Lodging

Smiley's Schooner Saloon & Hotel has an Old West appeal.

Quirky doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Bolinas is known for many things — surfers, hippies, artists,  drunks, poets, potheads, the Jefferson Airplane beach house,  Richard Brautigan’s suicide, and dogs. Lots of stray dogs.

A lush gardens path leads to the bunalows.

As a deterrent to tourists, the local residents  have a tradition  of removing the sign that indicates the turnoff to their seaside hamlet. In the 20 years I’ve been visiting, I’ve never seen a sign.

But every time I go, I make it a point to stop at Smiley’s, the saloon in the middle of town that claims to be one of the oldest in California, established in 1851, and that has served up hooch straight through Prohibition.

I like to go there for the cheeseburger — thin, flat, not too much bun, cooked in a toaster oven, and the atmosphere — scruffy, Old West, and populated with dodgy, hard-drinking characters who play pool and dice games. There is usually a mutt or two on the front porch.

I knew Smiley’s had a hotel that I figured was above the bar and would look like a set from a Deadwood episode. But when I asked the bartender, he showed me to a few cute bungalows behind the bar in a lush overgrown garden that reminded me of the Filbert steps in San Francisco. It was quiet and quite serene back there — a very different ambiance than the saloon, which hosts live music several nights a week.

The rooms are small and spartan but comfortable — no phones or television, but free WiFi. They’ll set you back a whopping $74 on weekdays/$84 on weekends.

The locals may try to keep it a secret, but Bolinas is a Northern California experience worth having. If you can find that is.

Accommodations are behind Smiley's pub.

it, that is.

Smiley’s Saloon & Hotel
Established 1851
41 Wharf Road., Bolinas, CA
(415) 868-1311

Photo credit: Lisa Dion

The Olema Inn and Restaurant in Olema, CA.

Sometimes us urbanites just need to get the sam hill out of the city. Fortunately for those loving in the San Francisco Bay Area, we have options. Napa Valley, Sonoma Valley, and the Russian River are easy getaways to the North. Coastal towns Half Moon Bay, Montara, and Santa Cruz lie just to the south, but one of my favorite escapes is to West Marin.

Yup, Marin. OK, for some it evokes images of soccer moms, hot tubs, and high-falutin suburbia. Personally, I like it. But, regardless, West Marin is an entirely different world. It’s both pastoral and wild, with cows and dairy farms dotting the rolling green hills on one side of Routh 1, rocky cliffs leading down to the raging Pacific on the other. Some of the greatest small towns in California exist here — from quirky Bolinas to sleepy Inverness.

I recently went to see a blues band at Rancho Nicasio in the tiny town of Nicasio. All around are working horse ranches and the Rancho itself has its own post office and general store. It was like a Western-style dude ranch meets roadhouse with dead animal heads on the walls, lots of knotty pine, and a big old bar in the middle to sidle up to.

The restaurant uses locally-sourced delicacies.

But here’s where the “Marin” comes in — the menu includes daily changing seasonal specials including oysters, walnut-encrusted goat cheese (with pesto aoli and “crustades”), and a couple of veggie options. That said, there is still plenty of hearty cowboy fare, but the meat and potatoes might be served with a Cabernet reduction sauce…

Anyway, I digress. I drove through nearby Olema to check out the Olema Inn and Restaurant. My husband and I have enjoyed a couple of outstanding meals there in years past, and it’s known more for the restaurant that taps local purveyors for ingredients (think Hog Island oysters and Cowgirl Creamery and Bellwether Farms cheeses) than for the inn itself.

Six light-filled but small rooms are located in the elegant inn that was built in 1876 and survived being at the epicenter of the 1906 earthquake. Niceties include European Sleepworks mattresses, Ralph Lauren linens, a and a delicious breakfast spread, again featuring local cheeses and fruits.

According to some griping on yelp and tripadvisor, service (at both the inn and restaurant) can be lacking and rooms are noisy — some face the street on the intersection of the little town’s two main roads while others are above the garden restaurant below. Other complaints are that both the restaurant and inn are overpriced. Currently on the website, prices range from $198 to $222 depending on day of the week.

I think it’s probably worth the splurge for great food, a beautiful historic inn, and to awake to a day in magnificent West Marin.

