4 Local Landmarks You Should Visit While in Las Vegas

Ethel M Chocolate Factory

Ethel M Chocolate Factory

There are at least 2,000 individuals in a day who visit this chocolate production facility to see how cherry cordials, creams, peanut brittle and truffles, among other sweet treats, are prepared. Lucky guests will be able to view the creation of confectionary delights and can even get a free sample or else dip an ice cream cone.

There are free self-guided tours and it will be very tempting to make a purchase after seeing how the sweets were made. It is also free to visit the cactus garden, which is considered the Southwest's biggest cactus garden with more than 300 plant species across 3 acres.

Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

In the center of the bustling Strip is a small burst of greenery that visitors may be surprised to see. No one would ever guess that there would be a hidden, lush escape next to Las Vegas Boulevard's huge neon signs as well as sidewalk performers.

The Flamingo Habitat is where natural flamingos live though there are also koi, ducks, swans, turtles plus 2 pelicans that have been rescued. It would be nice to take pictures in the midst of the lush landscaping, which includes the palm trees, waterfalls and lots of places to sit. It is free and great for families. There are walking paths that let visitors wander around and it is a nice place to take along kids far from the Vegas noise and night life.

 

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Most people in Las Vegas only came to know the way a conservatory looked like after Bellagio was built. Thereafter, they discovered that "conservatory" meant a "fascinating indoor garden display," and since then Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens have been charming guests.

Whenever holidays and seasons change, the Conservatory staff steps in and includes rare flowers and gigantic Christmas trees, to name a few. Straight off the front desk where the Bellagio area is, visitors swarm to take pictures from all angles, especially during holidays. It is among the few areas of Bellagio that allow children to visit. It is best to visit at the earliest time possible, when there are fewest guests so it would be easier to take pictures. It is open 24 hours a day.

The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes' Streetmosphere

The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes' Streetmosphere

The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes did not settle with miniature Venetian canals, a St. Mark's square recreation or first class restaurants and shops. They added street performers or "Streetmosphere" as they call them. These included performers, singers and living statues to entertain people, who are especially caught unaware by the living statues.

Parents should be warned beforehand that they will most likely bring their unsuspecting kids to see the statues that will move when the kid least expects it. So, they should prepare their cameras. There are performers in costumes that wander around. Performances of jugglers and singers, among other entertainers at St. Mark's Square take place several times a day.

For those ready to party, we can help you get on the Encore Beach Club guest list! Of course, we can also help you get on the Wet Republic guest list as well!

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Day Trips Worth Taking To Some Small Towns Around San Francisco

San Francisco Bridge

There are tons of things to do, as it is when you're in San Francisco. The busiest waterfront in the region, Fisherman's Wharf, a notorious and former-home to Al Capone, Alcatraz Island, the definitive and iconic landmark that is Golden Gate and the vibrant neighborhood of Union Square and Chinatown - days can be spent either languidly sunbathing along one of its serene beaches or trekking through the rough terrains of the Santa Cruz mountains. San Francisco is also blessed with spectacular scenery, a vast number of vineyards and wineries, and boast of small towns and big cities within a short charter bus ride away.

Located on the fringes of San Francisco's bustling city center are mysterious caverns, challenging state parks, deep canyons, rocky climb sites, redwood groves, campsites, ranches, beaches and the adventure-filled wild. After all, if you've been to Golden Gate, Alcatraz Island, the world's classiest aquariums, watched the finest shows at Palace of Fine Arts Theater, or have hiked your way up for the breathtaking views at Twin Peaks, you might be game for something different.

Angel Island

1. Tiburon and Angel Island
Distance: 45 minutes drive away from San Francisco via I-580 E and I-80 W

Tiburon Peninsula and Angel Island, both collectively and individually, has been making a splash in the San Francisco travel scene. With fewer tourists compared to other towns and cities, you can easily enjoy a walking tour while exploring quaint shops and dropping by charming bakeries or rent a bike for an on-the-road tour of the town and island. You can personalize your own tours to take you around beaches, ferry terminals and magnificent mansions, visit the Angel Island Immigration Station which houses countless documents left behind by many immigrants who were traveling across the vast Pacific Ocean to reach San Francisco through Angel Island (it used to serve as a detention center).

