Train of Lights - Niles Canyon Railway

Here's a post that's intended more for families with kids, rather than just couples.  The Niles Canyon Railway is one of the great hidden gems of the Bay Area.  It describes itself as "a railroad museum where the exhibits come to life," which is entirely accurate.  The Railway operates vintage railroad equipment along the Niles Canyon between Fremont and Sunol.

Each November and December, the Railway operates the Train of Lights.  The old trains are strung with holiday lights on the inside and out.  The trains are full of kids and parents; it is a really great, mellow way to spend a late afternoon with the family over the holidays.  

Two trains operate each night -- one leaves from Niles in Fremont at 4:15pm.  The other leaves from Sunol at 7:15pm (heading in the other direction).  The ride usually lasts around 90 minutes.  This seems to be just about the right amount of time for this sort of thing; by the end of the ride, most kids are ready to get going.  Tickets are $25 (early in the season you can get reserved seating, or even rent out an entire train car/caboose for a private party).

We recommend the 4:15 train out of the Niles station.  You get to enjoy the ride in the daylight, looking at the scenery along the steep Niles Canyon.  You can see the river, the steep hillsides, the old train equipment on parallel tracks, and the equipment yard (which is also the turn-around point for the train).  By the time you get back to the station, it is dark; you can see the amazing lights on the outside of the train.      

Here's a view of our train car:    

Facing the other direction:

Here's a shot of the canyon:

"Thanksgiving weekend in the Williamette Valley in Oregon"

While planning our Thanksgiving weekend, I came across an article about a giant festival in the Williamette Valley with food, music, games, and of course Pinot Noir.  Since I am becoming a self proclaimed foodie, I had already heard about the amazing Pinot Noir wines in that valley.  I think this would be a wonderful family vacation!  The Williamette Valley is about 45 minutes from Portland, and is an area with grapevines, hazelnut orchards, quaint farmland,  and rolling hills.   There are numerous local inns, affordable restaurants, and children are allowed and welcome at the wineries. 

Where to stay:

Though there are many places to stay, one that caught my eye was the Deer Haven Bed and Breakfast (18685  N.E. Deer Haven Rd., Newberg, deerhavenfarmsbb.org.)  This B & B even has a family suite, if you book early enough.  What I love about this place is that guests are encouraged to pick the ripe vegetables or berries, collect eggs, or hang out with the farm animals- peking ducks, holstein cows, and chickens.

Where to hike:

For those of you who like to get out and appreciate nature, there is the Silver Falls State Park (oregonstateparks.org),  one hiking choice is the eight mile "Trail of Ten Falls."

Where to see Alpacas:

Children may like to visit the Willakenzie lavender Farm to see the Alpacas, which is open November 25-27 and by appointment. In the gift shop they have little soft teddy bears made of alpaca fiber.  I tease my husband sometimes that what I'd really like to do is have an alpaca farm.

Where to taste wines:

There is a three day barbeque at Erath Winery (November 25-27, $15, erath.com.)  This would be a great place to see how ribs pair with pinot.  Also, the winemaker Mark Vlossak at St. Innocent Winery (November 25-27, wine $12, food free, stinnocentwine.com), cooks a batch of cassoulet big enough to serve 600! The Adelsheim Vineyard (November 25-26, $25, adelsheim.com); tastings also include artisanal cheeses and charcuterie. 

Where to picnic at a vineyard:

A great store to pick up lunch fixings and snacks is the Red Hills Market (115 S.W. 7th Street, Dundee, redhillsmarket.com.)  The Vista Hills Vineyard and Winery (6475 Hilltop Lane, Dayton, vistahillsvineyard.com; tastings, $10), has  a large outdoor space and big decks, children can throw rocks in the pond and run around the large grassy area, and then have a picnic. 

Three Cozy Oregon Retreats in the Fall!

