Just Back From | San Francisco, Sausalito & Napa

Sasha, one of our Travel Consultants, made her way over to San Francisco, Sausalito and the Napa Valley this past fall for six nights. During her road trip, she spent nights at Four Seasons San Francisco, The Inn Above Tide and Meadowood Napa Valley. She especially enjoyed the breathtaking deck views of Sausalito and warm hospitality at The Inn Above Tide.

Here are a few insights from her trip:

Insider's Tip: Take the ferry into San Francisco; don't rent a car.

Overall impressions:

• Four Seasons San Francisco - Great room and bar but I didn't enjoy the busy downtown location.
• The Inn Above Tide - Best property on the trip. Small, lovely, attention to detail, friendly staff, a great breakfast, easy walkable town, decks and views are stunning and relaxing.
• Meadowood Napa Valley - Need more than two nights if you want to experience Napa Valley and the resort. The bathroom was lovely with an old shower head. Meadowood needs more outdoor amenities on their decks. While it was a beautiful location, it required a 20 minute drive in many directions to reach certain destinations.

Favorite moment: Sitting on the deck when first arriving at Inn Above Tide and sipping some champagne - dolphins were spotted one morning.

You can't stop thinking about: Early morning walks through Sausalito.

Favorite meal or meals: The Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch in Napa Valley.

Favorite restaurants, museums or sightseeing: The Model Bakery in St. Helena offers wonderful breads and pastries. Also, the Tadish Grill in San Francisco for traditional seafood in one of the oldest restaurants in town.

Where or what to drink: Pied Piper Bar & Grill (formerly Maxfield's) at The Palace Hotel. Great Maxfield Parrish mural in an "old school" bar atmosphere with wonderful cocktails.

Neighborhood to explore: Calistoga - the Northern most part of the Napa Valley area and downtown St. Helena.

Daytrip suggestion(s): Muir Woods just outside San Francisco. Get there early and drive VERY carefully along twisting roads!

What to pack: Layers and walking shoes. The weather changes throughout the day in San Francisco and walking is a must. Don't worry about stylish footwear - just be sure [your shoes] are comfortable.

Stay up to date with all of our globetrotting travel advisors and staff. Check back each week for another trip report, in our Just Back From series on The Harper Way.