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Trip Length: |
5 Days |
Pickup Date:
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October 1st |
Drop-off Date:
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October 5th |
Rough Distance Traveled:
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Miles: 759 |
Pickup Location: |
Avis Rental Car, San Francisco |
Drop-off Location: |
Queen Mary Cruise Liner, Long Beach Harbor
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Overnights: |
Yosemite, Monterey, San Simeon |
Group Size: |
4 adults |
Vehicle: |
Passenger Van |
Guide: |
Jeff Lowe |
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San Francisco |
Several nights before
we joined them |
Dirk and wife Linda and Dirk's parents,
Gene and Marilyn had spent a few nights
in the San Francisco area before we joined
them.
Since the Wieringas had already seen
a bit of San Francisco and wanted to get
to their mountain lodgings near Yosemite
National Park before dark, we gave them
a quick tour of some of the city's highlights
they had not seen.
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San Francisco Highlights |
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Enjoyed city and bay
views from Coit Tower which sits atop
the highest hill in downtown San Francisco
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Linda and Marilyn especially
enjoyed shopping on Pier 39 after
everyone enjoyed a nice meal on the
pier |
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The marina district
offered wonderful views of Alcatraz
before seeing the sights in Golden
Gate Park |
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Stopped
for great views and photos at Fort
Point directly under the Golden Gate
Bridge and enjoyed unsurpassed, close-up
views of the world's most famous bridge
and the entire city of San Francisco
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Jeff guided them to
a very special family-owned creamery,
Fenton's in Piedmont where everyone
enjoyed massive portions of home made
ice cream for dessert |
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Yosemite |
2 nights |
The Wieringas stayed the first night
at the Hotel Charlotte B&B in Groveland
which is an historic 1848 goldrush town
near Yosemite National Park. The Wieringas
settled into their rooms after enjoying
a good meal at the historic saloon across
the street.
Jeff guided the Wieringas in Yosemite
in perfect weather and everyone was stunned
by the natural grandeur of Yosemite with
its wateralls, river, meadows, trees and
history. Before heading to their hotel
for night two, Jeff timed the tour perfectly
and the everyone got to witness the gorgeous
orange sunset light as it bathed majestic
8,842' high granite mountain, Half Dome.
The next morning we guided the family
back into Yosemite to see the giant redwood
trees at the Mariposa Grove.
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Yosemite Highlights
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Gene and Marilyn and
Dirk and Linda standing arm-in-arm,
hugging as they gaze in amazement
as the orange light of the setting
sun bathed Half Dome |
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Everyone enjoyed a delicious,
gourmet lunch in the grand Ahwahnee
Hotel dining room with its soaring
beamed ceilings and giant windows
framing wonderful views |
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Dirk studying a very
alive but very still squirrel and
wondering if it was stuffed and placed
there for tourists |
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Watched a family of
dear up-close and personal as they
strolled through the Curry Village
apple orchard. |
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Reveled in the solitude
of the forest and gurgling waters
of the Merced River at Happy Isles |
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Watched daring rock
climbers ascend the towering 3,600'
granite face of Yosemite's El Capitan
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Strolled through the
giant redwood trees which can be 2,700
years old, 325' tall and 90' in circumference |
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Monterey Peninsula
and Big Sur |
1 night |
Before leaving Yosemite, Jeff knew a
family Italian cafe. We enjoyed a great
meal (with homemade bread) and headed
toward the coast. This part of the trip
took us through the Central Valley which
grows 80% of America's produce. Jeff pointed
out various crops. Jeff knew just the
place to stop for fresh pie, coffee and
other treats, Casa De Fruta in Gilroy.
We arrived "home" at a resort set in
the sand dunes on the shore of Monterey
and settled in. Bright and fresh the next
morning everyone enjoyed a relaxing tour
of Monterey's shops and pretty scenery.
We enjoyed seeing the crashing surf, sea
lions, shorefront Victorian homes, and
famous golf courses including Pebble Beach
while seeing the mansions along the 17-Mile
Drive.
