California Hotel Reservations

California
Hotels

Select a Best Western

Check In

Check Out

List all California Hotels

« Previous Edition | This California Travel Edition Posted on 09/13/12 | Next Edition »

Visiting San Francisco Bay Area

Fall in San Francisco – arguably the most delightful season for a visit. Along with beautiful weather, the City by the Bay and surrounding communities fill the calendar with celebrations and events. Get a spectacular view of San Francisco and its iconic landmarks at a bay region running event. Add Quadtoberfest 2012 to your Oktoberfest calendar and take part in any or all of four events run over four days. Friday through Monday, October 5th through 8th, Crissy Field and Lake Merced host 5K, Half Marathon, Marathon and 50K events. Run one or run them all and have a great 2012 Columbus Day weekend.

California’s Half Moon Bay is the official 2012 Great Pumpkin Commonwealth site. And if you're growing a pumpkin heavier than 1,818.5 pounds, get it to Half Moon Bay’s Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-off, on Columbus Day, October 8th. The 2012 contest grand prize goes to the grower who breaks and holds the new record.

Pumpkin admirers plan a visit to Half Moon Bay the next weekend, October 13th and 14th, for the 2012 Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival to see the top five largest pumpkins. This year's 42nd annual festival fills historic Main Street with music stages, crafts, food and drinks. Enter a pie eating contest, show off your Halloween costume and pick your own fall pumpkin – a great weekend in Half Moon Bay.

The 2012 San Francisco Jazz Festival continues through December 7th with performances throughout the bay area. See up and coming local jazz stars at The Jazzschool in Berkeley on November 8th and December 7th performances by the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars Combo. October brings Discover Jazz Course 2, featuring five performances of Musica Cabana: Jazz in Cuba and Beyond. Or take the kids to a Family Matinee – Thelonious Monk's works are performed October 20th at Herbst Theatre, with Ornette Coleman in concert November 17th.

The Nike Women’s Marathon & Half Marathon hits the streets of SF, October 14th for its ninth annual race. The 2012 races begin downtown at Union Square and follow courses offering beautiful views of Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park and San Francisco’s skyline featuring iconic buildings like Coit Tower and the TransAmerica building.

Now celebrating over ten years, the US Half Marathon, San Francisco returns for the 2012 race on November 4th. The San Francisco US Half Marathon out-and-back course, begins on the bay at Aquatic Park taking runners along the bay and over and back across the Golden Gate Bridge, before returning for the finish line festivities.

South of San Francisco in San Mateo, Big Wave Dave Productions sponsors the 2012 Run With the Jets Half Marathon, 10K and 5K. Held November 11th, with the start and finish at Coyote Point Park on San Francisco Bay. The course heads south along the Bay Trail, giving runners spectacular views of the south bay.