WorldMark- Windsor, CA on hold (help)

[hajjah]

I have a two bdrm unit on hold for November. We have never traveled to San Francisco and are trying to decide if we should confirm this week? Please advise.

 

[RichM]

I haven't been to Windsor yet, although thought about it. While researching, I found it's about 60-65 miles from San Fran and the drive can be over an hour during trafficky times.

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[madherb]

we are leaving for Windsor next week but our interest is in visiting wineries. Plan to stay clear of SF.

 

[swift]

I live in Windsor right down the street from the Worldmark. Let me know how I can help. Yes, it is a least an hour drive to S.F. from here. During the week you want to leave after 8:30am and start your return either by 3:30 or after 6:00 to avoid rush hour.

 

[allenke]

I have a two bdrm unit on hold for November. We have never traveled to San Francisco and are trying to decide if we should confirm this week? Please advise.

Hajjah,

We stayed at Windsor and did San Francisco. If you leave after 9:30am the drive will only be about 1 hour, then just stay late into the evening and return after 7pm. We really enjoyed the area around Windsor, lots of Wineries to tour to enjoy the architecture and grounds (we don't drink, but really enjoyed the wineries). Driving along the Russian River over to the coast was also nice.

Ken

 

[sultan_sfo]

Car Pool Lanes

On the North side of the Golden Gate Bridge (Marin Side), the car pool lane requires only 2 persons. So even in Commute time, if there are at least 2 persons, you will avoid delays. However, it depends on where in SF you are planning to go. Fisherman's Wharf area and the Marina are close by after you cross the GG Bridge. But going will be slow if you plan to go to Union Square Shopping Area.

/Sultan

 

[debraxh]

Personally, I would not stay in Windsor as a base to visit SF. If you mainly want to spend time in the area around Windsor and make a couple of day trips into SF, than that is another choice.

 

[swift]

On the North side of the Golden Gate Bridge (Marin Side), the car pool lane requires only 2 persons. So even in Commute time, if there are at least 2 persons, you will avoid delays. However, it depends on where in SF you are planning to go. Fisherman's Wharf area and the Marina are close by after you cross the GG Bridge. But going will be slow if you plan to go to Union Square Shopping Area.

/Sultan

Unfortunatly the car pool lane does not go all the way to Windsor. I keep praying for that commuter train they talk about.

 

[hajjah]

Our thanks to everyone. We did decide to confirm the week since we are traveling from the east coast and have been searching for a week to CA for several months. I snatched the unit about 1:00 AM. My daughter loves the Ravin show, so she's excited about going to see the area, even if only for a day. We plan to take in some of the suggestions listed on RCI's and WorldMark's websites. Normally, we don't book exchanges that are so far from the airport, but we'll look at it as an adventure.

Hopefully, we'll find some other things to do in the area since we do not drink. As long as this resort is not a dump, which I did not read that it is, we should do just fine. We plan to make the best of the week.

Happy and safe travels to all.

 

[hajjah]

I just read some reviews on WorldMark's web site. Is it true that parking will cost around $30.00 per day at the resort? I certainly hope not. Also, which airport do you recommend coming from the east coast? (NY) Some reviews say that Sacramento or Oakland would be better/cheaper than flying into San Francisco's airport. Please advise.

 

[debraxh]

I find it hard to believe they would charge for parking in that location, but I've never stayed there so don't know for sure.

OAK is probably a bit closer than SFO so best bet would get the most convenient flight times and lowest cost. I would think SAC is quite a poke, but again, I've never driven from there so don't have first hand knowledge.

 

[DenMar]

I just read some reviews on WorldMark's web site. Is it true that parking will cost around $30.00 per day at the resort? I certainly hope not. Also, which airport do you recommend coming from the east coast? (NY) Some reviews say that Sacramento or Oakland would be better/cheaper than flying into San Francisco's airport. Please advise.

I think the $30 parking is for WM San Fran. The city relies heavily on outside revenue sources to boost their tax base. Otherwise, they couldn't sustain themselves.

 

[bailey]

Windsor

Sacramento is about a 2 hour drive to Windsor. I think I would choose Oakland.
You may want to consider taking a ferry into San Francisco for the day. You can get one in Larkspur. This will save you on parking in the city which can be very expensive.
There are lots of beautiful drives up that way on the ocean. November may be chilly. Some good places to hike also up that way. There is also the Charles Schultz museum in Santa Rosa and an outlet mall I believe in Cotati.

 

[Icc5]

Plenty of Parking

You don't have to worry about parking at Windsor, it's free. The 2 bedroom unit we stayed in during the last week of December, 2005 was very nice, clean, etc. We too are non drinkers but do enjoy seeing nice winery buildings and grounds. When we were there it was raining most of the time so we really didn't do much except relaxed and boy did we do that.
Bart

 

[hajjah]

I am beginning to feel a lot better about this exchange. I must have made an error about the parking. It could have been at the WM San Fran. That's good to know. As for the airport, I'll take the advice and check for flight times and connections from NY. It seems that Oakland is closer, but if their schedules from the NY area are not good, we'll go with SFO.

Now, to find a reasonable airfare. Would you believe that it is costing just as much to go from NY to Orlando as it is to fly across the country to CA??? Orlando rates are out of control. We booked fares back in October for spring break at $315.00, then Continental lowered the fares to $198.00 for about 3 days. I quickly cancelled the original reservation via Cheap Tickets.com and rebooked directly through Continental without paying the extra fees. This took some time on the phone, but I got it done.

Thanks for your help.

