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A March 2009 trip to California by lwrbva Best of IgoUgo

Klamath River OverlookMore Photos

A trip from San Francisco, through wine country, to the Redwood National and State Parks

  • 18 reviews
  • 7 stories/tips
  • 46 photos

San Francisco

The Presidio TrustBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Beautiful Park in the Midst of a City"

Crissy Field
The Presidio Trust is a remarkable experiment in public/private partnership. The grounds are beautiful. Many hiking/biking trails are under construction, and the views are spectacular.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

The Presidio Trust
34 Graham Street San Francisco, California 94129
+1 415 561 5500

Sonoma Valley

Schug Carneros Estate Winery Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Nice Stop as you Enter Sonoma"

Schug vineyard
Our first stop as we entered the Sonoma Valley was at Schug Carneros. The grounds were beautiful, and the vineyards were yellow with mustard flowers. After winetasting, they graciously allowed us to walk through the vineyards - something that not all wineries will permit. In addition to picking up a nice bottle of Chardonnay, we also got some lovely vineyard photos.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Schug Carneros Estate Winery
602 Bonneau Road Sonoma 95476
(707) 939-9363

Birmingham Bed & BreakfastBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Convenient B&B￿"

The Birmingham B&B has 4 rooms, each with homey decor. The breakfasts were large and tasty. We had a baked egg scramble with peppers and olives one morning. We stayed in the Green Room. The bathroom was a little small but the room was comfortable.

We were minutes away from wine tasting and from the Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Birmingham Bed & Breakfast
8790 Sonoma Hwy Kenwood
(800) 819-1388

Della Santinas TrattoriaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Amazing Italian Food"

Where to start... We have eaten there several times now. We have become picky about Italian food, and Della Santina's in one of the few remaining restaurants that can impress us.

This trip we had Gnocchi della Nonna (with a tomato basil sauce) and Penna Contadina (sausage and tomatoes). The gnocchi were perfectly prepared -- not good or even very good. They were perfect - melt-in-your-mouth tender. Honestly, it was good beyond description.

The dessert was supreme. We had tiramisu and a cake. The cake was a simple white cake sitting on creme Anglaise with a scoop of chocolate gelato. It was heavenly.

Be sure to make reservations! It is always packed.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 2, 2009

Della Santinas Trattoria
133 East Napa Street Sonoma, California 95476
(707) 935-0576

Kaz Vineyard & WineryBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Bad Wine, Bad Service"

If you have read anything about Kaz Vineyard online, you have probably read that the wine is not good but that visiting with the owner is worth going to the vineyard. When we stopped at another winery, even they suggested that the wine was not particularly good but that the winery was worth a stop. I disagree. Don't bother.

The wine is awful. To describe the wine: "foul" comes to mind. Sour, vinegar, not fruity - just generally unpleasant. And that applies to wine ranging from cheap to high priced wines. And what is even more remarkable is that Kaz wines are priced similar to other wines in Sonoma Valley, some of which are actually very good.

The owner was talking to someone else, so I was served by a surly woman who clearly did not want to be serving me. Maybe I would have a different opinion had I gotten to visit with the owner. As it was, the stop was a complete waste of time, and I had a bad taste in my mouth - literally - after going there.
  • Member Rating 1 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 3, 2009

Kaz Vineyard & Winery
233 Adobe Canyon Rd. Kenwood, California
(877) 833-2536

Sugarloaf Ridge State ParkBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Lower Bald Mountain trail
We started on the Lower Bald Mountain trail. The trail winds through oaks and madrone with their beautiful red trunks - naked from the gray bark peeling away. Lower Bald Mountain trail joined the Bald Mountain trail, which is actually a gravel road up the mountain providing access to a radio tower (which is not visible until you are most of the way up the mountain). The Bald Mountain trail was very exposed with few trees.

Upon reaching the summit of Bald Mountain, we could see the Sierras to the Northeast and San Francisco Bay to the South. The day was beautiful, but the wind on the peak was cold and fierce. The constant climb up Bald Mountain trail gave way to rolling hills on the Gray Pine trail, which wound through pine forest. Gray Pine trail was longer than it appeared on the map and took several hours (with stops for pictures) to complete the loop. The last portion of the hike was through meadow on the aptly named Meadow trail. The rain from the previous day had collected in the meadow making the trail sticky with mud.

