Family trip to Bay Area question (San Jose, San Francisco: to rent, amusement park, hotels)

[SA5]

We're planning a family trip in late June to the Bay Area and I have a couple of questions... This will be our first time to the area. We're coming from San Antonio, Texas.

We're probably going to fly in to either Oakland or San Jose. Which airport is easier to navigate?

We want to rent a car and set up a base in the area. Would it be better to base from the southern part of the area like San Jose and then drive down to Santa Cruz or would it be better to base in the East Bay area and have easier access to Napa? We're traveling with two boys 17 and 12. Is there good public transportation from either of those areas to SF?

Not knowing the areas at all we want to make the week enjoyable for all of us...any help from the locals would be much appreciated!

What would you consider to be a must see?

[coyoteskye]

I'd suggest flying into Monterey ... which most likely means Texas > L.A. and then a short flight to Monterey.
That's a very nice way to enter the area.

You could base yourself somewhere in Monterey County (preferably in either Monterey, Pacific Grove or Carmel) and Santa Cruz county is less than an hour north (another option for your base) .... and then less than 2 hours up to San Francisco from Santa Cruz (when not during commuter times - plan accordingly when traveling around the Bay area and San Jose - commuter traffic can be a real drag).

Flying in and basing yourself in Monterey would be less stressful and it will position you nicely to explore the Monterey Bay area (which includes Santa Cruz county) and then you'll be closer to Big Sur (a must visit!) which is roughly an hour to the south and it's a stunning drive down HWY1 once you get a bit south of Carmel.

Monterey is a small and very friendly airport.
If you do want to set up base in Monterey county you could post a question about lodging in that area on the general California forum.

So that's just another option.
Both S.F. and San Jose are much larger airports and you'll be dealing with some crazy traffic especially if your driving during commuter times.
Monterey is simply easier.

If you're choice is only between flying into the S.F. (or Oakland) and San Jose, then i'd suggest San Jose .... not a great airport but San Jose is easier to navigate around as opposed to the S.F> / Oakland area.

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by coyoteskye

I'd suggest flying into Monterey ... which most likely means Texas > L.A. and then a short flight to Monterey.
That's a very nice way to enter the area.

The OP didn't say anything about visiting Monterey and Monterey is a long way from Napa and doesn't allow for "easy access" to Napa as the OP requested.

To the OP: San Jose or Oakland airport are about the same for navigating around. Maybe San Jose would be the better of the 2 airports. Santa Cruz would be about a 45 min ride from San Jose and about 90 min or a little more to Napa.

BART near the Oakland airport would be the best public transit into San Francisco. From San Jose (but not near the airport), there is Caltrain that goes into SF.

[coyoteskye]

Originally Posted by humboldtrat

The OP didn't say anything about visiting Monterey and Monterey is a long way from Napa and doesn't allow for "easy access" to Napa as the OP requested.

To the OP: San Jose or Oakland airport are about the same for navigating around. Maybe San Jose would be the better of the 2 airports. Santa Cruz would be about a 45 min ride from San Jose and about 90 min or a little more to Napa.

BART near the Oakland airport would be the best public transit into San Francisco. From San Jose (but not near the airport), there is Caltrain that goes into SF.

Oh you're right ... i missed that ... the interest in visiting Napa .... i saw the part about driving down to Santa Cruz so i was thinking they wanted to be in the Monterey Bay area.

[hsw]

Would choose whichever airport has more flights to SA/Dallas in event of mech problems/delays (SJ is a more business-relevant airport as it is more convenient to SV business travelers esp for quick flts to Dallas or Houston or Austin)

Would probably stay in PaloAlto area; fwys on Peninsula, esp 280, are some of world's fastest and most scenic; bridges and tunnels invariably choke; CA, like TX, is a car-centric culture; trains are for archaic NYC or Europe

Aside from SF's Ferry Bldg (one of world's great spots for food nuts), Golden Gate Bridge and usual tourist traps, would argue other places of interest may be Stanford's engineering campus, arguably the intellectual birthplace of SiliconValley; the office parks of venture capitalists along SandHill Rd; and Apple's and Google's HQs

Napa is largely the town of Yountville; would visit one of Keller's restaurants: AdHoc or Bouchon are easier to gain a rsvn than Laundry...but not much else of interest in Napa as would rather enjoy better French or Napa wines at a good restaurant in SF or Yountville, not at a tourist trap winery

[SA5]

Not too sure about the Napa part anyway...we're not big wine people but thought the scenery would be nice. My boys won't think much of it at all I'm sure.

Would really like to see the redwoods more I'm thinking...

If anyone could also help with directing us toward a good base to stay...not necessarily specific hotels, but towns or areas that would make a good base. We will for certain want to travel into SF for a day or two and then see as much of the rest of the area as we can. Not sure if we'll get to see them, but my wife has a friend who lives in Alameda and I have one in Hillsborough.

[coyoteskye]

Well, if Napa isn't that important to you, i will say, at the risk of being annoying, flying into Monterey is a nice way to do it and staying in Monterey, Carmel, or Pacific Grove would be, imo, a good place to base yourself if you're interested in spending time in and around Monterey (amazing aquarium), visiting Big Sur to the south and Santa Cruz county to the north.
Although it will be a longer drive up to San Francisco than if you based yourself in the S.F. bay area.
I wouldn't recommend basing yourself in San Jose.
You can experience the redwoods in both Santa Cruz county and down in Big Sur (truly a not to miss visit) and in the S.F. bay area.
Redwood parks of the San Francisco Bay Area
They didn't list Nisene State Park on that link but it, in Aptos (Santa Cruz county), is a wonderful place to hike or walk or mountain bike through the redwoods.
You could also stay in Santa Cruz county which would give you a nice central location if you want to experience both the S.F. area and the Monterey Bay.

[gone down south]

As a tourist, you're going to want to spend the most time in San Francisco. That's where most of the stuff of interest is going to be.

San Jose has a couple sites to visit, Napa isn't worth it with teenagers, Santa Cruz is beautiful but you can do it in a day. Palo Alto and the like are nice places to stop for a meal and some shopping but they're more 'places people live' than tourist destinations. I would suggest staying in the city and renting a car as needed to do day trips (no need to pay for parking!)

[humboldtrat]

Originally Posted by hsw

. . .would argue other places of interest may be Stanford's engineering campus, arguably the intellectual birthplace of SiliconValley; the office parks of venture capitalists along SandHill Rd; and Apple's and Google's HQs

You've got to be kidding How exciting!! Who would want to visit an office park as if the OP has never seen one in Texas. They won't even let you get beyond the front lobby anyway. Even a trip to Pier 39 (which I wouldn't inflict on anyone) is more interesting than looking at an office park.

[humboldtrat]

I suggest a trip to the Santa Cruz boardwalk. About a dozen miles north of Santa Cruz, there is a Henry Cowell redwood state park. Next to the state park is the Roaring Camp steam railroad with a trip into the redwoods. I think your kids will like all of this.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Millions of Memories at California's Beachfront Amusement Park
Henry Cowell Redwoods SP
Roaring Camp Railroads -- Narrow-Gauge Steam Trains (http://www.roaringcamp.com/steam.html - broken link)