San Francisco - Alison Bing [226]
Babbling Brook Inn ( 831-427-2437; www.babblingbrookinn.com; 1025 Laurel St; r $209-289; ) Built around a running stream with meandering gardens, the inn has cozy rooms in small buildings, decorated in French-provincial style. Most have gas fireplaces, some have Jacuzzis; all have featherbeds and downy-soft pillows. There’s afternoon wine and full breakfast.
Sea & Sand Inn ( 831-427-3400; www.santacruzmotels.com; 201 W Cliff Dr; r $199-249; ) The spiffiest motel in town overlooks Main Beach and has grassy lawns at the cliff’s edge – fall asleep to braying sea lions. Rooms are smallish and bathrooms could use updating (showers, no tubs), but they’re clean, never mind that the tiles needs re-grouting. Stellar views explain the rates.
Sunset Inn ( 831-423-7500; www.sunsetinnsantacruz.com; 2424 Mission St; r $95-165; ) On the outskirts of town, this single-story motel has big rooms with fridges and microwaves. It’s plain Jane, but clean, well kept and one of town’s best deals.
Santa Cruz Hostel ( 831-423-8304; www.hi-santacruz.org; 321 Main St; dm $25-28, d $55-75) This lovely hostel occupies several century-old cottages surrounded by flowering gardens. It’s two blocks from the beach, five from downtown. Note: there’s a three-night maximum and an 11pm curfew (bummer). Make reservations.
Pitch a tent and camp ( 800-444-7275; campsites $25) among the redwoods in nearby Henry Cowell Redwoods or Big Basin Redwoods State Parks, north of town off Hwy 9. Otherwise, there’s New Brighton State Beach, 4 miles south of Santa Cruz, near Capitola. Call ahead, as these state parks may close under Governor Schwarzenegger’s budget plan.
Getting Around
Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit ( 831-425-8600; www.scmtd.com; ticket/day pass $1.50/4.50) operates from the Santa Cruz Metro Transit Center (920 Pacific Ave) and serves the greater Santa Cruz region, including San Jose ($4), where you can catch Caltrain to SF, or Amtrak to Oakland and Berkeley.
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TRANSPORTATION
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AIR
BICYCLE
BOAT
BUS, STREETCAR & CABLE CAR
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
TAXI
TRAIN
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Back during the Gold Rush, prospectors would run, gallop and swim to get to San Francisco pronto. But since those days the city has mellowed out, and now being in a rush seems very un–San Francisco. Dude, this isn’t Los Angeles or New York. When San Franciscans don’t have somewhere else to be right quick – and even when they do – most people walk, bike or take Muni instead of a car or cab. Those slackers are smart: this is the best way to take in San Francisco, and helps preserve the city’s many all-natural charms by curbing carbon emissions and other pollutants.
As Jack Kerouac says, the journey to San Francisco can blow your mind. That said, you don’t have to endure months On the Road to make it memorable. Consider taking your sweet time getting here by train, boat or bicycle instead of a car or plane. That way, you can actually relax and enjoy the spectacular coastal scenery without all the wrong turns, traffic jams, flight delays, airport security hassles and excess carbon emissions. The hippies had it right: San Francisco isn’t just a destination, it’s a total trip.
AIR
Deals can be found year-round to San Francisco, where service from multiple domestic and international airlines in three Bay Area airports keeps prices competitive. Listed below are some of the major carriers serving the Bay Area. Check online for the best deals, and if you’re flying into San Jose or Oakland instead of San Francisco, don’t forget to factor in additional transit time and costs to get to SF. To take the scenic route to SF, consider taking the train instead Click here – you’ll be doing the environment a favor by cutting back on carbon emissions, too. Flights and rail tickets can be booked online at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services.
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THINGS CHANGE…
The information in this chapter is particularly vulnerable