Napa Valley Wedding Guide
Napa Valley Wedding Guide
Your Guide to a Spectacular Napa Valley Wedding
Having a Napa Valley Wedding guide is essential as when it comes to a wedding, a re-do isn’t usually an option. With average wedding costs soaring near $35,000, you have to get it right the first time. Napa Valley is perhaps the perfect setting for a wedding, because it’s extremely rare that the weather won’t cooperate. With relatively mild temperatures year round and a strong support system of vendors, venues, and services, you can get most anything you want from a wedding and honeymoon, from a hot air balloon ride to a cozy evening sipping wine by a fireplace.
We at Elite Limousine can handle more than just your airport transfer when you arrive to the area. We can also handle your “going away” ride, and get you to and from all of your amazing adventures while in Northern California. Here are our top tips for couples, after helping hundreds of brides and grooms just like you to experience the spectacular wedding of their dreams.
Choose a Professional, Reputable Napa Valley Limo Service
Any time you miss an appointment for a wine tasting is reason to cry. But missing your wedding or any of the special plans you’ve made for the wedding and honeymoon is positively unacceptable! Choose a Napa Valley limo service that employs only the best, most experienced, local drivers. Then you are sure to be at the church — as well as everywhere else — on time.
Try Some Wineries & Restaurants Off the Tourist Paths
You probably have a few must-see wineries on your list for a Napa wine tour (V. Sattui, Inglenook, and Stag’s Leap are popular choices), but we highly recommend that you include some lesser-known wineries and vineyards on your Napa Valley wine tour. These smaller establishments value each customer and offer more personalized experiences. You’ll be the King and Queen for the day in their tasting rooms, and you’ll be able to start your marriage with a fully-stocked wine cellar filled with amazingly affordable and incredibly unique wines. Now that’s a recipe for marital bliss.
Mix Your Attractions with Some Time in Nature
While our vineyard and wine tours are the bells of the ball out here, we also boast some breathtaking natural scenery. There are a number of well-kept secrets, like our natural parks and wildlife preserves. Napa Valley also offers adventures on the water, from wine yachts to fishing. You can also take one of our wine tour limos a little further out and see some incredible 2,000-year-old Redwood and Sequoia trees. And don’t forget — we’re just an hour and a half away from some amazing beaches!
Consider a Locally-Owned Hotel or Resort
While it’s tempting to cash in some of those rewards points at the chain hotels and resorts, there’s good reason to spend your wedding and honeymoon dollars at a smaller, locally-owned hotel, resort, or spa. As with the smaller wineries, these folks provide a level of personalized customer service that just isn’t available with the big guys. Plus, you’re supporting local business, which is always the right thing to do. The smaller hotels can handle large groups with advance notice, because they aren’t usually catering to the larger business crowd for conventions and trade shows. Many of them offer full-service spas, walking trails, horseback riding, and other special amenities, and our limo drivers can pick you up for your wine tour right at the front door.
Don’t Schedule Your Wedding & Honeymoon Too Tightly
A secret to wedding success is a loose schedule with ample flexibility. If you don’t leave some wiggle room, there’s no way to recover from issues like taking too long on the photo shoot or lingering a bit with your guests. For example, maybe the flower girl has a meltdown right before her big performance, and it takes Mom a few minutes to calm her down. Or perhaps an aunt you rarely get to see surprises you, and you need a little extra time to speak with her before changing into your going away outfit. Whatever the case, leave your wedding day and honeymoon schedule loose enough so that you aren’t paying a limo driver to simply sit and wait. We’ll be happy to pick you up whenever you’re ready, but we don’t want to waste your money!
Beware of Lumping Too Many Services Together
Many of the wedding venues and limo wine tour services have established relationships with other wedding vendors, such as florists, entertainment (bands or DJs), caterers, and other services. You can often get package deals that include a limo service, as well as hotel rooms, spa treatments, and wedding vendors. These packages often do save money, but there’s a downside — if your venue is also handling your florist and catering, you might not have as much of a say in things. Also, if you’re going through your venue for flowers and food, there’s more chance of errors and misunderstandings. In many cases, it’s a good idea to accept their recommendations, but deal with your separate wedding and honeymoon vendors one on one.
From your airport transfer to the hotel to getting you away to your honeymoon, and handling your grand Napa Valley wine tour, Elite Limousine has you covered. Our professional drivers are always on time, and our vehicles are exceptionally well maintained, meaning you won’t be stranded roadside while your guests eat your expensive wedding cake. Call on us for all your Napa Valley wedding and honeymoon transportation needs.
Corporate Travel Expense Trimming
Corporate Travel Expense Trimming
4 Effective Ways To Trim Your Expense Sheet for Your Corporate Travels
Not too many years ago, “experts” predicted that technology would mean the death of business travel. After all, why would companies fork out (on average) nearly $1,000 per traveler per trip when it’s much faster, easier, and cheaper to simply host conferences online and video chat with clients?
As it happens, technology didn’t put much of a dent in business travel. American business people take almost 460 million trips per year, spending a grand total of more than $283 billion. This figure is expected to climb as we close in on 2020. When it comes to closing the deal, wooing lucrative clients, and conferencing with industry leaders, there simply is no technological replacement for the in-person business trip.
Nonetheless, businesses of all sizes and revenue levels continually seek ways to cut costs on those essential business travels. From insisting that the traveler pay for their own trip and then seek reimbursement to limiting spending for services like airport transfers, every company has its own means and methods for trying to do the same thing for less money.
If you happen to be one of the professionals who travel frequently, that often means making sacrifices. How can you cut costs for your business travel while still enjoying a measure of comfort and managing to impress your clients? Here’s our helpful hints.