The Olema Inn
10,000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
P.O. Box 37
Olema, CA 94950
415.663.9559

Photos by Dan Dion

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

Elements Hotel in the Mission is hipster paradise.

San Francisco knows no bastion of hipness cooler than the Mission.

Traditionally a Hispanic neighborhood, it retains its ethnic charm while also becoming known for great bars (swanky and divey alike), lipstick lesbians, art, murals, and food — both nice restaurants and cheap eats.

Medjool is the city's only rooftop lounge

Then there’s the weather. In a city that is perennially foggy, the sun shines bright in the Mission.

Aside from at the Mission Dolores, there aren’t loads of tourists milling about this neighborhood, nor is there much in the way of lodging. But upping the hipness quotient is the Elements Hotel which claims two floors above the Mediterranean restaurant Medjool and below San Francisco’s only rooftop bar, (also run by Medjool). So, as you might figure, the location is pretty much Party Central.

It’s called a hotel and you can reserve private rooms but they also offer men-only and women-only dormitories that contribute to a hostel-like vibe. The walls are brightly painted and rooms have private bathrooms.

Hipness has a price, and it’s cheap! Double private rooms with queen beds are $30 per person (two person minimum); twin privates have two bunk beds and also cost $30 (two person minimum). Dorm rooms are $25 per person.

Linens are included all rooms, even dorms. Private rooms have televisions. A dark, spare hallway space is considered the “Internet Lounge” but there is free wi-fi access throughout building. Continental breakfast is gratis and served on the rooftop deck which is not to be missed. The website promises movie and game nights and rooftop parties. Thus, Elements is probably not the best choice for families, early risers, older folks, or the cranky.

The surrounding neighborhood is a mix of Spanish-speaking grocers, dilapidated movie houses, hip bars (Bruno’s, Lazlow, Doc’s Clocks), burrito joints, and dollar stores. Foreign Cinema, one of the city’s best and most unique restaurants — think organic, locally-grown heirloom tomatoes while watching Fellini on a giant outdoor screen) is next door. With the money saved at Elements, treat yourself to Foreign Cinema’s legendary brunch.

Elements Hotel

2524 Mission Street

San Francisco, CA 94110

(866) 327-8407

Photos by Lisa Dion

The Grove Inn is quiet and comfy.

The Grove Inn is a discreet, unassuming little place east of Alamo Square Park (think “painted ladies” — that iconic row of Victorians in San Francisco).

The location is residential but close to the shops, restaurants, cafes and bars in Hayes Valley, Fillmore Street, and Divisidero Street. Six blocks away is Civic Center, home to the symphony, ballet, City Hall and the Asian Art Museum.

A Gold Rush Era boarding house, it was built in 1865, fell into disrepair years later, then was bought and renovated by the present owners, an East German couple, in 1983.

Rooms are sunny and spacious.

Rooms are spacious, sunny, and quiet with large double-paned bay windows and 12-foot ceilings. Eight of the 18 rooms have private baths and all rooms have either a queen or pair of twins. Optional trundle beds are available and two for the rooms connect to form a suite that can accommodate four to six people.

Continental breakfast — croissants, pastry, fruit, tea and coffee –  is served daily.

Host Klaus is engaging without being intrusive and quick with historical facts, opinions on current events and stories. The Grove Inn feels live visiting your (or somebody else’s) aunt and uncle from the “old country.” Stacks of reading materials clutter a bit downstairs and there is no shortage of plastic flowers, but the rooms are clean, bright and tastefully furnished.

The Grove Inn is a restored Gold Rush boarding house.

There is some street parking but also a lot nearby. Prices are a reasonable $110 to $120.

Photos by Lisa Dion

Posted by Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

San Jose HP Pavillion Super 8 Motel

So you’ve spent all your money on concert tickets, but you still need a place to crash when the music stops. Where to stay in San Jose, less than a mile from the HP Pavillion? My husband and teenage son recently stayed at the Super 8 Motel by the San Jose Airport and Convention Center. Yes, it was a father/son bonding trip to rock out with the Boss, otherwise known as Bruce Springsteen.

