Hound 109
<font color=teal>So non-screamin' family members c
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2006
....but i wanna go to the mountains, the coast & i wanna go to DisneyLand. How much longer....??
hound
CA Coast & Disneyland! Pics & Video - Update 9/18- Pg. 12 #177 - The End!
- Thread starter Spartangirl
- Start date
....but i wanna go to the mountains, the coast & i wanna go to DisneyLand. How much longer....??
hound
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Wine Country!
After getting a good night's rest, we were up early and ready to hit the road by 8 a.m. We grabbed a bite to eat at the restaurant at the Hilton and were soon on our way. I know this sounds crazy, but I was SO EXCITED to head over the Golden Gate Bridge.
Previous to our travels to CA, I had only seen the bridge on TV and in the movies and was anxious to see it in person. Plus, I had read that it's the world's most photographed bridge and I wanted to snap a pic to add to my personal files! 
It was so cool crossing the bridge...as I looked to my right I saw the sparkling, blue water that seemed to stretch for miles and miles. And...the beautiful San Francisco skyline was in the distance. We traveled about 2 miles from the beginning to the end of the bridge. As we exited, we found a "pull-off" and jumped out with the rest of the tourists to snap some photos.
Here is the beautiful bridge.
We needed a pic with the two of us to prove we were really there!
After taking our fair share of video and pictures of the bridge, we continued our drive. It took quite some time, but soon we arrived in Napa Valley at Cline Cellars. What a cool winery! I immediately noticed that the grounds were immaculate and very beautiful to look at. We met our guide at the winery and got a tour of the property.
Our guide informed us that Cline Cellars is a family owned winery and some of the family members live in this house on the property.
I loved looking at the vineyards......We learned that in addition to the vineyards, there are 5,300 rosebushes on the property.
Can you imagine?
Next, we learned about wine and the process to make it. Although we both found this interesting, we were anxious to get to the next part of the tour...the tasting!
As we arrived at the "wine tasting area," the employees gathered our group round and gave us information about the eight different wines we would be sampling. We were going to taste two white wines, three reds, and three reserves. In addition, they set gourmet cheese and crackers on the table to compliment the wine.
Chris and I both preferred the reserves over the red and white wines. My favorite was the 2005 Sonoma Zinfandel. Here's the description that was provided with it: This wine with explosive strawberry fruit flavor and velvety texture comes from Dry Creek and Alexander Valley vineyards. Its subtle nuances of vanilla and toasty American oak are complemented by its firm tannin structure.
DH's favorite was the 2004 Bridgehead Zinfandel. Here's the description we got: Bridgehead Zin is a dangerous and lethal package, guaranteed to wallop...but it's got class. A beautiful balance of blackberry, pepper and spice, with notes of chocolate and toasty vanilla make this Zin a treasure.
A cool fountain that we looked at as we sipped our wine...
Of course I had to get a picture of the vineyards...
The grapes were too cute! Look how small they are...
Up Next...Sonoma and a late afternoon cruise on San Francisco Bay
After getting a good night's rest, we were up early and ready to hit the road by 8 a.m. We grabbed a bite to eat at the restaurant at the Hilton and were soon on our way. I know this sounds crazy, but I was SO EXCITED to head over the Golden Gate Bridge.
Previous to our travels to CA, I had only seen the bridge on TV and in the movies and was anxious to see it in person. Plus, I had read that it's the world's most photographed bridge and I wanted to snap a pic to add to my personal files! It was so cool crossing the bridge...as I looked to my right I saw the sparkling, blue water that seemed to stretch for miles and miles. And...the beautiful San Francisco skyline was in the distance. We traveled about 2 miles from the beginning to the end of the bridge. As we exited, we found a "pull-off" and jumped out with the rest of the tourists to snap some photos.Here is the beautiful bridge.
We needed a pic with the two of us to prove we were really there!
After taking our fair share of video and pictures of the bridge, we continued our drive. It took quite some time, but soon we arrived in Napa Valley at Cline Cellars. What a cool winery! I immediately noticed that the grounds were immaculate and very beautiful to look at. We met our guide at the winery and got a tour of the property.
Our guide informed us that Cline Cellars is a family owned winery and some of the family members live in this house on the property.
I loved looking at the vineyards......We learned that in addition to the vineyards, there are 5,300 rosebushes on the property.
Can you imagine?
