California THE NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE
With their own international gateway airports both Northern California (San Francisco) and Southern California (Los Angeles and San Diego) offer two contrasting but equally memorable touring holidays. In this article we suggest an itinerary for both
Northern California VISTAS AND VINES By Alan Orbell It’s little wonder Tony Bennett left his heart in San Francisco because it is undoubtedly one of America’s most appealing and alluring cities. It has a distinctly European feel with hills and windy streets, including Lombard, said to be the world’s most crooked street. More importantly it is a city brimming
with iconic attractions to maintain the interest of any visitor. One of those images which instantly identifies California is the fabulous Golden Gate Bridge which has linked San Francisco to Marin County since 1937. All the many city tours include the bridge but a great way to enjoy it is by bike ride (completely segregated from the traffic) (
www.bikeandroll.com or
www.blazingsaddles.com) to the pretty town of Sausalito and then take the ferry back to Fisherman’s Wharf, another of the city’s major attractions, in fact the city’s number one tourist centre. Right there is Pier 39, a place full of
shops and eateries – of course seafood is a speciality – street performers, the
Aquarium of the Bay, Ghirardelli Square and boat excursions galore. Best known of these is to Alcatraz, the island-prison which once housed some of America’s most notorious prisoners, including Al Capone, until 1971. Most of the prison is still intact and it makes for a fascinating few hours’ visit. Undoubtedly the most appealing way
to get to Pier 39 from the city centre is by one of San Francisco’s historic cable cars but the city is also served by streetcars (trolleybuses to us), buses and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) metro system serving 43 stations. Passes are available. There are lots of city tours but three
new ones are the Magic Bus Time Travelling Adventure which tells the story of the 1960s (
www.magicbussf. com), San Francisco Electric Tours Company Segway tours of Golden Gate Park (www.electrictourcompany. com) and a three-hour Twilight Tour of the city starting at 6pm (www.
towertours.com). Other ‘musts’ for a San Francisco stay
are the Ferry Building Marketplace on the Embarcadero waterfront, a big draw
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Top Selling Tips...
• “Visit Yosemite National Park and the state’s largest man- made reservoir – Lake Tahoe. Explore Sacramento's rich gold rush heritage; take a trip through Sonoma Valley, the birthplace of California’s wine industry; don't forget the magnificent attractions of San Francisco such as Union Square, the Golden Gate Bridge and the infamous federal prison of Alcatraz. "Take the famous 17-Mile Drive down to the beautiful sandy beaches of Carmel and continue south to join the Big Sur coastline to Cambria. All of the above and more bring out the charm that is Northern
California.” CRAIG LIDDLE key account manager, Titan
for food lovers; Chinatown; Little Italy (North Beach); Union Square for art galleries and shopping, outdoor cafes and flowers stalls; Haight-Ashbury where the whole hippy counter culture started; Nob Hill for some of the city’s poshest houses and hotels; the Japanese Tea Garden and California Academy of Sciences – a fascinating natural history museum with aquarium, planetarium, indoor rainforest and a living roof; and museums galore. There’s more than enough to fill a
week in San Francisco but most UK visitors will want to head out to see some more of northern California. There are lots of possible routes –
always be cautious of overdoing the miles, it’s so easy in the US – and this is just one of many options which takes in the California coastline, Yosemite National Park, one of America’s best- known lakes, the wine country, State capital and endless scenic splendours along the way. First head south 115 miles to
Below: The Big Sur on California's Central Coast at the start of the Santa Lucia mountains
28 October 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
BMI PUBLISHING/MATT BONNER
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