Stop #3: Bodega Bay. Depending on what time your flight arrives you could get out and explore, so why not head to the harbour for a bowl of clam chowder as the sun goes down the perfect start to a Californian adventure! This article was expanded with more information about Napa Valley and suggestions to make more of a day trip of visiting Napa Valley. There is a ton to do in Yosemite valley. Ten minutes in, they will turn right, where there will be a sign reading " State Route 121/Napa/Sonoma." Napa Valley consists of five different towns and cities. There is a lot to explore in the Napa Valley with its hundreds of wineries, fantastic restaurants, and many lovely inns and resorts to choose from. Many companies also offer Napa Valley tours from San Francisco, some with side trips to Muir Woods or other places. Few valleys are as famous around the world as Napa Valley, with its stunning setting and Mediterranean climate. It is considered one of the top scientific schools in the world. Aunindita Bhatia is a professional content writer based in India. Each entrance has its own unique character and special points of interest along the way. (And the next one on this list about visiting the Giant Redwoods too). My wife and I are planning a quick stop in this region. But if you are trying to do the drive in 4 days, youll need to prioritize whats important to you. San Francisco Wine Tour | United States | Gray Line 13 Best Things To Do Between San Francisco And Yosemite NP Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. Overview. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Enjoy shopping and dining along the way in addition to taking in the vistas. Check out some impressive numbers of Napa Valley: More than 400 wineries; Home to more than 150 restaurants; More Michelin stars per capita than any other wine region in the world FUN FACT: For all its (worthy) success, only 4% of California's wine comes from Napa Valley. Oct 05 2022. Napa Valley is renowned for quality wine and excellent food and is always worth a stop. The fastest way to get from SF to Yosemite is out I580 through Tracy, connecting with Highway 120 in Manteca. Yosemite National Park has nearly 1,200 square miles of towering granite, alpine lakes and ancient sequoia trees. Nine days is a reasonable length of time for this itinerary. To reach Napa, you need to get around the north end of the Bay. Spring has the best waterfalls, but will also still have snow on the ground. $25 $20 $15 $10 $5 M A M J J A S O N D J F. If you are trying to decide when to travel from Napa to San Francisco by train so you can score the best possible deal, your best bet would be to plan your trip for February. Jelly Belly Factory Tour. When she's not writing, she spends time with her two beautiful and naughty sons. What was once a lush valley is now a reservoir holding water for the city of San Francisco. Next, they will see another sign with two options for Napa. Train operators. There are ten day hikes, swimming, scenic viewpoints and three National Park sponsored tours. And fall has lovely color and is quieter, but no waterfalls. Napa Valley comprises several regions, and the notable wine places are Napa, Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, and Yountville. 17 San Francisco: Aquarium of the Bay General Admission Ticket. Each section suggests four things to do. The South Bay consists of Silicon Valley cities like Santa Clara, San . Signing up for a guided tour is usually the lowest-priced way to tour Napa Valley, but you may be stuck in a crowd of 30 people or more and won't have any choices about where you go or when you stop. Nile House, Nile Street, Brighton, BN1 1HW, United Kingdom, Exc. 13h 14m . Hand sanitizer and sanitize wipes will be provided on tour bus. Where to see Superbloom Sunday (March 5th) near Los Angeles? Even today, there are still cultural ceremonies held there. The drive to Yosemite from San Francisco is only about 3 hours and 20 minutes. What makes a vacation memorable is not only the destination but also the trip along the way. Learn more about each of these scenic routes into Yosemite, and get some ideas for things to do along the way. - Please do not book airline tickets until you receive the confirmation. Consider staying in either Fish Camp (which is near the Mariposa sequoia grove) or around Midpine and Mariposa (which is a lovely drive into the valley along the Merced river). San Francisco Known as 'the city' by the locals, San Francisco is a diverse and captivating metropolis with an artistic heart and diversity running through its veins. Original Poster . Highlights of San Francisco, Napa Valley and Yosemite Make sure you take the cable car down to visit the sea-lions at Pier 39 on Fishermans Wharf before jumping on a boat over to Alcatraz Island where you can learn about the prisons history. Commentdocument.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4e44061edd6cc9e94ca29cff754da9d" );document.getElementById("bdd8f95227").