All the leaves are brown (doo doo-doo-doo doo-doo) and the sky is gray (and the sky is gray-ay)
Okay, I may not be gonna make it to China this year. But next week I am going to break my long-time travel routine of bouncing up and down the I75 SUV Speedway from The Planet Ann Arbor to da Yoop (say “ya”, eh?) and head out to Cally-forny. grokgrokgrokGROK!!! Excuse me a minute. (No, Froog, you canNOT come with me. I am traveling *light* this trip. Okay?) Sorry about that little interruption.
Anyway, I am charged with researching the San Francisco area and coming up with some things to do “so we’re not going ‘uuuuuuh’ when we’re trying to decide what to do every day. ok?” So, I will do some research. But I’m also asking y’all if you have any favorite things to do out there on the left coast. In the Berkeley/SF area primarily. We won’t have time for any major expotitions to distant parts of the state. Heck, just getting me *out* to the left coast is about like moving a mountain.
The one activity we have planned already is a drive up the coast and that’s absolutely one of my favorite kinds of things to do since I love hanging around by big water. I am really not much of a shopper. Maybe later this week I’ll blahg about the little shopping adventure I had this morning. I know that the Gumper’s old ship The Hornet is out there. Honestly, growing up with Grandroobly meant spending a good share of my childhood touring old World War II airplanes and boats and submarines and things. Air show at Kincheloe? Destroyer moored below the locks? And a few lake freighters thrown in there too. Let’s go! Not. I’ll throw a salute to the Gumper but I’ll probably skip the boat. My favorite things to do involve being outside moving around. Lots of walking, etc., nothing extreme, no ice climbing or anything like that. I don’t like to sit, although I have been known to slug around on the beach or in the coffee shop or, oh you know, in front of the computer.
So, any ideas? What are *your* favorite things to do? Dum de dum de dum. Grok grok grok. Oh no. What could *he* be planning? Green Guy, watch for him!
February 21st, 2007 at 6:49 pm
I’ll ask Mark to check out some sites for you while he’s in CA this week. I know we went to the Coastal Redwoods Park, which was a little north of Santa Cruz. Huge trees, and nice hikes. (Relatively short, if I remember, but we had kids with short attention spans.) Not sure how far it would be from Berkeley.
February 21st, 2007 at 8:26 pm
ride a trolley – eat some *real* SF Sourdough bread – walk some of those “famous streets” (up & down hills!!) – …
February 21st, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Anne-
Pick up the Trolly at Powell and Market at take it to the warf. Watch our for the “bush” guy on the warf (fair warning). Grab snacks at pier 39. Bubba Gumps Shrimp Co is interesting but a bit pricy on the Yagger Shots.
Definitely walk the gut through China Town and nearby Coit Tower is cool. Take a drive or wald down Lombard Street. Rent bikes and ride across the G Gate Bridge.
The redwoods just north of San Fran are at “Muir Wood”, which is on the windy, hilly road between Sosilito and the coast.
A real cool thing to do is take a ferry from the warf in SF up the bay to Tiberon and eat on the water and shop. Don’t forget Alcatraz. Everyone should go there once in their life.
Take LOTS of money.
See Renee at the Federal Reserve at 101 Market St and/or at her apartment in Pacific Heights. Could get a reasonably priced meal in her neighborhood.
Don’t plan too much. Just ge where it looks interesting. It is a city made for walking (or Trolly cars).
-Bob
February 21st, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Take Lizzy and Jess out to dinner! =)
(Jess said that but your daughter is the one who actually typed it. She says she feels rude now.)
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:04 am
Muir woods are really incredible, and there are more trails and views at the adjacent Mt. Tamalpais State Park. Point Reyes Nat. Seashore on the north coast as well will be amazing. If you can’t make it there you should try to loop Stinson Beach with Muir woods and Mt. Tam.
I have an odd perspective on the Bay Area, mostly as a cook for my friend and teacher Erica Azim’s mbira camps in Berkeley, otherwise known as Zimbabwe CA. . .but I think that a venture into the Berkeley Bowl Marketplace 2020 Oregon St. near Shattuck, is an experience not to be missed. I think it has one of the most extensive produce sections nation wide, I guarentee you will see fruits and veggies that you won’t have a clue existed. You hear all kinds of languages as you push the cart around too.
Have fun!!
Aimee
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:25 am
I would like to add another vote for going to see that forest… my parents took us all out there when I was probably about 10 or 11, and that is one of the only things I remember with perfect clarity about the trip so it had to be pretty amazing. From what I remember when you are walking around you can tell that it’s a forest that has had a lot of people in it but it still has that forest feel to the air.
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:19 am
I also vote for Muir Woods – just north of SF. there are trails that are handicap friendly at the start, but then you can go much further on less traveled trails and get some very cool views. the drive along the coast is also just wonderful. it’s like Copper Country Cruisin’, except along the coast of the Pacific Ocean.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:49 pm
whoa!! I’m gonna go to SF NEXT summer, instead of a second trip to China!!