Great Places — On Your Own
There are so many great places to visit and only so much time to travel. At Green Concierge Travel, we can help you find where you want to go and set up a trip that will allow you to explore these places in a way that is in tune with your values. See some of our special itineraries to learn more about how you can travel in style while supporting local economies and the environment.
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
John Muir
Walking in the Coastal Redwoods - A 4 day/5 night independent tour
Sequoia sempervirens or the Coastal redwood hugs the west coast in a 450 mile stretch from the Oregon Border to south of Monterey and the Big Sur central coast of California. This is the southern end of the temperate coastal rainforest stretching from Alaska to California. Little remains of the original old growth forest. Preservation efforts which began in the late 1800's, set aside both the remnants of the ancient forest but also the habitat for second growth redwood forests.
On daily hikes, you will explore a variety of coastal redwood preserves and parks. You will be able to experience the mystery of remaining old growth stands and the beauty of the second growth forests logged at the turn of the century. You can choose to hike in Marin, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties along the coast with accommodations in San Francisco and Pescadero.
As a “green” itinerary, Green Concierge Travel recommends different ways to reduce your environmental footprint. The itinerary uses public transit, a hybrid rental car and walking for transportation. The itinerary includes an environmentally friendly hotel and resort. You will have the opportunity to patronize the San Francisco farmer's market and restaurants featuring locally grown food. Most recommended hikes are in the 4 to 5 mile range.
Please remember that this itinerary is flexible. Green Concierge Travel will work with you to find the best trip for you and your travel companion(s). We hope you are excited by this style of travel and look forward to making this your dream trip to the coastal redwoods.
Estimated cost* - $1400.00 for two people
*Estimated trip cost includes the following for 2 people: Accommodations - 2 nights Hotel Triton, 3 nights Costanoa Resort Canvass cabin; Transportation – hybrid rental car for five days; Fees - California Academy of Sciences Behind the Scenes tour, entrance fees to Muir Woods and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, guided hike at Costanoa Resort; Travel Philanthropy: $40 donation per person to Save the Redwoods League.
Not included: Transportation to and from San Francisco Bay Area; Food/Meals - no meals are included; Green Concierge Travel fee/commission; Trip Insurance**
** Green Concierge Travel recommends that you purchase travel insurance within 14 days of your initial payment for any of the travel components of Walking in the Coastal Redwoods tour including transportation. If you purchase within 14 days of your first payment, you will be eligible for additional coverage from most insurance companies including “cancel for any reason”.
Green Concierge Travel presents a detailed itinerary below for Walking in the Coastal Redwoods. Green Concierge Travel recommends this tour for a Thursday through a Tuesday.
Thursday
Arrive in San Francisco via transportation of your choice. San Francisco is readily accessible by Amtrak which stops in Oakland/Emeryville. Make your way to the Hotel Triton located near the gates to China Town and Union Square, right in the heart of the city. Green Concierge Travel can recommend restaurants serving locally grown food or special dietary needs.
Friday
Have breakfast next door at Café de la Presse. Sit in the windows of this continental café, read the paper or one of their over 200 magazines and newspapers and enjoy a petit dejeuner (breakfast) or brunch. Good coffee and people watching top off the experience.
You can rent your hybrid this morning and plan a trip to Golden Gate Park and the California Academy of Sciences followed by an afternoon hike in Muir Woods. Or do one or the other using public transit and pick up the car Saturday.
The California Academy of Sciences has been rebuilt and is an exciting LEED building housing natural science and history exhibits including the local aquarium and a walk through rain forest exhibit. If you choose to use public transit, the Academy is readily accessible by bus and a short walk. Green Concierge Travel recommends the Behind the Scenes tour to really see the building and exhibits. Grab a bite to eat in the cafeteria or walk over to the Japanese Tea Garden for tea and a snack and a wander through the beautifully landscaped gardens.
Muir Woods National Monument protects some of the few remaining old growth trees in the Bay area. Walking shoes and poles, water and your camera will help you have an unforgettable experience in these amazing trees. Green Concierge Travel recommends a loop. If you arrive by bus, you can walk down one of the trails that intersect the Panoramic Highway. Make your way down to the forest floor and the visitor center at the main entrance. Please remember to support the Parks by paying your entry fee. Return on another route to one of several bus stops. It’s a good climb so leave plenty of time to enjoy the walk and make the bus. If you drive, you can choose to do a loop from the floor of the Woods to the ridge and return. Either way, the hikes will expose you to the redwood forest ecosystem this natural gem in San Francisco’s backyard.
Saturday
After packing your bags and getting a starter cup of coffee or tea, walk to the San Francisco Ferry Building and the Farmer's Market. Spend the next two hours exploring the market getting some food and a packed lunch for a hike after leaving the city.