A beautiful hike on a beautiful day. And we still had time for a little wine tasting in the afternoon!

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Sonoma CountyBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Great Hiking in Wine Country"

Sugarloaf Ridge SP
Although most people visit Sonoma County for the wine tasting, Sugarloaf Ridge State Park provides great hiking and beautiful views of the Sonoma Valley. On a clear day, you can see San Francisco Bay!

The park has 25 miles of trails through three ecosystems. Trails range from steep climbs to relatively flat trails through the valleys.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, Sonoma County
2605 Adobe Canyon Road Sonoma County, California

VJB Vineyard & CellarsBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Great Vineyard in Sonoma Valley"

We arrived at VJB at 5:05pm after hurrying from Sugarloaf Ridge State Park to try to get in some wine tasting at the end of the day. VJB closes at 5.

We had a complimentary wine tasting card - available through some of the local B&Bs - so, in addition to our late arrival, there was not even the prospect of a wine tasting fee. However, they courteously agreed to give us a wine tasting.

And I'm glad they did. VJB had some of the better wine we tasted while in Sonoma Valley. Unlike some wineries, which often have one really nice wine and several decent ones -- VJB seems to demand excellence from all of their wines. We were extremely impressed to find that they do wonderful whites and reds. They specialize in Italian varietals, although they also do Cabernet.

Definitely a place to stop while touring Sonoma Valley!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

VJB Vineyard & Cellars
9077 Sonoma Highway Kenwood, California 95452
(707) 833-2300

Muscardini Cellars & Ty Caton Vineyards Tasting RoomBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Open Late & Great Wine"

Nearly all of the tasting rooms in Sonoma Valley close absurdly early -- 4pm. A very few are open until 5. Muscardini/Ty Caton is open until 6pm. Kudos to them!

These two wineries are entirely separately run; they just share a tasting room. Their vineyards are also located next to one another. They have built a tasting room on the highway, not on their winery property - which makes it easily accessible - but also means that you don't get to see where the grapes are coming from.

We enjoyed the wines we tasted from both wineries, but we left with two bottles from Ty Caton - one of which was Tytanium. We never thought we would say that $75 for a bottle of wine was good value. It is a cabernet sauvignon, syrah, petite syrah and merlot blend that is out of this world. One of the best wines we have ever tried! Fortunately, it made it back on the airplane.

Both winemakers were on site and were happy to answer questions, floating back and forth between groups of tasters. The tasting room is a great bonus since you can try two wineries in one stop.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 3, 2009

Muscardini Cellars & Ty Caton Vineyards Tasting Room
8910 Sonoma Highway Kenwood
(707) 833-0526

Dry Creek Valley

Dry Creek ValleyBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Having explored the Napa and Sonoma Valleys in the past, Dry Creek Valley was a pleasant surprise. We left behind the traffic and the tour buses. We meandered down narrow rural roads, through vineyards interlaced with homes. Only occasionally did we come upon a tasting room. We discovered Zichichi with its rich wines. We will definitely return to Dry Creek Valley to continue our exploration of its hidden wineries.

Quivira Vineyards Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Biodynamic Wines"

Although the effort to produce wines while minimizing the effects on the environment is admirable, the effort is also pointless if the end product is not worth drinking. Quivira actually produces several good wines.

Having said that, I would recommend searching for the wine in a local store. The man doing our tasting was rude and patronizing. Save yourself a trip and pick up a bottle at home.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Quivira Vineyards
4900 W. Dry Creek Road Healdsburg 95448
(707) 431-8333

Zichichi Family VineyardBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Good From the Very First Drop"

Zichichi vineyard
Normally, we do not favor barrel tastings. Perhaps we lack the sophistication to be able to taste where the wine will be a year from now. Zichichi was a new experience. First, they had only one wine to taste from the bottle. They are a small production winery and routinely sell out; they have no bottled wine to taste!!

So, after tasting the one bottle - we went on to do to barrel tasting. And it was like nothing we had ever experienced before. Zichichi's unaged wine, straight from the barrel, tasted rich and complex. It had more body and structure than many of the other wines in Sonoma County have after aging!
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Zichichi Family Vineyard
8626 W. Dry Creek Rd. Sonoma County, California 95448
(707) 433-4410

Redwoods

KlamathBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

False Klamath Cove
We stayed at the Ravenwood Motel in Klamath. Klamath is not much of a town, but they do have a gas station and a Subway. They also have a restaurant called the Steelhead Lodge.

