New York, NY - At the age of 11, I made my first trip to San Francisco, meeting my aunt in Chicago and continuing by train ever westward some 60 years ago. I?ve been back at least 30 times since then, usually visiting Napa or Sonoma, occasionally driving south through Monterey. A few times it was driving down Highway 1 to Los Angeles. Each time I would spend a few days downtown in the Union Square, Fisherman?s Wharf or Nob Hill areas. All are an absolute must see as is Alcatraz..."The Rock."

All these years, I never knew, when I landed at San Francisco airport, that I was in San Mateo County. This latest sojourn to the San Francisco Bay area, inclusive of Mateo County, was one I looked forward to with happy anticipation and was planning to visit Vallejo for at least a day instead of just passing through on the way to Napa or Sonoma.

Northern California had the heat wave of the century while I was there. It is normally 70 to 80 degrees in San Francisco, but I, and everyone else, endured well over 90 on a daily basis. The South Bay/San Mateo area is always a few degrees warmer so it was well over 90 and Vallejo hit 111 the day I arrived. Welcome to California.

San Mateo County has a population of 710,000 and is located on a 50-mile peninsula immediately south of San Francisco. It is bordered on the east by San Francisco Bay, on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the south by Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Arriving at SF Airport- remember it is in San Mateo County, I spent the first night at the Bay Landing Hotel in Burlingame with dinner at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel. This French-owned chain sits directly opposite Oracle in Redwood City and hosts many of its conferences making in near mandatory to call well ahead for reservations.

Early the next morning, and I do mean early (I was still on Eastern Time and was in the fitness center at 5AM), I left for the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education where they exhibit over 50 rescued animals (that's an oxymoron if ever there was one) native to California. The Filoli Center is recognized as one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 1900?s. The 654 acre property includes a 36,000 square-foot mansion furnished with 17th and 18th century antiques, as well as 16 acres of European-inspired gardens. Originally a private residence, it was opened to the public in 1976. Lunch was at Quattro at the Four Seasons Silicon Valley Hotel in East Palo Alto and then it was off to the Hiller Aviation Institute Museum where the director of exhibits is named North E. West, if you can believe that. A trip through the museum starts with the Avitor, an "aeroplane" that flew before the Wright Brothers learned how to walk. There is also a full-scale exhibit of the American SST from the late 1960?s. I got to "pilot" the Hiller Hornet, the first affordable helicopter priced under $5,000. Try it when you get there.

I moved down and across the coast to Half Moon Bay and the Beach House Hotel. Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean out my windows and you could hear the many Sea Lions nearly all the time. Thankfully, they chose to rest when I did. Dinner was at Cetrella?s Bistro & Caf? which has received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and conducts regular wine classes and wine dinners.

The next morning, instead of breakfast at the hotel, I was treated to an English feast at Cameron?s Restaurant, Pub and Inn run by Cameron and Lisa Palmer. There are three rooms available above the pub and guests get to enjoy air hockey, karaoke and band nights along with 18 English, Irish and Scotch beers on tap, plus 60 more in bottles. Cameron has collected over 2,000 beer cans from around the world and, if you bring in a can he doesn?t have, the next beer is on the house. After breakfast I drove down the coast stopping at Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Pescadoro Beach, then managed a few minutes in the town of Half Moon Bay walking along Main Street (what else?). La Nebbia Winery offered me a wine tasting followed by lunch at Half Moon Bay Brewing Company Ocean Front Restaurant & Brew Pub where I watched their beer being brewed. An educational stop was at Farmer John?s Pumpkin Farm followed by a tour of the historic 1853 Johnston House listed on the National Register of Historic Places. All are recommended as stops of your own.

Kevin Palmer Cameron?s brother operates the Long Branch Saloon & Farms which has been developed as a venue for private and corporate events. As I was still digesting lunch I stuck to fruit and salad when food was offered. My last night was spent back at the SF Airport at the Hyatt Regency, an 815 room property five minutes from the airport in Burlingame.

Next morning I picked up my rental car and it was off to Vallejo, about 45 minutes away. As previously mentioned, I always passed through Vallejo on the way to Napa or Sonoma but, this time, I checked into the Courtyard by Marriott Napa Valley directly across the street from Six Flags Marine World. The temperature hovered around 105 as I drove the 15 minutes to Fairfield and my tour of the Jelly Belly Candy Company. For the free tour I was the only adult there without kids. We learned that 145 million Jelly Bellys are produced every day in 50 official flavors. The 50th is Jalapeno, which is only sold separately and not in the bags or boxes of assorted flavors. Very Cherry is the most popular flavor and former President Reagan was the #1 jelly bean fan when he was governor of California. Point of information: licorice was his favorite. The temperature was over 110 as I walked across the street to Six Flags Marine World celebrating its 20th Anniversary in Vallejo. It is one of the only combination animal park/oceanarium/theme parks in the world. I skipped the rides but got to every animal show: birds, whale, dolphin, tigers and an elephant and was exhausted when done. That, of course, meant a light dinner and it was early to bed.

By the 5th day I had acclimated to west coast time and slept until 7 a.m. Bill Dornik, the tour director for Mare Island Historic Park, picked me up and, for the next two hours, I learned all about the base closing in 1996 and how the once secret naval shipyard was the first military installation built on the west coast in 1854. It is now being redeveloped with private residences. I didn?t have time to try the high-speed catamaran that takes you to the Ferry Building or Fisherman?s Wharf but, from what I saw, you should make the time. I still had not gotten to SF when I stopped in Larkspur to visit one of California?s top wine & food PR professionals - Patricia Schneider. She showed me around Marin County - Mill Valley, San Rafael, San Anselmo and Corte Madera.

For more trip information:
Useful Websites: San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau Bay Landing Hotel Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel Coyote Point Museum Filoli Center Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley Hiller Aviation Institute Museum Beach House at Half Moon Bay Cetrella Bistro & Caf? Cameron?s Restaurant, Pub & Inn La Nebbia Winery Half Moon Brewing Company Farmer John?s Pumpkin Farm The Johnson House Foundation Long Branch Saloon & Farms Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport Jelly belly Candy Company Six Flags Marine World Vallejo Convention & Visitors Bureau Courtyard by Marriott Napa Valley Agua Luca Harbor Court Hotel Sellers Markets

The next day I finally made it to SF (hooray!) and checked into Kimpton?s Harbor Court Hotel located just three blocks from the Ferry Building. there was a busy day ahead as Patricia invited me to a launch party that she and her partner produced for Agua Luca, a new luxury Cachaca from Brazil at Lounge Bambudda. Hubert Keller, chef proprietor of San Francisco?s finest French restaurant, Fleur de Lys, was the guest DJ. The cr?me de la cr?me of SF food and beverage management attended this Brazilian poolside party making it a delightful and informational "mixer." The weather mandated a quick dip in the YMCA pool and another visit to a fitness center (the Harbor Court used to be part of the next door Y), which was followed by dinner overlooking Fisherman?s Wharf at A. Isabella?s, a family run establishment since the early 1940?s.

The early part of my last day in SF was spent at Sellers Market where fast, casual dining (all items are under $10) meets artisan quality in the heart of SF financial district. This is the first of an anticipated chain run by Jim & Deb Sellers. I was thinking, as I drove to the airport to return my rental, how much more there is in the San Francisco Bay area beyond the city itself. Make sure that you explore the entire area. Your taste buds will thank both of us.