Bay Area Tours
Great Pacific Tours offers smaller group tours of about 10-12 people, which gives guest a little more attention and personal service. Thier address is:
www.greatpacifictour.com
Grayline offers the same tours but larger groups of 15-25 people. Their address is:
http://www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/us/sanfrancisco.go?mode=activities&cd=CT&cat=City+Tours
Places to visit
San Francisco
San Francisco is renowned for its often chilly summer fog, steep rolling hills, an eclectic mix of
Victorian and
modern architecture, and its peninsular location surrounded on three sides by the
Pacific Ocean and
San Francisco Bay. Famous hallmarks and landmarks include the
Golden Gate Bridge,
Alcatraz Island, the
cable cars, the
Transamerica Pyramid,
Coit Tower, and
Chinatown.
http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/what_to_do/.
Beaches:
Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz is the quintessential beach town. It was here that Hawaiian royalty first introduced surfing to the mainland--and locals and visitors alike have been riding the waves ever since. Not far from the surf break, calliope music and laughter fills the air at the
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, the West Coast's last remaining seaside amusement park. A few blocks from the beach is Santa Cruz's newly renovated
downtown. The pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined streets are filled with vibrant shops and galleries, outdoor bistros and sidewalk musicians - all in keeping with Surf City's offbeat personality.
Monterey -
The magnificent Monterey Peninsula has been called the greatest meeting of land, sea and sky and is recognized as an ideal vacation and business destination. This beautiful seaside community combines all the charm of small town America with an endless variety of recreational and cultural activities. Monterey's rich history, the saga of California's Mission Trail, historic Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row, 20 world-class golf courses, the world's best aquarium, a unique variety of shops and galleries and a spectacular assortment of parks and natural areas combine to provide a truly unrivaled place for your next getaway.
http://www.monterey.com/.
Wine Country:
Napa Valley - Wine Country is a region of
Northern California in the
United States, known world-wide as a premium wine-growing region since 1838. There are some 200 wineries in the area north of
San Francisco, mostly located in the area's valleys, including
Napa Valley in Napa County, and the
Sonoma Valley,
Alexander Valley,
Dry Creek Valley and
Russian River Valley in
Sonoma County.
http://www.napavalley.com/.
Lake Tahoe:
Lake Tahoe is a large
freshwater lake in the
Sierra Nevada mountains of the United States, located along the border between
California and
Nevada at its major bend west of
Carson City. The lake is famed for the clarity of its water and the panorama of surrounding mountains on all sides. The area, referred to as
Tahoe, is home to a number of
ski resorts and summer outdoor recreation.
http://www.tahoe.com/.
Silicon Valley:
Silicon Valley is the southern part of the
San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The term originally referred to the region's large number of
silicon chip innovators and manufacturers, but eventually came to refer to all the
high tech businesses in the area. Even though it is not truly a valley, it is a
metonym for the high-tech sector generally.
Put Shilpa's shopping and Technology type links in here.
Tech Museum of Innovation
Hands-on, imaginative, high-tech exhibits showcase the past, present, and future of Silicon Valley. The museum is also home to a state-of-the-art IMAX Dome Theater. 201 South Market St., San Jose 95113. (408) 294-TECH.
Napa Wineries
Napa Valley is known today for its wine industry, rising in the 1960s to the first rank of wine regions with France and Italy. The combination of natural beauty, pleasant Mediterranean climate, and proximity to San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento has made it into one of the United States' most desirable areas in which to live. However, its citizens are famous for their resistance to suburban development, with the result that 33 of California's 58 counties--including many that are far from major urban areas--are more populous.
Gilroy Premium Outlets
Located south of San Jose, Gilroy Premium Outlets features an unparalleled collection of designer and name brand outlet stores. With 145 outlet stores, shoppers will find impressive savings at Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers Factory Store, Coach, Polo Ralph Lauren, Sony and More. The Outlets bring together the finest brands, unique outdoor settings and savings of 25 to 65 percent every day.
Great Mall Of The Bay Area
Northern California's largest outlet mall. Great Mall has over 185 out- let, off-price and specialty stores all under one roof. Plus numerous restaurants, and two entertainment centers. Located off I-880 in Milpitas at Great Mall Parkway and Montague Expressway. (408) 956-2033.
Santana Row
New upscale shopping, restaurants, and much more.
Children's Discovery Museum
One of the largest museum's of it's kind in the nation, over 150 interactive exhibits lead visitors to explore, understand and enjoy the world in which they live. 180 Woz Way, San Jose, CA 95110. (408) 298-5437.
Yosemite:
Yosemite is visited by over 3.5 million visitors each year, with most only seeing the seven square miles of
Yosemite Valley. Designated a
World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its spectacular
granite cliffs,
waterfalls, clear
streams, Giant Sequoia groves, and
biological diversity. About 89% of the park is designated
Wilderness. It was also the first park set aside by the U.S. federal government. Although not the first designated
national park, Yosemite was a focal point in the development of the national park idea, largely owing to the work of people like
John Muir.
http://www.nps.gov/yose
You can also visit some of the sites mentioned below to see what places you can visit in and around the Bay Area.
http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/california-san-francisco-bay-area-us-ca-sfs.htm
http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/san-jose-us-ca-sj.htm
http://www.sanfrancisco.com/attractions/attractions.html
http://www.touringca.com/catourists.htm
http://www.discoversiliconvalley.com/
A few sites that give you information on restaurants in and around the Bay Area:
http://siliconvalley.citysearch.com/find/section/siliconvalley/restaurants.html
http://www.santa-clara.com/dining/index.shtml
http://www.topix.net/restaurants/santa-clara-ca
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g33146-Sunnyvale_California.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g33046-Santa_Clara_California.html
Map with details on a few restaurants around the area. Click here for larger view.