Next, we learned about wine and the process to make it. Although we both found this interesting, we were anxious to get to the next part of the tour...the tasting!
As we arrived at the "wine tasting area," the employees gathered our group round and gave us information about the eight different wines we would be sampling. We were going to taste two white wines, three reds, and three reserves. In addition, they set gourmet cheese and crackers on the table to compliment the wine.
Chris and I both preferred the reserves over the red and white wines. My favorite was the 2005 Sonoma Zinfandel. Here's the description that was provided with it: This wine with explosive strawberry fruit flavor and velvety texture comes from Dry Creek and Alexander Valley vineyards. Its subtle nuances of vanilla and toasty American oak are complemented by its firm tannin structure.
DH's favorite was the 2004 Bridgehead Zinfandel. Here's the description we got: Bridgehead Zin is a dangerous and lethal package, guaranteed to wallop...but it's got class. A beautiful balance of blackberry, pepper and spice, with notes of chocolate and toasty vanilla make this Zin a treasure.
A cool fountain that we looked at as we sipped our wine...
Of course I had to get a picture of the vineyards...
The grapes were too cute! Look how small they are...
Up Next...Sonoma and a late afternoon cruise on San Francisco Bay
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
How much longer....??
hound
Very soon......one more installment and then Yosemite!
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Hi DISers!!! I have a really busy weekend ahead of me...a bridal shower, a BBQ, and a family reunion..so, I don't know how much time I'll have for writing. 
But, I'm going to work on getting my next installment up TODAY, before the weekend hits! 
Happy Friday the 13th!
But, I'm going to work on getting my next installment up TODAY, before the weekend hits! Happy Friday the 13th!
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Sonoma and a cruise on the Bay
After visiting Cline Cellars, we were ready to head back across the Golden Gate Bridge. But, first we decided to stop in Sonoma for a bite to eat. We ended up in Sonoma Plaza where we explored a "square block" of unique stores and restaurants. We spoke to a couple locals and they recommended the Sonoma Cheese Factory for lunch. It was a little hole in the wall place, but very good. Rather than being waited on at a table, you walk up to a grill and place your order. Then, the cook LOUDLY calls your order out and you pick it up. We sat in a back patio type area.
Before leaving Sonoma, we took a peek at this statue. It symbolized the pioneers raising the flag of Bear Republic, which was the beginning of the state of California.
Finally, we were headed back to San Francisco and the Fisherman's Wharf. We were scheduled to take a 5:00 tour on the Bay.
After getting to the pier, we promptly boarded the "Red and White Fleet" and set sail. For this cruise we were handed headsets which gave us a tour of the coastline and the different buildings/structures that we encountered while sailing. Just like the Alcatraz ferry, we sat on the top level on this one. We had a nice, cool, refreshing breeze and just enjoyed being outdoors.
Here are a couple of pictures that I snapped while cruising along the coastline.
One of the highlights was going under the Golden Gate Bridge. It is just so massive.
We also had another chance to cruise completely around Alcatraz Island. It was fun to watch people's reactions, who were seeing the island for the first time!
To be continued... Our day isn't over yet! Post #46
After visiting Cline Cellars, we were ready to head back across the Golden Gate Bridge. But, first we decided to stop in Sonoma for a bite to eat. We ended up in Sonoma Plaza where we explored a "square block" of unique stores and restaurants. We spoke to a couple locals and they recommended the Sonoma Cheese Factory for lunch. It was a little hole in the wall place, but very good. Rather than being waited on at a table, you walk up to a grill and place your order. Then, the cook LOUDLY calls your order out and you pick it up. We sat in a back patio type area.
Before leaving Sonoma, we took a peek at this statue. It symbolized the pioneers raising the flag of Bear Republic, which was the beginning of the state of California.
Finally, we were headed back to San Francisco and the Fisherman's Wharf. We were scheduled to take a 5:00 tour on the Bay.
After getting to the pier, we promptly boarded the "Red and White Fleet" and set sail. For this cruise we were handed headsets which gave us a tour of the coastline and the different buildings/structures that we encountered while sailing. Just like the Alcatraz ferry, we sat on the top level on this one. We had a nice, cool, refreshing breeze and just enjoyed being outdoors.
Here are a couple of pictures that I snapped while cruising along the coastline.
One of the highlights was going under the Golden Gate Bridge. It is just so massive.
