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.