Stay-cations
​Getting out to learn new things, revisit old pleasures...
​in our multi-faceted, spectacular Bay Area 

​"Staying at home for a vacation can be enormously restorative and transformative and fits much, much better into a lot of people's schedules and logistics.”  — Kristie McLean, Life Coach (Seattle, Washington)

Why pay someone to show you around the Bay Area when you live here?
​

• Because when you drive yourselves, your driver doesn't get to relax, enjoy the views,  not worry about directions or parking. We usually travel in a Honda Odyssey minivan--the roomiest of its type, with large windows, comfortable leather seating, and easy access doors.
• If someone in your party has limited mobility--for example, s/he gets around in a foldable wheelchair--we've had a lot of experience with that and know the best access to most attractions and where the well maintained restrooms are :-)  
• Because we'll pick you up at your home (if you're within 90 miles of downtown San Francisco), or your B&B;
• Because your personal tour guide has decades of local experience and so knows where  the exciting new places are and how best to approach older, familiar ones;
• Because people travel thousands of miles just to experience what we have in our backyard.      Some of you are new to the area and haven't yet had a chance to visit our spectacular coastline, ancient forests, antique trains, etc. Some haven't been since their childhood field trips;
• Because you want to sit back and enjoy our attractions, not add to your worries.

So what are we talking about here? Let's point out some of the more un-usual yet fascinating places you've yet to see:

• our spectacular coast, south to the iconic Bixby Bridge or even McWay Falls... or                             north to Mendocino or Fort Ross built by Imperial Russia and indigenous Alaskans
• the 'other' ancient redwood forest-- Armstrong Grove adjacent to the Russian River
• the magnificent Filoli Estate, one of the great Italian-style gardens (and Georgian house) in northern California, plus Hakone, the 'other' historic Japanese garden...3X larger than Golden    Gate Park's 
• Silicon Valley's Computer History Museum...we call it 'the Smithsonian' of modern technology and the World Wide Web...plus Apple's Visitors Center and Google's new "dragon-skin" headquarters building. You can marvel at the innovative architecture of Samsung, Linked In, Nvidia, etc.  
• the Skunk Train thru a redwood forest at Fort Bragg; the open-air "Suntan Special" train that takes you thru redwoods and over trestles to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk
• a half- or full-day tour of locales from Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" (called by the British Film Critics' Guild the best movie made in the English language)...or "The Birds," including a stop by the house from Hitch's personal favorite, "Shadow of a Doubt"
• enticing wineries you haven't heard about...FYI even many familiar ones have dramatically changed; there are nearly a thousand within 2 hours' drive from downtown San Francisco
• the Land's End Trail (San Francisco), the Marine Mammal Center (largest 'hospital' for sea lions, harbor seals et. al. in the West) in the Marin Headlands
• in the past, we've done truly personalized itineraries that had us dropping in on the Sonoma Raceway, the arts shop at San Quentin Prison, SF's Holy Trinity (Russian Orthodox) Cathedral     ...in each case a spontaneous choice.
• Together let can create itineraries that focus on local LGBTQ, or African-American, or Jewish history 
• What about a special docent-led tour at the model railroad museum or a ride on an actual antique train, or Safari West (400-acre African animal preserve & aviary), or the wonderfully whimsical outdoor sculptures of Patrick Amiot and Brigitte Laurent?  

        
    ​​​​"I had been writing about San Francisco travel for over 10 years when I challenged Jesse to take me on a day tour of San Francisco, showing me things I'd never seen before. I couldn't believe how many places he knows about that I would never have found on my own.”– Betsy Malloy, Travel Writer for Trip Savvy 

Wine Country Tours
     Napa, Sonoma, Russian River, Carmel Valley (Grape-growing Regions)
     Why spend a day (or 2 or 3) with A Friend in Town in Wine Country?  First, everyone in your party (probably of no more than 4/5) wants to taste, so you need a designated driver. Secondly, we know (from 20 years' experience) how to create the optimal itinerary--based on your responses to our exclusive Questionaire--whether you are new to wine tasting, prefer specific varietals, etc. You get picked up at your B&B, hotel, ship's dock or the airport. Nine or so hours later you're reflecting on the beautiful scenery, quaint villages and revelatory wines you've enjoyed.

Monterey, Carmel & Big Sur
     They're far (from downtown San Francisco)...not so far from San Jose, and you really don't want to be worn out at the end of a long day of driving. You want to reserve your energy for breathing in ocean air, for exploring the unique village of Carmel-by-the-Sea, and for walking out to the best available views of the Bixby Bridge, or touring the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium. Maybe you prefer late-afternoon beverages at the Sunset Lounge (Highlands Inn), or dinner at Clint Eastwood's Mission Ranch, or picking up a golf souvenir at Pebble Beach. We meet you up at your B&B or your friends' house. 

San Francisco, still "Everybody's Favorite City," including Muir Woods & Sausalito
      Lots to see! Get introduced to major attractions (and secret places) so you'll know where you want to spend more time the next day, and get to the redwoods more conveniently than public transit. You prefer an experienced guide who's a trained historian--not someone speaking from a script--a guide who's studied architecture and is familiar with most of nature's local wonders. So make the most of your day/s. Don't waste time looking for cheap parking, figuring out our steep and one-way streets...and BTW where are the clean public restrooms? You won't need us for Alcatraz, however...get to Alcatraz Landing (near Pier 39) on your own, having already scheduled the ferry plus audio tour, or the Evening at Alcatraz that includes an enthusiastic Ranger guide. And need we remind you of San Francisco City Guides?--well-trained guides (who live here) offering free walking tours of most landmarks and neighborhoods.