We also had another chance to cruise completely around Alcatraz Island. It was fun to watch people's reactions, who were seeing the island for the first time!
To be continued... Our day isn't over yet!
Post #46
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Our day isn't over yet...
Although we were a bit tired from our travels and exploration, we found out that Lombard Street (the crooked street) was only a few blocks from our hotel. Knowing that the next day we would be leaving San Francisco, we were determined to cram in as much as we could!
Did you know that San Francisco has 43 hills? We soon learned that as we ventured out into the city.
"Hey Lynne...look how steep these hills are!"
"I know...I bet people don't have to get gym memberships here. They can get a workout just walking around the city."
We finally reached our destination!!! Here is the view from the TOP of Lombard Street.
We stood at the top for a few minutes and then decided to venture down to the bottom. We heard the best views were down there. This is one of the homes on Lombard. I can't imagine driving up and back Lombard each day to go to work. Maybe they all take public transportation...
We finally made it to the base of the street.
It was kind of fun to watch the cars make their way down, zig-zagging back and forth. We stood among a whole group of people who seemed mesmerized by the cars...it's amazing what we find interesting!
As I snapped pictures, Chris took a short video of Lombard Street.
We decided to venture out to see one more sight before calling it a day...we continued our long walk to Chinatown. We found the Gateway to Chinatown!
Chris and I walked up and down the streets of Chinatown...it was quite busy and very ornate.
After a little while, we headed back to the wharf for dinner. I asked Chris if he wanted to get some fresh seafood......he was in the mood for Mexican!
We ended up finding a little Mexican place called La Cantina. We sat out on the deck overlooking the Bay.....it was quite romantic, seeing as though we were the only ones out there. 
However, we soon realized why there was no one else out there.......after sitting for about 10 minutes, we too moved inside because it was so COLD by the water...
Following dinner, we spent our last night hanging out at the wharf...we shopped, people watched, and enjoyed the street performers. We headed back to the Hilton at around 10:30 p.m. We didn't go to bed too soon after that because we knew we had a big day ahead of us...
Up Next: A ride on a cable car and the 1st peek of Yosemite! - Post #51
Although we were a bit tired from our travels and exploration, we found out that Lombard Street (the crooked street) was only a few blocks from our hotel. Knowing that the next day we would be leaving San Francisco, we were determined to cram in as much as we could!
Did you know that San Francisco has 43 hills? We soon learned that as we ventured out into the city.
"Hey Lynne...look how steep these hills are!"
"I know...I bet people don't have to get gym memberships here. They can get a workout just walking around the city."
We finally reached our destination!!! Here is the view from the TOP of Lombard Street.
We stood at the top for a few minutes and then decided to venture down to the bottom. We heard the best views were down there. This is one of the homes on Lombard. I can't imagine driving up and back Lombard each day to go to work.
Maybe they all take public transportation...
We finally made it to the base of the street.
It was kind of fun to watch the cars make their way down, zig-zagging back and forth. We stood among a whole group of people who seemed mesmerized by the cars...it's amazing what we find interesting!
As I snapped pictures, Chris took a short video of Lombard Street.We decided to venture out to see one more sight before calling it a day...we continued our long walk to Chinatown. We found the Gateway to Chinatown!
Chris and I walked up and down the streets of Chinatown...it was quite busy and very ornate.
After a little while, we headed back to the wharf for dinner. I asked Chris if he wanted to get some fresh seafood......he was in the mood for Mexican!
We ended up finding a little Mexican place called La Cantina. We sat out on the deck overlooking the Bay.....it was quite romantic, seeing as though we were the only ones out there. However, we soon realized why there was no one else out there.......after sitting for about 10 minutes, we too moved inside because it was so COLD by the water...Following dinner, we spent our last night hanging out at the wharf...we shopped, people watched, and enjoyed the street performers. We headed back to the Hilton at around 10:30 p.m. We didn't go to bed too soon after that because we knew we had a big day ahead of us...
Up Next: A ride on a cable car and the 1st peek of Yosemite! - Post #51
Hound 109
<font color=teal>So non-screamin' family members c
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2006
Spartan Vacation Commandos....you guys really get around!
Great pics....i really like the one from the bottom of Lombard St.
To me it looks like it should be a FantasyLand Ride (because of it's sillyness & it's pretty flowers) that should be located between Alice (in Wonderland) & Mr. Toad.