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); We are a participant in the various affiliate programs including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-46696545', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');San Francisco, the maximum amount of time I would take for the Napa Valley is a day tour there an back. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. To see Napa from a different perspective, try a horseback riding tour or hop aboard a hot air balloon. One that allows them to stay on Highway 29 and takes them to the region's western side, and another that will take them along the valley's eastern end on Highway 121 Napa. Your first stop is at Muir Woods National Monument, aka the Forest Moon of Endor, for a hike among the redwoods. Costa Rica. Jess Lander joined the food and wine team at The San Francisco Chronicle as wine reporter in 2022. With only 7 days & 6 nights, I think that the best use of time for your choices is SF (3 nights, get car when you leave) - Napa / Sonoma (2 nights) - Carmel / Monterey (1 night.) Get a free Yosemite National Park trip planner with inspiring itineraries and essential information. There are many picnic spots, beaches and swimming holes dotting the river. If you are a hardy hiker, you can purchase a 1-way ticket and then take your pick of either a 5 or 8 mile hike back down to Yosemite Valley. Meanwhile, 2910 Spring Mountain Road includes 30 acres, of which . Weekends are more crowded. Goes to Mirror Lake and then continues along a flat-ish loop back into the valley. Santa Cruz is situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, about 32 mi (51 km) south of San Jose and 75 mi (120 km) south of San Francisco. Another option is to enjoy a bit of the coast north of San Francisco rather than going south, or maybe just making a day trip to Napa from San Francisco. Yosemites natural wonders make it a very popular park, for both Californians and visitors. Today youll say goodbye to Yosemite National Park and drive back to San Francisco Airport where youll drop off your rental car in time to catch your onward flight. Explore San Francisco before heading inland to sample Northern California's amazing food and wines on this epic adventure en route to Yosemite. Its amazing architecture has made it popular for weddings and photography. Most would suggest 3-4 full days to see SF so if want to add a day trip to (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? 16 San Francisco Bay Sunset Cruise by Luxury Catamaran. Trade Wheels for Rails Take the Amtrak San Joaquins Train Take advantage of all of them for some sensational views. Day 10: Depart from San Francisco. Visitors can tour many of the more than four hundred vineyards and wineries that dot the area. Napa Valley Tours & Vacation Packages from San Francisco - TakeTours . 13 Gems in Mariposa Countys Gold Rush Towns Security Statement | Private Policy | User Agreement. Sonoma and Sonoma County - a more affordable, more down-to-earth version of Napa Valley. Discover a down-to-earth wine, beer, ice cream and caffeine tasting scene and sun you can count on, 45 minutes from San Franciscos Fishermans Wharf. 14 San Francisco: Muir Woods Redwoods and Wine Country Tour. However, this is the slowest option. Napa to Yosemite National Park - 6 ways to travel via train - Rome2rio More than 15-feet of snow has already fallen at the park, and 40 inches of snow fell on the valley floor - elevation 4,000 feet - on Tuesday alone, surpassing the old record of 36 inches for . Check out our Web Storiesfor more inspiration. 4-Day Los Angeles to Universal Studio Hollywood, Seaworld . To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Yosemite National Park is stunning covered in snow Highlights of San Francisco, Napa Valley and Yosemite. Same as other wineries, a visit to this place requires reservations, and they close at 5 PM. In addition, there is a food truck stationed by the garden where you can have lunch, but note that they only serve small bites. Dear irene, yes, the total fee is around $600 per person and it doesn't include your own air ticket, meals and any private expenses. I would cut one place out . On your Yosemite adventure,listen to an entertaining guide in your car. Day 2: Drive from San Francisco to Yosemite (200 miles/5 hours) With a head full of art and science and a belly full of gourmet food, head to Yosemite. Similar Tours. Continue north through wine country stopping in Healdsburg for wine tasting and a meal. Day 1: San Francisco to Wine Country. Top 4 Ways to get from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park: San Francisco To Yosemite Road Trip. Going to Napa Valley from San Francisco can be enjoyable from the trip to the destination if you do a little research, book your schedules, study the routes and traffic situations and plan your time. Which ones have you tried? When springs warm sun turns winter snows to water, that snowflake takes a circuitous route, through mountain streams winding across wildflower dotted meadows, through tributaries like the American and Tuolumne rivers and eventually ends up in either the Sacramento or the San Joaquin rivers, flowing through a giant expanse of wetlands known as the Bay-Delta.