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The Loop – San Francisco, Napa and Yosemite – Fall 2020
- By Michael Lakus
- Read Time: 10min
Yosemite and Beyond
It’s November and time for another domestic trip to Yosemite! For this getaway, I was accompanied by the one and only Dr. Mila (actually vice versa!). The trip was planned for a week split between Sacramento, San Francisco, Napa Valley and Yosemite. Even with all the driving, the logistics were spot on and nothing felt rushed. This was / is a very doable trip!
There were a lot of videos, but I managed to condense it down to a quick 3 minute montage of the best bits. Another successful video edit completed on the return flight home, and this time in 4K @ 60FPS. Ooh la la!
Travel Logistics
I was able to cash in some Delta miles; 23k for RT. Lodge and boutique hotel were a slight premium, but worth it for location. Free upgrade with Hertz to premium SUV at $80 for 4 days. Not bad. A few surprises along the way, but plenty of budget to splurge on the fun stuff.
The trip started and ended in Sacramento, with the first stop being San Francisco. From here, we explored Napa Valley before making our way to Yosemite to close out. Drive times varied anywhere from 1-3 hours between places. Below is a map of the main points of interest (use the left-side tab).
Big Day in San Francisco
The last time I was in this city was with the Quad Squad a few years back. That was a much different experience… more.. activated. This one had more cake activation (and it was Dr. Mila’s first time here!). Regardless, we mapped out the locations we wanted to see, and it worked out great. We started the journey obviously driving over the Golden Gate Bridge a few times haha.
Quest at the Bridge!
We didn't have time to look further into it, but if anyone is interested in some sort of treasure hunt, Point Cavallo has a QR code at the end of the docks to start the game. I listed it as a point of interest on the map above.
After that, I used SpotHero for cheap all-day parking before we hopped on a ferry to check out Alcatraz; a first for us both. I think it’s an experience worth doing, but check the tour offerings beforehand. Once we arrived, most of the buildings were closed for remodeling, so we were limited to walking the entirety of the island from the outside only. We still got some cool tin inmates mugs for souvenirs though!
Afternoon in San Francisco
Hunger and the cold were setting in at this point, and the only remedy to those was some good ‘ol clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. And what better place to get that than at Pier 39’s classic Boudin while getting a free vocal performance from the sea lions? How was my pitch, good?
But that’s far from it, people. While taking a cat nap in the Lyft on route to the Golden Gate Park, we ordered some sweets from Tartine Bakery for pickup before taking a stroll into the Japanese garden to get my tea fix. Mila’s friend, Barbara, told me this was a must see in the park, and I have to agree. If I had more time here, I would definitely enjoy walking more of this park. There is so much to do and see.
The day closed out with the cityscape at night, almost at the top of Twin Peaks (closed for construction). Finally, we headed back to Sacramento for some primo sushi at Kru while dreaming of the next day in Napa. Looking back at this, we sure did cover some ground.
Very Thirsty in Napa
While I’d agree one day in Napa is not enough, we sure did have A DAY. It was a classic conundrum – the balance between tastings and getting to those tastings in the vehicular. All worked out by splitting the times and having a fantastic lunch at Sam’s Social Club. But look, if you want the ultimate lux, get that limo and personally see to it that those wineries take an L while you come out on top.
Disclaimer
I don't know much about wine, other than the whites I enjoy. So pump those brakes! We did some research and scheduled 2 tastings using CellarPass a few days in advance.
The first stop was Beringer, and I’m told it’s the third oldest winery / vineyard in the region. Aesthetically, the grounds are very picturesque. The main house has a walk-around patio and store inside. We opted for the tasting under the Oaks and walked the vineyard after finishing.
Following the lunch break at Sam’s Social Club, we attempted a stop at Bouchon Bakery before the next tasting. For those interested, order ahead of time online. The line was perpetually long.