After a few raindrops, the scenery got
even more spectacular as we headed down
world famous Highway 1 through Big Sur
on our way to Hearst Castle.
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Monterey Peninsula
Highlights |
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The Monterey resort
hotel was a luxurious treat |
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Shopped the art galleries
of Monterey though rain stopped gallery
shopping in Carmel |
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Enjoyed stunning vistas
and photo ops at every turn on Highway
1 from Monterey and through Big Sur
to San Simeon near Hearst Castle |
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Linda was
very brave and enjoyed the Big Sur
drive despite a bit of a fear of heights
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Despite a closed road,
Jeff was able to get everyone to see
McWay Falls as it dropped onto the
beach and into the turquoise surf |
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San Simeon |
1 night |
Just outside our next stop, the Wieringas
got to see the mammoth elephant seals
at the area rookery. Piedras Blancas.
We then checked in early to their shoreside,
quaint hotel where they relaxed a bit.
Jeff picked them up for their night tour
of the opulent Hearst Castle. After the
tour, which Linda said was not preferable
to the day time tour which she had taken
before, everyone was hungry. Jeff knew
about an excellent local pizza joint where
we picked up some pizza and beer.
Bright and early the next morning the
tour continued with a nature stroll before
shopping in the quaint village of Cambria
and then heading south toward Los Angeles.
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San Simeon Highlights
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Admired the crashing
Pacific surf and nature while on a
morning nature walk Jeff guided at
Fiscalini Nature Preserve |
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Saw giant elephant seals
at Piedras Blancas rookery |
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Admired the crashing
Pacific surf and nature while on a
morning nature walk Jeff guided at
Fiscalini Nature Preserve |
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Laughed and took photos
of the anti-Hearst Castle, Nitwitt
Ridge in Cambria |
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Good pizza, good beer,
good laughs, good pinochle |
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The men's waterfall
urinal at the Madonna Inn in San Luis
Obispo |
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Los Angeles/Long Beach
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We dropped them off
to stay for several nights |
Since Dirk and Linda had been to Los
Angeles several times, they didn't need
our services to introduce the city to
Dirk's folks. Jeff was still able to provide
a whirlwind afternoon and evening tour
after arriving from San Simeon.
Sights included a cemetery where lots
of famous people "live", Rodeo Drive in
Beverly Hills, Hollywood and the Hollywood
sign, the skyscrapers of downtown LA,
and Wayfarer's Chapel before dropping
the Wieringas at their hotel in Long Beach,
the historic ship, The Queen Mary.
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Los Angeles/Long Beach
Highlights |
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Marveling in the all
glass Wayfarer's Chapel in Palos Verdes. |
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Dirk got to see the
grave of one of his favorite stars,
Marilyn Monroe at the cemetery where
Jeff pointed out graves of many famous
people |
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Saw the Hollywood sign
up-close and personal |
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Strolled Rodeo Drive
and visited the hotel in the Richard
Gere/Julia Roberts movie "Pretty Woman" |
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Everyone saw the handprints
and stars of famous people along Hollywood
Blvd |
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Dirk and Linda found
the perfect angel snow-globe for a
loved one at Wayfarer's Chapel |
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Stayed at the unique
Queen Mary which is loaded with history
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Jeff writes: The Wieringas were wonderful folks to
guide! We got along well from our first email contact
to our meeting in San Francisco. They made the tour
"easy" if there can ever be such a thing.
I was particularly touched at how well they all
got along. They were always making little comments
that gently teased or joked and always in great fun.
Witnessing (and photographing) Gene and Marilyn standing,
hugging as they watched the warm sunset glow on Half
Dome was a truly touching sight. And Linda and Dirk
doing the same albeit with Linda clinging tightly
to Dirk due to her fear of heights.
I was touched that Linda trusted and believed me
when I told her throughout the tour, that I would
never put her into a dangerous situation or location.
Despite unforeseen challenges facing Dirk related
to their car rental in LA, he rolled with the punches
and things worked out as I got them to a different
rental car location. The Wieringas showed super, positive
attitudes and their easy going approach made the tour
one to truly remember.
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