We hiked Alder Camp Rd, up the Coastal Road and back to the junction of Alder Camp Rd -- all just south of the Klamath River. The views of the river and of the Pacific Ocean were magnificent, and the roar of the ocean crashing against the shore was deafening, even from the high cliffs where the road was. Signs along the road explained the Native American story of "the two sisters" - two rock formations on either side of the river outlet -- and explained that the farm buildings were actually built in WWII to conceal radar equipment.

We got our first whiff of skunk cabbage walking along the road. I kept expecting to come upon a skunk... There were many water birds visible in the inlets along the river. There was very little traffic on the road, so the hike was more like a walk down a very wide trail.

The next day, we hiked the Coastal Trail on the north side of the river, past Requa. We walked down to the Klamath River Overlook where we saw whales -- lots and lots of whales -- feeding where the river met the ocean. We sat there until almost sundown watching the whales. Then we hurried back to the car and rushed to Lagoon Creek to walk down to the ocean to watch the sunset from False Klamath Cove. The creek's interaction with the waves hitting the beach was fascinating. The lagoon appears to be below sea level, so the water in the creek appears to run uphill! The water builds up until there is enough pressure to flow over the beach sand into the ocean; then the flow would stop while water built up again. I could have watched it for hours.

We sat on enormous logs of driftwood and watched the sun set over the ocean.

Ravenwood MotelBest of IgoUgo

Hotel | "3Cs - Clean, Convenient, Cheap"

What more could you ask for? Ravenwood motel was clean, convenient to the Redwood National and State Parks and was not expensive. The room was quite comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and clean. The complimentary toiletry products smelled great! The operators were also very friendly. Can't be beat!

The motel has a "breakfast room" with a full-size fridge and a microwave. We had leftovers from our first dinner out. We put them in the fridge and heated them up the next two days - stretching one meal through three dinners with a few groceries purchased in Crescent City.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Ravenwood Motel
151 Klamath Blvd. Klamath 95548
(707) 482-5911

Steelhead LodgeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Large Portions"

Steelhead Lodge seems to be a place locals go for special events. We saw several birthday celebrations on the night we were there.

The meat (beef and fish) is all grilled, so the options are limited. The food was decent, and the portions were enormous. We ended up eating leftovers for dinner for two more nights.
  • Member Rating 2 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Steelhead Lodge
Klamath, California

Palm CafeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Great Breakfast Spot"

We had breakfast here every morning during our stay in the area. Clearly this is where the locals go for breakfast too! We recognized about 5 different people and had learned the names of all the staff after just a few days.

This place was a classic. The barstools looked like the barstools in the Smithsonian exhibit of a 1950's Woolworth's lunch counter. The chairs at the tables looked like they had been "lifted" from an elementary school.

The food was standard breakfast fare: eggs, pancakes, toast, biscuits and gravy, etc. Each morning we left full and ready for a day of hiking. Since this is one of a very few breakfast options around, we were glad that the food was good!
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Palm Cafe
121130 Highway 101 Orick, California
(707) 482-8145

Prairie Creek Redwood State ParkBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park - Elk Meadow
We got up early one morning and headed south from Klamath. We stopped at Elk Prairie in search of the Roosevelt elk. We did not find any elk, but we saw beautiful fog banks slowly drifting over the prairie.

As we continued South, we stopped at "Big Tree." It was, well, big. HUGE. The sign said that someone had once considered cutting down the tree and making a dance floor on the stump. It would have been a nice size for a dance floor in a club! The tree was simply massive. Like many of the redwoods, it was tall - but the trunk of this tree was enormous.

There were more trails that looked like they would be nice to hike, but we were in a hurry to get to breakfast in Orick.

We did stop just south of Elk Meadow - where we finally saw Roosevelt Elk. They apparently preferred a ball field to the designated elk areas!

Tomasini's EnotecaBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "What a Surprise!"

We were looking for someplace to eat a quick bite in Crescent City before heading to Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and happened across Tomasini's Enoteca. What an incredible surprise! Here we are in a little town - more or less in the middle of nowhere - and we happen across a wonderful cafe with fabulous sandwiches, good beer, and enormous desserts.

