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Day 1, 7/25/99, Baltimore, MD to Seattle, WA - T2 (Teresa) and I get up at about 7 a.m., very tired but excited about EVERYTHING! We take the hotel shuttle over to BWI Airport and take a United flight to Chicago. The airline moved us to first class because we are honeymooning! Uneventful but fun flight with a great meal. Arrive at O'Hare in Chicago at 12:45, then dash to our next flight, departing for Seattle at 3:30. Another uneventful flight and, bummer, no first class. Saw Mt. Ranier from the plane (T2 was impressed!). Got our rental car, a '99 Ford Mustang Convertible! Drove to downtown and to the Space Needle. Temps are much cooler here! After a trip to the top of the Space Needle, we headed to our hotel in Gig Harbor, WA, the Best Western Wesley Inn (apparently run by Christians), a really nice place! Both of us very tired and to bed early.
Day 2, 7/26/99, Seattle, WA - Up rather late. We got ready, but then T2 had a migraine, so Eric ran out to the store to get her better, and she did! We headed out in our Mustang to downtown Seattle. Stopped in Pioneer Square and went on the Underground Tour. Very cool, though, at times, kind of tacky. Our tour guide, John, was a riot. We ate lunch at an Italian restaurant nearby and ate good pizza. Walked to the waterfront and on up to Pikes Street Market. Very neat with lots of "flying" fish. Back to the waterfront and got ice cream, then took a ferry ride across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island and back. Hopped in our convertible and drove across the world's longest floating bridge. Back to Gig Harbor and stopped at a Target and a grocery store. T2 drove us back to the Best Western. We ate, then got ready for bed.
Day 3, 7/27/99, Seattle, WA, to Astoria, OR - Up early and we got ready and packed up. We checked out of our Best Western in Gig Harbor. Driving towards Mt. Ranier. VERY scenic drive -- lots of mountains and trees, and cool! Stopped and lunched at a picnic area in Mt. Ranier's shadow. Then we headed up to the Visitor's Center near Paradise. Looked around and rested. Headed out towards Mt. St. Helen's. Long drive, but made it to the Visitor's Center at 4:50, but it closed at 5! We missed out, but took a few pictures, then headed out. We stopped at a gift shop nearby and got a few souvenirs, then headed for Oregon. We crossed the Columbia River at Kelso-Longview and got on US 30 west. Nice drive and reached the town of Astoria. Very nice place! Drove through town, headed across the inlet to Warrenton (on US 101) and ate dinner at the Shilo Inn. Then back to Astoria and checked in to the Comfort Suites. Very nice room and nice people, very friendly (after telling them we were honeymooning, they told us to come back down and use the jacuzzi after hours for some privacy! We did NOT take them up on that.). Relaxed and to bed at 10 or so.
Day 4, 7/28/99, Astoria to Lincoln City, OR - Up a little bit late. We drove up to the Astoria Column, but we couldn't go in because it was closed for cleaning. We went on to Fort Stevens in Warrenton. Saw the wreck of the Peter Ireland on the Pacific Ocean (first time for Eric!). Then we headed down US 101. Stopped and had lunch at Ecola State Park. Very beautiful view! Saw Tillamook Rock lighthouse. Drove to the Tillamook Cheese Factory and went on the tour (and got some ice cream). Took the Three Capes Scenic Loop and saw Cape Mears Lighthouse, shortest in Oregon at 38' tall. On to Lincoln City -- staying at the Best Western. We got a nice room with a jacuzzi! Had dinner at the Hilltop Inn, then back to the jacuzzi! To bed late.
Day 5, 7/29/99, Lincoln City to Gold Beach, OR - Up early. Stopped at Cape Foulweather and a great view of the coast. Went on and saw Devil's Punchbowl at low tide. Then to Yaquina Head Lighthouse, the tallest in Oregon. Took the climb to the top -- 93'! Very cool view! Headed back out to Newport. Missed Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, but could see it from the highway. Stopped at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Also very cool! Lunch at Lost Creek Beach. Back down the road to see the sea lions at Strawberry Hill State Park. Very neat! Stopped at Heceta Head Lighthouse. Did not walk up the "mountain" to see it, but took lots of pictures. Back on the road -- stopped in Umpqua to see the lighthouse there. Then on to North Bend. Somehow we missed Cape Arago lighthouse, but we did see Coquille River Lighthouse, sort of abandoned looking. Ate at the Station Restaurant in Bandon, then to Cape Blanco Lighthouse. On to Gold Beach and checked into the Best Western. On to bed rather late.
Day 6, 7/30/99, Gold Beach, OR, to Garberville, CA - Up a little bit earlier and headed toward California. Stopped at "Ships Ashore", a really cheesy tourist trap. Continued on down the coast to Crescent City to see the Battery Point Lighthouse (used as a residence) and the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse (6 miles off shore). Stopped in Trinidad, CA, for lunch at Seascape, right on the shore (very good!). Then stopped at the Trinidad Memorial Lighthouse overlooking the town. Next stop was a surprise by Teresa, in Arcata, at a Finnish Spa. Very nice pit stop! Then we headed to the Redwoods. Drove the Avenue of the Giants and saw some pretty good scenery. Stopped for the night at the Best Western in Garberville, CA. Got a very good pizza at Siciliano's. To bed kind of late.