When you feel like knocking back a few glasses of beer or cups of coffee, take your pick from the countless picnic areas scattered throughout the island. Just look around and you'll see that the streets are lined with quaint diners, fast-food eateries, and world-class restaurants for date nights and corporate dinners alike. The shoreline along Tiburon, in the meantime, is postcard-ready; ready to show off the sunset of San Francisco across the bay. Thanks to the fact that Tiburon is now considered one of the fastest-growing tourist and commuter towns in San Francisco, it enjoys fast ferry services and has a very high concentration of chic retail outlets, shops, cafes, and bars.

Places to visit in Tiburon - Angel Island

    Angel Island - Tiburon Ferry 21 Main St, Tiburon, CA 94920-2533 (415) 435-2131
    Sausalito Visitors Center 780 Bridgeway, Foot of El Portal Street at the Ferry Pier, Sausalito, CA 94965-2159 (415) 331-1093
    Blackie's Pasture Tiburon Peninsula Foundation, Tiburon, CA 94920 A monument dedicated to a horse that used to roam the expanse of the park for its entire life
    San Francisco Bay Model 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA 94965-1753 (415) 332-3870
    Tennessee Valley Trailhead 591 Tennessee Valley Rd, Mill Valley, CA 94941-3627 (415) 331-1540
    Vista Point Us-101, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, CA 94965 (415) 921-5858
    Bay Area Discovery Museum 557 McReynolds Rd, Sausalito, CA 94965-2614 (415) 339-3900

2. Skyline Boulevard, Woodside
Location: 35 minutes drive from San Francisco via I-280 N

Escape into the woodlands and cool mountainsides of Woodside and you'll be enjoying spectacular, panoramic ocean views of the Pacific ocean and its bay area. Pop by quaint restaurants like Alice's Restaurant for BBQ and burger, sample gluten-free beer, and then head over to Thomas Fogarty Winery to sample delicious signature wines out on the romantic wood-paneled gazebo. If you're looking for some self-reflection or inner calm, bring the charter bus to Jikoji Zen Center. The center was founded by Steve Job's mentor, Kobun Chino Otogawa. It's entirely up to you whether you want to get comfortable meditating in its tranquil zendos or go for a walk around its laid-back grounds to get your mental ducks in a row.

Woodside is an intentionally small, upscale neighborhood, boasting of a small but distinct number of stores, restaurants, and pubs. While its Michelin-star pub-restaurant is a good reason to visit Woodside, many cyclists are also magnetically drawn to the city. The Tour of California bicycle race previously made its rounds along CA-84 and Skyline Boulevard. If you have a love for the quiet side of California, Woodside is the place for it.

Places to Visit in Woodside, Skyline Boulevard

    Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve Half Moon Bay, CA 94019, USA (650) 691-1200
    Midpeninsula Regional Open Space For horseback riding, cycling, mountain biking
    Alice's Restaurant 17288 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, CA 94062 (650) 851-0303
    Thomas Fogarty's Winery 19501 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside, CA (650) 851 6777
    Jikoji Zen Center 12100 Skyline Blvd, Los Gatos, CA 95033 (408) 741-9562
    Filoli 86 Canada Road, Woodside, CA 94062-4144 (650) 364-8300
    The Stanford Shopping Center 680 Stanford Shopping Ctr, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1400 (650) 617-8200
    Rodin Sculpture Garden Stanford University, Stanford, CA (650) 723-4177

3. Los Gatos
Location: 50 minutes drive from San Francisco via CA-85 and US-101 N

The right word to prescribe to a place like Los Gatos is 'affluent' but many would also say that it is a charming, eclectic town located at the foot of the Santa Cruz mountains where the well-heeled groups and individuals of Californian society congregate to have their brunches and teas. What with the number of Michelin-starred restaurants, quaint diners, the spattering of popular bistros and old-school candy shops lining the streets, walking the streets of Los Gastos would feel a lot like stepping in and out of a time machine. It brims with nostalgia without caving into the rapid modernization of California.

With Los Gatos being ranked as one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, it is also the chosen HQ site for renowned companies, more notably, Netflix. And unsurprisingly so. During the city's expansion and development, it also garnered a reputation as an arts colony. It regularly brought in musicians, painters, actors, writers and producers which includes Joan Fontaine, Olivia de Havilland, and Yehudi Menuhin. It slowly developed over time as a laid-back suburban community of the bustling San Jose. There's a lot of green space to enjoy, an emulated Ponte des Artes bridge of Paris along Main Street Bridge, mountain bike trails, scenic mountainous terrains, space preserves and a significant mining museum that documented the inflow of immigrants during the Gold Rush and the city's mining era to visit when in town.