1. Learn the Art of Flying on the Cheap
Occasionally, your big client has an emergency and needs your top engineer out in San Francisco stat. But more often, you can control when you go on business trips. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to fly, and you can cut that another 44% if you book at least 15 days in advance. Bite the bullet and take the redeye for another 6% savings. You can also cut costs considerably by flying into a regional airport instead of the larger international airports like SFO. For clients you only fly out to see a time or two per year, you can save significantly by paying attention to the holidays and prime vacation times. For example, book flights in the wintertime after the holidays and before Mardi Gras and Spring Break. Avoid traveling in the summertime, unless absolutely necessary, and resume your business flights in August, avoiding dates when people might be traveling for the holidays or when colleges and universities let out for fall break.
2. A Limo Rental Actually Saves You Money in the Long Run
While Uber and Lyft are gaining traction among business travelers, you can actually save money in the long run by booking a limousine for your airport transfer and corporate ground transportation. The reasons are simple: first, does your Uber driver really care if you get to your client appointment on time? Nope. Do you really want to put the fate of a meeting with a $2 million client on the line for some guy making $12 beer money for a cross-town ride? Second, renting a car racks up so many extra costs — from parking fees to prepaid gas you might not even use. Thirdly, business travelers should never depend on public transportation, not in San Francisco or anywhere else, for one really good reason: yuck. Who wants an $800 suit on the public bus?
3. Be Prepared to Work the System
Most business travelers want (and deserve) a measure of comfort. Learning to cut expenses where it doesn’t matter so much allows you to spend a little more where it truly counts. For instance, if you’re super picky about your hotel rooms, be willing to eat on the cheap and leave room in the budget for a 4-star instead of a rent-by-the-hour. Cutting down on your check-in luggage can pad the budget a bit for a limo for your airport transfer and around-town travels. Sacrifice smartly and it won’t even seem like a sacrifice at all.
4. Have Someone Drive You to the Airport
One of the most wasteful business travel expenses is paying to park your car at the airport during your business trips. Many airports charge upwards of $20 per day for long-term parking, and there is positively zero benefit to this expense. Instead, have a coworker or family member drop you off at the airport and turn to a reputable airport transfer service to get you to your hotel. A limo driver can pick you up curbside, and deliver you to the hotel or business of your choosing, and you will probably save enough on your parking fees to pay for that limo ride. Having a limo for your airport transfer gives you ample time to catch up on your emails and phone calls, so that when you get to your hotel, all you have to do is relax and prepare for your meetings.
Flying into SFO or one of the regional airports in San Francisco or Northern California? Depend on the pros at Elite Limousine to help you keep your airport transfer and corporate travel costs low, while keeping your level of comfort during your business trip as high as possible. Contact us now to book your limo service or for additional details.
Business Travel With Your Family
Business Travel With Your Family
Learn How to Include Your Family in Your Next Business Trip
Over the past few decades, a lot has changed when it comes to balancing work and family life. Both employers and employees realize that people are people — moms and dads and husbands and wives — before they are workers, and allowing employees to have more of a family life while they work contributes greatly to their overall job satisfaction. This means companies are able to retain better talent, and employees are able to excel in their careers without damaging those all-important family relationships.
Instead of leaving the spouse and kids behind for all those long, boring business trips, consider packing them up and bringing them along! You might not be able to do this every trip, but including them in even one or two business trips per year goes a long way toward building a stronger, happier family unit. From the airport transfer to the hotel swimming pool, here’s how to incorporate business and pleasure with ultimate success.
Know When It’s a Good Idea (and When It Isn’t)
Business trips aren’t all created equally. Some are more predictable and manageable than others, and some are more or less stressful than others. If you’re going to San Francisco to handle a serious issue with one of your tech clients, that may not be the best time for tag-alongs. Take the family when it’s a routine trade show or conference, with relatively predictable hours and not a time when you might be expected to work late or dine with a big client after the meetings are finished. Bringing them on a particularly stressful trip is likely to cause more hard feelings than family fun. Pick a trip when you can afford a nice airport transfer in a limousine and a fine dinner at one of Frisco’s 5-star restaurants, instead of bringing them when the budget is too tight for any luxuries or perks to make the trip special.
Be Honest With Your Family About Your Schedule
Just as you would back home, be careful what you promise. Kids can deal with occasional disappointments, so long as you’re generally dependable and trustworthy. Don’t promise a 3-hour outing after long day at the conference or tell them you’ll take them swimming before you’ve checked the weather forecast. They’d rather expect a 12- hour day without you than look forward to you being back by 4 and then having to wait (and fume) until 8 or 9 p.m. If you know you’ll be gone an especially long time one day, schedule something fun for them in your absence. Book them a limo ride to Chinatown or one of San Francisco’s amazing museums or art galleries.
Choose the Right Hotel in the Right Area of Town
When traveling solo, you might make budgetary concessions, like staying in a cheaper area of town or in a smaller motel with no kitchenette or cable TV. If you’re bringing the spouse and kids, you’ll need to splurge a bit more, just so they won’t be bored out of their skulls while you’re in meetings or at a speaking engagement. A hotel with a kitchenette really helps keep the food bill down, since the fam can make a quick bite at the hotel instead of eating out several times a day. Swimming pools (especially indoor pools) are excellent time killers, so long as you have someone along who’s old enough and swims well enough to keep them safe. A word to the wise about outdoor pools in San Francisco: it’s notoriously chilly in the mornings and evenings, even in the summertime. Be careful about promising a swim outdoors when the weather might not want to cooperate. Or, pick a hotel close to an area packed with fun things to do during the day, such as shopping centers, parks, or attractions like Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s better to take a longer limo ride to your destination each day so that they can be near something safe and fun to pass the time.
Make the Little Things as Fun as Possible
Most business trips are 80 to 90 percent work, meaning you’ll have to work some fun in edgewise wherever you can. Opt for a limo airport transfer, and treat them to some sightseeing on the way to the hotel. If your conference is at one of the larger San Francisco venues, like Civic Center, bring them along so that they can see the museums and historical government offices while you’re in meetings. Check to see if there are any interesting performances or exhibitions nearby for them to enjoy while you do business. Instead of grabbing a quick bite at McDonald’s after a long day, take them to one of the landmark restaurants like Cotogna or Nopa.