Two Queen Beds

They didn’t take advantage of the heated outdoor pool, or the free high speed internet, but they said their room, with two queen beds, was clean and cheap. Using their AAA discount, the room rented for $75.05 on a Wednesday night. They didn’t have any praise for the complimentary continental breakfast offered the next morning.

“There was a weak assortment of small, stale cinnamon rolls,” noted Cory Brown.

They did end the stay on a high note. The boys decided to keep the fun factor going and headed to Malibu Grand Prix in Redwood City for slot car racing. And the fun continues…..

Super 8 San Jose Airport/Convention Center Area 1 (408) 293-9361

1860 The Alameda, San Jose, CA 95126

Victorian meets Japanese at the Gaige House in Glen Ellen, Sonoma Valley, CA.,

My first foray into travel writing was to assist a quirky little British man who had been writing for Insight Guides for decades. The assignment was to research and create a guidebook to the Napa and Sonoma Wine Country for IG.

Sounds glamorous, yes?

He picked me up at my apartment in San Francisco and I knew right away I was in for a bumpy ride. His car looked like a homeless person lived in it. And after the first two intersections, I was positive I’d never make it our alive. He was the worst driver I’ve ever witnessed — to this day. And that was in 1997.

But it gets better.

Our sleeping arrangement for the first night was in a double room at a pleasant Healdsburg inn. It was after we’d arrived and I was uncomfortably claiming my corner of the room when he dropped trou and casually mentioned that he was a nudist. Yup, I’d signed on for two weeks of working closely beside, and traveling with, an old man who likes to hang out naked.

Next morning, I took over the task of booking all of our accommodations.

The zen suites at the Gaige House are the ultimate rejuvenation.

I managed to get the last two rooms at the Gaige House for the following night. I practically kissed the innkeeper when I arrived. It was a wonderful experience, not the least of which was having my own room down the hall from Naked Guy but because also because it is one of the sweetest finds in the Sonoma Valley.

The Gaige House has evolved considerably since I visited. An expansion and redesign in 2006 included an addition to the main Victorian building, Japanese-style gardens, soaking tubs and a pool. Today there are 23 room accommodations including 13 spacious spa suites.

If you stay, there’s a good chance that you might not want to leave your Zen-inspired room, but Glen Ellen is a sweet Wine Country village worth exploring. Stop for a tram tour of the biodynamic Benziger Winery, hike in Jack London State Park or watch oil being pressed at the Olive Press, but make sure to have a drink at the London Lodge and mingle the locals — winemakers and waitresses, bikers and bon vivants.

I learned a lot that trip — grace under pressure for sure. John Wilcox turned out to be a harmless little man with great stories, and a good teacher to boot. But try as he did, my travel writing mentor never got me to take my clothes off.

Photos by Lisa Dion (top) and courtesy of the Gaige House (below).

Posted by Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip

Pool, photo by Nancy D. Brown

Two mothers and two teenage daughters on a quest to visit five Southern California college campuses in one week over Spring Break. What better way to pass the time than a roadtrip to Santa Barbara? Taking a lodging suggestion from a fellow mother with a daughter at the University of California Santa Barbara, we  booked two rooms at the Best Western South Coast.

I could have spent my entire vacation in Santa Barbara. Our hotel room, #220, with two queen beds and Serta Presidential mattresses, looked over the swimming pool. Check out the website and you’ll see from the pictures that this property is not your typical Best Western.

Room 220

Budget conscious guests will appreciate the complimentary continental breakfast. If you believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, you will appreciate that the Inn offers make-your-own waffles, cheese omlettes, sausage, toast, muffins, doughnuts, bagels, hot and cold cereal, fruit, coffee and a juice bar.  Unfortunately, we missed the wine and cheese reception offered Monday – Thursday from 5-7 p.m. There’s also an outdoor heated pool and hot tub, wireless high-speed internet, free parking and a local courtesy van provided to the airport and UCSB campus.

General Manager Harvey Robbins said that the Inn caters to families visiting UCSB students. I’d certainly circle back to Brophy Bros. Restaurant at the harbor for the fresh, affordably-priced seafood. Keep your fingers crossed that my daughter is accepted to the university, I think Harvey and I are going to be good friends.