I noticed some other review sites did not rate this place too highly. Get a grip! It is becoming harder and harder to find good food in small towns. Everything except chains are dying out. So what if the cafe is in the middle of a gift shop! The food is good, the service is good, and the beverages are good. Speaking of -- we saw a little girl get an old fashioned Italian soda with whipped cream on top. Ya don't see that every day!

I wish my local area had a place like this.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on April 30, 2009

Tomasini's Enoteca
960 3rd Street Crescent City, California
(707) 464-2909

Jedediah Smith Redwood State ParkBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Simpson-Reed Grove
After eating in Crescent City, we drove out to Jedediah Smith Redwood State Park. We walked down to the Smith River, which was a beautiful aqua color in the bright sunlight.

We hiked a trail from Simpson-Reed Grove in the direction of Stout Grove. We got some of our best redwood photos here - mainly because the sun was so bright that the lighting in the forest was particularly good. The woods were beautiful. We saw lots of trillium and redwood sorrel (clover). We saw beautiful (and bizarre) red mushrooms unlike anything we've ever seen before. The trees were magnificent.

The only problem was the road! The trail parallels the road. Much of the time cars passing by are visible. The woods are incredible, and it seems like you are miles from civilization, but the sound of cars passing serves as a constant reminder that you are not "in the middle of nowhere."

Redwood National Park - Coastal TrailBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Coastal Trail - Redwood National Park
We took the Coastal Trail just south of Elk past large skunk cabbages. Skunk cabbages are large plants with leaves that resemble a cabbage and that have beautiful yellow flowers. Strangely, though, they emit an odor that smells like skunk.

The section of the Coastal Trail just south of Elk Meadow. The trail went through mainly hardwood trees covered with mosses. The light was a bright filtered green. We heard many birds and saw a few, mainly Winter Wrens. Woodpeckers were thumping in the distance.

The trail crossed several bridges that were also covered in moss. The "end" of the trail (as far as we went) provided a beautiful view of the ocean crashing onto the shore.

Orick Horseback RidingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Underwhelming"

Orick Horse Trail
Just to be clear -- there was nothing WRONG with the ride. It just was not, well, interesting. We met the vendor near the Orick Rodeo Grounds, filled out the usual legal disclaimers and saddled up. Our guide walked nearly the whole way. I don't mean that he had his horse walk (although we did only walk); I mean that he walked on his own two feet leading his horse. The first third of the trip was a walk along the Redwood Creek around the Rodeo Grounds and some pastures - just to get to the Redwood Forest. The other two thirds of the inbound trip were uphill through the redwood forest. When we got to the turn-around point, we got our photo taken in front of a tree with a burned-out hole in the trunk -- big enough that the horse could back into it. Then we meandered our way back down the same trail. There was nothing particularly remarkable about that section of forest. The trees were not particularly large or particularly old. The forest had no unique characteristics compared with other areas of the redwood forest in which we hiked. So, we enjoyed getting a little time on horseback, but the trail did not offer anything unique. We would recommend the experience if you would like to go horseback riding in the redwoods. If you have never been horseback riding, this is an easy ride that might be a good place to give it a try.

A few other tidbits that might be useful. The vendor did not require us to wear helmets, which made the ride a little more comfortable. There is one other horseback riding vendor operating out of Orick. We called it first and got an answering machine. We left a message but then called this vendor. The first operator did call us back, but we had already scheduled a ride with Orick Horseback Riding.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 3, 2009

Tall Trees GroveBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Redwood Creek Overlook
One morning after breakfast at the Palm Cafe, we headed to Kuchel Visitor Center to pick up a permit for the Trall Trees Access Road. The Tall Trees Grove is where the tallest redwoods are located. The access road is by permit only, and the number of permits is limited to protect the area. We would have hiked all the way in on the Redwood Creek Trail, but the trail is impassible in the spring due to the many places the trail crosses the "creek". (Redwood Creek is bigger than some rivers I have seen.)

After picking up the permit, we went horseback riding and ate lunch at a "shack" in Orick that served hot dogs and burritos. Then we headed up to see the tallest of the tall trees.

