Travel: The Lost Coast
Northern California has a lot of charm.
Day 1: San Francisco ->
Day 1
Our first day took us through some great backroads stopping at some great places along the way worth checking out. Though much of the first part was on a major highway (101), the further you go north the more it becomes a simple 2 lane road with some great scenery.
San Francisco
A SantaCon sighting with Sprinter T1N Westfalia
A great place to check out on your way out of SF is the Presidio with Fort Point and Crissy Field. There are a ton of roads that miander through the Presidio. You can drive all the way up to Fort Point with your Sprinter and take a tour of the Civil War era old fort that was guarding the bay before the Golden Gate Bridge was built. Crissy Field is part massive grass fields, part beach and part nature preserve. It’s really a great spot to park and bike across the bridge and back if you have the means. A walk along the bay to the the fort will not disappoint.
Mornings are typically as pictured. Foggy and chilly. Afternoons are best typically with the fog burned off. The wind picks up a bit making this a great place for kiting, kiteboarding, and windsurfing for those experienced or brave enough to share the water with the worlds largest shipping containers.
Along this stretch of road is a great brewery that opened up not too long ago. Fort Point Brewery is worth a stop in to their tasting room for some great light and crisp ales. We are a fan of their canned beers.
We took off from SF heading across the uber famous Golden Gate Bridge. If you want to find out more on what to see while in San Francisco please check out our other post on what to do and what to see in this amazing coastal city.
Golden Gate Bridge - The bridge is a mere 1.7-mile-long but at one point is was THE largest and longest 2 span bridge in the world. It has survived major earthquakes and so much more since it’s historic construction in 1937.
Did you know?
Did you know the bridge's orange color was originally intended just as a primer? The U.S. Navy had lobbied that the bridge be painted in blue and yellow stripes to increase its visibility. But when the steel arrived in San Francisco painted in a burnt red hue as primer, the consulting architect decided the color was both highly visible—and more pleasing to the eye. The bridge's color is officially called international orange.
Some tips you might find helpful if you’re going to visit it:
There are two paths (sides) on the bridge. One side that you can walk on and one side that you can ride your bike on. Many locals ride their bikes across the bridge daily and get really annoyed by tourists going for a stroll or blocking the path on the incorrect side. So don’t be that person. Stick to the side you’re supposed to be on and don’t block the flow of riders.
It's free to walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge so definitely put it on your list if you haven’t done it. The pedestrian walkway is the east sidewalk that runs along the side of the bridge that is closest to the city and bay. Though bikes can ride on either side at certain times I would avoid biking on the east side. Walkers share the east sidewalk with bicycles on weekdays until 3:30 pm. But on weekends and holidays, it's pedestrian only.
For a 144 Sprinter you can park most places a car can park on either side of the bridge. A busy, but likely the easiest place to park and walk across the bridge is the Vista Point lot.
If you’re heading out of SF and cross the bridge, the first exist on right is a parking lot that loops around. If you have a large rig or RV there are spaces to be found as busses park here all the time. It’s free to park but be aware that on the weekends it get really busy. There is no toll to leave the city heading north. But when coming back into the city you will be sent a toll in the mail. Drivers will be charged $7.25 for coming into SF. DO NOT STOP at the toll booths. They’re all auto-magic now. They read your license plate and send you the bill. Locals use a FasTrak Pass all over California. If you’re planning to stay a few months in the state it’s worth getting one as they work on all bridges and toll roads. Enough of that, let’s go north!
Sonoma (Valley)
If you have some extra time, taking a detour to Sonoma and Napa Valley is epic. But this little jaunt can eat up days or a whole week if you’re not careful. If you do decide to detour from Hwy 101, just head on over to Hwy 12 (Vallejo Exit). This is a bit of a back road taking you parallel north through some amazing wine country, This valley is just west of the Napa Valley and has some amazing little towns and spots to stop to get your quick champagne and wine fix. Check out our other travel post on Sonoma and Napa van and wine for a deeper dive here.
Healdsburg
Yes, we just blew past Petaluma and Santa Rosa. It’s a bit of a straight shot up Hwy 101 to this northern wine area. We have a write up in our Bodega Bay Travels where you can see more great spots in this area and also why we recommend skipping Sonoma and Napa on this particular trip. Hwy 101 becomes a bit less traveled up here and gets to be narrower. Healdsburg is an amazing spot to stop at for lunch or if you leave SF early enough you can make it for Brunch. It’s about an 1.5 - 2.0 hrs from SF if you don’t stop or hit traffic.
You can have your pick in this little town. From Burgers, to Pub Food all the way to high-end fine dining. This is a wine town but we have found a spot where they even have Fernet on tap!
Brunch
The Parish Cafe
Barndiva
Lunch
KINSmoke
Willi's Seafood & Raw Bar
Journeyman Meat Co.
Dinner
Tasting Rooms
Bars
Young & Yonder Spirits
Dukes
Cloverdale
Wolf House Brewing
