balboa park san diego Exploring a Real Gold Mine: Don your hardhat, tag in, board the mine shuttle, and experience what it

Exploring a Real Gold Mine: Don your hardhat, tag in, board the mine shuttle, and experience what it s like to be a gold miner. The Sutter Gold Mine tour company (& 866/762-2837) takes you deep into a mine that s loaded with gold deposits. You ll get an opportunity to sluice for some real gold. See A Modern Gold Mine Tour in chapter 10. Taking a Studio Tour: Studio tours are an opportunity to see the actual balboa park san diego stage sets for shows such as ER and The West Wing, and you never know who you re going to see emerging from his or her Star Wagon. See Exploring balboa park san diego the City in chapter 13.

CHAPTER 1. THE BEST OF CALIFORNIA20 12 The Best Restaurants San Francisco s Finest: We can t choose! It s practically sacrilege to even attempt to name the top restaurant. But for a perfect combo of food and atmosphere, we count on Boulevard (& 415/543-6084; p. 96), Restaurant Gary Danko (& 415/749-2060; p. 102), and Zuni Caf (& 415/552-2522; p. 106). Chez Panisse (Berkeley; & 510/ 548-5525): This is the domain of Alice Waters, the queen of California balboa park san diego cuisine. Her food captivates the senses and the imagination. Originally inspired by the Mediterranean, her kitchen has found its own style. balboa park san diego Chez Panisse delights include dishes like grilled fish wrapped in fig leaves with red-wine sauce, and Seckel pears poached in red wine with burnt caramel. See p. 142. Bistro Don Giovanni (Napa; & 707/224-3300): Shhh. Don t tell anyone, but in this Napa Valley dining room you can get an incredible meal without a reservation. Just drop in to the cheery, large restaurant, wait for a seat at the bar, and order off the fantastic Italian menu. See p. 183. Restaurant 301 (Eureka; & 800/ 404-1390): Mark and Christi Carter are passionate about food and wine, which is why their hotel restaurant is considered the best on the Northern Coast. Most of the herbs and many vegetables served are picked fresh from the hotel s organic gardens. Indulge in their prix-fixe five-course dinner menu, where each course is paired with a recommended wine by the glass (Mark is a Grand Award recipient from Wine Spectator magazine). balboa park san diego See p. 232. Erna s Elderberry House (Oakhurst; & 559/683-6800): balboa park san diego It s like a beacon shining across the culinary wasteland of the region around Yosemite. The six-course menu which changes nightly is an almost balboa park san diego perfect blend of Continental and Californian. The food is bountiful and as fully satisfying as the elegant European ambience. See p. 291.