Places to Visit in Los Gatos, CA

    El Sereno Open Space Preserve Los Gatos, CA 95030, USA (650) 691-1200
    Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve 16800-17162 Alma Bridge Rd, Los Gatos, CA 94022 (650) 691-1200
    New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum 21350 Almaden Rd, San Jose, CA 95120 (408) 323-1107
    English Camp Loop Panoramic views of surrounding townships, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding along rivers flanked by wildflowers when in bloom
    Vasona Park 333 Blossom Hill Rd, Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 356-2729
    Mount Umunhum A mountain peak in California, sometimes referred to as Mount Um, 'The Cube' or 'The Box' by locals. The new mountain biking and hiking trails, as a part of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, were newly opened in 2017, comes with pavement, restrooms and interpretive displays.
    New Museum Los Gatos 106 E Main St, Los Gatos, CA 95030 (408) 354-2646
    Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad 233 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032 (408) 395-7433

 

4. Point Reyes
Location: 1 hour 45 minutes from San Francisco via US-101 S

Just know that when you need to get away from traffic, the buzz of city life and the constant whirl of social hum, there's 71,000 acres of nature preserve along the Pacific Coast, dramatic drops and habitats for local wildlife to see and experience a short distance from San Francisco in Point Reyes. Apart from its lofty lighthouses, the over-excited colony of elephant seals, cheerful school of migrating Pacific Gray Whales and old-growth Douglas fir forest, it boasts of vista points where you can catch the best sunrise and sunset as well as beaches like Heart's Desire Beach in Tomales Bay where sunbathing is the staple.

You can also take on the Point Reyes Safaris and West Marin Food and Farm Tours to see the finer things in life, watch as elk, coyotes, and seabirds make their way around the mildly challenging terrain in Tule Elk Preserve, and enjoy delicious local food and drinks at Heidrun Meadery and award-winning artisanal cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery which operates out of a restored hay barn. Visitors can also enjoy an unconventional 2-hour horseback riding trail ride on lovely, well-trained horses with Point Reyes Arabian Adventures, or soak in the sights while sunning on the private boat with Tomales Bay Sailing which kicks off at Point Reyes Station. Offering a nice mix of awesome adventures and slow-paced activities that allows you to let loose a little, Point Reyes is the perfect destination for a day trip or a quick weekend escapade.

Places to Visit in Point Reyes, CA

    Tomales Bay Sailing Point Reyes Station, CA 94956-1027 (415) 787-4886
    Point Reyes Arabian Adventures 11925 Hwy 1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (707) 477-7181
    Bear Valley Visitor Center 1 Bear Valley Visitor Center Access Road, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA 94956 (415) 464-5100
    Chimney Rock - Point Reyes National Seashore
    Cowgirl Creamery 80 4th St, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663-9335
    Point Reyes Books 11315 CA-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663-1542
    Earthquake Trail Bear Valley Rd, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA 94956
    Heart's Desire Beach Point Reyes Station, CA
    Marconi State Historic Park 18500 Ca-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94940 (415) 663-9020
    Toby's Feed Barn 11250 Ca-1, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956 (415) 663-1223

While the encapsulating coastline and access to the boundlessness of the Pacific Ocean are reasons enough to bring you to the many 'wild escapades' around San Francisco, they provide you with enough mental room for reflections, wide open space for explorations, and activities that will transport you into a whole new world. Watching the seals, trekking the trails, meditating and wine tasting events are all wonderful activities to help you refocus and rebalance from the business of city life.

So, is San Francisco the Right Place for your Family Day-Trip?
You can personalize your own tours to take you around beaches, ferry terminals and magnificent mansions, enjoy ancapsulating views of the Pacific Ocean and bay area, stop by famous restaurants and cafes for delicious local delicacies. There's something for everyone ranging from wineries to award-winning cheesemakers.

Shannon Meyer is a writer who loves art, food, photography and writing. It is the love for these things that fuel her desire to travel and discover every corner of America and contribute her thoughts to Bus Rental San Francisco.

Visit our website to find out more about the vehicles in the fleet, affordable charter bus rental packages and get in touch with our 24/7 customer service personnel.Let us provide you with a quick quote for your charter buses in and out of San Francisco right now when you get in touch with us!

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