Best Western South Coast Inn 1 (805) 967-3200 or 1 (800) 350-3614

5620 Calle Real, Goleta, CA 93117-2319

AAA-3 Diamond rated, sorry, no pets allowed.

The plantation-style architecture of Beltane Ranch B&B in the Sonoma Wine Country.

I turned onto the unpaved path off Highway 12 that leads up to Beltane Ranch and pulled over to snap a photo of the gracious antebellum-style house with gingerbread trim and a wraparound porch. The pasture in front was wild with mustard blossoms. Springtime in Sonoma.

When my daughter Parker and I stepped out of the car, two Clydesdales trotted up to us and stuck their noses through the fence for us to pet them. The air was fresh from the morning rain.

I had brought Parker to see the place where her dad and I spent our wedding night. She’s at that age in which she’s curious about stories from mommy and daddy’s past.

It was just as beautiful as I remembered it. A perfect slice of bucolic Wine County heaven.

We met the housekeeper Angie who gave Parker a homemade chocolate chip cookie and allowed us run of the place to peek into the rooms and wander about the gardens and yard.

These friendly horses greeted us at Beltane Ranch.

There are five rooms on two stories of the main house, ranging in price from $150 to $200. Most open on both sides to the veranda with views of the vineyards, mountains and the Valley of the Moon. The elegantly furnished rooms are airy and inviting and the inn has free Wi-Fi. Parker climbed on to one of the wooden porch swings and asked for a push.

Next I took her to see the sweet, two-room cottage behind the main house that I had booked for my wedding six years ago. As we tiptoed inside, my mind transported me straight back to that sunny, October day, dressing and primping with my bridesmaids in the bedroom and sipping wine to calm my nerves on the little porch.

I recalled the bathroom strewn with make-up and hair products, the flatiron at the ready to tame my curls, and me giddy with excitement. Even without the sunshine and excitement, the cottage was just as lovely as I remembered it.

At the Beltane Ranch, the fruit and vegetables served at the full breakfast are grown on the estate, and the olive oil used is produced from olives grown in their orchards.

We wandered off toward the tennis court, Parker walking on top of a stone wall that encircled a flower bed. Little outdoor conversation areas near the house basked in the view, perfect, intimate places to enjoy a snack or glass of wine and some company. Miles of walking trails surround the ranch leading through high meadows and redwood-filled canyons.

The Beltane Ranch is perfect in its simplicity and serenity. I made a mental note to book my anniversary weekend. Some places just beg you to return.

Photos by Lisa Dion

A family campsite in the meadow Sugerloaf Ridge State Park.

Did you know that sugar used to be sold in “loaves” that looked like over-sized, upside-down ice cream cones? Cool image that explains why there are so many “Sugarloaf” mountains around.

Sugarloaf Ridge State Park is located in Kenwood, in the heart of the Sonoma Wine Country. Some of the Valley of the Moon’s best wine is made just below these lofty peaks at St. Francis, Chateau St. Jean, Kunde, and Landmark Wineries.

Up top, in the meadow at 1,200 feet, the state park offers 49 developed family campsites with fire pits and tables, a group camp, picnic sites and trails.

Spring is a great time to visit. A 25-foot waterfall flows along Sonoma Creek below the campground after the winter rains. The meadow bursts to life with wildflowers that wash the mountain with a stunning color palette. California poppies, cream cups, purple lupine, shooting stars, trillium and buttercups blend into a carpet of color.

Activities include 25 miles of trails traverse the oak woodland and chaparral for hiking and horsebackriding. Triple Creek Horse Outfit runs the riding concession that operates spring through fall.

A bridge crossing Sonoma Creek.

On a clear day, the view from the top of Bald Mountain are staggering. At the 2,729-foot summit, you can see the Sierras to the east, San Francisco Bay and Mount Diablo to the south, Mount Tamalpais and Mount St. Helena to the north.

One seriously cool feature of Sugarloaf Ridge is the Robert Ferguson Observatory. This non-profit association provides astronomy education and events year-round.  Events include Night Sky Series and Public Observation Nights. I plan to attend an Aries Full Moon party there next month…

Family campsites at Sugarloaf range from $14 to $20 per night, depending on time of year.

Photos by Lisa Dion