Every Fall you’ll see caravans of cars driving from the San Francisco Bay Area up north Highway 1 and 101 to chase the gorgeous change of seasons along the Oregon Coast. Oregon Coast is beautiful any time of the year but truly magical in the Fall. So, after booking the hotels, we loaded our car, converting the back seat into a luxurious road accommodation for our dog Monkey, and joined the fun. Chandelier Tree, Leggett, California On the way to Eureka, California (our first overnight stay on the road trip), we swung by the famous Chandelier Tree in Leggett to stretch our legs and let Monkey sniff around. Looking up…
-
-
Fort Ross, CA: From Russia With Love
Surrounded by majestic evergreen forest, Fort Ross, the 19th-century Russian fort, is perched above the Pacific Ocean, a mere hour and a half north of the Golden Gate Bridge. While the San Francisco Bay Area has its fair share of historical sites and unique attractions, Fort Ross in Sonoma County is a destination in itself. Beginning our trip on a Thursday morning, traffic was fairly light and stress-free, versus white-knuckling it most of the way stuck in weekend traffic. And, once out of the City and up the road a ways, we were weaving through the countryside and the farmlands of Petaluma. Hungry and looking for a place to eat,…
-
San Pedro Square Market: Taste World Cuisines in San Jose!
Among the many things to see and do in San Jose, you most likely need a place to eat as well. San Pedro Square Market in downtown San Jose is a favorite local hangout with a variety of eateries and watering holes to choose from. So, when you want to eat something and are not sure what exactly it is you want, the Market is a perfect spot. Stir in some cool live entertainment (hello, Vinyl Replay 😊), with a side of California history, and Ta-Da! – you get San Pedro Square Market that will charm the pants off you. Well, at least, make you unbutton them after filling up…
-
Hunting for Treasures & Odd Artifacts in the British Museum
Considered to be one of the largest museums in the world, the British Museum is truly magnificent. With free admission, it’s a must-see stop on your first trip to London. People cherish a chance to visit the British Museum and dedicate an entire day or two to admire its vast treasures. Be it the Rosetta Stone, Assyrian Lion Hunt Reliefs, Parthenon Marbles, Egyptian Mummies, Hoa Hoakananai’a (The Easter Island statue below), or more obscure ones, like the artifacts we were after. With over 80 MILLION items in its collection, only one percent is currently on display – that’s 800,000 things to look at, and you don’t want to miss a…
-
Foothills Park: Outdoor Adventures in San Francisco Bay Area
Foothills Park has been accessible solely to residents of Palo Alto, a posh town in the San Francisco Bay Area. Actually, you could earn yourself a fine of $1,000 if caught on the property without an accompanying resident of Palo Alto. No kidding! But in December of 2020, after half a century of exclusivity, Foothills Park finally opened its gates to the general public (non-residents of Palo Alto). Recently, our local news has been reporting about the park and its history. Naturally, we had to see what all the hoopla was about. Is Foothills Park worth visiting? And what is so special about this once-private park in the foothills of…
-
Oddball Day Trip in Santa Cruz Mountains
Santa Cruz Mountains is not the direction most people think of while visiting this eccentric coastal town in California. Visitors flock to its famous Boardwalk to chill on the beach, soaking in the scenic views of the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes it is forgotten that Santa Cruz also borders Big Basin and Henry Cowell Redwood State Parks. Two of the largest in the state! And, of course, the Pogonip Open Space where our Sunday trip started. Pogonip Open Space Our neighbor and former long-time Santa Cruz resident recommended checking out the old lime kilns and the rock garden in Pogonip. Now we understand why. After chatting with a couple of students…
-
Stonehenge: A Mystery, History, and Magic Day Trip from London
Stonehenge was the number one destination during our first visit to the United Kingdom. And how could it not? Shrouded in mystery, popularized in literature and movies, it’s like the Holy Grail forged in Stone. However, our friends in the UK proclaimed our visit to Stonehenge to be “the last time they take anybody there again.” Why, might you wonder? Well, let’s start with this tidbit of information on transportation options and what to expect when you visit this 5,000-year-old mystical site. DISCLAIMER: We visited Stonehenge before Covid-19. Check their website for opening times and tours. Transportation We piled into our friends’ car in Twickenham, a charming suburban town southwest of London…
