Explore California
North on Highway 1 + Redwoods
So much to explore along the coast, north of SF
Driving north from San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge leads to so much more than wine country. Heading north along the coast you can stop by the redwoods in Muir Woods, surf town of Stinson Beach, hikes in Point Reyes/Tamales Point, fresh oysters in Marshall, golfing and incredible cliffs in Bodega Bay (Northwood Golf Club), lunch and live music at the Peg House, and massive redwoods starting in Humboldt County. If you want to see more of Redwoods National and State Parks, drive through the Avenue of the Giants stopping at The Grieg-French-Bell Grove, continuing to Miner’s Ridge/Fern Canyon, and if you’re up for it, head all the way to Jedidiah Smith State Park for the Boy Scout Tree trail. This is our favorite part of the redwoods.
Napa/St.Helena/Healdsburg Area
Enjoy the wine country that surrounds our wedding
Although our wedding is in Sonoma, Napa and Sonoma Counties are full of other stunning wineries, restaurants, and hiking. Our favorite Napa and St. Helena spots are Prisoner Wine Company, Round Pond, Bremer Winery, Handwritten Winery, Gott’s Roadside burgers, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, Oakville Grocery for sandwiches, and Oat Hill Mine Trail. Healdsburg is less than an hour north of Sonoma and has a great town square with elegant restaurants (Troubadour & Dry Creek General Store for lunch, Barn Diva, Catelli’s, Diavola for dinner) great wineries (Truett Huerst, Ridge, Talty), and beautiful landscape. Take a page out of the Kaiser family playbook and rent e-bikes while stopping at multiple vineyards. Make sure to stop by Russian River Brewery to try Pliny the Elder too.
San Francisco
The City by the Bay - Explore our home!
SF is a unique city with so much to offer. There are a few neighborhoods we love and recommend checking out or staying if you want to be in the city longer. Hayes Valley/The Haight: Our neighborhood, try eating at Souvla, Cafe Reveille, Lucinda’s, Dumpling Home, Rich Table, or get drinks at ANINA. Climb up Buena Vista, visit Alamo Square Park or bike through Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach. The Marina/Pac Heights: Walk/bike through Fort Mason and stop at The Interval or Radhaus. Chestnut St. has loads of restaurants and bars, we love Roma Antica. Then head over to The Palace of the Fine Arts and Chrissy Field to see the bay and bridge. If you’re up for a hike go up and over the Golden Gate Bridge to Baker Beach and continue to Land’s End/Point Lobos/Mile Rock Beach The Mission: Try eating at any of the many great Mexican restaurants (La Taqueria, Papalote, Taqueria Vallarta, or drinks at El Techo or The Beehive), Tartine for breakfast or lunch and head to Mission Dolores Park.
Yosemite
Only the best place to get engaged...
Yosemite National Park is one of the most breathtaking places in the country. The dramatic cliffs, mountains and Half Dome captivate all who pass through. We typically camp in the valley, but campsites are tough to get and April can be cold in the mountains. We love to stop by Tunnel View, hike the Mist trail, and check out Lower Yosemite Falls (you can climb up and swim at the base of the waterfall). There will be snow in the mountains and some trails/roads may be closed, specially any off of Tioga Pass near Tuolumne Meadows or up to Glacier Point.
Lake Tahoe
Explore the Sierra Nevada's with skiing, boating & mountains
Lake Tahoe in April can be unpredictable as it could be dumping snow or sunny lake weather. If you want to ski, Palisades Tahoe (Squaw Valley) and even possibly Heavenly will be open for spring skiing. We love to stay in Tahoe City and go to Gar Woods, Sunnyside, Lanza's and Pioneer Cocktail Club for dinner and Tahoe House for sandwiches. Sunset or sunrise at the lake is always stunning. Lake Tahoe offers great hiking at Emerald Bay or anywhere along the Tahoe Rim trail, although make sure to look what trails are open with the snow. The roads and highways around Tahoe also face challenges with snow, so make sure to check road conditions.
Big Sur
Take a trip driving south along Pacific Coast Highway 1
The drive between Monterey and Morro Bay is a dramatic, edge of the cliff drive through the California Coastal Mountains. Stop at Andrew Molera State Park, Point Lobos, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, or McWay Falls for hiking and views. Pop by Nepenthe (nicer sit down with views), Big Sur River Inn (grab burritos and sit along the river), or Mission Ranch Restaurant (farm to table) for food. Or, meander through the many art galleries and libraries along the way.