If you have not done so, pick up your hybrid car after exploring the market. Collect your belongings from Hotel Triton and head south on CA Highway 280 to the Half Moon Bay area. There are several choices for hiking and picnicking. Green Concierge Travel recommends Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve which was established through a major gift from Save the Redwoods League*. The Preserve has facilities at both the ridge and coastal trail heads so you can take your pick. Enjoy a hike and lunch amongst these primarily secondary growth trees and look for the Pacific banana slug, the second-largest species of terrestrial slug in the world, which makes it home on the redwood forest floor.
*Note that this itinerary recommends a travel philanthropy gift to Save the Redwoods League for their long term work in preserving and restoring the redwood forests.
Travel south on CA Highway 1 enjoying the farms, farm stands, mountains and rugged coastline. At Pescadero, you will find Costanoa Resort, your base for the next three nights. Green Concierge Travel recommends the comfortable canvass cabins with Adirondack chairs out front. The Costanoa Resort is named for a local indigenous tribe that once inhabited the area around Pescadero and the surrounding mountains. The Costanoans lived on vegetative products, especially acorns and seeds, though they also obtained fish and mussels, and captured deer and smaller game. Costanoa comes from the Spanish word costanoa or “coast people”.
Dinner options include the Costanoa Grill on the property or the landmark Duarte’s Tavern in Pescadero. Duarte’s has been in business since 1894. It serves up a variety of food and has a seasonal menu that takes advantage of its coastal location – fresh fish and artichokes.
Sunday
Wake up with sunshine and get breakfast at the Cascade Grille. Give your car the day off and enjoy the variety of options offered by the Resort. Take a guided hike of Costanoa's backyard. The transitional habitat along the coast extends away from the coast and up to the redwood forests that blanket the ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains. You will learn about the ecosystem and the indigenous people that once inhabited the area. If it's clear, the hike should provide views of the coastline. You can also enjoy a walk to nearby Whitehorse Creek Beach and tide pools, take a horseback ride, or relax and enjoy spa services on the premises. You can also take the short drive to Ano Nuevo State Park. This park, composed of offshore islands, coastline and inland areas, provides the largest mainland breeding reserve for the northern elephant seal. Guided walks are available seasonally.
Monday
Breakfast at the Cascade Grille. Today, head south down CA Highway 1. Choose between Big Basin Redwoods State Park and one of the largest remaining old growth stands on the southern end of the Redwood range at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Some of the trees in this park are over 1000 years old. As an early redwood tourist site, these trees became the inspiration for preservation efforts in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Walk through the old growth and follow the San Lorenzo River. Or hike above the redwoods where you can get views of the ocean on clear days.
After exploring these remarkable trees, you can loop back to visit wineries such as Bonny Doon, take a walk on the beach and watch surfers at the foot of Big Basin Redwoods State Park or explore the local food scene with lunch at Ristorante Avanti on the northwest side of Santa Cruz.
As a member of Chef's Collaborative, Ristorante Avanti has made a commitment to the local food system and to the community. The owners describe their food as Mediterranean cuisine influenced by Spain and France. The menu is inspired by what's available at local farms. Drive back to Costanoa via the redwoods and Santa Cruz Mountains or travel up the coast on CA Highway 1. up the coast with some flexibility to stop at a beach or the wetlands at Pescadero.
Tuesday
Have breakfast at the Cascade Grille and check out. Drive up the coast in the morning to get the best pictures. There are places to stop along the way to picnic or walk before you head back to the city to drop off your car and head on your way. You will have great memories of big trees, rich environments, good food and stunning coastlines. Enjoy!
Accommodations:
Hotel Triton: Located two blocks from Union Square and across the street from the Chinatown gates, Hotel Triton offers hip hospitality in a central location. The Hotel Triton, a Kimpton Hotel, has been a pioneer in environmentally friendly hotels. The hotel offers eco-friendly rooms and eco-celebrity suites; cleaning is done with green products and the hotel has partnered with The Trust for Public Land, donating a percentage of room revenue to this organization.
Costanoa Resort: Located just off Highway 1, the road that snakes up and down the California coast, Costanoa resort rests below the Santa Cruz Mountains and above the coast. The resort's accommodations run the gamut from tent camp sites to RVs to canvass cabins or bungalows, log cabins and more typical lodge rooms.
Cypress bungalows: These have one four poster queen bed with a heated mattress pad, down bedding, electric lights, locking door and windows, bathrobes and towels, personal care products, alarm clock, and a pair of Adirondack chairs, daily maid service and access to our outdoor hot tub and saunas. These bungalows do not have indoor plumbing so guests use comfort stations located a short walk from the cabin.
It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanates from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.
- Robert Louis Stevenson
For more on Walking in the Coastal Redwoods or to make a reservation, contact Liz Wessel at Green Concierge Travel at info@greenconciergetravel.com or call 608.204.2717. Or you can download
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