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Wednesday, 23rd August 2006

US: From San-Fran to California wines

Simon Baker

Classic tram rides

AMERICA'S West Coast attracts millions of tourists for its sun, surf and showbiz, but perhaps it is only those who are willing to explore the colder climes of northern California who discover the true diversity of this magical state.

For starters, San Francisco is a stunning world-class city brimming with culture, beauty and atmosphere, second only to New York in the US list of urban gems.

The first glimpse of this amazing city from the plane as it sprawls across a misty bay framed by the iconic Golden Gate Bridge is worth the trip alone. The city's famously steep multi-layered hills help to carve up the city into small digestible chunks, even if you spend your time half expecting a police car chase to fly over the brow of the next summit.

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By foot, classic tram, bus or cab, we easily reached the classy Italian restaurants of North Beach, the trendy bars of the Mission and the colourful shops of Haight-Ashbury - the original hippy village.

Well-known attractions such as the Golden Gate Bridge and the prison island of Alcatraz are also within spitting distance but just soaking in the laid-back spirit of the `city by the bay' is time well spent.

For us, though, it was soon time to hit the road. Our first stop was Marin County, where walking trails and bike tracks afford spectacular views of the Pacific. After another 200 miles on Route 101 - the main Pacific coast freeway - the road became engulfed by some of the tallest trees in the world.

Unique

Redwoods grow to heights of more than 350ft and base widths of 22ft but figures mean little when they actually tower over you; it is a humbling experience. In the fascinating small art town of Eureka, home to thousands of painters, sculptors, actors, musicians and writers, the old centre boasts interesting shops and eye-catching murals while the town is also home to the unique ales, stouts and beers of the Lost Coast Brewery which serves hearty lunches for weary travellers.

Side-stepping the state border with Oregon, the next leg of our route left the cool Pacific coast to head inland to California's warmer central valley.

We crossed breathtaking peaks before dipping down alongside cascading streams towards the town of Redding, sandwiched between mountain ranges in Sacramento Valley.

Redding is a warm, welcoming town and an ideal base for exploring the volcanic mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and national parks that all lie within a short drive. We cruised the highway for an hour before the dry, arid valley was replaced with a lush green landscape as we climbed several hundred feet into the Lassen Volcanic National Park.

Here you are greeted with the bubbling mud and sulphuric smell of a volcanic zone as well as the opportunity to climb Lassen Peak itself which tops 10,457ft - fortunately not quite as daunting as it sounds when the car park lies at 8,500ft.

A far sterner challenge is the mystical Mount Shasta - a couple of hours drive to the north of Redding - which at 14,162ft is the second largest volcano in the United States.

Thankfully, the more sedate outdoor activities on offer in the region include golf, skiing (in season), fishing, cycling, gentle walks or, as we found out, a moonlit kayak across the beautiful Whiskeytown Lake.

So what else can northern California offer besides stunning landscapes, giant trees, a world-class city and steaming volcanoes? Wine, of course.

Overwhelming

The choice of wineries and districts is overwhelming, but all are conveniently located on the route back to San Francisco. In Lake County, wine tasting can be combined with languid, relaxing days on the shores of the peaceful Clear Lake.

The wineries in this area are small and friendly - and drivers not wanting to miss out can take advantage of a special bus on hand to ferry tasters between their hotel and each vineyard.

Thanks to the success of recent film Sideways, the Napa Valley closer to San Francisco has been attracting large crowds of late. If that sounds off-putting, a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train is the perfect solution.

From the comfort of a lavishly decorated carriage, you can view the vineyards while enjoying sumptuous meals and the best of the local wines.

The three-hour round trip took us along track originally built for California's first millionaire, Samuel Brannan, and even includes a couple of winery stops for thirsty passengers.

After the whirlwind wine trips, and inevitable hangover, the laidback lifestyle beckoned by San Francisco makes the Golden Gate Bridge a welcome sight.

But as our flight left the runway and headed back east, we were left with the overwhelming feeling that fitting all the above into two weeks - let alone the five days we were given - would be a memorable holiday for anyone.

Simon Baker was a guest of Travel City Direct, which offers scheduled return flights with US Airways from Gatwick, Manchester or Glasgow to San Francisco from £425, based on seven or 14 nights’ duration.

Pre-booked accommodation can also be arranged through Travel City Direct, from £68 per room, per night, on a room-only basis. Travel City Direct enquiries: 0871 911 2478 or online through the website listd below.