San Francisco Travel Answers

Depends on which way you'd like to head and the snowpack in January. The first that comes to mind is Kirkwood to the southeast. If there's good snow anywhere Kirkwood is likely to have it. Lots of condos to rent up there and excellent skiing terrain. Or head to North Lake Tahoe to the northeast for some great resorts (Squaw, Alpine, are two of my favorites) Check skilaketahoe.com/lake-tahoe-... for a list of places with more links to detailed info. There are a couple places closer just off Hwy 80, but I've never been partial to them as they are a bit out of the "main stream" of the Tahoe life and lodging is somewhat not as prevalent but check Sierra Ski Ranch and Sugar Bowl as well. I didn't mention Heavenly as I tend to avoid South Tahoe due to heavy casino traffic even in the winter. North Shore has some small casinos for Apres Ski activities is that's what you're looking for.

A great ski resort and village is just past the town of Truckee called Northstar California. From San Francisco take Interstate 80 E about 180 miles (around a 3 hour drive). After you pass Truckee, you turn right or south on Hwy 267 toward Lake Tahoe North Shore for about 6 miles. Turn right on Northstar Drive to Resort. Only a short drive to the Nevada side in North Lake Tahoe and Incline Village for Casino Hotels and lodging locations on the California side as well in Kings Beach. See their website: http://www.northstarattahoe.com/

Hello! San Francisco has so much to offer, I love it! You could easily spend a day in Golden Gate Park, then if you fancy it, you could walk across the Golden Gate Bridge! Fisherman's Wharf is well worth a visit for excellent seafood resturants and Pier 39 has a fantastic atmosphere and shops to look around. Here you will also find the seals that reside here and there a plenty of cafes to grab a drink and snack for the energy to carry on exploring!! Coit Tower is the place to go for views of the city and Lombard Street is a bit on an attraction as it's not straight like every other road in San Francisco - it's rather wiggly! If you're into shopping, Union Square is the place where you will find shops such as Macys, Tiffanys, Saks of 5th Avenue. Then just a few blocks in either direction, there are shops (more affordable for me!!) such as Footlocker, Levis, Ross Dress for Less and lots of independent shops. If you're interested, I have pages on San Franciso, you're very welcome to have a read!! Hope you enjoy the city as much as I do! Hayley :)

Hi! Here's my San Francisco page: "Don't just think about it! Book it!" - San Francisco by Benson35 Hayley :)

Tahoe is definitely the place where I would recommend. It is roughly 3-3.5 hours away but is definitely gorgeous and a great place for skiing. There are so many places to stay (vacationroost.com/lodging/se... and you could go through Sacramento as well!

Oh, and I forgot Alcatraz! Great trip and really interesting! Enjoy! Hayley :)

Let me only address the skiing issue since my youngest son and I are avid skiers and live in the area. Last year was a bad year for skiing in Northern California. Snow came late in the season and many of the resorts operated at reduced levels the entire winter. January normally is a great month for skiing in the Sierras so if it is a normal year you should have a good experience. The closest ski resorts to SF are not particularly good or challenging. These include Boreal Ridge, Donner Ridge, and Donner Ski Ranch. Boreal Ridge is the closest and is located just off of I-80 close to the summit. The best skiing, in my opinion, is in the area is on the northwest side of Lake Tahoe at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. It is about 45 minutes longer than going to Boreal but the combination of skiing experiences and terrain are the best in the area. Alpine Meadows also has in my opinion the best ski school and offers facilities for disabled skiers as well. Squaw Valley has the most challenging runs but is also the most expensive of the ski resorts in Northern California. A good resort that is significantly less expensive is Sierra at Tahoe. The resort is located off of Highway 50 and is about 3 1/2 to 4 hours from SF. There is a good variation of ski options offered there. Here is a good comparison of the ski areas close to SF and some reviews. onthesnow.com/california/pro... Expect to pay anywhere from 35 to 90 for a one day lift ticket.