Pittsburgh Off-Topic Vacation Thread (Washington, Butler: hotel, restaurant, shops)

[Goodjules]

Hopes,

If you do make it to SF, let me suggest you try Gialina's. It's a tiny Italian place in the Glen Park neighborhood with wonderful food. Also, a Giants game if you're a baseball fan. Wear layers, summers here are not like Pittsburgh.

[Hopes]

We're finally taking this vacation! We had to postpone it because we missed the last Alaskan cruise last Fall. It's kind of sort of the same vacation. We ditched the Alaskan cruise so we could spend two weeks on the coast. We're flying into San Fran instead of Seattle, but the overall concept of a West Coast highway one road trip is still intact. I've made half of the reservations--flight, car and first week hotels. I'm trying to finish the rest of the reservations today but can't get into the groove because I'm stuck on the best course.

So far, it's 1 night San Fran, 2 nights Big Sur, 2 nights Yosemite, 2 nights Tahoe, 1 night wine country, and I can't decide on 1 or 2 nights in the Redwood Forest area. I've already used 8 of the 15 nights in California. If I stay 2 nights in the Redwoods, we'll only be able to spend one night along the Oregon coast because I want to do Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands before Seattle. Plus hubby wants to see Mt. St. Helens and/or Mt. Rainier. Something has to get cut. I don't feel badly though because the first week of the trip is truly awesome. I snagged reservations at the lodge right near the Yosemite Falls.

Instead of being productive and figuring out my schedule problems, I thought I'd revive our old off topic vacation chat thread.

Always the procrastinator.

What are your plans this year?

[Copanut]

I'm going to shoot your husband and take his place.

Better change that, I'm going to talk your husband into letting me take his place.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I'm going to shoot your husband and take his place.

Better change that, I'm going to talk your husband into letting me take his place.

The latter is preferable because I need to keep him around to take out the garbage n'at.

But the most important criteria is will you happily attend one scheduled afternoon of shopping without whining about it?

[minthotchocolate]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Have any vacation plans? Take a great vacation recently?

I'm currently planning a Highway 101 Road Trip (after an Alaskan cruise). We plan to start at the San Juan islands near Seattle and head down to the Redwood Forest. We will likely continue further south so it's an open-ended trip. I was wondering if anyone knew of great "must see" small towns along Highway 101? I'm trying to figure out where to stay overnight along the way. I posted in the Washington forum in a thread that didn't get much action so I figured there might be a few Pittsburgh members who know the West Coast well.

If you can't answer my question, please feel free to share your vacations. I love hearing about people's trips and experiences.

I highly recommend Vancouver and Vancouver Island Although they are worth a separate trip.

As for 101, it is a beautiful drive along the coast. If you have time, go to Olympic National Park, it is amazing. Ruby Beach, Cannon Beach (you might as well stay overnight, there are cabins). North Cascades National Park and Mt. Baker area have a number of hikes for all fitness levels, it is fantastic.

If you drive to San Francisco, you will pass through Bodega Bay and it is worth stopping there, my favorite place in California. Just past San Francisco there is beautiful Half Moon Bay, then Santa Cruz, Monterrey - take "17 mile drive" there, it so pretty. Big Sur, with it's sea elephants colony.

You can also deflect from the coast and visit Napa and Sonoma. If you drive further to Santa Barbara, there is cute little Danish village, and there is also wine country. I visited Demetria winery there last winter - so good (but you have to make an appointment).

You can also visit Stanford campus, it has great architecture, and Palo Alto itself is very nice.

Hope it gives you some ideas! I lived in Northern California for a few years long time ago and still miss it...

[minthotchocolate]

Heh, I posted my reply before I read the thread. Oh well, hope it is useful for somebody else!

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by minthotchocolate

...pass through Bodega Bay and it is worth stopping there, my favorite place in California.

I do believe that's where Hitchcock's "The Birds" was filmed.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by Hopes

The latter is preferable because I need to keep him around to take out the garbage n'at.

But the most important criteria is will you happily attend one scheduled afternoon of shopping without whining about it?

Never happen, it's in our genes.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by minthotchocolate

Heh, I posted my reply before I read the thread. Oh well, hope it is useful for somebody else!

It helps me! I've only got our hotels figured out. I haven't had time to figure out what we're doing between destinations.

I've scheduled it so we are only driving 4 hours per day so we have time to stop along the way and make detours.

Originally Posted by Copanut

Never happen, it's in our genes.

That really was the only selling point you could have had.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by Hopes

We're finally taking this vacation! We had to postpone it because we missed the last Alaskan cruise last Fall. It's kind of sort of the same vacation. We ditched the Alaskan cruise so we could spend two weeks on the coast. We're flying into San Fran instead of Seattle, but the overall concept of a West Coast highway one road trip is still intact. I've made half of the reservations--flight, car and first week hotels. I'm trying to finish the rest of the reservations today but can't get into the groove because I'm stuck on the best course.

So far, it's 1 night San Fran, 2 nights Big Sur, 2 nights Yosemite, 2 nights Tahoe, 1 night wine country, and I can't decide on 1 or 2 nights in the Redwood Forest area. I've already used 8 of the 15 nights in California. If I stay 2 nights in the Redwoods, we'll only be able to spend one night along the Oregon coast because I want to do Olympic National Park and the San Juan Islands before Seattle. Plus hubby wants to see Mt. St. Helens and/or Mt. Rainier. Something has to get cut. I don't feel badly though because the first week of the trip is truly awesome. I snagged reservations at the lodge right near the Yosemite Falls.

Instead of being productive and figuring out my schedule problems, I thought I'd revive our old off topic vacation chat thread.

Always the procrastinator.

What are your plans this year?

Hopes, I hope you have time to dine out while you're in SF. Two of my favorite restaurants in SF are:

Gialina on Diamond St. Excellent pizza and Italian cuisine; incredibly delicious salads. Tiny place. Be prepared to wait. A lot like Piccolo Forno on Butler in Pittsburgh, but I think Gialina is better. There's a link to the show Check Please, Bay Area on their website. Watch the segment on Gialina to get a feel for the place.

Mandalay. Awesome Burmese food. Try the La Pat Dok salad. I always get the Mandalay Special Noodle with chicken. The pan fried green beans are yummy. Excellent fish dishes too. Try to get there before 6pm. It's very popular and fills up fast. I don't think they take reservations.