Keep em' coming Spartan Girl!
hound
spongemommie05
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2006
i am absolutely loving your trip report , having lived in the bay area, it brings back alot of memmories and what i really took for granted. at times i miss driving over the bay bridge and pier 39 sourdough soup bowls what i would give for one of those now? i am looking forward to more, we will be taking our 1st trip(me and the kids ,Dh has been a number of times)to disneyland in Oct, And would love to hear your story.
cherokeemamma
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2005
Hi SpartanGirl,
When I saw the picture/video of Lombard St., I went
! OMGosh...that looks insane. The landscaping is amazing as well. Okay, I have a stupid question. Is that a one way street?
I can only imagine that there are several brake and transmission companies in the area!
I love, love, love the photo of the wine glasses...very cool.
Looks like you guys had a wonderful time.
Looking forward to more!
TTFN
Cherokeemamma
When I saw the picture/video of Lombard St., I went
! OMGosh...that looks insane. The landscaping is amazing as well. Okay, I have a stupid question. Is that a one way street? I can only imagine that there are several brake and transmission companies in the area!
I love, love, love the photo of the wine glasses...very cool
.Looks like you guys had a wonderful time.
Looking forward to more!TTFN
Cherokeemamma
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Spartan Vacation Commandos....you guys really get around!
Great pics....i really like the one from the bottom of Lombard St.
To me it looks like it should be a FantasyLand Ride (because of it's sillyness & it's pretty flowers) that should be located between Alice (in Wonderland) & Mr. Toad.
Keep em' coming Spartan Girl!
hound
We do love to see EVERYTHING on vacation!
Thanks for the compliment on my pics...I love taking photos!
I never thought about Lombard fitting into Fantasyland...it really would be perfect!
Yea, a new reader! Thanks for jumping on board!
I'm jealous that you once lived in the bay area...I told Chris that I would have no problem uprooting and moving there. It was so beautiful! Hi SpartanGirl,
When I saw the picture/video of Lombard St., I went
I can only imagine that there are several brake and transmission companies in the area!
I love, love, love the photo of the wine glasses...very cool
Looks like you guys had a wonderful time.
TTFN
Cherokeemamma
Lombard St. was insane...and it was only one way! There would be TONS of trouble if cars were going up and down!
And just think about this...people actually have GARAGES on that stretch! I'm glad you like my "wine glasses" shot! I snapped it quickly before all the glasses were snatched up!
I should have my next installment up tonight! I'm going to start working on it!
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
A ride on a cable car and our 1st views of Yosemite!
We woke up nice and early this morning and headed to the restaurant in the Hilton for a nice breakfast. We both got the breakfast buffet, which was delish! We knew we needed to fuel up our bodies for the long day ahead of us........Yet again, we planned on seeing as much as we could in a short period of time. Today was our last day in San Francisco and this afternoon we were going to head for Yosemite National Park.
After breakfast, we walked about a block to reach the cable car hub. Now, Chris and I have NO PROBLEM walking anywhere....in fact, we love to walk! But, we decided to take a cable car, just to say we did!
We boarded the cable car and had our pick of seats because we were the first ones on this particular car! I think it was $5.00 per person, per way.... The driver told us it used to be really cheap...50 cents each way.....but, the lovely governator raised the price in hopes of making a profit. Anyway, our ride took us through various parts of the city and many people jumped on to ride to work for the day.
I snapped this pic along the way. We found out that this is the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral. Apparantly, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had their pictures taken here for their wedding. They weren't able to get married in this Catholic church because both had been previously divorced.
FYI: I'm a pop-culture fanatic, so this was very interesting to me!
Our ride continued over Nob Hill, which was quite steep....and finally we arrived at Union Square. This would be our first stop for the day!
Union Square was quite impressive......everything was larger than life! There were fancy hotels and tons of shops! I could have spent a ton of money and a lot more time here! Unfortunately, we only had time to window shop because we had a few more places to see before leaving the city. I think Chris was happy that I wasn't able to shop!
We had originally planned to see Nob Hill only from the cable car. However, upon seeing it, we both realized we wanted to get a closer look. Now, had we known ahead of time, we probably would have gotten off at Nob Hill and proceeded to walk to Union Square. Unfortunately, we did everything backwards....we back-tracked and headed up Nob Hill. Wow, that sure is some hill! Nob Hill is the "wealthy" part of town. It's very nice and upscale.