Consider Adding a Day or Two to the Trip Just for Fun
You can eliminate the chances of business completely stamping out your pleasure by adding a day or two to your trip, just for family fun. Don’t let your clients know you’ll be in town extra days, so they won’t be tempted to call you in at the last minute. Go a day or two early, so that you can have fun with them before the grueling work begins, or stay a day or so late to make up for the times when meetings or conferences ran over and ate into family time. Then, shuttle them back to the airport in a limo, to wrap up the perfect kind-of-sort-of family vacation.
With a little planning, you can mix business with pleasure, keeping down on your annual travel costs by piggybacking family and business travel expenses. Bringing the fam along also helps you get over that guilty feeling you get every time you hop on a plane the day before Kayla’s birthday party or Jaylen’s big Little League tournament. Plus, traveling around the country and seeing all the different people and sights is one of the best educational experiences a kid can get!
Book your fabulously fun family airport transfer to kick off your family “business” trip with Elite Limousine today!
Business Traveler Tips
Looking for some of the best business traveler tips? Here are 4 Essential Tips for Getting it Right with Business Travel
Here at Elite Limo, we see business travelers all the time. Some fly into SFO from Tokyo, others make their way from Boston to Oakland. We see CFOs of Fortune 100 companies, as well as entry-level sales reps from startup companies, and everything in between. We’ve collected some of the best tips and tricks out there, to bring them to you, our valued customer (or customer to be!). We hope you glean the insight you need to make your business travels more efficient and successful, from the airport transfer to closing that whale of a sale.
1. Invest in Quality Luggage (and Learn to Pack Efficiently)
Standing at security in SFO with a broken zipper on your bag, all your valuables spilling on the floor (gross), and everyone behind you grumbling about you taking so long — this is not the time to decide to invest in quality luggage. Good luggage comes with heavy-duty zippers and stitching, high-quality fabrics, and rugged straps for carrying.
Quality counts. If you have the money to invest in but one piece of high-quality luggage, let it be a backpack. These go easily where rolling luggage lags, and are roomy enough for your laptop, file folders, and a few convenience items like snacks and a change of clothing. Plus, with a single convenient bag or two, you can hop off the plane, climb in your limo for the airport transfer, and be on your way while everyone else is still wandering around wondering when their suitcase is coming off the plane.
If you can, get everything in your carry on luggage except for your hanging items, and leave bag checkout nightmares behind you. Learn to survive a couple of days on hotel soaps and shampoos (higher-end hotels usually provide the good stuff), and avoid loading up on freebies from trade shows and conferences. That’s not only saving room in your luggage, it saves about 20 pounds you have to lug around on the way back home.
2. Go Ahead and Purchase Travel Insurance (Always)
The only time you’ll probably ever need travel insurance is the one time you don’t get it. Check your company’s policy regarding reimbursement for travel insurance. Then estimate your total costs, including the value of the items you’re bringing. It would likely cost at least $1,000 to replace just your mobile device, not to mention that $1,500 laptop, three $900 suits, and likely a bag totaling $100 or more. Even without corporate reimbursement, it is almost always more cost-effective to invest in travel insurance than to try to cover a missed trip or losses while you’re on the road.
3. Learn the Art of Resting When You Can, Where You Can
The number one cause of problems on business trips is fatigue and lack of clear-headedness due to a furiously paced trip. This is why you get confused and miss a flight, why you forget your cell phone on the checkout counter, and why you accidentally say something silly when talking to a client. Masterful corporate travelers learn to rest and relax when they can, instead of spending every free moment checking email, returning phone calls, or trying to crank out productive work. Use the time on your airport transfer to lay your head back and relax. Instead of whipping out your phone or tablet during your limo ride to the client’s office, take a few moments to enjoy the view. San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the nation! It would be a shame to get back home and realize you did no more than glimpse at the Bay, the Wharf, or the Bridge.
4. Reuse the Same Vendors as Much as Possible
You arrive at SFO at 11 p.m., after a long weather delay in Dallas. Your airport transfer gets you to your hotel across town by 11:25, but there’s been a computer error, and many of the hotel reservations for this night got lost. There is one room left, and there are two customers at the counter: yourself, who they have never seen, and a lady who stays at this hotel regularly. Who gets the room?
In this scenario, it pays to be the regular guest. Instead of always searching Priceline, Expedia, or Trip Advisor for the lowest rates, stick with the same airlines, limo airport transfer service, hotel, and other vendors as much as you can. In the long run, you’ll get the best deals (they always save their best prices for their regular customers), plus you’ll enjoy premium service that only regular customers enjoy. This also qualifies you for numerous loyalty programs, which can save 15% to 20% of regular prices, and occasionally scores you a freebie, like buy three nights, get one free.
Of course, we hope you choose Elite Limo the next time you need an airport transfer or limo service in the San Francisco area. But we hope you found something valuable in our corporate travel tips, either way. Happy traveling!
Corporate Travel Management
Corporate Travel Management
Balancing Luxury & Affordability in Corporate Travel
Corporate travel often feels like an angry game of tug-of-war between yourself and your employer. They’re always pulling for tighter travel budgets and fewer perks. You’re simply pulling for reasonable living conditions during your business trips (especially considering you’re missing your kid’s birthday party for this stupid conference in San Francisco and you’re already taking heck from your spouse).
Is there a compromise? Is there some way to get decent air fare, airport transport services, hotel rooms, and food without the company accusing you of tanking their entire 3rd quarter profits? There is. Read on.
Do Some Research & Plan Ahead as Much as Possible
We know; we know. You really don’t want to think about that business trip to San Francisco until it’s time to hop on the plane. But doing your research and finalizing as much of your travel plans as possible as early as possible can save you enough money to bump up from economy class to business class or upgrade from a single hotel room to the suite. Of course, there will always be things you can’t nail down ahead of time.
