Ok, I am in Napa/Sonoma - What to do?
 

Ok, guys I am out here in Sonoma/Napa, CA for the next several days. Staying in Rehnart Park Doubletree Hotel, got rental car (Ford SUV not my 986!) --- Got a private tour at La Crema today and a Mondavi tour for tomorrow, but that is it.
Any great spots or tours not to miss? Nothing too crazy, but really would like to find a nice Sequoia Park (tell me where it is located), other great places for photography and maybe some advice for restaurants (moderately priced - I don't have any dress clothes with me) and wineries to visit.

It looks like rainy weather for Saturday and part of Sunday. Any ideas on good things to do? Was thinking seaplane or hot-air balloon but not sure about the weather with those. Also where is the nearest good mall for Macys, Off-Saks & Nordstrom, etc......

Thanks so much!!!
Anyone got a 986 for me to borrow? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Cheers!
:cheers:

merzee....welcome to CA :cheers:

check out babblers.org lot's of members there are from where you at right now :)

If you like cabernet, go to the Silver Oaks winery.

For Merlot, there's Rutherford Hill. They also have a port that's great.

Mustard's Grill in St Helena is good, and there's some "famous" place that people line up for hamburgers and fries down around Rutherford/Yountville, but I didn't try it.

Muir Woods is probably the closest big trees to you, they're redwoods, and they're just outside Sausalito just north of SF. I don't think there are any giant Sequoias close to you, from my memory they are all a few hours drive.

Have fun!

2 words:

French Laundry


Ok, several more words.
Best restaurant in the state. Possibly the country. its in yountville.

Thomas Keller also has another restaurant called bouchon. you might end up checking this out if you can't get reservations at french laundry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Laundry

http://www.frenchlaundry.com/bouchon/bouchon.htm

try http://www.yahoo.com
clik 'yellow pages' on left side.
enter your location
start a search w/ 'tours'

you should get the hang of it from there. enjoy cali to the max :) :) :)

Drive on down to San Fransisco and see the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fishermans Warf. Theres alot of shopping in SF.

Hwy 1 south from Monterey to San Luis Obispo. Redwood forest and incredible views of the pacific from hundreds of feet above sea level. Too bad no boxster though.

That would be an experience, but I guess you didn't read meerzee's post:

"maybe some advice for restaurants (moderately priced - I don't have any dress clothes with me)"

At $240 per person, a 2 month waiting period for reservations, and no dress clothes, that's not likely to happen, huh? :rolleyes: :D

+1
We did that on our trip out there a few weeks back. Drove down one day from Napa, stayed in San Luis Obispo for the night, then drove back to SF the next day.

Rented a drop-top Mustang V6 for the week. On all-season tires and base suspension, it did OK for the vacation experience, and even on the 17 Mile Drive and PCH tour. Not a Boxster, but I can see how, with the V8 and some some decent tires and upgraded suspension bits, it could be a fun car. Just different.

I'm just saying. :D

I will piggyback on suggested posts, San Fran makes a nice day. You can gut up early and tour the suggested muir (spelling?) woods, cross the golden gate, and spend a half a day in the very interesting Alcatraz. I have been twice and went back to Alcatraz just to walk it again.

Rent a cayman and rip the PCH!

dude..some of you guys know my backyard more than I do :eek:

I'm taking notes as i type this :D

Well, cannot get used to the time shift, so my and my programmed mind are getting up at 0500PST regardless of the darkness...so what else to do but check the 986 forum? :)

Thanks for the suggestions! Drove up 101N to Healdsburg (awesome 4 block town!) - got off at the first exit and visited Rodney Strong and a couple other wineries. Got to Healdsburg downtown then went out on WestSide Rd until we got to Hop Kiln and a few others in the area. Then found La Crema in downtown for my 1100PST VIP wine tasting which was truly awesome, had lunch at the Oakville Grocery or something like that then went to K&J and then Arista wineries (amazing Japanese gardens, definitely worth a visit!) drove back to Santa Rosa/Rennhart Park (sp?) - I don't know what the plans are today, I only have 1 tour and that is @ Mondavi. For some, I haven't be overly impressed with the quality of the food --- maybe it is the New Orleans thing and that my part-time (other than Porsche) passion is cooking.

Plan on going to SF tomorrow for the day and see what kind of trouble we can get into! Anyone ever been to Chinatown? I do alot of Chinese calligraphy writing and was curious how that area of the city was and such. Just curious and thanks so much for all of the amazing info. When I drove those amazing backroads, I am missing my Box ALOT!

Porsche count:
I have seen 2 carreras, 1 cayman, -0- boxsters......several Cayenne's....
and lots of BMWs....and a few S2000s. Would mind renting anything but the Ford SUV I have...the only "fun" car Avis had was a Sky (hmmmm) --- not exactly what I was looking for....perhaps the redline edition would have been fun to try out! :rolleyes:


Thanks again!
:cheers:

[perhaps the redline edition would have been fun to try out! :rolleyes:


Thanks again!
:cheers:[/QUOTE]

So there wasnt a GTO you could rent?

Lol jk

:cheers:

meerzee...if you have no plan this morning and feel like driving about an hour and half from your place to go here in San Jose, I'll show you where the big boys (cars) hang out every Saturday morning and give you a tour in Santana Row Village Shopping Center and have lunch in Maggianos and go to Valley Fair across the street, it's kinda like a big mall and got some nice store :)

I'll PM you my cell #

I never missed my Box anymore than today. :D

Perfect weather, winding redwood forest/coast roads. Went to Armstrong State Park then over to Duncan Mills, then Bodago Bay....Stopped at a bunch of overlooks on the Sonoma Coast overlooking the ocean.....nothing like today, weather was perfect with no fog. Such an amazing place, quite intense --- really enjoyed Goat Rock Park or something like that. So far, not really impressed with the food, but then again --- it is pretty hit and missin most places of the country. :rolleyes:

Ahhhh....CA seems like Bimmer land --- lordy they are everywhere. Saw a handful of Stuttgart's best today, but not many --- lots of Miatas and S2Ks.... no Boxsters at all for the last 2 days. :)

Thanks for all of the info guys.

Meerzee-
You may be back in New Orleans now. To see a Boxster, you might need to visit my winery in Napa. We're about 5 minutes from downtown Napa, nestled against the East foothills. I just joined the Boxster owner club two days ago. It was a nice post harvest bonus to myself! Been having a great time driving it the last few days in our incredible Fall weather. I just joined the forum to learn a little more about my new car - a 2003 Boxster S.

FYI, I visit New Orleans usually once a year as it is one of our markets for our wine outside of California. I always look forward to the great food!

I'll pm you in case you are still around.

We just got back from San Fran and had the best time.

I would highly recommend www.greatpacifictour.com and do the Carmel trip. It was great. Cynthia knew all the best stops.

We also did the Movie City Tour. Another great day including trip to Golden gate park and Lucas Film Studio.

You don't want to miss the Alcatraz tour. It is a must see.

We also went to 2 wineries but I don't remember the names.

Meerzee wrote:
> Went to Armstrong State Park then over to Duncan Mills, then Bodago Bay....

I assume you mean Bodega Bay. While up there, you should have taken Skaggs Springs -- it's like a roller-coaster race track tarmac through stunningly beautiful landscape... and no traffic.

-- peer