Here is the Mark Hopkins Hotel...
And here is the swanky Fairmont Hotel...
I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to the Travel Channel and was able to pick both of these hotels out because the famed Samantha Brown stayed at these two fine establishments.
We continued on until we reached Grace Cathedral. Boy was it impressive and beautiful!
After standing and admiring the great structure in front of us, we decided to continue on our journey. Rather than taking the cable car again, at $5.00 a pop, we started walking...
To be continued... Post #53
We woke up nice and early this morning and headed to the restaurant in the Hilton for a nice breakfast. We both got the breakfast buffet, which was delish! We knew we needed to fuel up our bodies for the long day ahead of us........Yet again, we planned on seeing as much as we could in a short period of time. Today was our last day in San Francisco and this afternoon we were going to head for Yosemite National Park.
After breakfast, we walked about a block to reach the cable car hub. Now, Chris and I have NO PROBLEM walking anywhere....in fact, we love to walk! But, we decided to take a cable car, just to say we did!
We boarded the cable car and had our pick of seats because we were the first ones on this particular car!
I think it was $5.00 per person, per way.... The driver told us it used to be really cheap...50 cents each way.....but, the lovely governator raised the price in hopes of making a profit. Anyway, our ride took us through various parts of the city and many people jumped on to ride to work for the day. I snapped this pic along the way. We found out that this is the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral. Apparantly, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had their pictures taken here for their wedding. They weren't able to get married in this Catholic church because both had been previously divorced.
FYI: I'm a pop-culture fanatic, so this was very interesting to me!
Our ride continued over Nob Hill, which was quite steep....and finally we arrived at Union Square. This would be our first stop for the day!
Union Square was quite impressive......everything was larger than life! There were fancy hotels and tons of shops! I could have spent a ton of money and a lot more time here! Unfortunately, we only had time to window shop because we had a few more places to see before leaving the city. I think Chris was happy that I wasn't able to shop!
We had originally planned to see Nob Hill only from the cable car. However, upon seeing it, we both realized we wanted to get a closer look. Now, had we known ahead of time, we probably would have gotten off at Nob Hill and proceeded to walk to Union Square. Unfortunately, we did everything backwards....we back-tracked and headed up Nob Hill. Wow, that sure is some hill! Nob Hill is the "wealthy" part of town. It's very nice and upscale.
Here is the Mark Hopkins Hotel...
And here is the swanky Fairmont Hotel...
I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to the Travel Channel and was able to pick both of these hotels out because the famed Samantha Brown stayed at these two fine establishments.
We continued on until we reached Grace Cathedral. Boy was it impressive and beautiful!
After standing and admiring the great structure in front of us, we decided to continue on our journey. Rather than taking the cable car again, at $5.00 a pop, we started walking...
To be continued... Post #53
spongemommie05
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2006
i have stayed at the fairmont hotel before for one of my birthdays my DH got us a room there and we saw the phantom of the opera talk about ooohhh lllllaaaaa llllllaaaaA ride on a cable car and our 1st views of Yosemite!
We woke up nice and early this morning and headed to the restaurant in the Hilton for a nice breakfast. We both got the breakfast buffet, which was delish! We knew we needed to fuel up our bodies for the long day ahead of us........Yet again, we planned on seeing as much as we could in a short period of time. Today was our last day in San Francisco and this afternoon we were going to head for Yosemite National Park.
After breakfast, we walked about a block to reach the cable car hub. Now, Chris and I have NO PROBLEM walking anywhere....in fact, we love to walk! But, we decided to take a cable car, just to say we did!
We boarded the cable car and had our pick of seats because we were the first ones on this particular car!
I snapped this pic along the way. We found out that this is the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral. Apparantly, Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe had their pictures taken here for their wedding. They weren't able to get married in this Catholic church because both had been previously divorced.
Our ride continued over Nob Hill, which was quite steep....and finally we arrived at Union Square. This would be our first stop for the day!
Union Square was quite impressive......everything was larger than life! There were fancy hotels and tons of shops! I could have spent a ton of money and a lot more time here! Unfortunately, we only had time to window shop because we had a few more places to see before leaving the city. I think Chris was happy that I wasn't able to shop!
