Thursday, June 21, 2012

Off to Berkeley

Off to Berkeley for a week-long meeting/workshop. Never been, nor to San Francisco.

Any advice about what to see/do would be appreciated.

JQ is going along, and we're staying a couple of extra days to travel and see some big trees. Hoping to make a bigger trip for gawking at trees next year, but looking for cool hikes and big trees not crazy super far from Berkeley, if anyone knows about such stuff. Looks like Yosemite isn't going to work out, incidentally. Kinda too far for a day trip, no hotels left, and we can't lug our camping equipment with us.

10 Comments:

Anonymous Myca said...

You should make a point of checking out Muir Woods while you're here ... it's the prototypical 'big tree' park, and has a cool history.

If you enjoy outdoorsiness and cool small towns, check out Point Reyes and Bolinas.

In San Francisco, be sure to see the Sutro Baths (the weird-ass coastal ruins of the largest indoor swimming pool ever built) and Golden Gate park (in particular, I like the Botanical Gardens and the Conservatory of Flowers, but YMMV).

Berkeley has excellent restaurants ... if you enjoy pizza, be sure to check out the Cheese Board and Zachary's.

If you end up with some free time, BTW, I'd love to say hi and shake your hand in person.

---Myca

12:31 PM  
Anonymous Lewis Carroll said...

Winston, I think Muir Woods is not too far from Berkeley, maybe an hour max. It had some pretty damn big trees IIRC.

1:18 PM  
Blogger Winston Smith said...

Thanks guys.

Myca,

I'll definitely make time to have a beer or something. E-mail me and we'll figure out a time.

2:19 PM  
Blogger Dark Avenger said...

The Muir Woods are north of San Francisco in Marin County.

I would suggest Lefty O'Doul's, an old-fashioned Hof Brau and Bar, the new aquarium in Golden Gate Park, and Yang Sing's on the Embarcadero, which is one of the best places for dim sum(a Chinese lunch specialty).

7:33 PM  
Blogger Winston Smith said...

DA--

Thanks. Do I remember you living in the vicinity, or am I hallucinating that?

9:18 PM  
Blogger Winston Smith said...

Dang, I see that my e-mail address doesn't display with the new template.

As always, it's philosoraptor[at]gmail dot c-o-m

9:25 PM  
Blogger Dark Avenger said...

Close, Winston, I live in the Southern San Joaquin Valley, about an hour's drive north of Bakersfield.

I did live in the Bay Area for a few years, and am a native of San Jose, CA, one of the numerous state capitals right after statehood before they settled on Sacrament.

2:02 AM  
Anonymous "computer" phil said...

Once when I was visiting San Jose I drove to Santa Cruz. To get there you drive on a really fun road called the Santa Cruz Highway, which goes through some beautiful areas.

Santa Cruz has a fun boardwalk and beach-front amusement park, which is where they filmed the movie "The Lost Boys" back in the day.

11:33 AM  
Anonymous Myca said...

am a native of San Jose, CA, one of the numerous state capitals right after statehood before they settled on Sacrament.

And weirdly, I live in Benicia ... another one of the numerous state capitals.

---Myca

PS. I'll shoot you that email, Winston.

1:45 PM  
Anonymous Jim Bales said...

If time permits, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium down in Monterey, then head on down the coast to Big Sur for dinner at Nepenthe, sipping drinks while watching the sunset.

Enjoy the trip!
Jim

2:17 AM  

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