, drive all the way to LA naman?