From San Francisco to LA - Santa Cruz

After spending three amazing days in San Francisco and three amazing days in San Jose, it's time for some R&R and Santa Curz is just the place. From San Jose you need to get on the I-17 south to get to Santa Cruz and the journey is incredible. Be ready to twist and turn through some amazing mountains. The views are picturesque all along the way. Be adventurous and turn down some of the side roads. When you pass the turnoff to Scott's Valley try heading down Mt. Herman Road and you'll find yourself in another California town full of character. Be sure to stop into Auntie Meme's cafe for breakfast or lunch. They've been rated the best restaurant in Scott's valley for a number of years running. I always have the Eggs Benedict Florentine for breakfast.

After breakfast, get back on the I-17 south and you'll find yourself in Santa Cruz in no time. Immediately as you enter the city, you'll know you're in a beach town! The fun starts!

California Bums, We look at life from a different angle!

From LA to San Francisco Continued

After spending three days in San Francisco be sure to drive down the I-280 towards San Jose. Take your time. The view along the I-280 is amazing. It’s well worth stopping at some of the vista points along the way. And, be sure to turn down Page Mill Road into Palo Alto, which is a quaint but wealthy town home to Stanford University. It’s also home to some of the richest Venture Capitalist firms in the world. So, if you’re looking for cash, it’s not a bad place to be. Grab lunch and then head back down Page Mill Road and onto the I-280 south on your way to San Jose.

Before you get as far along as Palo Alto, as your leaving San Francisco, just about at the turnoff to a small town called Pacifica (well worth visiting) you’ll notice a line of clouds in the sky. All of a sudden the clouds completely vanish and the sky is as blue as it could ever be and the wind becomes warm. That’s when you know you’re on your way to San Jose. San Jose is almost always sunny and always much warmer than San Francisco. It’s also more spread out than San Francisco. Downtown San Jose is fantastic. In fact, San Jose really is a hidden diamond in California. Everything is close by and the weather is perfect. The nightlife is great because you can walk outside without being cold.

San Jose has also gone through a revitalization and there are many new clubs and restaurants opening. The architecture in San Jose also has a more Mexican style, which adds a nice cultural feel to the city. I’d recommend spending two or even three days in San Jose. Be sure to stay downtown for the first day and night but then move to the Bristol Hotel on Bascom Avenue. The rooms at the Bristol are very spacious, the price is right and its close to the Prunyard Shopping Center, where you can grab a great meal, go to a movie and then hit a local pub (right beside the movie theatre). On your second day, be sure to hit Vasona Lake County Park for a morning run and then grab a Starbucks on Blossom Hill Road and Los Gatos Blvd right next to the Ferrari dealer. If you’re staying three nights, I’d spend one night downtown and two nights at the Bristol and explore Los Gatos and South Saratoga for the last day.

Then you’re off to Santa Cruz along the I-17.

From San Francisco to LA

San Francisco

I remember my first impression of San Francisco was not good. The city was overcast and the buildings seemed like they were going to fall over. But, the people were all having fun. They were walking in the streets. They were running. They were biking. They were eating out in the restaurants. They were sailing . They were walking on the beach. They were going to theatre. That’s when I realized that I was having fun too. And, the City started to change.

Everywhere I went there was another opportunity to meet someone new. You could get everywhere you wanted to go by walking or taking the bus; and, San Francisco has the coolest buses. The hills were enormous and I was losing weight fast. One side of the city had the harbor with all kinds of boats. The other side of the city was entirely beach where all manner of sports were possible. When it rained it only lasted for a short time and then went away. There were restaurants everywhere from every country imaginable. The wine was straight from California and was the best in the world. There were hidden parks and people were enjoying themselves outside.

I remember touring a friend through San Francisco in December. We drove across the Golden Gate bridge and then walked back across it overlooking the City. It was a clear winter day.

Be careful about visiting San Francisco on your vacation for too long.

As my friend looked across the San Francisco Bay, he only had these words to say: “how do I move here?” He was only here for three days. I’d suggest taking at least three days to get to see the City. And, I’d say that after living here for three years you’ll do almost anything to stay.