For instance, you might want to leave dinner reservations open the first night, in case you end up taking the client out. But do reserve everything you can. Then you’ll have an idea of how much more is left in the old business travel budget to spend on a limo service or that mini bar (is it us, or do M&Ms just taste better from a hotel mini bar?)
Be Flexible About Travel Times
If you’re willing to fly at off-peak times, you can often save enough money to bump a business class ticket up to first class, or save on airfare and opt for a limo airport transfer instead of having to use that godforsaken hotel shuttle bus with the crying kids and bubble gum on the seats. This can mean a huge savings when flying into the larger airports, like SFO.
The redeye (between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.) is a popular way to save on business travel expenses, and flying on Tuesday or Wednesday. The next cheapest days are Thursday and Saturday. Before booking reservations, check the calendar for holidays or other heavy air traffic days that might skew your airfare rates, such as college kids flying home for spring or fall break.
Stick With the Same Vendors Every Time You Travel
Hotels, limo services, and other business travel vendors will usually work with their regular customers to offer the best possible rates and perks. Over time, you can save substantially (plus upping your luxury amenities from time to time) by sticking with the same vendors.
Remember, your company shouldn’t be judged by the rottenest apples in the bunch, and neither should theirs. Don’t ditch a long-time vendor who’s provided great customer service just because they couldn’t score you that corner suite this particular trip. Stick with a vendor that can provide overall solid service and competitive rates. That 3, 4, or 5 year relationship will pay off for you over time.
Rethink the Cost Savings of Public Transit
If you save a few dozen dollars riding the bus, but you ruin an $800 suit, arrive to the client’s office looking a wreck, and end up losing a half-million dollar account because he/she was so unimpressed because you arrived 20 minutes late in a stained suit, did you really save any money? Nope, you squandered a ton.
Opting for a limo transport during your business trip isn’t really a luxury at all. It’s just good business sense. You’ll impress the clients, make bigger and better connections, always arrive on time looking your best, and never squander a half-million dollar account or ruin an expensive suit on public transit. This is particularly important in the big business cities like San Francisco, where you’re expected to arrive in style and you do get judged largely on your appearance.
A good rule of thumb is to save on everything that isn’t important to you, so that you can splurge on the few items that are truly of significance. Say you’re a foodie. Choose a hotel room with a kitchenette, so that you can make most of your meals in the hotel and splurge on two or three excellent restaurants while you’re in town. Likewise, if a luxury hotel means everything, be willing to take that middle-of-the-week redeye flight in economy class so that you can score that super slick suite overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
Most of all, turn to the dependable, reliable, affordable services of Elite Limousine for your transportation needs. Your business is our business. Schedule your corporate travel management consultation or limo services today!
Business Travel Tips
Business Travel Tips
Learn How to Keep Your Business Travel from Becoming a First Class Drag
Business travel is fun for the first few months of your career, but after time drags on, the business trips seem more like punishment than a retreat. Soon, the inconveniences of being away from the office and home and family start to wear on you. Here’s how to get more out of your business trips, improving both the professional and personal aspects of traveling for your business, beginning with an easy, comfortable airport transfer service and ending with a little non-business R&R.
Splurge on a Limo Rental
Your arrival at San Francisco or Sacramento airport doesn’t have to mean waiting around for a shuttle bus or trying to hail a dirty cab with a grumpy driver. When you opt for an airport transfer service via limo, you can actually get some work done during your commute to the hotel. Answer those pressing emails and make those important calls, so that when you arrive at the hotel, you can relax instead of trying to make up for lost time. A limo service also assures that you make an excellent first impression when you arrive at your client’s office or that business meeting.
Streamline Your Necessities
Part of the wearisome task of business travel is packing junk, lugging junk, unpacking junk … you get it. Decide which tech devices, wardrobe options, and personal items you actually need, and leave the rest back home. It’s often easier and cheaper to pick up a few travel-size items once you arrive (or get some from the hotel desk) than to pack and unpack shampoo, deodorant, and toothpaste 99 times this year. Toss these before you leave and you’ll be lugging much less around the airport this trip.
Invest in a Portable Charger & Private Wi-Fi Hotspot
A surefire way to complicate your business trip is to be unable to access the Internet, or worse, to get malware on your computer or phone. Even paid hotel Wi-Fi is public, and comes with a significant risk. Additionally, nothing is less professional than trying to explain to your client that you didn’t get his message because your phone died. Keep your devices and personal data safe and secure, and make sure you don’t fall out of touch with clients and the office by investing in portable chargers for your devices and a VPN or Wi-Fi hotspot. These make business travel safer and more convenient, and most portable hotspots allow you to get Internet access so you can work even while you’re in the airport transfer limo.
Don’t Be Uber Accessible to the Office
Experts worry about today’s always-on lifestyle. With phones and tablets and laptops at our fingers 24/7, we’re expected to be available and productive all the time. However, it just isn’t healthy. According to experts, you’re actually more productive when you switch off from time to time. Spend your business travel time engaged with your clients, face-to-face, listening and learning from what’s around you, not just what’s popping up in your inbox or trending on social media. Learn to disengage while away from the office. Use your business trips to beef up your real people skills. That means being inaccessible sometimes. For instance, you can answer the most critical issues during your airport transfer and the limo rides to and from your business destinations. Switch off and mark yourself unavailable when you get back to the hotel. Spend some time in the pool, watching TV, or using that first-rate gym downstairs.
Embrace the Travel Side of the Business Trip
Even a single afternoon enjoying local sights and culture can help you relax, focus, process what you’re learning on the trip, and return to the office refreshed instead of drained. Even in the tightest budget, the top business destinations of Northern California offer free and low-cost museums, attractions, and natural scenery where you can mull over your plans and recharge your attitude. Look for local, state, and national parks like Glen Canyon Park, the Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Gardens, and others. More of an indoor type? Try one of San Francisco’s free museums, like The Autodesk Gallery, Cable Car Museum, or the Chinese Historical Society of America. Want more business travel tips? Call EliteLimo.com today and book your next business travel with Elite!
