Our guest post and monthly column comes from Howard Hian who was recently awarded a Gold Medal/First Place Award from the North American Travel Journalists Association’s annual international writing contest.
Part Two: Off the Grid in San Francisco
How to Get Around – When I made hotel reservations, I noticed that Pacific Heights Limo handled transportation for the Hotel Monaco. I called and realized that PHL’s private car service was not much more expensive than travel by taxi to/from the airport. Plus, the door-to-door personalized service and spotless vehicle made the decision a winning one. It is well worth the extra few dollars. We also used PHL for a driving tour. Note: their vehicles are all hybrids.
Where to Eat – The Ferry Building’s Farmers Market features local farmers and artisan food products every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. It’s festive and the opportunities to buy gifts, snacks or a meal are mind boggling.
I would highly recommend an off the grid day trip. Take the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf, walk to Pier 41 and catch the Blue Gold Fleet ferry to historic Angel Island State Park . Reminder: CityPASS includes vouchers for the transportation. Once there, take the tram tour or rent a Diggler Mountain Scooter or Segway for a fascinating exploration of this remarkable place. It was formerly an immigration center, prisoner of war camp, military post and Nike missile defense site. It is currently an active Coast Guard station. The island, the largest in the Bay, offers miles of hiking and bike trails, including one to its highest point, Mt. Livermore. On a clear day you can see all five Bay Area bridges. Plan to eat at the Angel Island Café featuring an eclectic menu with daily specials. Much of the produce is from their organic garden. My favorite was the pulled pork sandwich. The Angel Island staff in the restaurant and at the park are friendly, helpful and well-informed. It’s a travel experience you won’t forget.
Information & Contacts
For San Francisco area information, logon to www.sanfrancisco.travel.
The Hotel Monaco features complimentary coffee and tea service in the morning and a hosted wine hour in the afternoon. Other goodies include a pet friendly policy, free high speed Internet and a 24 hour fitness center. Their onsite spa was a perfect end to a day of hiking on Angel Island. The hotel was a 2012 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award Recipient. Note: join Kimpton’s InTouch loyalty program.
Safe travels and enjoy the journey…
Howard Hian