We had originally planned to see Nob Hill only from the cable car. However, upon seeing it, we both realized we wanted to get a closer look. Now, had we known ahead of time, we probably would have gotten off at Nob Hill and proceeded to walk to Union Square. Unfortunately, we did everything backwards....we back-tracked and headed up Nob Hill. Wow, that sure is some hill! Nob Hill is the "wealthy" part of town. It's very nice and upscale.
Here is the Mark Hopkins Hotel...
And here is the swanky Fairmont Hotel...
I hate to admit it, but I am addicted to the Travel Channel and was able to pick both of these hotels out because the famed Samantha Brown stayed at these two fine establishments.
We continued on until we reached Grace Cathedral. Boy was it impressive and beautiful!
After standing and admiring the great structure in front of us, we decided to continue on our journey. Rather than taking the cable car again, at $5.00 a pop, we started walking...
To be continued...
can't wait for more.
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Continued...
We walked for what seemed like forever! And...it seemed like we were always walking uphill. With 43 hills in San Francisco, wouldn't you think some of them would go down? Maybe we took the wrong route....we would reach the top of one hill, only to turn the corner and find another upward route. At least we had beautiful views...
Side Note: Before taking this "long walk," our hotel had provided us with a terrific map of the city. We found this extremely useful!
Chris taped a couple of cable cars on "one of the many" hills that we encountered...
We walked several miles (I couldn't even guess how many) and finally reached Ghiradelli Square. We headed into one of the shops and tasted the yummy chocolate samples.....a small taste of heaven!
We soon forgot the long walk we had encountered because the chocolate made everything worthwhile!
In Ghiradelli Square, we came upon a restaurant called "Lori's Diner." We decided to stop for lunch. It was a cute little restaurant that was reflective of the 50's era. It was a themed diner, where even the staff dressed the part. The food was great, and not too expensive, and the diner overlooked the bay. Worn out from the walk, I forgot to take pics of the restaurant.
After eating, we decided to head back to the Fisherman's Wharf for one last look.....it was a short walk from Ghiradelli Square.
Even though it was a beautiful, sunny day, we noticed the fog on the bridge.
We watched the sea lions one last time and I snapped a photo of a pelican that passed us by...
Although we weren't quite ready to leave San Francisco, we knew it was time to check out of our hotel and hit the road toward Yosemite. So, we walked back to the Hilton, checked out, and began the long journey toward the National Park.
On our ride, we passed through the fertile San Joaquin Valley and climbed through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The views definitely were not lacking...
We continued for many hours and stopped to snap a few pictures when we got our first views of Yosemite.
After our initial glances, I knew we were in for a treat once we hit the park...
Up Next...we arrive at the lodge! - #63
We walked for what seemed like forever! And...it seemed like we were always walking uphill. With 43 hills in San Francisco, wouldn't you think some of them would go down?
Maybe we took the wrong route....we would reach the top of one hill, only to turn the corner and find another upward route. At least we had beautiful views...Side Note: Before taking this "long walk," our hotel had provided us with a terrific map of the city. We found this extremely useful!
Chris taped a couple of cable cars on "one of the many" hills that we encountered...
We walked several miles (I couldn't even guess how many) and finally reached Ghiradelli Square. We headed into one of the shops and tasted the yummy chocolate samples.....a small taste of heaven!
We soon forgot the long walk we had encountered because the chocolate made everything worthwhile!
In Ghiradelli Square, we came upon a restaurant called "Lori's Diner." We decided to stop for lunch. It was a cute little restaurant that was reflective of the 50's era. It was a themed diner, where even the staff dressed the part. The food was great, and not too expensive, and the diner overlooked the bay. Worn out from the walk, I forgot to take pics of the restaurant.
After eating, we decided to head back to the Fisherman's Wharf for one last look.....it was a short walk from Ghiradelli Square.
Even though it was a beautiful, sunny day, we noticed the fog on the bridge.
We watched the sea lions one last time and I snapped a photo of a pelican that passed us by...
Although we weren't quite ready to leave San Francisco, we knew it was time to check out of our hotel and hit the road toward Yosemite. So, we walked back to the Hilton, checked out, and began the long journey toward the National Park.
On our ride, we passed through the fertile San Joaquin Valley and climbed through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The views definitely were not lacking...
We continued for many hours and stopped to snap a few pictures when we got our first views of Yosemite.
After our initial glances, I knew we were in for a treat once we hit the park...
