Unfortch, I doubt I'll be making this one. I am hoping to get a new job this year and taking a vacation as soon as I get hired is not my plan.
Noooooo.... who will be my wig buddy? :(

Noooooo.... who will be my wig buddy? :(

Fox?

I will make it up by bringing EXTRA WIGS next year!

Dates have been set! See first post for tentative schedule!

Geez. Tickets... yeah. Umm. I'm going to scrounge up some funds and get back to you. Because I really, REALLY want to be there, but tickets alone are going to hurt. Never mind paying for a place to sleep. Or just standard eating, drinking, participating, etc. So... I'm not committing yet. Count me as a strong maybe.

We are going to try and get a decent hotel rate - probably $100 a night... and if you shack up with someone, it'll be even more reasonable. And for flights, you never know when they will have a good deal on, so just search regularly. Again, no need for a commitment at this point.

That's the plan. And I am totally down with shacking up with folks.

Thursday - Is there a beer country? hehe
Friday - I hope the hop-on/hop off includes da bridge(sure it does). And night time Alcatraz sounds pretty cool.
Only other thing for me - I'm gonna see/touch a freaking big ass redwood before I leave. Which I can do before/after VS activities if necessary.

Even though this is the probably the closest this event will get to me, I won't be able to attend. I spent 4 years in SF going to college, and might I suggest a dinner at Little Joe's. Amazing Italian food, a few blocks from Chinatown. And after dinner, you can walk off all that garlic by heading up the hill to Coit Tower (one of the most amazing Bay Area views).

Also, there's nothing quite like riding bikes (rentals) from the Presidio over the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Unbelievably awesome views.

Edit: Amonsul, the real big redwoods are hours north of SF. Pretty drive, though, but plan on a long day on a windy coastal highway.

Awesome, the man and I should easily be able to make this one (barring any more out of country trips for him...). I think the nighttime Alcatraz sounds pretty cool, would be a neat experience with the group. If it takes off from that Pier, we can do shopping and eating and walking before hand also. The tour sounds neat also - only saw the bridge from a distance last time. Yay, excitement!

OH! probably a better question for Bren, but which airport is better to fly into? SF or Oakland?

OH! probably a better question for Bren, but which airport is better to fly into? SF or Oakland?
We are in the process of investigating hotels in both SF and Oakland... stay tuned. That may affect where you want to fly into. Probably SF though.

As you guys book your flights, please send the following info to me via PM:
Your names (if I don't know your real names)
Flight arrival & departure
Any other info you deem necessary at this time

Even though this is the probably the closest this event will get to me, I won't be able to attend. I spent 4 years in SF going to college, and might I suggest a dinner at Little Joe's. Amazing Italian food, a few blocks from Chinatown. And after dinner, you can walk off all that garlic by heading up the hill to Coit Tower (one of the most amazing Bay Area views).

Also, there's nothing quite like riding bikes (rentals) from the Presidio over the Golden Gate Bridge and back. Unbelievably awesome views.

Edit: Amonsul, the real big redwoods are hours north of SF. Pretty drive, though, but plan on a long day on a windy coastal highway.

Thanks Plasmo. I'm all about some Italian (We found an excellent place in St. Louis). Bike ride sounds fun. Yea, I was thinking the bigun's were further north. Hmm.

I'm all about some wine country. Waiting to get taxes done and for Dondoh to confer with his sister who lives in the area before we book.

For those that are interested in Wine Country, you can actually have a pretty fun and affordable time in Sonoma county (as opposed to Napa which is a little more touristy and a lot more expensive). The main issue here is going to be figuring out how many people we have and how to get them all there, as its a good hour+ drive north.

The main issue here is going to be figuring out how many people we have and how to get them all there, as its a good hour+ drive north.
I vote that we rent some kind of tour bus to take us around so we don't have to worry about drinking+driving. Which is what might make it a bit pricey. But more enjoyable. Mmmmm.... wine.

I vote that we rent some kind of tour bus to take us around so we don't have to worry about drinking+driving. Which is what might make it a bit pricey. But more enjoyable. Mmmmm.... wine.

I'm all over that plan.

Arachne and I are definite maybes for this.

The dates work, now I just have to figure out where we will be in August so I can figure out about plane tickets and stuff like that.

I vote that we rent some kind of tour bus to take us around so we don't have to worry about drinking+driving.

Lola the Mexican Party Bus gets rave reviews and is somewhat of an icon on this side of the Bay.

Weekday charter rates would run $550 for 4 hours + $75 each additional hour, not including gratiuty for the driver. Getting the Bus up to wine country may run a little extra, since its not in the immediate Bay Area.

OH! probably a better question for Bren, but which airport is better to fly into? SF or Oakland?

I just flew in and out of Oakland airport for work (down to Burbank and back in one day!) and it was VERY easy. There are fewer flights in/out of Oakland, mostly smaller hopper flights connecting to bigger hubs (like Vegas).

But, as far as I know, the public transportation doesn't run there (I can ask my coworkers about this), forcing you to use a cab or have someone pick you up. SF is further away but the ease of taking the BART into the City or into Oakland is great.

Oakland is a much better airport. SFO rly rly sucks.

Fox and I have booked our flights! Arriving August 3rd and departing August 8th. IT'S ON!

Has the question of which airport to use been settled?

There are three airports in the area: San Jose, Oakland, and SFO.

The Bay Area Rapid Transit system (BART) is our light rail/subway system.

BART links SFO directly to the downtown area where we will be staying. Fare is about $8. A Taxi will cost you about $30-40.

Oakland and San Jose you will have to take a cab and that will run you $60-$100. Alternatively, if the times work out I may be able to pick some of you up from Oakland (less likely for me to able to pick you up from SJ).

The vast majority of flights come into SFO. You'll be lucky to find a good flight into Oakland or San Jose- that being said, if the fare savings are great enough over SFO, accounting for the taxi cost, then go for it.

Depending on the time of day, travel times from airports to downtown SF are:

SFO- 20 min
OAK- 20-40 min
SJ- 60-90 min+

Yes, SFO is an old and overcrowded airport, but I still recommend it.

Aim for SFO. Check.