amsterdam sea palace Big Basin State Park, Boulder Creek Highway 9 is one of the most picturesque drives in the Bay Area,

North Beach s biggest bargain is full of charms. Each room is decorated with antiques, and the corridors feature brass railings and hanging plants under skylights. Every room has its own sink, while other facilities are down the hall. d 2237 Mason St

Wells Fargo History Museum The Wells Fargo stagecoaches are the stuff of legends, above all for the tales of their stalwart drivers and the robbers who held them up. Visitors can hear how it must have been to sit on little more than a buckboard for days by listening to the recorded diary of one Francis Brocklehurst. Other exhibits include Pony Express mail, gold nuggets, and photos, and Emperor Norton s currency (see p54). d 420 Montgomery St Map N5 Open 9am 5pm Mon Fri (415) 396-2619 Free www. wellsfargohistory.com/museums/

Big Basin State Park, Boulder Creek Highway 9 is one of the most picturesque drives in the Bay Area, winding its way among the green Santa Cruz Mountains and through little towns where nothing much changes. Although it s minutes from Silicon Valley, life has a backwoods feel here.