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Going to Palo Alto for game. Any recommendations where to stay and are there any events planned?

Stay on the Peninsula, the closer to Palo Alto the better.

SF is a beautiful city, but do your research if you want to sight see there. Parts of the city you want to avoid at night, other parts you want to avoid period. If you drive into the city assume everything left in your car after you park will be stolen.

Wine country in great. I recommend the Los Carneros viticultural area which runs along the southern borders of Sonoma and Napa, and is the closest to the Peninsula of the top areas. Its climate is almost identical to that of Burgundy.

Check out airfares to Oakland as well as SFO. Southwest serves it and it's not that out of the way if you're headed to the Peninsula.

If you want to stay in San Francisco I wouldn't let the widely reported crime issues bother me much. I stay there regularly with no problems. If you aren't staying in one of the upscale hotels just do your research regarding the neighborhood and stay away from those that give you pause. In the city I get around almost exclusively on foot in the decent neighborhoods and by uber at night. When I need to travel outside the city, Palo Alto for instance, I reserve a car at SFO because it is easier to pick-up and drop-off there. You might prefer staying down in Carmel which is a terriffic experience but plan on at least a couple of hours drive to Palo Alto.

watch out for all the tree huggers

Might want to consider staying in Mountain View or Sunnyvale. My wife used to work for HP. Stayed around there a bunch. Good hotels and dining options.

Sunnyvale, home of the $24 fast-food hamburger

Pony ^ wrote:watch out for all the tree huggers

If you're not a tree then you're fine

Note that the Stanford mascot is a tree.

Pony ^ wrote:watch out for all the tree huggers

Us Californians must "watch out" for all those rednecks and hicks in dallas?

Such nice folk on this board.

Topper wrote:If you want to stay in San Francisco I wouldn't let the widely reported crime issues bother me much. I stay there regularly with no problems. If you aren't staying in one of the upscale hotels just do your research regarding the neighborhood and stay away from those that give you pause. In the city I get around almost exclusively on foot in the decent neighborhoods and by uber at night. When I need to travel outside the city, Palo Alto for instance, I reserve a car at SFO because it is easier to pick-up and drop-off there. You might prefer staying down in Carmel which is a terriffic experience but plan on at least a couple of hours drive to Palo Alto.

I agree with this. With all due respect to Max, I was in SF for two days last week and didn't feel the least bit unsafe. A lot of that crime reputation came from the pandemic period and was specific to the Union Square/Market Street area and the Tenderloin district. The Tenderloin is still awful, Union Square is clearly turning the corner and seems fine, and the rest of SF is exactly how I remember it always being. And if you are a tourist you have no business walking in the Tenderloin anyway.

Oh, and the Stanford Band is a real treat. Think the Rice mob on steroids.

I've stayed at the Westin Palo Alto a few times. Across the street from campus and very nice.

Topper wrote:If you want to stay in San Francisco I wouldn't let the widely reported crime issues bother me much. I stay there regularly with no problems. If you aren't staying in one of the upscale hotels just do your research regarding the neighborhood and stay away from those that give you pause. In the city I get around almost exclusively on foot in the decent neighborhoods and by uber at night. When I need to travel outside the city, Palo Alto for instance, I reserve a car at SFO because it is easier to pick-up and drop-off there. You might prefer staying down in Carmel which is a terriffic experience but plan on at least a couple of hours drive to Palo Alto.

Best advice. San Francisco is still one of the worlds great cities despite the
daily drivel from all those sensationalistic news media outlets that say otherwise.
If you choose to stay in the city, 280 is a very scenic route south on gameday.

I definitely would advise against staying in Palo Alto unless you are only out here for the
game exclusively. Not much to see otherwise IMHO.

orguy wrote:

Topper wrote:If you want to stay in San Francisco I wouldn't let the widely reported crime issues bother me much. I stay there regularly with no problems. If you aren't staying in one of the upscale hotels just do your research regarding the neighborhood and stay away from those that give you pause. In the city I get around almost exclusively on foot in the decent neighborhoods and by uber at night. When I need to travel outside the city, Palo Alto for instance, I reserve a car at SFO because it is easier to pick-up and drop-off there. You might prefer staying down in Carmel which is a terriffic experience but plan on at least a couple of hours drive to Palo Alto.

Best advice. San Francisco is still one of the worlds great cities despite the
daily drivel from all those sensationalistic news media outlets that say otherwise.
If you choose to stay in the city, 280 is a very scenic route south on gameday.

I definitely would advise against staying in Palo Alto unless you are only out here for the
game exclusively. Not much to see otherwise IMHO.

As is often the case these days there is a wide disconnect between clickbait, politically driven social media sensationalism and reality. Whatever your politics, realize that much of what is being said these days is mostly sensationalism. I live in one of the safest places in America but because of the local news media my neighbors are convinced that crime is out of control. The data clearly says otherwise but people believe what they want to believe.

1983 Cotton Bowl wrote:

Topper wrote:If you want to stay in San Francisco I wouldn't let the widely reported crime issues bother me much. I stay there regularly with no problems. If you aren't staying in one of the upscale hotels just do your research regarding the neighborhood and stay away from those that give you pause. In the city I get around almost exclusively on foot in the decent neighborhoods and by uber at night. When I need to travel outside the city, Palo Alto for instance, I reserve a car at SFO because it is easier to pick-up and drop-off there. You might prefer staying down in Carmel which is a terriffic experience but plan on at least a couple of hours drive to Palo Alto.

I agree with this. With all due respect to Max, I was in SF for two days last week and didn't feel the least bit unsafe. A lot of that crime reputation came from the pandemic period and was specific to the Union Square/Market Street area and the Tenderloin district. The Tenderloin is still awful, Union Square is clearly turning the corner and seems fine, and the rest of SF is exactly how I remember it always being. And if you are a tourist you have no business walking in the Tenderloin anyway.

Oh, and the Stanford Band is a real treat. Think the Rice mob on steroids.

Back in the day I lived in Palo Alto and went to law school in the Tenderloin. It was awful then, too, but only a short walk to much nicer neighborhoods, which is part of what makes San Francisco so amazing. I took the Caltrain every day and it is a great way to get between SF and PA, highly recommend.

It's been a long time, but most folks want to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge which then takes you into wine country. If you get a chance, you can drive the Pacific Coast Highway which is very scenic as well. Its curvy so do that before you go to wine country.