Homes Away From Home
California Hostels:
Santa Cruz-- I found friendly hostellers with similar interests to mine; WiFi Internet all over the town; beach volleyball two blocks away; downtown music scene seven blocks away
Sacramento-- beautiful accommodations in the city's only mansion other than the one the governor used to use; nice staff that is not overly hung up on rules; nice hostellers, not crowded; near the downtown library (WiFi Internet) which is way hung up on rules-- Posted: "no staring in an unwelcome manner"
Tecopa-- more to do than you might expect in Death Valley-- hot springs, Marta Becket, China Ranch; beautiful area and beautiful clouds this time of year, a photographer visited while I was there; bring your telescope (they have a tower out back); a collection of mobile homes, so not fancy; closest cell phone access is a Nevada border town, 30 miles away with a $7 all day prime rib special (includes beer)
Los Altos Hills-- nicest staff anywhere-- Diny, Julie and Amber; cleanest hostel anywhere; was inspected by a group from the national hostel organization (Ottawa) while I was there, and I bet they got an A+; good conversations with Tom, Tracy and Url; near Palo Alto and KALX radio also comes in clearly; scenic even in the rain; hike to a farm and a wilderness area
Yosemite Bug-- on site restaurant is great for meeting people; location is very scenic with or without entering the park; WiFi (but mail only works sometimes, so they get more dollar bills fed into their Internet Access machine); furnace pilot light went out, so we all froze one night (easily fixed)
Pidgeon Point-- Beautiful Lighthouse, they use it for brochures; A slice of American life: met a young adult group from Placerville (they followed each other around); met a couple who were lusting after each other (they hot tubbed); met a family group who, by luck of the draw, bunked in the same male dorm as a gay couple; water heater pilot light went out (easily fixed), but otherwise A okay
Single Day Visits:
Santa Monica-- a block from the ocean; a block from a street mall and all of the cute LA people; warm comfy homeless abound; nice drop off spot for International visitors; free WiFi
Point Reyes-- a cabin in the middle of the National Seashore; small; rustic; great whale watching; great get away
SF 865 Ellis-- nice building and accommodations and WiFi; gets bad rap for the "bums" who hang out in the neighborhood
SF Fisherman's Wharf-- Ft. Mason location, so no caterwalling street people outside; no one snores in San Francisco; free WiFi; free parking
Santa Cruz-- I found friendly hostellers with similar interests to mine; WiFi Internet all over the town; beach volleyball two blocks away; downtown music scene seven blocks away
Sacramento-- beautiful accommodations in the city's only mansion other than the one the governor used to use; nice staff that is not overly hung up on rules; nice hostellers, not crowded; near the downtown library (WiFi Internet) which is way hung up on rules-- Posted: "no staring in an unwelcome manner"
Tecopa-- more to do than you might expect in Death Valley-- hot springs, Marta Becket, China Ranch; beautiful area and beautiful clouds this time of year, a photographer visited while I was there; bring your telescope (they have a tower out back); a collection of mobile homes, so not fancy; closest cell phone access is a Nevada border town, 30 miles away with a $7 all day prime rib special (includes beer)
Los Altos Hills-- nicest staff anywhere-- Diny, Julie and Amber; cleanest hostel anywhere; was inspected by a group from the national hostel organization (Ottawa) while I was there, and I bet they got an A+; good conversations with Tom, Tracy and Url; near Palo Alto and KALX radio also comes in clearly; scenic even in the rain; hike to a farm and a wilderness area
Yosemite Bug-- on site restaurant is great for meeting people; location is very scenic with or without entering the park; WiFi (but mail only works sometimes, so they get more dollar bills fed into their Internet Access machine); furnace pilot light went out, so we all froze one night (easily fixed)
Pidgeon Point-- Beautiful Lighthouse, they use it for brochures; A slice of American life: met a young adult group from Placerville (they followed each other around); met a couple who were lusting after each other (they hot tubbed); met a family group who, by luck of the draw, bunked in the same male dorm as a gay couple; water heater pilot light went out (easily fixed), but otherwise A okay
Single Day Visits:
Santa Monica-- a block from the ocean; a block from a street mall and all of the cute LA people; warm comfy homeless abound; nice drop off spot for International visitors; free WiFi
Point Reyes-- a cabin in the middle of the National Seashore; small; rustic; great whale watching; great get away
SF 865 Ellis-- nice building and accommodations and WiFi; gets bad rap for the "bums" who hang out in the neighborhood
SF Fisherman's Wharf-- Ft. Mason location, so no caterwalling street people outside; no one snores in San Francisco; free WiFi; free parking
Labels: travel
posted by David Rasmussen at 12:28 AM
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