@laura-f I’m going to weigh in on this since I’m a wanderlust as well. My last vacation was the beginning of this year and I’ve been extremely good with not seeing anyone, going anywhere and working from home. I’ve decided with my husband to do a road since we had to cancel our vacations in May and July. Perhaps it’s too soon but I’m going to take all the necessary precautions and just like you we’re only staying in cabins with kitchens so we can cook instead of dining out. (And bringing loads of wine to enjoy together;) We’re taking off this Thursday and heading to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park. I’ve researched and looked and hikes that are less crowded since most people visit the parks and are more attracted the easier hikes and more accessible sites.
One of my girlfriend did same trip with her kids and husband a few weeks ago and she said it’s quite safe since it’s not as crowded and for the most part people are wearing masks and social distancing.
By the way if you’re in SF and have some free time we can get together for a social distancing hike or have a glass of wine at the beach. I’m 15 minutes south of SF along the coast.
My thought is a thumbs up as long as you follow the precautions.
I can’t believe you don’t like camping;).
share the love and light
@lauraf I vote for Mendocino! It’s gorgeous- not very busy and has a small town feel. There is a National Forrest not far away for hiking. SF I’m sure would be the safer of the two cities to spend the night. I used to live in SF & I honeymooned ( 23 years ago) in Mendocino. Love Love Love Northern California ❤️
agreed Mendocino is quite beautiful and you can visit glass beach it’s pretty close. If you’re into National Parks, Lassen National Park and Redwood National Park which is quite stunning and spectacular. And if you want to go even more north there’s Ashland Oregon and Crater Lake.
share the love and light
@laura-f I have lived in the bay area all my life, great weather, lots of fun things to do and see, good health care, lots of sports, and concerts if you like, in all genres .. easy access to mountains, parks, oceans, redwoods, ect. however I do recognize it is a tad pricey, and has a propensity for crowds..
just a thought, have you considered a RV for travel? you can rent one for about the same price as staying in hotels.. My sister and I have done the math, it costs us $1000 per week/per person weather we stay in hotels and eat every meal out -vs- an RV. the RV can be a bit more work setting up and taking down, but you have a great deal more latitude in were you go and how long you stay. I can argue convincingly for either.. just a thought.. have fun and keep smiling.
If you go North be prepared for some radical culture shock Laura, and some wonderful surprises!
There is such a difference betwixt San Diego/LA areas and the rest of California.... I have moved all over the central and northern parts of the state before leaving for the gentle climes of NM about 12 years ago, and I don't regret it! Just miss the Big Trees and the sumptuous wine country and the sea ...
Mendocino and Humboldt are nice to visit ... the forests (the last stands of the mighty Redwoods) and the windswept rocky beaches, where you usually don't see more than a couple of humans at a time. If you really want to get down, forget corporate hotels like Marriott and check out the local inns and small B&B's.... tho camping is alot more fun ;)
Also, check out beautiful San Luis Obispo county... further north around Cambria and the Hearst Castle area... this is a Fab place to live, the whole county!
I hope you can find some peace and happiness in your travels ...and if you can relocate away from SD to save your sanity, do it!!!!!
RV? I would, but we're feeling a little too much on top of each other, and a hotel suite lets us stretch out a bit, plus we have a bajillion Marriott points (so no hotel cost to consider really) and with hotels mostly empty, we'll get lots of free upgrades.
Everyone else - we've traveled extensively BETWEEN SD and SF - loved Hearst Castle, @stargazer! I've spent a lot of time in the Bay Area since I was a teenager - my Dad used to live in Concord. And we typically take a couple of weekends a year to spend in San Francisco - I'm already looking into which of our favorite restaurants is doing takeout.
I love Tahoe and Mendocino. Growing up, my family had a cabin in Tahoe for many years. If you are craving mountains, this might be a place to consider, You could do both depending upon the time you had. There is a lot you can do in Tahoe which doesn't involve many people.
@lovendures @laura-f or you could just go behind a good old-fashioned tree or boulder. just saying.
@laura-f i was just teasing. Anyway, if you are going up "the Grapevine", i don't remember there being a tree or anything at all to pee behind.
@unk-p. I do the same! Public bathrooms scare me. Mother Nature is sanitized. TMI I know, but if we're going to be careful ...
@laura-f there are no bad choices.. if you should find yourself on 101 in Humboldt county check out the avenue of the giants.. it will rejuvenate your sole and put a smile on you hart.
Avenue of the Giants – A Destination Vacation: featuring the world-famous scenic drive, which is a 31-mile portion of old Highway 101, that parallels Freeway 101 with its 51,222 acres of redwood groves. It is by far the most outstanding display of these giant trees in the entire 500-mile redwood belt and is accessible to all with convenient services provided along the way. The Avenue of the Giants is surrounded by the Humboldt Redwoods State Park which has the largest remaining stand of virgin redwoods in the world.
T’was the night before our last full day in Austin, when all through the hotel house , not a creature was stirring, except for a louse.
the guests were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of the next day danced in their heads.
my husband in pj’s and I in mine too, had just fallen asleep, it was a quarter to two.
when out in the hallway, there arose such a clatter, it pierced our ears sharply, that alarm of great matter
Towards the doorway we scrambled, we flew like a flash, but I quickly went back in cuz id forgotten my mask.
social distancing in mind as we all walked down the staircases, seemed really quite odd with masks on our faces
i could go on, but I am too tired to think .
In the end, some idiot Went into our hotel, pulled the fire alarm and ran away tonight. Strangely, this is the fourth time in my life an alarm has gone off while I was sleeping in a hotel.
But it was the first time during a pandemic.
In case your are wondering, almost everyone wore a mask during our fire alarm evacuation. In fact my husband grabbed his mask and was out the door in the hallway but forgot his glasses which I noticed and grabbed for him. I had to go back in for my mask, but remembered my glasses.
Strange times people, strange times.
@lovendures okay I am sorry this weird thing happened and I’m mystified about its meaning. But that was the most fun way to tell us about it. You have a gift.
@lovendures, Yikes! Not a fun experience. But what a wonderful way to share your story through the lens of levity. Spirit smiles with you.
The early am hotel fire alarm experience happened to me just once in my life. My sister and I took our mother to Atlantic City for an overnight stay. We all shared a room together. The piercing alarm went off at 1am, and as my sister and I scrambled in our PJs, heart racing and disoriented, someone with a loudspeaker walked through the hotel halls, knocking on doors and announcing that it was a false alarm.
Our mother had slept through the whole thing.