Day 7, 7/31/99, Garberville to Santa Rosa, CA - Up late. Got some breakfast, then headed back out through the Redwoods on US 101. Stopped at the very cheesy tourist trap, the Legend of Bigfoot. Then on to Route 1 down the coast. VERY scenic drive! Stopped for a quick lunch at Burger King in Fort Bragg, then stopped at the Point Arena Lighthouse -- very cool! Saw some spectacular scenery on the coast near Jenner. Stopped briefly in Bodega Bay (home of Hitchcock's THE BIRDS). Then we headed inland to Santa Rosa. Stayed at a Travelodge. Had dinner at Applebee's, then a stop at Target. Back to our room. To bed relatively early.
Day 8, 8/1/99, Santa Rosa to San Francisco, CA - Headed out relatively early. Ate breakfast at a bagel place, then, with T2 driving, we headed out of Santa Rosa on US 101 to Petaluma, then headed toward Point Reyes. Pretty desolate landscape, but very scenic. Got to the Point Reyes Lighthouse and to endure quite a hike down to it, the equivalent of a 50-story building. The climb back up was tough! Headed back out along the coast -- also very scenic. Had lunch in Tamalapais, CA, at a Jack-in-the-Box (I always wanted to stop at one - we weren't impressed). Continued on to San Francisco! Stopped at Marin Headlands for a spectacular view! Then went across the Golden Gate Bridge, and stopped at the Palace of Fine Arts! Continued on down Lombard St. to the crookedest street in the world! Very cool! Then to Coit Tower for a great view of the city. Checked into our hotel, the Travelodge Golden Gate. Had dinner at Johnny Rockets. Back to our room and to bed kind of late.
Day 9, 8/2/99, San Francisco, CA - Up late. Drove out to Alta Plaza Park, then headed over to Golden Gate Park. Walked up and around Stow Lake and up Strawberry Hill. Then we drove to the Japanese Garden. Had tea and fortune cookies. Drove to the Buffalo Paddock to see the buffalo! In San Francisco! Drove to Ocean Beach, then headed over to Japan Center in Japan Town. Had lunch at Osada Ya where T2 tried sushi and used chopsticks! Shopped, then got gas, then drove down Lombard St. one more time. Dropped off our convertible Mustang at the the rental car office (very sad), then WALKED up to Grace Cathedral. Saw a building used in the movie VERTIGO, then headed over to Chinatown. Stopped for souvenirs, then had a GREAT dinner at Hunan Homes. Very good! Took a cable car up to Hyde Street. Saw lots of fire activity. Got a pass for public transportation, then took another cable car to the Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf. Got a sundae at Ghiradelli Square, then took a bus back to the hotel. To bed very late.
Day 10, 8/3/99, San Francisco, CA - Up very late. Headed out to catch a bus to Fisherman's Wharf. Spent all day shopping and having a wonderful, relaxing day. Had lunch at Boudin's Baery (chili in a sourdough bread bowl - very good!). Walked to Pier 39 and saw the sea lions. Good time! More shopping. Saw a movie about San Francisco, then more shopping. Stopped at a Route 66 store. Watched the cable cars turn around, then took a bus back to our hotel. Cleaned up and rested. West back out and had some great pizza at Pizzeria Uno. Then took a long walk to make us feel better, on Union St. Walked back to the hotel and packed up. To bed soon after.
Day 11, 8/4/99, San Francisco, CA - Up early. Had breakfast at IHOP. Then packed up and checked out of our Travelodge. Took a cab to the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square - very ritzy! Old but classy, for our last night in SF. Headed out, after checking in, to Macy's, FAO Schwartz, and the Union Square area for more shopping. Back to the Chancellor to regroup, then took a cable car to the Financial District. Saw the Port of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge. Then took the cable car up California St. to Chinatown for more souvenirs. Found plenty! Walked back to the Chancellor to regroup again, then took a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf for more shopping and a quick lunch. Walked up Mason St. to the Cable Car Museum (tough walk along the tracks). Took a cable car back to the Chancellor. Rested and relaxed. Got ready and went out for a fancy dinner. Took the cable car to Ellis St. and ate at John's Grill, home of Sam Spade. Good, if not plentiful food. Very nice. Back to Powell St. to Sutter on the cable car (at the turntable), and had dessert at Lori's Diner. VERY good! Back to the Chancellor for our last night in San Francisco. To bed very late.
Day 12, 8/5/99, San Francisco, CA, to HOME! Up a little early. Got ready. Went to Lori's Diner again for breakfast. Good food but lousy service. Back to hotel. Finished packing. Checked out and waited for a shuttle to take us to San Francisco International Airport. Then took a United flight to BWI. No first class, but the crew gave us a bottle of champagne (too bad we don't drink!). Got to BWI at around 10 p.m. Called the Ramada that we stayed at before our trip and their shuttle picked us up. Got our car and started for home (stopped at Wendy's for a quick, late dinner). Home and unpacked. To bed very late (2 a.m.), but very happy with memories of our exciting honeymoon!
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