Archive for August, 2009
San Francisco Hotels Feel Economic Sting
Monday, August 31st, 2009Ocean Park Motel, near Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA
Monday, August 24th, 2009Cabin Rental in South Lake Tahoe, CA
Monday, August 17th, 2009
Joe's year-round rental cabin in South Lake Tahoe.
A girl can take only so much fog. So, after more than a week of gray, dreary mornings with the occasional blast of Arctic wind, I decided it was time for a dose of summer. The kind of summer that exists pretty much anywhere outside of San Francisco — sunshiny, hot, beach weather. Warm nights that only require only a sheet to sleep under.
Lake Tahoe, I thought to myself in a moment of inspiration, that’s just what our fog-shivering souls need! And though I could just have driven the family across a bridge for warmth, there is nothing like summer in Tahoe.
Turns out that my friend Joe’s cabin was available for the weekend and he offered it to us. He is in the process of leaving the management company that previously rented it and is now handling rentals himself.
The kitchen is well-equipped and open.
Joe’s cabin is in South Lake close to the Highway 89 and Highway 50 “Y” and quite easy to find. We drove at night so the kids could sleep and arrived at the cozy, immaculate, two-bedroom cabin with a gambrel-style roof in the dark.
It was perfect for us.
The kitchen is large, open and and well-equipped. The downstairs living space has two comfy couches (and one that felt like a pull-out — not so comfy), exposed wood and beams, a large dining room table, and a woodburning stove. The cabin has good feng shui and feels as though it had intuitively put together with thought behind it.
Retro Coca-cola memorabilia adorns the walls as opposed to the usual Tahoe kitsch. The entertainment system and wireless modem were both in working order, and carpeted stairs made it safer for our active toddler.
Upstairs the master bedroom has a second bath and across the hall a bunk room can sleep six. Extra bedding is piled neatly in the hallway.
In back is a postage stamp-sized, fenced in lawn with a grill and hot tub.
The cabin rents for $150 per night plus $150 for a cleaning fee and local occupancy tax.
Joe Mudnich’s Tahoe Cabin
2560 Chris @ Sierra Blvd
South Lake Tahoe
(415) 290-6438
Photo credit: Joe Mud
Fallen Leaf Lake Campground, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
A cozy campsite at Fallen Leaf Lake Campground.
Those who know me or who read my posts might surmise that I’m not much of a campfire girl. The last time I slept in a tent was at Burning Man 1997. I did go back to Burning Man in subsequent years — in an air conditioned RV.
That’s not to say I’m against it. But it would take something special to persuade this lover of 300-count Frette linens and room service to pack my sparse playa-dusty gear and get jazzed to toast marshmallows and sleep on the ground.
I stayed in my friend’s cabin on my most recent trip to South Lake Tahoe, but considered camping at Fallen Leaf Lake Campground based on the recommendation of relatives who are area locals.
Just over 200 campsites are located beneath towering pines, one-quarter mile from Fallen Leaf Lake and three miles from the “Y” where Hwy 50 and Hwy 89 intersect.
This is car camping not backpacking and there are decent amenities including clean bathrooms with flush toilets, showers (3 minutes for $1), standing barbecues, picnic tables, and fire rings but no hook-ups. There is a boat ramp at the south end of the lake and swimming is allowed. Also, pets are allowed.
Fees are $28 per night plus and additional $5 for each extra vehicle. It’s a National Forest campground that is operated by California Land Management, a private concessionaire. For reservations, call (877) 444-6777 or go to www.recreation.gov.
There are lots of activities in the area including swimming and water recreation at Pope and Baldwin Beach, biking on the paved, family-friendly bike path along Hwy. 89 (I did it, it was great), horseback riding and watercraft rentals at Camp Richardson, hiking in Desolation Wilderness, and touring the estates at Tallac Historic Sites.
Whatever you decide to do, playing keep away from bears is of utmost importance. One more reason I sleep indoors.
Photo credits: sagehopper
Camp Richardson Historic Resort & Marina, South Lake Tahoe, CA
Saturday, August 8th, 2009
The 1920's lodge at Camp Richardson Resort.
Nature just seems larger up here. Tall trees. Mammoth mountains. And of course — big, beautiful Lake Tahoe.
Sprawling Camp Richardson fits right in. With 28 rooms in the lodge, 40 cabins, a seven-room inn, 300 campsites, a general store, two restaurants, a cafe/confectioner, a sport equipment rental center, and, don’t forget, the ice cream parlor.
This bustling metropolis in the woods is not for those seeking a quiet retreat in nature. Last weekend the place was mobbed with throngs of folks that appeared to be having the time of their lives.
A live band played classic rock tunes to a deck packed full of revelers and beyond on the beach you’d be hard pressed to find room to lay down a blanket.