Limo Transfer Service Justification
Discover How to Justify the Costs of a Limo Transfer Service to Your Boss
It’s simple, really. You don’t want to ride the bus around San Francisco while you’re there on business. You don’t want to have to fight traffic in a rental car or sit in a disgusting taxi in your brand new $900 suit. Uber charges are always bloated during peak times (aka, anytime you happen to actually need one), and those cable cars are perfect for tourists, but how are you supposed to arrive looking presentable and reputable after riding a few miles in one of those open-aired trolleys? They look like children’s toys.
You just wish your boss could see the merits or springing the extra few bucks to rent a limo for your airport transfer and corporate travel during your stay in San Francisco. Here are a few arguments to summon in favor of a limo service to that your boss can clearly see the error of his/her ways.
A Limo Airport Transfer Means You’re On Time to Meet Clients
While you can’t control the bus and trolley schedules (or the availability of an Uber driver at any given point in time), you can schedule a limo service. The professional driver picks you up at the airport terminal and escorts you to the curb of your hotel. Similarly, they arrive about 15 minutes early when picking up corporate travelers to take them to meet clients or attend conferences. You’ll not only arrive on time, but looking your absolute best.
Trying to land that multi-million dollar client is far easier when you arrive on time, in a suit that isn’t ruffled from a haphazard excursion on public transport. With a rental car, there’s always a chance you’ll get hopelessly lost or stuck in traffic. (Have you seen rush hour on the bridge? Bring a snack.) Professional limo drivers know how to keep you one step ahead of traffic snarls so you’re always on time — cool as a cucumber and looking your brightest.
A Limo Airport Transfer Gives You the Opportunity to Catch Up on Work During the Ride
Is your boss constantly complaining that you get behind on client emails and paperwork while on a business trip? Explain how much work you can get done while riding in a limo instead of driving your own rental car or bumping along on public transport.
Honestly, it isn’t even safe to have your valuable mobile devices out on the San Francisco buses, and it’s too easy to leave a tablet or laptop with high-level access to company computer systems in an Uber car.
A Limo Airport Transfer Service Eliminates Several Other Travel Expenses
Parking fees, rental car fees, toll roads, and other fees, fines, and charges really rack up on a business trip. There’s the airport transfer, trips to meetings and the client’s office, whining and dining the client, and of course, a side trip or two to get souvenirs for honey and the kids. In the long run, a limo might actually be cheaper, and at least those costs are predictable.
Between Uber Surge Pricing, extremely limited parking in and around San Francisco for a rental car, high prices at parking lots and garages, and other various and sundry costs, a limo might come in at a lower overall tally — and is far more impressive to those lucrative clients you’re courting. How much would it cost if you were delayed by traffic or unable to get there due to an accident? The loss of a big customer or forfeiting your entire fee for attending a conference are high costs to pay for not securing reliable airport transport and corporate travel via a reputable limo service.
A Limo Airport Transfer is the Safest Way to Travel in a Strange City Today
Like any big city, San Francisco carries an element of danger. There are your garden variety pick pockets, scam artists, and outright thugs. This is especially true if you get lost in your rental car and end up in one of the seedier neighborhoods, such as the Mission or Hunter’s Point.
Limo services are manned by professional drivers who arrive on time, keep you on the safest, most efficient route, and drop you off safely curbside. Perhaps more importantly, limo services maintain their vehicles regularly and with great pride. Can you say that about the last rattletrap car you rented from the airport car rental? We didn’t think so.
Elite Limousine specializes in airport transfer services at all the major San Francisco airports (SFO, Oakland, San Jose) and we offer top tier corporate travel all over Northern California. So whether you need a quick transport from the airport to your convention hotel or a ride from San Francisco to your clients in Silicon Valley or Sacramento, we’ve got you covered — affordably, safely, and in style. Visit our website to schedule your airport transfer and corporate travel needs today.
Places To Visit in Monterey CA
Just a hop, skip, and jump south of the urban mayhem of San Francisco lies one of the world’s premier vacation spots. The ultra-photogenic views bring you there. The upscale, thriving shopping, dining, and nightlife keep you there. A limo transfer service can pick you up curbside at the San Francisco Airport and have you here in less than two hours.
First popularized by the novelist John Steinbeck, Monterey is a playplace for the rich and famous, but most anyone can enjoy the spectacle and luxurious lifestyle celebrated here — even if only for a few days. With a population of just under 30,000, it’s a welcome reprieve from the craziness of L.A. and Frisco, as well as an amazing getaway for those seeking solace from the heat of the Desert Southwest and Deep South in the summertime. It also beacons to those escaping the brutal New England and Midwest winters.
But once your limo transfer service drops you off, what on earth shall you do? We’re pleased you asked!
1. Monterey Bay
Your absolute first stop needs to be Monterey Bay. After all, you won’t rest easy until you’ve gotten a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean! Home to numerous marine and wildlife preserves, Monterey Bay is kept as close to natural as possible with the urban sprawl threatening all around. It’s home to Monterey Canyon, one of the biggest underground canyons on earth. There are several beaches to lounge around on, as well as scuba diving (lessons are available), sunset cruises, tours of Cannery Row, sailboats for rent, and much more.
2. Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Pacific Ocean is home to innumerable marine species, and you can meet a heaping helping of them right here at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Have your limo transfer service drop you off, or take the bus (Monterey-Salinas Transit) to Cannery Row. Hand feed the penguins, meet live jellyfish up close and in person, and see one of the breathtaking exhibits, like the sea lion’s mane jellyfish and the great white sharks. You can also learn how the aquarium and other experts are helping conserve the amazing natural resources found nowhere on earth outside the U.S. West Coast. Whether you’re bringing a minivan full of kids, or just yourself and your plus-one, this is an adventure you don’t want to miss.
