West Coast Travel Tips

By Vera Mae Buescher

Sites to see when visiting San Jose and the San Francisco Bay Area

It’s a well-known fact that there’s so much to see and do in the Bay Area. My niece Tracy’s son Chris Cassidy & family came for a few days visit from Kansas a couple years ago, and since his wife Heather was obviously well organized for traveling, I asked her for some tips for people who may be coming here to the Bay Area to visit.

Heather responded enthusiastically by suggesting that it might be more helpful to share some websites that highlight the many amazing attractions and activities available here. Below is a quick overview of the places they visited during their short trip. They chose those sites mainly based on what would interest their kids and also their proximity to my home here in San Jose. While some visitors may not be traveling with young children, she felt that most of these spots would be enjoyable for just about anyone. Here are the websites she suggested (and I must concur – these are ALL great sites to take time to see – if time permits):

Monterey Bay Aquarium https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/
The Painted Ladies https://www.sftravel.com/things-to-do/attractions/iconic-sf/painted-ladies
Golden Gate Bridge https://www.goldengate.org/, https://www.sftravel.com/things-to-do/attractions/iconic-sf/golden-gate-bridge
Lombard Street https://www.sftravel.com/things-to-do/attractions/iconic-sf/lombard-street
Pier 39 / Fisherman’s Wharf https://www.fishermanswharf.org/things-to-do/attractions/pier-39/
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park https://www.henrycowellredwoods.com/

REGARDING LODGING:

They reviewed websites like Expedia to determine the hotels that best fit their needs. They chose to stay at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Jose – Silicon Valley located at 2660 Monterey Road, San Jose, CA 95111. It was conveniently located for them to visit me, but Heather adds, “Please note that it’s near a busy street—so if you’re sensitive to noise at night, you may want to consider alternative accommodations. That said, the continental breakfast was great!”

San Jose has many places to stay and Google will help you find them within a reasonable distance of The Villages. Some that are reasonably conveniently located include:

Airports

Traveling in to the Bay Area, you have a choice of three airports within less than an hour’s drive. Of course, San Jose is the closest, and Tiger mentioned it is a personal favorite of hers.

San Jose Mineta Int’l Airport (SJC) https://www.flysanjose.com/
San Francisco Int’l Airport (SFO) https://www.flysfo.com/
Oakland Airport (OAK) https://www.iflyoak.com/

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Good wishes to all –
I’m sure Heather’s comments have been helpful.
Contact Tiger or me if you have questions …

Vera Mae
bueschervera@gmail.com