The drive starts on Bald Hills Road, which goes past the Lady Bird Johnson Grove - the site of the dedication of the Redwood National Park. We stopped briefly at the Redwood Creek Overlook, then turned off onto the Tall Trees Access Road, opened the padlocked gate, and continued up the gravel road. At the end of the road, there is a 1 mile hike up the Tall Trees Trail to get to the Grove.

By the time we went to the Tall Trees Grove, the redwoods were all starting to look pretty much the same - very red and very tall. Despite that, the trees in the Tall Trees Grove were noticably bigger - and older. We were the only people in the Grove. The trees towered over us like massive pillars in a cathedral. After exploring the Grove, we walked briefly down the Redwood Creek Trail and discovered why the Park Ranger had said that trail was impassible. To say that the trail required numerous "stream crossings" was laughable. We would have needed a raft to cross the river!

We made it back to our car not long before sunset and headed back through the padlocked gate. We stopped very briefly at the Lady Bird Johnson Grove before heading back to the hotel for another dinner of leftovers from Steelhead Lodge.

Humboats Kayak AdventuresBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Trinidad Bay Kayaking"

Elephant Seal - Trinidad Bay
We originally scheduled a kayak trip for Sunday morning. Hawk called us around 7:30am to break the news to us that the winds were high and that the water was too rough to go kayaking. After discussing the forecast over the next few days, we rescheduled for Tuesday morning - the day we had to head back to San Francisco. We were very concerned that we would be wet and dirty after kayaking and would have to sit in the car uncomfortable for hours on the drive to SF. Hawk agreed to bring some towels for us so we could get cleaned up a bit after kayaking. (We would not have time to go back to Klamath to the hotel and would need to continue driving south.)

Tuesday morning, we drove to Trinidad Bay and met Hawk. All of the equipment was top notch - in great condition and of the highest quality. To our surprise, he had gear to keep us dry. We have never had a kayak operator provide equipment that included complete rain gear. After suiting up in the jacket and pants and velcro-ing the wrists, neck and ankles tightly closed, we suited up with the skirt and life vest, grabbed our paddles and walked down to the water.

We passed by a female elephant seal resting on the beach next to the boat launch. She lifted her head up, grunted at us, and went back to sleep.

Hawk walked us through a rudimentary refresher course on kayaking, then we helped carry the boats to the water and we launched. We paddled out to the verge of the unprotected water in the bay and saw the tail fluke of one gray whale. We waited out there, rising and sinking on the swells, but no more whales were to be found.

We headed across the bay to an area with a lot of tidally submerged rocks. Sea lions were perched on the rocks, resting in the sun. They watched us drowsily as we glided by in our kayaks. Hawk ensured we stayed a good distance away so that we could see them well but not disturb them from their perches. We also saw comorants sunning on the rocks.

We continued back towards our starting point in the bay, then turned to head to the far side of a pier where harbor seals sometimes hang out. Unfortunately, there were none to be found the day we were there. By then, the wind had picked up significantly and the swells were growing. We agreed we should head back into shore rather than trying to go out to make another pass to look for whales.

What a remarkable trip! And...in addition to all the wildlife we saw, after we helped load up the kayaks, we pulled off the gear and we were both completely dry and clean! No towels needed, and we felt great for the drive to San Francisco.
  • Member Rating 5 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 3, 2009

Humboats Kayak Adventures
1290 Leslie Rd Eureka
(707) 443-5157

Lost Coast Brewery and CafeBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "Great Beer and Food"

Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe has a fun atmosphere in downtown Eureka. Each beer had a character - for example, Alley Cat Amber. They had really good fish and chips. The "chips" were parmesan fries - which turns out to be a great combo. The beer and the food were remarkably inexpensive and high quality.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 2, 2009

Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe
617 Fourth Street Eureka, California 95501
(707) 445-4480

Venlo ChocolatesBest of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Very Good - Very Expensive"

The wonderful aroma of chocolate was overwhelming as we walked in. Like most chocolatiers, there were cases full of truffles of every variety lining the walls. Unlike many chocolatiers, they also had giant chunks of chocolate sold by the bag. We opted for a bag of chocolate and a few creme-filled Easter eggs. The chocolate was good, but the prices were high.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by lwrbva on May 2, 2009

Venlo Chocolates
425 Snug Alley Eureka 95501
(707) 445-8015

About the Writer

lwrbva
lwrbva
Williamsburg, Virginia

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