The North Bay Blues
Inevitably the Bay Area makes the top five list when it comes to the tiresome chore of cataloging the most desirable vacation destinations in the United States. By way of disclosure, I am a loyal subject of Her Majesty, the Queen of England. As such, I am quite partial to regions south of the Bay Area. That said, I cannot deny the scenic beauty and bohemian chic of the Bay Area.
Tourists, by and large, tend to throng to the city itself or Sausalito -- perhaps even a jaunt to Berkeley. Few of them, however, venture farther north, to the quiet valley that is home to some of the most expensive real estate in California. Yes, dear reader, reserve a room at the local Mill Valley Holiday Inn, bring pen and paper, a map, and plenty of cash.
Known colloquially as The North Bay, the region is known nationally as Marin County. It is here that a penchant for leftist politics and breathtaking scenic beauty converge to create a kind of dreamscape. While sipping a $5 cappuccino in the shade of a sequoia, you may have a crisis of consciousness and begin to panic that you have entered some alternate reality. Rest assured, dear traveler, you are well in the bosom of Northern California.
The North Bay began to see an end to its quaint, blue collar origins and its beginnings as a haven for the landed gentry by the Seventies. As the well-to-do migrated north from the city, they settled in Sausalito, San Rafael, and Mill Valley. It was in Mill Valley, specifically, that the transformation was most noticeable. Here the property values skyrocketed according to some estimates by a factor of five.
Do not make the mistake of failing to budget accordingly. Only the most naive tourista would come to the Bay Area with a modest vacation allowance. You will be paying far more than you may be accustomed to, unless you are visiting from Manhattan. Or Santa Monica. Not to say you need money to have a good time, as it were, but you may find your options limited to fast food fare and more than modest accommodations. Prepare wisely, tune in, turn on, and drop out.