Sisters, Oregon

FIVEPINE lodge, an oregon retreat

www.fivepinelodge.com

This lodge is in Sisters, Oregon.  Though the original log building was destroyed in a fire in 1964, this newer "largest log cabin" was built using the same scale as the original building.  Part of the lodge was built on family member Elda Teresa Willits property, and she called the lodge "a bridge between two worlds."  Her wish was that the guests would cross the bridge and leave their old thinking behind.  The three words that guided her life were love, acceptance, and forgiveness. This lodge also has a Shibui spa, an oasis for wellness and relaxation.  

Breitenbush Hot Springs

www.breitenbush.com

PO Box 578

Detroit, Oregon 97342

503-854-3320

A friend of mine who lives in Portland, Oregon told me about these hot springs.  This hot springs retreat is about one hour and 40 minutes from the FIVEPINES lodge in Sisters, Oregon.  This retreat includes three meals a day.  One thing to keep in mind in the fall and winter is that some roads are closed during this time.  

Deer Haven Farms Bed and Breakfast

deerhavenfarmssbb.org

Newberg, Oregon

Guests of all ages at this B & B are encouraged if they want to pick vegetables or berries, collect eggs, or hang out with the farm animals (holstein cows, chickens, peking ducks).  

During Thanksgiving, there is a giant festival in the Williamette Valley with 150 wineries with games, food, music and wine.  There is a three-day barbeque at Erath Winery (November 25-27, $15., erath.com.)  The ribs are supposed to go fabulously with pinot!  There is a wine trolley in Carlton (the-trolley.com) for a hop-on, hop off tour of more than two dozen wineries.  The winemaker, Mark Vlossak, winemaker at St. Innocent Winery (Nov. 25-27, wine $12. food free, stinnocentwine.com), cooks his special cassoulet to feed around 600 people! 

--COTC

Thanksgiving for Procrastinators

For those of you couples who have procrastinated as far as what to do for Thanksgiving, what about visiting Berkeley, CA.  Both expedia and hotel.com have rates at the Hotel Shattuck, a small boutique hotel walking distance from BART, on Shattuck avenue, of around $193.00.  Plus, the hotel is connected to Five restourant, a great farm-to-table place with a delightful Thanksgiving dinner available.  Also, there is an elegant bar.  What a romantic Thanksgiving!  On Friday, you can take bart to Union Square in San Francisco and catch the tree lighting, or do some holiday shopping!

Holiday Season in San Francisco - The Fairmont (Part I)

Last month (December 2010), we decided to check out the Fairmont San Francisco.  Like most folks who live in the Bay Area, I know the Fairmont (mostly via formal school dances like the high school prom or weddings).  But we had never actually stayed there before.  And we wanted to visit in December because the Fairmont-SF is fairly famous for its holiday decorations and ambiance.

We weren't disappointed.  Some highlights of the holiday experience:
1 - The lobby is (always) impressive.  Gilded ceilings.  Impressive columns.  That sort of thing.

2 - During the holiday season, the Fairmont places an enormous x-mas tree in the middle of the lobby, lit with white lights.

3 - The entrance from the lobby to the restaurant is transformed into a 2-story gingerbread house.  Complete with a statue of Santa upstairs, and an O-size model train running in circles downstairs (behind a window).  The model train is a particularly enormous hit with a 2 1/2-year-old.  The only downside - the hotel doesn't always leave the train running, and it may take some persuading to get them to find someone to turn the darn thing on.  Once on, however, it can provided a LOT of entertainment.  So much so that it may be tough to pull your child away from the train in order to sit down and eat a bit of breakfast.  Maybe that's why they sometimes keep it turned off in the morning...

4 - Next to the duplex gingerbread house was a smaller, crafted gingerbread house.  Next to that was a large toy soldier-style nut cracker.

5 - On the other side of the duplex was a set-up of statuettes of x-mas carolers, out caroling.    

The 2 1/2-year old response to all of this?  WOW.

Here's the Fairmont's website:
http://www.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco


In our next post:  Beyond the Holidays -- The Pros and Cons of Staying at the Fairmont San Francisco

COTC