Solvang Tours

I opted for the San Francisco Bay Cruise and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from the water was a totally different angle. It was an optional paid activity, I think it was a few dozen dollars.

The San Francisco day had a nice pace — we saw the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf without feeling rushed. The guide also took us to the Palace of Fine Arts, which was lovely.

The 17-Mile Drive in Monterey was my favorite part — the sea breeze just made me relax. The drive back from Yosemite on the last day was long, but seeing El Capitan made it worth it.

I didn't realize there was a mandatory fee to hand to the guide on arrival, something over a hundred dollars, covering fuel and parking for places like Yosemite and 17-Mile Drive. Paying it caught me off guard, though we did cover all those stretches.

In San Francisco the guide asked if we wanted to add the bay cruise, I think it was in the thirties. I went for it, and seeing the Golden Gate Bridge from the water felt totally different from standing on shore.

The three nights of hotels were included, and we stayed at brand-name places like Best Western Plus and Sheraton. We moved around a few times, but it was comfortable enough.

The five nights of hotels were included in the tour price, and even though we changed towns most days, my luggage stayed with the coach so I barely had to think about it. Breakfast was included one morning and I sorted out the rest myself, which I got used to.

In San Francisco we wandered around Fisherman's Wharf on our own for quite a while. I paid separately for the bay cruise, and watching the Golden Gate Bridge from the water with the sea breeze made it worthwhile for me.

Day two ran from Big Sur all the way through 17-Mile Drive with one stop after another, which felt a bit packed for my pace. I stood by the Lone Cypress for a while; the wind was strong but I felt oddly calm.

The drive along the Pacific Coast Highway kept me glued to the window, with cliffs and ocean the whole way. Our stop in Santa Barbara was short, but the sun and palm trees instantly put me in a vacation mood.