Need help with my honeymoon planning

[Mosherette]

The wife and I would both really like to go to the US for our honeymoon, and he's always had a hankering to go to San Francisco. Now I'd love to go to SF don't get me wrong, but I also want to go somewhere really special for my honeymoon, and for me that means geology. I'm thinking a week in SF and then a week hiking and being a geologist (and a trainee geologist ) I know a week doesn't give us a terribly long time to do stuff, especially not in National Parks the size of American ones but the wife can't get more than two weeks off work in one clump

(I don't particularly want to go to Yosemite - well not for my honeymoon anyway!)

I'm looking for insider info on:

(a) Lassen National Park: how to get there from SF, how much flights and transport may cost etc. I know that you can camp or stay in a Lodge in the Park but the Lodge is $$$ - are there any hotels/lodges/motels very close to that we could use? I don't know where to start looking.

(b) Hawai'i: affordable flights from SF and how to get back to the UK. Any recommendations for tours of the active bits very welcome, plus accommodation that also isn't $$$.

Awkwardly we don't really have a budget yet - the wedding is 20 months away - but I want to research research research as much as possible. I'm already reading Lonely Planet and tripadvisor threads to get some ideas of where to stay in SF itself. Both the wife and I like less touristy, quiet places a bit off the beaten track - five star accommodation isn't a necessity for us; clean rooms, comfy beds and at least an en suite shower are all we need

Any advice, recommendations, help, warnings etc. gratefully received!!

[LizzyBean]

Well I haven't been there in years but Lassen is a beautiful place to be. I would also recomend Muir Woods if you like trees and wildlife. You'll see some of the world's largest and oldest tress there. It's breathtaking.

The only thing I know about Hawai'i is that my cousin and her family live there, and that it is one of the most beautiful, and geologically interesting, places on earth.

[Mosherette]

Ah, I found some info on staying near Lassen on the National Parks website. The wife isn't so keen on flying; I take it flying from SF to Lassen vicinity would be shorter than flying to Hawai'i?

[Tootsie Plunkette]

For geology, you're going to want to visit the Big Island, which is where you can stand on an active volcano. I don't know if there are any direct flights there from SF; you may have to transfer in Honolulu.

Volcano is (surprise!) the closest town, and I believe there are hotels and other lodgings there. However, when we were there several years ago, we stayed in Kailua-Kona, which was a good base for our travels around the island. We booked a room at the Magic Sands, and would do so again in a heartbeat. Each unit is individually owned, and I can see from the reviews that not all units are equal, but ours was very nice, a good value, and right (and I do mean right) on the ocean. If you can't sleep to the sounds of pounding surf, it's not for you.

In addition to the volcano, I highly recommend a trip to Ka Lae, which is the southernmost point of the U.S., and one of the most unearthly places I've ever been. The day we were there, the water was bright aqua, like a swimming pool. Unforgettable.

[Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Mosherette

Both the wife and I like less touristy, quiet places a bit off the beaten track - five star accommodation isn't a necessity for us; clean rooms, comfy beds and at least an en suite shower are all we need

You should stay in Larkspur and take the ferry into SF. Ellestar and I stayed at the Courtyard Mariott for our honeymoon. Nice and quiet, with the ferry port, a brewpub, and a few other restaurants in walking distance. Also convenient if you want to drive north into wine country.

[Mosherette]

Oh Tootsie those look amazing...

Been talking to the wife and it looks like it's going to be Lassen rather than Hawai'i. He doesn't think he could handle the flight time to Hawai'i, but (and please correct me if I'm wrong) we can fly from SF to Chico and thence get to Lassen environs somewhow, and the flight is about an hour, which he can just about handle without it ruining the rest of the holiday. I think the week beforehand would be ruined for him, worrying about the flight to Hawai'i.

(Yes, he knows it's a bloody long flight to SF from here but has accepted he has to do that at least )

Maybe Hawai'i for our first anniversary

[Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Mosherette

Been talking to the wife and it looks like it's going to be Lassen rather than Hawai'i. He doesn't think he could handle the flight time to Hawai'i, but (and please correct me if I'm wrong) we can fly from SF to Chico and thence get to Lassen environs somewhow, and the flight is about an hour, which he can just about handle without it ruining the rest of the holiday.

If I were you I'd just rent a car and drive. SF-Redding is 3.5 hours and airports north of SFO are (I think) all municipal fields with little or no regular airline service. Trying to fly there would be a waste of time and money. If you can't drive, plan on a bus.

[rhiandmoi]

I don't think you can fly to Chico from SF, or if you can, it would be much more expensive than just driving there. It's only a 4 hour drive from SF area to Lassen area, and that takes you through gold country. Which offers a nice assortment of off the beaten path tourism attractions. And since you would spend 4 hours or so getting there anyway, I personally would recommend just driving there.

http://calgold.org/pages/gold_country_regions.cgi

[ULTRAGOTHA]

Yosimite is one of the most beautiful valleys in the entire world and a honeymoon would only be enhanced by going there.

If you hire a car and drive on OUR side of the road (;-) You can do SF to Lassen to Yosimite and back to SF pretty well.

And if you plan it right, you can drive through wine country on your way to Lassen. The Coppola vinyard has a very good blue label diamond merlot. (According to DW, who loves merlot.)

[WildaBeast]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

If I were you I'd just rent a car and drive. SF-Redding is 3.5 hours and airports north of SFO are (I think) all municipal fields with little or no regular airline service. Trying to fly there would be a waste of time and money. If you can't drive, plan on a bus.