The Supreme St. Supéry
The final location, and our favorite, was St. Supéry. We both had the Fall Flights tasting – one rosé and three whites. On top of that, things got a little scientific as we were given beakers to create our own sauvignon blanc mixture. Once done choosing our proportions, we each got complimentary bottles to go! Furthermore, being the last tasting time of the day (at 4pm), we snuck in a short tour of the winery, showcasing its history and an amazing negotiation room walled with wine bottles.
Vintage 2020
Speaking with one of the St. Supéry employees, many vineyards lost significant harvest (some up to 85%) as the smoke from this year's fires impacted taste. Expect a premium for some 2020 labels and watch out for those branded as 'smokey' wines.
Days are tough drinking vino and enjoying the valley, but alas we called it a night at the boutique Napa Inn. The fun was just getting started as we set out early for Yosemite!
Yosemite Pt. 1
Cross check complete. Afterburners engaged. We are heading to Yosemite completely unprepared for snow! The forecast called for some snow the day prior, and it looked to be accurate as we watched cars leaving Yosemite with snow flying off still. The drive was incredible to Evergreen Lodge; starting out in dry prairie and working its way to winding, snowy roads with these majestic sequoias (or some other big ass tree, cedar?). Although I’ve driven in snow several times before this, the landscape and nature here made the experience unique.
We eventually made it to Evergreen Lodge in the afternoon, but unfortunately, the snow caused some road closures and snow driving requirements. Therefore, we had to play it by beer (wine, actually) with the hikes we planned on doing and push everything back a day. Nevertheless, we ended on a strong note with hot chocolate and s’mores.
Snow Requirements
The conditions changed so quickly, and Yosemite Park was requiring snow chains or a 4WD vehicle for entry. Keep this in mind for visiting in winter.
The first, and most epic Yosemite hike was Four Mile up to Glacier Point. This was a 3500ft elevation gain, 9.2 mile round trip with excellent views of the valley, Half Dome and more. Hard work pays off! My clothing was less than ideal as I was in controlled chaos mode slipping everywhere up and down this trail. Dr. Mila fared a little better with her boots.
Yosemite Pt. 2
Our options quickly became more open as the snow melted away and the road restrictions were lifted. The next hike took us north to the less visited area in Yosemite at Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The weather was warmer, the tea was divine, and I even had a bald eagle soar overhead no more than 100ft above. ‘Merica.
The Wapama / Rancheria trailhead was much more mild than Four Mile and also a nice change of scenery. We felt as though we saw a good mixture of what Yosemite had to offer.
Lodging in Yosemite
The drive can be quite long into the park, depending on weather, traffic and entrance. Consider a lodge either close to an entrance or even in the park itself. It's worth the premium to wake up and spend more time doing rather than driving.
The Return
We closed out the trip with one final drive through Yosemite Valley, taking in the ambiance, before devouring a ribeye back at the lodge. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Overall, we had tons of fun on this trip, and the days were full of activities. Although the logistics may have seemed slightly hectic, nothing ever felt rushed. We simply planned ahead for the things that could be done and appreciated the moment. I’ll leave you with these Yosemite sunsets from Four Mile. Enjoy, and thanks for reading.
-ML
Recap of Places
Check out the MAP for links!
- Point Cavallo – where the treasure hunt game is
- Pier 39
- Alcatraz Island
- Japanese Tea Garden
- Twin Peaks – cityscape views
- Tartine – bakery close to the Golden Gate Park
- Kru – sushi in Sacramento
- Beringer Winery
- St. Supéry – our pick for fav winery
- Bouchon Bakery
- Sam’s Social Club – great brunch spot in Calistoga
- The Napa Inn
- Evergreen Lodge – close to north Yosemite entrance
- Four Mile Trailhead
- Rancheria Trailhead
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Michael Lakus
IT professional, athlete, musician, ponderer of many things... Born and raised in Florida, I began traveling internationally after college. I created this site primarily to remind myself of where I've been and to share my experiences on traveling with a quirky, stress-free, travel attitude.
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