3. Monterey Museum of Art
After you’ve had an adventure like the aquarium, you’ll probably be ready for some quieter, more laid-back entertainment. It’s time to head over to Monterey Museum of Art, where you can take your time pondering life, the universe, and everything amid one of the 20-something traveling exhibitions hosted by the museum each year. The Monterey Museum also lays claim to more than 14,00 permanent works of art, especially art produced by prominent California artists. The Monterey Museum also own a significant collection of photographs, contemporary art, Asian art, and works by greats like Pablo Picasso, Ansel Adams, Henri Matisse, and many others.
4. Cannery Row
If you take a limo transfer service from SF to Monterey and don’t want to spend the entire vacation fussing and fuming with car rentals, busses, traffic, and mind-bogglingly confusing directions from Siri, then you can get in on all of Monterey’s action right at Cannery Row. From mouthwatering food to eye-popping sightseeing, gift shopping to taking in the natural wonders, Cannery Row is the place to be. Offering 25 different restaurants, from sports bars to fine seafood, Cannery Row lets you golf and play games like billiards, walk, cycle, kayak, spoil yourself at a spa, sample premium cigars, indulge in locally-produced wines, relax by an open fire, tour breweries and the old canning factories (including the famous sardine canneries), and much more. It offers fun for couples, families, groups, or even the lone business guy or gal who needs a respite from hectic meetings and conferences.
5. Pinnacles National Park
Three decades ago, the great California Condor was all but extinct. Fewer than 30 of the birds remained. Now, almost 90 thrive under the protection and supervision of wildlife specialists at Pinnacles National Park. The park is also home to many other species, including falcons, eagles, and red-legged frogs. In addition to seeing these majestic birds in action, you can camp, hike, climb, picnic, tour caves, spot wildlife, and simply take in the natural beauty here. The unusual landscape of Pinnacles National Park was forged during the same ancient seismic events that created the near-perfect agricultural soil, rolling hills and mountain chains, and other unique hallmarks of Northern California. Volcanic activity created the gnarled and twisted landscape, featuring chaparral, woods filled with hardwood trees, caves, and photo-worthy canyons.
It all starts with a limo transfer service from the San Francisco Airport to your choice of fine hotels in Monterey. We can also help you with transport once you get here, including shuttling you in grand style to your events and the area attractions. Depend on Elite Limousine for all your limo transport needs in and around the Greater San Francisco region.
8 Reasons Your Next Vacay Needs to be in Northern California
Sometimes, opposites attract. The city-loving gal falls for the country-loving gent, or the woman who loves basking in the sun goes head-over-heels for the guy who prefers the sub-freezing temps of a ski resort. If this sounds like your relationship, Northern California is the place to be for your next vacation. Whether you like the old or new, great outdoors or all the modern conveniences, NorCal has a bit of everything. Elite Limousine can handle your airport transfer to any of the area hotels, businesses, or world-class attractions.
1. Wine or Beer? Both, Please
Whether you take a Napa wine tour or hit some of the amazing craft beer breweries in the region, this is the place to be. Though wine is what the region is most noted for, there is an abundance of beer brewers in San Francisco, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and surrounding areas. For the couple who can’t decide, don’t fight! Visit NorCal and get some of it all — from the upscale Napa Chardonnays (unoaked, if you prefer) to seasonal brews and even steam-brewed beers, we can accommodate an incredibly diverse collection of taste buds. Elite can manage your wine tours, brewery excursions, and your airport transfer from the airport to a hotel of your choosing.
2. Rural Backwoods or Bright Lights, Big City? Check and Check
You already know that two of California’s biggest and most prosperous cities — San Francisco and the capitol city of Sacramento — are in Northern California. What you may not realize is that there are many remote, rural areas, as well. Farmlands here overflow with everything from olive groves to rice paddies, to sunflowers, almonds, walnuts, kiwi fruit, peaches, and plums. Hey, all the best fruits and nuts are from California. It’s also home to large, picturesque fields of alfalfa and hay, fodder for the area’s cattle, sheep, goats, and other lovable farm animals. We’ve got petting zoos with baby animals, too. Spend your days sightseeing through the farming communities and enjoy your nights dining and dancing at some of our world-class restaurants and nightclubs. Best. Of. Both. Worlds.
3. Prefer the Mountains or the Beach? We’re Down With That
Some people prefer the crisp breezes, snowcapped peaks, and expansive views of the mountaintops. Others like to bask in the sun on a sandy beach, hearing nothing more than the crashing of the waves. Here, they’re just a couple of hours apart. Spend your days strolling some of the lesser-traveled beaches north of San Francisco (may we recommend Black Sand Beach and College Cove?) and take your evening respite in one of the cozy cabins in the Vaca Mountains. Both are just a short way from your Napa wine tour.
4. Like the Ultimate in Convenience or Roughing It Outdoors? Yep and Yep
Napa Valley thrives on tourism, and is world-renown for rolling out the proverbial red carpet for visitors. Nearby Calistoga is home to some of the world’s premier mud baths and spas. Yet both are just a hop, skip, and jump from some excellent spots for camping, hiking, cycling, climbing, picnicking, canoeing, and kayaking. Try Bothe-Napa State Park (home to some gigantic coast redwood trees) or stop by the petrified forest in Calistoga.
5. Some Like It Hot, Some Like It Cold: We Can Accommodate
Northern California is notable for its mild temperatures — rarely either too hot or too cold. But the lowlands, particularly the beaches and farmlands, are typically warm from Spring through Fall (one of the main reasons it’s so excellent for grape vineyards). The mountainous regions do get quite cool and breezy, and many of the ski resorts in the mountains have extraordinarily long seasons. You can also enjoy water sports most of the year on Lake Tahoe, as well as most of the lakes and rivers closer to Napa Valley, such as the Russian River.
6. Intrigued by Modern Advancements or Historical Amazements? Enjoy Both!
Silicon Valley is home to some of the world’s most innovative tech companies. Some also offer tours for the tech geeks among us. You can visit:
• Apple
• The Google Android statues
• Intel’s museum
• NASA Ames Exploration Center
• The TECH Museum
• The Computer History Museum.
