Vacations Blog

Guest blogger, Stefania Pomponi Butler, of City Mama

You and your sweetie have three days to spend in the San Francisco Bay Area. You could spend them all in San Francisco and still not see everything that city has to offer, or you could rent a car and explore the beauty of the surrounding area ending with a romantic evening in the City by the Bay. My husband and I recently planned a great three day trip through Northern California and it was the perfect getaway from our hectic lives. I recommend this itinerary to anyone who wants to escape the city for a few days:

We started our trip in the serene Northern California town of Occidental. Located 60 miles north of San Francisco along the scenic Bohemian Highway, just minutes from Sonoma wine country and the coast, this funky former logging town seems a world away from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. Its main street, just five blocks long, is packed with eateries and gift shops. The Inn at Occidental was our cozy home base as we explored our surroundings and enjoyed the fresh forest air.

Occidental is known for its Italian restaurants, remnants of a time when Italian wives cooked for their logger husbands. We were hungry after exploring the town, so we stopped into our favorite local place—the Union Hotel and Restaurant—for a meal. Known for its homemade ravioli and locally-grown produce, the Union Hotel serves up hearty Italian fare. If you and your sweetheart are following our itinerary and it’s dinner you are having, as you leave the restaurant, you may see the coastal fog nestled up against the forested ridge above the town. For me, it was a perfect reminder to do some nestling of my own.

The Inn at Occidental serves breakfast but we resisted. Day two of our trip began with the real reason why I picked this long weekend itinerary. A short drive south along the beautiful Bohemian Highway to the tiny town of Freestone led us to its most famous eatery. It’s not a restaurant, but one of the finest artisan bakeries in the country. As you drive to Freestone enjoy the lush forests and green open expanses and prepare yourself for one of the best breakfasts you’ll ever have. If I close my eyes, I can smell all the delicious baked goods right now.

The Wild Flour Bread Bakery (open Friday-Monday) is located in Freestone, a village of just 26 houses. The bread is baked fresh daily in a wood fired oven, and bread afficionados come from miles around to collect their still-warm-from-the-oven loaves. If you arrive early in the morning, you can choose from sticky buns, cheese fougasse, fruity Bohemians, or scones. Later in the morning, the brick oven starts cranking out the rest of the breads and you’ll be able to choose from 10-12 different kinds. My favorite are the cheesy-herby breads which, yes, I can eat first thing in the morning. Our favorite thing to do is to grab a cup of coffee and sit outside and enjoy the morning al fresco. At this point, the kids will seem worlds away, trust me. You might be treated to an impromptu dance performance by a local troupe or spy plein air painters doing their thing as we were. Don’t forget to take some bread with you so you can enjoy it on the road, or save it for home…if you can resist.

Satiated, my husband and I were ready for the highlight of our day, a trip to Freestone’s Japanese-inspired sanctuary, Osmosis Day Spa. Our relaxing and rejuvenating half-day of renewal included tea in the Japanese garden, a cedar enzyme bath, a 75-minute massage, and a luxurious facial. From there it was on to San Francisco, but first we stopped off in nearby Sebastopol to do a little wine tasting.

San Francisco is one of the most romantic cites in the world and is where up until recently, my husband and I—along with our two young daughters—made our home. The European-esque surroundings combined with year-round bracing, foggy weather makes this city perfect for cozying up to a loved one. It’s easy to overlook San Francisco’s charms when you live there everyday and your outings consist of going to and from preschool, so for our last day, we decided to view our beloved city through tourists’ eyes.

We began our last day of freedom by strolling hand-in-hand through the newly-renovated Ferry Building, San Francisco’s must-see mecca for foodies. It’s often so crowded that it isn’t the most relaxing place to push a stroller. Alone, we were really be able to explore all the nooks and crannies. If you are lucky enough to be there on a farmer’s market day, pick up some freshly baked-bread, local cheese, wine, and fruit for a picnic lunch. Or you can do what we did: stop into any of the shops, like Lulu Petite, for a take-away lunch. Picnic fare in hand we were off to Golden Gate Park.

Once in the park we had our choice of activities, but we chose to escape the cold and duck into the brand-new DeYoung Museum. It was nice to view the exhibits without having to nudge two little kids along. If you go, note the distinctive architecture of the newly constructed building. I always thought it looked strange and Mad-Max-esque from afar, but up close, I can appreciate its spare beauty. After we had our fill of art, we took our picnic outside to the expansive sculpture garden for a lunch for two.

We walked the park a little longer, then headed back to our room at the intimate Prescott Hotel, located in the heart of Union Square, to relax before the evening’s activities. From the hotel it was a short ride over to hip Hayes Valley to poke around the uber-chic boutiques. We warmed up with an artful cocktail or two at Absinthe’s French-inspired bar, our favorite pre-kid watering hole where we’d often meet for post-work Friday night cocktails. The bar is known for its extensive drinks menu and its unique infusions. Plan on coming back many times in order to sample them all. Now we were hungry for dinner.

We cabbed it up to Russian Hill for dinner at La Folie where the intimate-but-whimsical atmosphere, attentive-but-friendly service, and seductive French cuisine certainly put us in the mood for romance. It’s where we’ve spent many of our wedding anniversaries. If you have something to celebrate, be sure to let the hostess or maitre d’ know and you’ll be treated to a fun surprise at the end of the evening. After the days’ packed agenda of eating, we didn’t mind walking the mile or so back to our hotel from the restaurant. We walked through our old neighborhood heading towards the steps of Grace Cathedral where we enjoyed the spectacular and glittering view looking south across the city before heading down the hill to Union Square.

After that, well, that’s where we leave you to your own imagination. We hope you’ll enjoy your long weekend in Northern California as much as we enjoyed ours. Happy relaxing!