I just had the opportunity to spend a few days exploring San Mateo and Palo Alto, California (just outside of San Francisco), and I had a wonderful time. This region is loaded with fun and exciting things to see and do, not to mention, a ton of really great restaurants, shopping opportunities, and countless outdoor recreational activities (including golf, biking, hiking, kayaking, surfing, whale watching and sport fishing).So, if you happen to be visiting the San Francisco area for business or pleasure, consider taking a short detour to San Mateo and Palo Alto (located less than an hour from the San Francisco Airport).
San Mateo County is located on a 60-mile peninsula immediately south of San Francisco, and is bordered on the east by the world-famous San Francisco Bay. To learn more about this region, visit www.VisitSanMateoCounty.com, or call the San Mateo County/Silicon Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau at (650) 348-7600 or (800) 288-4748.
One of my first stops was a visit to Thomas Fogerty Winery & Vineyards (650-851-6777). This winery and vineyard offers a variety of ongoing events that are open to the public, including tours and wine tastings. Founded in 1981 by Dr. Thomas Fogarty, this winery and vineyard produces a handful of award-winning wines.
While tasting the wines is a treat onto itself, exploring the vineyards is a memorable experience because the mountainous landscape is simply breathtaking. If you're looking for a unique and stunningly beautiful setting to host a private event, such as a wedding, party, corporate event or any type of social gathering, Thomas Fogerty Winery & Vineyards is set up to handle groups of almost any size.
Even if you're not a big wine aficionado, chances are you'll enjoy a visit to this winery and vineyard, which is located about 2,000 feet above sea level in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Photographs from my trip to San Mateo. (c)2009 Jason R. Rich. All rights reserved.
Located about 55 miles south of San Francisco, along the Pacific Ocean, is the Ano Nuevo State Nature Reserve. It's easy to spend a few hours (or even an entire day) exploring this park, which is home to hundreds of wild elephant seals, sea lions and other marine mammals living along the shoreline.
Visitors can view the elephant seals from just a few yards away, so you'll get an up-close look at these amazing creatures, yet visitors are kept far enough away from them so they remain undisturbed in their natural habitat. Park rangers are on-hand to answer questions. Oh, and be sure to bring a camera.
The Ano Nuevo State Nature Reserve is a lovely and beautiful place to explore. Be prepared to do some walking (however, much of the park is handicap accessible). If you want to see wild elephant seals, sea lions and other marine animals up-close, a visit to this park is far more memorable and exciting than a visit to any zoo or marine life theme park.
If seeing flowers, exotic plants and breathtaking landscaping is of interest, plan on spending at least a few hours on a walking tour of Filoli Center. Here, you'll find a gorgeous, 36,000 square foot mansion which is open for tours, plus more than 16-acres of incredible landscaping in the form of gardens. Visitors are free to explore the incredible and colorful gardens, plus take part in a wide range of activities, lectures and classes which regularly take place here. Visit the Filoli Center's website for a listing of special events.
The estate was built by William Bower Bourne II (who earned his great wealth as an owner of gold mines in California.) While the mansion is an impressive site, the gardens are truly spectacular, as you'll find literally thousands of flowers, trees and exotic plants on display here throughout the year. And, as the seasons change, so does the landscaping.
While this region features hundreds of wonderful casual and fine-dining restaurants, two which deserve a special mention are Cameron's Restaurant & Pub in Half Moon Bay (on Highway 1, about 30 minutes south of San Francisco) and MacArthur Park Restaurant (located in Palo Alto).
Cameron's Restaurant & Pub is modeled after an authentic English pub and is extremely unique. The food and drinks are top-notch, but it's the decor and atmosphere of this casual dining and drinking establishment that truly set it apart. Drop by for a drink or enjoy a full meal. In addition to traditional British menu items, Cameron's is known for its burgers.
For a much more elegant dining experience that is sure to be delightful, make a reservation for dinner at MacArthur Park Restaurant. The restaurant is housed in a fully-restored historical landmark building designed by Julia Morgan (circa 1918).
MacArthur Park Restaurant is home to award-winning chef Faz Poursohi, who has partnered with restauranteur Chuck Frank to create a menu that's chock full of mouth-watering specialties.
In terms of accommodations, if you're looking for a full-service and upscale business-friendly hotel, the Sofitel San Francisco Bay (located in Redwood City, between downtown San Francisco and San Jose) offers the perfect place to stay. A free shuttle is available to/from the San Francisco Airport. The guest rooms and suites are clean, spacious, comfortable and offer a wide range of amenities that are ideal for business travelers.
Another business-friendly hotel that's located just minutes from the San Francisco Airport is the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport, which is rated as an AAA Four-Diamond property. Offering luxurious guest rooms and suites, plus meeting rooms and conference facilities, this large hotel features extremely comfortable and modern rooms, with all of the services and amenities a business traveler could ask for.
Posts