If you’re more into nostalgia than computers and tech devices, California offers more than 1,000 historical sites! But you probably can’t see all those in one trip (or, 100 trips), so we recommend the highlights:
• If you like wine tours, stop by Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery, the only Sonoma winery to remain in operation during Prohibition. They got away with it because they produced wine for sacrament and “medicinal” purposes only. We think we feel a cold coming on …
• If you like the Ferris wheels at Jersey Shore, you’ll love the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Established in 1907, it’s the oldest amusement park in California, and features a wooden roller coaster that’s still in operation. History PLUS an amusement park? Sign us up.
• The Old Custom House in Monterey doesn’t look like much. But it happens to be the place where the first American flag was raised, signifying California as an official part of the United States. It’s also California’s first historical landmark. Do you hear someone gently playing “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” or is that just us?
7. Into Sports or Culture? We Can Indulge You
Is your idea of a perfect day one spent cheering your favorite team from the stands? Perhaps it’s indulging in fine arts — sculptures by the masters, oil paintings by the historic geniuses, ballet and the symphony? It’s all right here. Catch a home game of the 49ers or Oakland Raiders if you’re in the area during football season (preseason tickets are even more readily available and generally less expensive) or the San Francisco Giants if you’re more of a baseball fan. For your culturally-aware travelers, enrich yourself with contemporary art at the De Young Museum at Golden Gate Park or the San Francisco Ballet at the War Memorial Opera House. You might also enjoy cultural enlightenment in Chinatown, or the iconic murals in The Mission neighborhood.
8. Because … Sea Lions
In 1989, an historic 6.9 magnitude earthquake rocked San Francisco, just as they were hosting the World Series. Shortly after, a small colony of sea lions oddly took over the K-Dock at Pier 39, much to the chagrin of those trying to operate marinas there. The small group soon turned into a substantial colony. Making lemonade out of their pinniped lemons, the marina owners turned the dock into the Marine Mammal Center, allowing the sea lions to remain, safely, to the delight of both locals and tourists. If barking sea lions isn’t your thing, Northern California is also an excellent venue for whale watching, and is home to numerous marine and woodland animals. (Did we mention petting zoos?)
Ready? Good. Visit Elite Limousine today to schedule your airport transfer from the San Francisco Airport to the destination of your dreams. Whatever that may be.
SF Business Convention Survival Guide
Your Ultimate Guide to Surviving a Business Convention in San Francisco
Centrally located near both Silicone Valley and the state capital of Sacramento, San Francisco is a popular spot for holding conventions, industry trade shows, seminars, and for getting all the movers and shakers together for serious business discussions. San Francisco offers a world-class airport (complete with a spa, art galleries, and fine dining), several generous and well-equipped convention centers, an abundant selection of hotels at a wide range of price points, fabulous 5-star dining, and some interesting attractions to enjoy in between meetings or seminar sessions.
The flipside is that San Francisco is a big city, and comes with all that entails. It is home to a quite large homeless population, and a few of the neighborhoods are notorious for the seedier side of big city life: drugs, prostitution, and a bit of riff raff. Before booking your accommodations and deciding how you’ll get from the airport to the hotel and navigate the city during your stay, you need to understand a few of the ins and outs of San Francisco business travel, as well as your options for transportation. You’re in luck, because this is the only guide you need.
Don’t Let ‘Em Fool You: San Francisco is No Walker’s Paradise
Touted as one of the best cities for pedestrians, it’s tempting to believe that “you can just walk” everywhere. Unfortunately, it isn’t that simple. Those hills that look so inviting on the magazines and travel websites are brutal on foot — especially if you’re wearing brand new dress shoes. There is abundant public transportation available (such as BART, the train/subway, Muni bus, gaggles of Uber and Lyft drivers, and even some rickshaws and Segways for rent), but let’s be frank: unless you like riding with the great unwashed, many of whom are quite likely to relieve themselves en route, these aren’t the best options for a business traveler with nice shoes, a leather briefcase, and a laptop. Play it safe and book a reputable car and driver to get you from the airport to your hotel and around town during your stay. You’ll avoid the worst of the traffic, dodge excessively high parking fees, and steer clear of areas where crime rates tend to stray higher than average.
Dress for the Constantly-Changing, Unpredictably Chilly Weather
Mark Twain famously quipped, “the coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” The locals love to laugh at tourists who step off the plane wearing shorts and T-shirts, expecting the weather in San Francisco to be balmy year-round like Los Angeles or San Diego. ‘Frisco is much further north, and the terrain, positioned between the Pacific and San Francisco Bay, along with a few other factors, make this region notoriously not-warm. The norm is a chilly, foggy morning, broken by a brief, sunny afternoon, interrupted by an evening drop in temperatures of 20-degrees or more. You’re as likely to see an 80-degree day in January as you are in July. Don’t let the 70 degrees right now fool you, either, because the 50’s are just a few hours away. Bring a jacket. Whether your business trip is in January, March, July, or September — bring a jacket. On the upside, an entire industry of inexpensive sweatshirt vendors exist just because most people don’t. So, you’re covered either way.
Business Casual is as Formal as It Gets Around Here
A business meeting or seminar back East in New York, Boston, or even Chicago, usually means your best 3-piece suit, even if temperatures are soaring into the high 80’s. That’s because the East is dominated mostly by “old money” finance types with a heritage of banking or old school industry rooted deeply in tradition. Left-coasters are a different breed. These are the guys who literally built multi-billion dollar empires out of nothing but a domain name or a computer chip the size of your thumbnail. Many made millions before their 28th birthdays, and most are incredibly brilliant with technology but relative newbies to business and finance. The dressiest you’re likely to see anywhere in San Francisco — even in the CEO’s office of a multi-billion-dollar enterprise, is equivalent to business casual (casual Friday attire) back home. Don’t be a bit surprised to step into the elevator and ride to the top floor with a CFO or vice president wearing clothes you just don’t expect to see outside a college dorm back East.
