San Francisco Hostels offer day trips to Wine Country, Yosemite, and more
Posted by admin on Jun 2, 2009
One of the things that makes San Francisco such an amazing destination is just how close it is to some of California’s natural treasures. Within only a few hours drive you can find yourself in Wine Country, Yosemite National Park, Muir Woods National Monument, or on the banks of the American River.
To help city hostellers reach these stunning locations, Hostelling International’s three San Francisco hostels have partnered with several tour companies to provide trips to these and other scenic spots.
So, join your fellow hostellers on excursions ranging from a relaxing afternoon among the vineyards of Wine Country to three days of roughing it in the shadow of Yosemite’s El Capitan.
All of these trips can be booked at your hostels’ front desk, and include door-to-door pick-up from the hostel.
Dylan’s City Tours
San Francisco/Muir Woods
Monday - Saturday, 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
$39
Join Dylan, a native San Franciscan, for small-group van tours through the City by the Bay. Dylan will show you all the major sites in San Francisco, and stop for several great photo opportunities.
Tour includes Golden Gate Bridge, Twin Peaks, Haight-Ashbury, Mission District, Marina District, the Castro, Pacific Heights, Palace of Fine Arts, the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, views of the bay and the Pacific Ocean, Chinatown, North Beach, cable cars, Nob Hill, City Hall, Financial District, and Bay Bridge. Also included in the tour is a trip across the bay to Muir Woods National Monument.
Elie’s Green Dream Tours
San Francisco/Muir Woods
Monday-Friday, 9:20 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.
$38 (cash only)
Elie’s Green Dream Tours is a small, San Francisco-based tour company catering to the budget traveler, which offers environmentally friendly trips in a 14-passenger biodiesel van.
During the tour, your guide Elie shares tips on cheap eats, nightlife, and the "Weekly Scoop," highlighting what’s happening that week in the city. All participants receive a complimentary discount card for savings on local hot spots, and a mix CD featuring famous San Francisco bands from the 1960s through today.
Sights include North Beach, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Marina District, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, views of Alcatraz and the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco City Hall, Lombard Street, Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, the Castro, Haight-Ashbury, Bay Bridge, and more. Also included in the tour is a trip across the bay to Muir Woods National Monument.
Yosemite Bug Bus
Operated by Hostelling International’s Yosemite Bug Hostel (a.k.a. HI-Midpines), the Yosemite Bug Bus picks up hostellers in San Francisco and whisks them away to the quiet majesty of Yosemite National Park.
Two Days/Two Nights San Francisco to Yosemite
Departs Monday, 9-10 a.m.; Wednesday, 11 a.m. - noon; and Friday, 6-7 p.m.
$205-550; additional $30 for all-meal package
Spend your days exploring Yosemite while spending your nights snug at the Bug. Take your pick of accommodations between the hostel’s dorm beds, private rooms, or a tent-cabin (prices vary).
On your first day, take a dip in the hostel’s swimming hole, or a guided bicycle ride along the Merced River. Visitors who arrive on Friday also have the option of checking out a local mine and mining museum. Day two is spent hiking through Yosemite Valley, including five sightseeing stops along the way. Both days end with a group campfire, and guests receive discounted access to the Bug’s health spa.
High Sierra and Hot Springs Camping Trip
Departs Wednesday, some Mondays
$175
Spend 2.5 days adventuring in California’s high country! Explore Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, Mono Lake, and an authentic "ghost town," and soak your worries away in a natural hot spring. Trip includes a quick stop in Yosemite Valley before heading back to San Francisco. All food and equipment provided.
Incredible Adventures
Available at the Downtown Hostel and Fisherman’s Wharf Hostel only
Incredible Adventures offers guided tours in their biodiesel-fueled shuttles. Specializing in small groups, these outdoor adventures are tailored to an international backpacking crowd.
Muir Woods and Wine Country Day Trip
Daily, 8:15 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
$85 adult; $75 student with valid ID
Spend your morning in the only old-growth redwood forest in the Bay Area, then cruise over to Wine Country to sample the offerings of wineries such as Homewood, Cline Cellars, and Benziger Family (tasting fees may apply). Afterwards, take some time on your own to explore Sonoma’s town square, Mission San Francisco de Solano (the northernmost California mission), or Sonoma Jack’s Cheese Factory.
River Rafting and Gold Mine Day Tour
Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday (May 25 - September 20, 2009), 6 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
$199 adult; $179 student with valid ID
An afternoon of adventure awaits in California’s Gold Country! In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, you’ll experience 8 miles of Class III rapids on the American River. While on the water, you’ll see the historic location of Sutter’s Mill (where gold was first discovered in California in 1848). Once you’ve dried off, you’ll head over to "Old Hangtown" (now known as Placerville), to get a firsthand view of a real gold mine.
Tour cost includes all rafting safety equipment and gear, gold mine walking tour, and barbecue lunch by the river. Wetsuits and booties are provided for the rafting in May (not needed June - September).
Yosemite Day Tour
Daily, 6:15 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
$139 adult; $129 student with valid ID
This trip includes a 1.5-hour narrated tour of the Yosemite Valley, including sights such as Yosemite Falls (the tallest waterfall in North America), El Capitan, Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, Sentinel Dome, and more. Tour also provides 3-4 hours of free time in the valley.
Yosemite Escape Camping Tour
Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday (May 25 - October 15, 2009)
$325 adult; $305 student with valid ID
Please note that there’s no door-to-door pick-up for this tour. Meet at 6:45 a.m. at the corner of Mason and O’Farrell streets (half a block from the Downtown Hostel and 6 blocks from the City Center Hostel).
Spend three days and two nights exploring majestic Yosemite. Picnic amongst giant millennia-old sequoia trees, hike through the high country to May Lake, and drink in the sights that have made this park so famous.
Tour cost includes camping equipment (except a sleeping bag), six meals, all camping fees, park fees, taxes, transportation, and professional guide service. Campers need to bring their own sleeping bags, or can rent one from Incredible Adventures for $30.
May through July, campers can add a class III-IV whitewater rafting trip on the Merced River to their Yosemite camping package for an additional $140-160.
Hostellers at the City Center Hostel and Downtown Hostel can also book with Super Sightseeing Tours and San Francisco Sightseeing, who both offer tours in large, motor coach buses to Wine Country, Monterey/Carmel, Muir Woods, and Yosemite.
Guests who prefer a more spontaneous, San Francisco-based itinerary can take advantage of Super Sightseeing’s double-decker Hop On - Hop Off tour bus, which is always on the go around city landmarks. City Center Hostel guests can buy a one-day pass for this tour ($35 adults, $25 children ages 5-11) at the front desk, while Downtown Hostel visitors can catch the bus at the corner of Post and Powell streets, 3 blocks away.