Up Next...we arrive at the lodge! - #63
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
Wow, what a terrific birthday gift!!! Not only the Fairmont, but Phantom too!!!
Was the Fairmont as beautiful as it looks?
Hound 109
<font color=teal>So non-screamin' family members c
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2006
....& I once stayed at the Mark Hopkins.
But if the cable cars had been 5 bucks each way back then, I would have had to stay at the Motel 6.
Yeah....Mountains coming up.
(I love that first view of Yosemite valley....Isn't that after you come out of a tunnel? It's been about 40 years since I've seen it.)
hound
imp&pixie
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- May 23, 2006
I am absolutely loving your report. It is so much fun to see the things that I take for granted through another person's eyes. Your photos are fantastic! I live an hour from SF so I have spent lots of time there - I went to grad school there and did internships with the California Historical Society and SFMOMA.
Believe it or not, I have never been to Napa! We are taking a short trip up there in Sept. and I can't wait to see the beautiful wineries.
I have spent a few weeks in Yosemite doing search & rescue training and it is probably the most breathtaking scenery I have ever encountered.
Can't wait to read more!
Believe it or not, I have never been to Napa! We are taking a short trip up there in Sept. and I can't wait to see the beautiful wineries.
I have spent a few weeks in Yosemite doing search & rescue training and it is probably the most breathtaking scenery I have ever encountered.
Can't wait to read more!
tiggerwannabe
~Optimistic Realist~
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2002
I can't wait to see your Yosemite pictures!
How long did it take you to drive from San Fran to Yosemite?
How long did it take you to drive from San Fran to Yosemite?
Spartangirl
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 19, 2007
....& I once stayed at the Mark Hopkins.
But if the cable cars had been 5 bucks each way back then, I would have had to stay at the Motel 6.
Yeah....Mountains coming up.
(I love that first view of Yosemite valley....Isn't that after you come out of a tunnel? It's been about 40 years since I've seen it.)
hound
Wow....I would love to stay at either the Fairmont or the Mark Hopkins...I mean, the Hilton was nice and all, but c'mon!
I love your Motel 6 comment...
Hopefully I will be able to post on the "Mountains" tomorrow!
I believe we did exit a tunnel when we saw our first view of the valley...
I am absolutely loving your report. It is so much fun to see the things that I take for granted through another person's eyes. Your photos are fantastic! I live an hour from SF so I have spent lots of time there - I went to grad school there and did internships with the California Historical Society and SFMOMA.
Believe it or not, I have never been to Napa! We are taking a short trip up there in Sept. and I can't wait to see the beautiful wineries.
I have spent a few weeks in Yosemite doing search & rescue training and it is probably the most breathtaking scenery I have ever encountered.
Can't wait to read more!
I'm glad you are enjoying my report!
Thank you for the nice compliment on my photos! 
You will love Napa!!! I'm glad to hear that you will finally have your chance to make the trip!!! We loved wine country...I wish we would have had more time to visit some of the other wineries.
I agree with you...Yosemite was absolutely breathtaking! I hope my pictures do it justice....I think I was just in awe when we first stepped into the valley.
Thanks for joining my trippie!We did see a lot!!!
If you ever have a chance, DEFINITELY head to the National Park....it is so beautiful!I have video on posts #46 and #53 so far. The clips are mixed into my report. Look for a picture that looks like it has film strips at the top and the bottom. Click on it, and it will show my short clips.
I think it took us about 5 hours. It was a long ride, but I kind of lost track of the time between my short naps and watching the beautiful scenery.
Trissy
Indiana is where I live, but Michigan is my home
- Joined
- May 4, 2002
HI LYNNE!
I swear it's like reading myself. We sure have quite a bit in common. This is one of my dream trips. The weather in your pics looks fabulous. I'm a west coast MI girl myself, hoping to move back next year, of course that's every year. Anyways, enough about me. Thanks for posting this TR because I'm soooo interested in going to CA and the places you went. I thought my DH and I were the only young 30's with no kids, any plans?
I swear it's like reading myself. We sure have quite a bit in common. This is one of my dream trips. The weather in your pics looks fabulous. I'm a west coast MI girl myself, hoping to move back next year, of course that's every year. Anyways, enough about me. Thanks for posting this TR because I'm soooo interested in going to CA and the places you went. I thought my DH and I were the only young 30's with no kids, any plans?
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