It’s Called Culture Shock: You’ll Be Fine
Yes, that’s poop you’re stepping over in the street. Yes, they’re gay, and yes, they’re making out right there in the middle of a park surrounded by school children. San Franciscans are considerably less inhibited than most of the rest of the country about those sorts of things. Don’t be surprised to see open drug use, amazingly brazen displays of LBGT pride, and similar activities that are considered taboo in most other cities around the country. Even in the absence of overtly shocking behavior, you’ll see a lot more tattoos, piercings, and “alternative lifestyle” types than you probably do back home. Most of these folks are completely harmless. Let them be, and they’ll let you be. The potential exception is homeless people who pretend to be quite innocent but are actually skilled con artists. If you feel moved to help the homeless, please do so through the established charities and missions. Pulling out your wallet in the street to hand them a buck or two could potentially lead to trouble. At best, your money is likely going to something you didn’t intend for it to.
Leave Your Picky Eating Habits at Home
San Francisco is home to some of the greatest restaurants on the planet. Think the quality of Paris with the international selection of NYC or LA. From fusion to dim sum, Burmese to Thai, San Francisco offers it all. The only downside to SF dining is the service. It’s not always so great, primarily because it’s next to impossible to get great wait staff. The smart cookies have jobs in Silicone Valley (or at least in the towers downtown) and the average bears have gigs in the upscale boutiques, salons, and offices around the city. The cooking, however, is fabulous, and almost always worth the wait. For over an hour. With no drinks. And probably not a single sighting of the (guy or gal, we really aren’t sure) who said (s)he was helping you this evening. Nevertheless, a tip of 15% to 20% is not just encouraged; it’s expected.
Don’t Freak Out! It’s Just a Siren
Every week, on Tuesdays at noon, the city sounds its emergency siren. Unless you hear the siren at a different time, it lasts only 15 seconds and means nothing (except that the city’s emergency alert system is working, which is a good thing if you’ve ever seen the movie San Andreas). In the unlikely even that you hear it at another time, it will last a full 5 minutes, and will include instructions about an active emergency situation. The alert sounds in the event of a significant event, like an earthquake, tsunami, or severe weather. Turn to your nearest local news source for more information. You probably will feel a mild tremor sometime during your visit, especially if you stay here several days. Really. It’s nothing. We promise.
It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, If You Pick the Right One
San Francisco is a fantastic place to hold a convention, with several well-equipped convention centers near the airport and numerous hotels offering amenities ranging from rainforest showers to twice-a-day housekeeping services, many with absolutely stunning views of the Pacific, the Bay, the Bridge, or the iconic San Francisco skyline. But before you head to Orbitz or Expedia or Travelocity, get to know the neighborhoods where business travelers are most (and least) at home.
SOMA (South of Market) & Moscone Convention Center Areas
Some travel sites consider this one neighborhood and others split it into two. This section of the city is convenient to the airport and features many of the newest hotels around. If your convention or seminar is in Moscone Convention Center, this area is ideal. Depending on when your convention is, you might also score some great deals here, as these hotels cater to the business traveler. This is the happy medium between the exorbitant prices of Nob Hill and the inconvenient realities of trying to stay outside the city “to save money”. [Hint: whatever you save on hotel prices by staying outside the city, you’ll spend doubly in transportation and sheer frustration getting in and out of the city over and over again. Plus, that’s less time you have to spend enjoying the non-business side of SF.]
The Financial District & The Waterfront
None of the “Waterfront” district hotels around the Fisherman’s Wharf area are actually on the water. Most are a couple of blocks away, at best. Having said that, many do offer excellent views: some of the Bridge, others of various sections of historic San Francisco or AT&T Park (formerly Candlestick Park). The Financial District is nearby, and perhaps more convenient for those visiting clients or attending conventions downtown. The Transamerica Pyramid is the most notable building on the skyline, and several of the hotels offer views of this section of town. Some also offer views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the SF Bay. Downtown/ Financial District hotels actually are in reasonable walking distance from many excellent eateries, shops, and nightclubs.
Nob Hill
First, a word on what Nob Hill is and what it isn’t. “Lower Nob Hill” isn’t Nob Hill, and don’t believe any travel site or hotel rep who says otherwise. Lower Nob Hill is merely property below Nob Hill, which isn’t Nob Hill, therefore doesn’t have any of the advantages of it. These hotels try to cash in on the high prices commanded on Nob Hill without the views or posh amenities. Nob Hill proper offers amazing views of the cityscape, the Bay, and depending on the room, perhaps the Golden Gate Bridge, as well. That just doesn’t mean that you’ll have great views of all those things from just any room you book in Nob Hill. If the view is important, call and speak to the hotel desk staff personally (instead of relying on the sales agent at Expedia, who probably lives in the Philippines and has never even seen San Francisco). But remember, the view isn’t all you’re paying for to stay at Nob Hill. Astounding architecture, world-class customer service, convenience to the financial/business district, and luxurious amenities also go into that price tag.
Before You Go …
San Francisco nightlife offers a little of every style music you can name, from folk to classical to jazz to alternative. It’s also home to a thriving craft beer industry, and there are more art galleries than you could see in a lifetime. When you head out, go prepared. The cost of living (in other words, the price of everything from T-shirts to food to fine artwork) costs almost 63% more here than the average prices around the rest of the country.
Definitely enjoy some of the “touristy” stuff while you’re here — Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39, some hot and fresh sourdough bread, and a creepy night tour of Alcatraz. But also take some time to enjoy what keeps the locals here year-round: POPOS or “Privately Owned Public Open Spaces” (think parks and gardens), the unique infusion of cultures in The Mission, and one of the amazing farmer’s markets around the city — just to name a few.
When it comes to your airport transport and getting you around the city, rely on the professionals at Elite Limousine. From airport transport to getting you to your meetings on time, depend on elite for the expert San Francisco limo service you expect.