The spacious cabins offer full kitchens.
The camp was built around the 1920’s lodge on 80 acres of waterfront land. Accommodations at the lodge are pretty spartan — cabins are roomier and have fireplaces or woodstoves and full kitchens. The Beachside Inn offers more amenities and is closer to the lake/action. I would stay far, far from the campsite, though. The sites are really jammed in, offering no privacy and plenty of noise.
There is a definite family vibe here. Kids eating ice cream, grandparents kicking back on Adirondack chairs, and whole families biking together on the excellent bike trail that runs right through the resort. Camp Richardson is great option for large groups and extended families. There are also organized activities for kids.
There is plenty to do from horseback riding and rock climbing to renting jets skis and kayaks. In winter, this is the place for cross-country skiing and sleigh rides.
If you visit, a stop at the ice cream parlor is a mandatory excursion, but be warned — the portions are as big as nature in Tahoe. Stick with a kids’ small…
A crowd of beachgoers at the marina.
Camp Richardson Resort
1900 Jameson Beach Road
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96158
(800) 544-1801
Photo credit: Lisa Dion
Days Inn San Francisco — Civic Center/Hayes Valley
Monday, August 3rd, 2009
Clean, convenient, and soulless, the Days Inn SF.
Sometimes, what you’re looking for is a predicable hotel chain that offers a decent value for your money. Two words: Days Inn.
There are three Days Inns in the city, all individually owned franchises. This Grove Street location, also called Days Inn San Francisco is close to San Francisco’s geographical center and borders on the Civic Center area — home to City Hall, the ballet, symphony, Herbst Theatre, the Asian Art Museum, and a great Farmers’ Market. It’s a block north of trendy Hayes Valley with great boutiques, restaurants, cafes, corner markets, and a nice open greenspace.
It is also adjacent to some of the city’s toughest housing projects, so vigilance is mandatory, particularly at night.
You get what you would expect at Days Inn. Free parking in a lot out front, clean, antiseptic-smelling rooms, polyester bedspreads, in-room coffee makers, decent mattresses, convenience.
The Days Inn San Francisco on Grove Street.
At the Days Inn San Francisco, they also throw in free wi-fi, newspapers (USA today), refrigerators, microwaves, cable, and free continental breakfast — if you call individually-wrapped muffins with a shelf life of more than 50 years and a styrofoam cup full of weak coffee breakfast… This location also offers suites and Jacuzzi rooms and there is a burger joint on the premises.
If you’re looking for charm, character, or perhaps to meet other travelers, this is not the place. But, if you want something reliable, clean, and affordable with parking, Days Inn won’t disappoint.
Rates seem a bit arbitrary with different discount promotions bandied about on the website, but basically ranged from $80.75 on the low end with a 15 percent discount to $145 for a king bed suite. I would call personally first and ask for a discount.
Days Inn San Francisco
465 Grove Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 8654-4040
Photo credit: Lisa Dion
Hayes Valley Inn, San Francisco, CA
Saturday, August 1st, 2009
The Hayes Valley Inn is European-style pension.
Hayes Valley has emerged over the past decade to become a real gem of a San Francisco neighborhood. And we have the last big earthquake to thank for that.
What was once a dodgy, crime-ridden area with a sooty overpass running through it, is now a sweet enclave of boutiques, restaurants, cafes, galleries, open space, and some truly awesome jewelry and shoe stores.
Part of the fallout of the 1989 earthquake was the closure and demolition of the Fell Street on-ramp that dominated this central neighborhood west of Civic Center and east of Fillmore Street.
The owners of the Hayes Valley Inn also rightfully take some of the credit. They took over a dilapidated residence hotel (read: crack house) and turned it into a cozy, charming European-style pension.
Victorian-style rooms are all unique.
The 28 rooms on three floors each have sinks and vanities, two shared baths per floor are in the hallways. There are two common areas — a kitchen where a free Continental breakfast is served daily and the Ivy room, a comfortable, Victorian parlor with a corner turret looking out over the corner of Hayes and Gough streets. When I was there a French family was making tea and toast and eating fresh fruit in the little kitchen.
Rooms are small but quaint and clean, with antique furnishings. The lobby area and hallway could stand to a fresh carpet though, the carpet looked matted and dirty downstairs and had a discernible odor, which was a turnoff for me.
Rates are exceptionally reasonable, ranging from $76 to $112 with breakfast and free wi-fi. Management is warm and accommodating making guests feel welcome.
The Hayes Valley neighborhood is a great place to shop and offers much in the way of cuisine — from the higher end like Absinthe and Bar Jules to more affordable choices like Frj tz, Stacks and Paxti’s pizzeria.
Affordable and comfortable Hayes Valley Inn.
Hayes Valley Inn
417 Gough Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(800) 930-7999
Photos by Lisa Dion