There are flights from SFO to Redding (Skywest on an EMB-120 Brasillia), but they are terribly expensive and not really worth it unless you're connecting from someplace else. I would recomend Amtrak if you don't want to drive. Within California train service is fairly decent by US standards. The one way fare from Richmond, CA (in the east bay area) to Redding is $41. Downside is that the train gets you to Redding at the ungodly hour of 3:14 am. Regardless of how you get there you are going to want to rent a car to get to the park.

[Mosherette]

Hm. I found flights from SF to Chico for about $130 each with US Airlines, I think it was. The ones to Redding (which actually go from LA as far as I can tell) were indeed amazingly expensive - as much as a flight to SF from the UK!

I know I'm going to have to rent a car to get to and around the park, but that's about as much driving as I really want to do. I am not confident driving on the other side of the road and I don't want to ruin the honeymoon by writing off a rental car (or worse ) Are the roads through the country those big enormous straight things that you see on road trip films? Or will there be junctions and one way systems to negotiate?!

Hooda thunk people would recommend going by public transport in the US?! I didn't even think to check such things...

Ultra - it's weird what with my passion for rocks, but Yosemite and (perhaps even more surprisingly) the Grand Canyon just don't do it for me. I'm all about volcanoes, so things with smelly mud and lakes that take your skin off are much more my thing Yellowstone's the big one, but the wife REALLY wants SF, so i'm compromising by going to mini-Yellowstone a bit nearer to that fair city.

ETA Ohhhh I've just realised; I've got SF and LA mixed up. Do that quite a lot...oops. Yes, it's a bit pointless flying that distance!

[Lainie]

Amtrak isn't really public transit. And the bus someone mentioned would almost certainly be Greyhound or Trailways, which are not public transit in any sense.

Amtrak can be a great way to travel in the areas where it's available, and it just so happens you're traveling to one of those areas.

[WildaBeast]

Originally Posted by Mosherette

Are the roads through the country those big enormous straight things that you see on road trip films? Or will there be junctions and one way systems to negotiate?

The drive from San Francisco to Redding will be entirely on Interstate highways -- big highways with at least two lanes in each direction and access controled by on ramps / off ramps. I think "motorway" is the British term. From around Vacaville to Redding the roads are very straight and flat and you're driving across farmland the whole way. But from the Redding area to the park you will probably be driving on some winding two lane mountain roads, though I 've never been to Lassen National Park before, so I can't comment on the specifics.

ETA: Oh, and you may already know this, but you won't need a car to get around San Francisco. It's one of those US cities where you actually can get around entirely on public transport.

[Simply Madeline]

Just to be on the safe side, I'd put the trip to Lassen towards the end of the 2 weeks. The roads in Lassen are usually open by mid-May, but some years the snow isn't plowed on all the roads until mid-June (or even early July!).

http://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisi...sandtrails.htm

*I'm assuming my math is correct and your wedding is in June...

[Mosherette]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Amtrak isn't really public transit. And the bus someone mentioned would almost certainly be Greyhound or Trailways, which are not public transit in any sense.

What are they then?

Originally Posted by WildaBeast

The drive from San Francisco to Redding will be entirely on Interstate highways -- big highways with at least two lanes in each direction and access controled by on ramps / off ramps. I think "motorway" is the British term. From around Vacaville to Redding the roads are very straight and flat and you're driving across farmland the whole way. But from the Redding area to the park you will probably be driving on some winding two lane mountain roads, though I 've never been to Lassen National Park before, so I can't comment on the specifics.

That sounds do-able. It would be towns and busy roads through towns that I'd be a bit wary of. Mind you, the only experience I have of driving on The Other Side was Gran Canaria, and the other, local drivers there were a bit, shall we say, MAD

Originally Posted by Simply Madeline

Just to be on the safe side, I'd put the trip to Lassen towards the end of the 2 weeks. The roads in Lassen are usually open by mid-May, but some years the snow isn't plowed on all the roads until mid-June (or even early July!).

Yup, spot-on - 7th June 2011. The Park's website mentioned that so it's SF first and then Lassen.

The wife has just said why don't we go for three weeks instead of two? - so it appears he CAN get more than two weeks off work at a time. Win!

ETA: This is so great, thank you all

[bthyb]

Originally Posted by Lainie

Amtrak isn't really public transit. And the bus someone mentioned would almost certainly be Greyhound or Trailways, which are not public transit in any sense.

Originally Posted by Mosherette

What are they then?

They are private bus companies, not government run.

[ULTRAGOTHA]

Mind you, our definition of a narrow winding mountain road is NOTHING like your definition of a narrow winding mountain road.

No road in that area of the country will be one lane with passing places, for instance. And our lane width is wider than yours.

Remember the driver is in the centre of the road and you should be fine. Also, look LEFT when crossing the road.

ULTRA "Just survived driving a week in northern Scotland" GOTHA

[katikate]

Oh, mosh, while you are in San Fran, you must try to see Beach Blanket Babylon. Its a stage show/musical/comedy sketch on creent world events. With Dancing Gay Poodles and giant hats. I love it.

And China Town.

And Pier 39.

Oh! Oh! And Union Street for the shopping!

.....Um sorry, I lurves me some SanFran.

[Mosherette]

Originally Posted by bthyb

They are private bus companies, not government run.

Public transport isn't government run here anymore either! Hasn't been for a looooooong time. (Some bus services are local council run but that's about it.)

Oooh I'm getting all excited. 2011 is a damn long time off BAH!

[Tootsie Plunkette]

Public transit: bus and train used by commuters and for within-city or -region travel.
Greyhound, Trailways (bus), Amtrak (train): bus and train equivalents of air transportation.