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As an East Coaster, I’m sad to admit that this was my first visit to the region, but glad that MIT offers these immersion opportunities to explore new regions.
It was a great learning experience to know what the city and surrounding areas have to offer. I was also educated on micro-climates. In San Francisco we had what the locals say was the best weather they have had in a few months (70 and sunny during the day, a bit cooler at night). An hour north in Sonoma, it was a balmy 100 degrees.
San Francisco is not necessarily a summer destination, as July/August can be cold. September/October are great months to visit.
Tip: Dress in layers. It can be warm in the sun, but as soon as you are in the shade, it can drop a good 10 degrees.
With SFO being a big airport there was a range of flight options. I was very impressed with Terminal 1 (which I was told is new) that has a range of dining and shopping options and many areas to relax at the gates.
Ubers/Lyfts are easily accessible to get into the city, but I always like to try the local transportation. I took the Bart (Bay Area Rapid Transit) into town. It cost $3 to get a Bart card and I loaded $10 onto the card which was more than enough to get me to my stop. After a 30-minute train ride I got off at Powell Station and walked 5-10 minutes to the hotel.
Tip: Pack light, as walking up steep hills is not fun with heavy luggage.
Our host hotel was the Taj Campton Place, conveniently located in the Union Square neighborhood, just steps from great shopping, dining, and a few blocks from Chinatown. The hotel has a boutique vibe with just 110 rooms and a high level of service. The hotel’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Campton Place, is well known by locals and travelers alike for Chef Srijith Gopinathan’s Cal-Indian menu. While the fine dining experience is hoping to reopen soon, current guest can enjoy a diverse menu at the Bar & Bistro which includes a range of items for whatever you are in the mood for (i.e. burgers, steak, pasta, curry, fish and don’t forget to order the black truffle French fries).
Tip: Some floors of the hotel only have 6 rooms. Some people like to rent an entire floor to have to themselves.
Our group visited the pier area of San Fran where most tourists go to see the sea lions, shop, and eat chowder. At Pier 39 we enjoyed The Flyer-San Francisco, a 7-D theater ride that takes you on an ariel tour of the city. It’s a fun 20-minute experience for all ages.
We then walked down to Pier 33 to take the boat over to Alcatraz where we spent some time exploring and learning the history of the island.
Tip: You must book tickets to visit the island as soon as you know you are going to San Francisco, as it always sell out.
Switching neighborhoods, we headed to the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood for happy hour at Magnolia Brewing. This is a good area to visit during the day to visit vintage clothing boutiques, record shops, bookstores, dive bars and casual, eclectic restaurants.
Tip: For dinner head to the Marina District that has a range of upbeat bars and restaurants.
We also visited the Fairmont San Francisco in the elite Nob Hill neighborhood. With over 600 rooms and options in both the historic main building and tower building, this grand hotel, that was the first Fairmont hotel, has stunning views of the city.
Tip: The main building has bigger rooms with higher ceilings. The rooms in the tower building are all about the views.
After our time in the city, we headed out of San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge towards the wine region. September is harvest season where the land is dry, and you often have beautiful weather.
Tip: Sonoma is known for Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. Napa is known for Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon.
We stopped at one of the first wineries in Sonoma, Rams Gate Winery which was beautifully designed/decorated and provides a relaxing environment to enjoy your wine tasting.
Tip: Make sure you make reservations in advance for wineries, as they are only open limited days and have minimal capacities.
Fairmont Sonoma
We stayed at Fairmont Sonoma, a destination resort that boasts geothermal fed mineral pools, farm to table dining, and access to championship golf at neighboring Sonoma Golf Club. With a little over 200 rooms there are a range of accommodations in both the main inn and outer buildings.
Tip: The hotel offers guests free wine tasting at 4:30pm each afternoon in the lobby where they use different providers each day.
After enjoying so much good and food and drink our group greatly enjoyed a hike with a guide from the hotel at the Overlook Trail just a few miles from the property.
San Francisco and Sonoma are a great combination for a city and wine country experience less than hour apart. Our MIT members are thankful for our gracious hosts.
MIT Host and Author: Jamie Jackson of Wanderlust Travel Boutique