Safe and rewarding trips to all.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

The difference in time between SFO, OAK, and SAC is close enought that I would select whichever of the three airports gave me the best connections. But given the extra distance from SAC, I would only take SAC if the price or connections were signficantly better than SFO or OAK. And depending on traffic conditions, the drive time from SAC might not be that much different.

It's still funny to me to think of Windsor as a resort location. I did field work in Sonoma County about 1980, when it was just an agricultural town. Being an agricultural town, it had a distinct Mexican area. The was a small Mexican food store that served some food prepared on-site. They served up some of the best combination burritos I ever found in the Bay Area. One of the few places I ever found in northern California that began to compare with the combo burritos I enjoyed when we lived in San Bernardino and I travelled around SoCal. I used to drive up to Windsor from Forestville and Guerneville for lunch just to visit El Sol.

Windsor is well located for some day trips to the ocean. I suggest doing a circle route visting Jenner, at the mouth of the Russian River, and proceeding up the coast to Mendocino along Highway 1. That stretch of Hwy 1 is pretty spectacular. The come back to Hwy 101 through Boonville. IIRC, there is a pygmy forest area along that stretch of road - worth seeing.

 

[swift]

Here is a letter that I once posted on the old BBS. I couldn't find it there any longer for some reason everything in the Western area is gone. For those that have seen it before I appoligize for the duplication.

As far as airports go. It is pretty much the same time wise to get from Oakland or from SFO. My first choice is always Oakland because it is less conjested but SFO works just as well. JMHO


This is a bref discription of Windsor that I have placed in one of my home exchange ads:

Windsor is 10 minutes North of Santa Rosa and 1 hour North of San Francisco. Also, with in a 40 minute drive, is Marine World, an amusment park, Napa wineries to the East of us and Fort Brag / Mendocino area to the West (Ocean) . With in 15 minutes you can be at the Russian River and beautiful Armstrong Woods or go 30 minutes North and go boating / swimming in Lake Mendocino.

I have a 14 year old daughter and 13 & 7 year old sons and I feel, with a little bit of planning, there is quite a lot to do here. Some ideas:

www.safariwest.com

http://www.russianrivertravel.com/canoeing.htm

www.bodegabay.com/discover/activities.html

http://www.sixflags.com/parks/marineworld/ParkInfo/index.asp

http://www.pier39.com/entertainment/entertainment.cfm/attraction/1000013

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/attract/CAFAIjellybelly.html

http://www.scandiafunland.com/general.html

For a lesiure day I would pack a picnic and head to Armstrong Woods.

http://www.parks.sonoma.net/Armstrng.html


The down side of the area is the traffic. It is bad. Try to schedual around commute time. Windsor is a bedroom community so most people commute south to Santa Rosa, Marin County and San Francisco to go to work.

If I were you I would plan 1 or 2 days for San Francisco do the city tour if you have never been there before it is worth it. One day for Fort Brag / Mendocino and the rest with activities as you like.

Hope this helps.

Theresa

 

[DeniseM]

INow, to find a reasonable airfare. .

Try www.jetblue.com, they fly into Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento, but you can only book flights on their website - you won't see them anywhere else.

 

[sultan_sfo]

Windsor -- Now Fast Growing Area

The property values in Santa Rosa which borders Windsor to the South has sky rocketed. Windsor is still reasonable -- in fact DW and I were debating whether residential land around Windsor would be a good investment. Now the mall next to the Resort is KFC and MacDonald and Subway with one not so exciting Mexican. Windsor Town (next exit after the Shiloh -- the resort exit) itself does not have any exciting restaurants. But Healdsburg the next town has high end continental restaurants $60 per person!

I posted the $30 per day parking in SF. But there are hourly parking structures and some lots which are not too expensive say $2 to $3 per hour. But read the fine print on the Open Parking Lots -- around downtown many of them are $2.50 for 20 minutes. Post again if you want some Parking information.
/Sultan

...
It's still funny to me to think of Windsor as a resort location. I did field work in Sonoma County about 1980, when it was just an agricultural town. Being an agricultural town, it had a distinct Mexican area. The was a small Mexican food store that served some food prepared on-site. They served up some of the best combination burritos I ever found in the Bay Area. One of the few places I ever found in northern California that began to compare with the combo burritos I enjoyed when we lived in San Bernardino and I travelled around SoCal. I used to drive up to Windsor from Forestville and Guerneville for lunch just to visit El Sol.

 

[hajjah]

Are the driving conditions in/around SF much worse than in NYC? I've always thought NY was bad. Oh well, we can just take our time and enjoy the areas.
Thanks everyone.

 

[swift]

Windsor Town (next exit after the Shiloh -- the resort exit) itself does not have any exciting restaurants. But Healdsburg the next town has high end continental restaurants $60 per person!
/Sultan

You are right we don't have any great restaurants here but I do like Johnny Garlics. You have to try them at least once.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

The property values in Santa Rosa which borders Windsor to the South has sky rocketed. Windsor is still reasonable -- in fact DW and I were debating whether residential land around Windsor would be a good investment. Now the mall next to the Resort is KFC and MacDonald and Subway with one not so exciting Mexican. Windsor Town (next exit after the Shiloh -- the resort exit) itself does not have any exciting restaurants. But Healdsburg the next town has high end continental restaurants $60 per person!
/Sultan

We seriously considered moving to Sebastopol in about 1981. Ultimately I turned down the job opportunity because I didn't want to return to full-time work in a field office. So we stayed in CoCo and rode out the real estate boom there.

 

[roadsister]

Sultan Wrote:
"Now the mall next to the Resort is KFC and MacDonald and Subway with one not so exciting Mexican."

There's a mall next to the Windsor resort????? When did they build that? Is it by the golf course behind the resort?

 

[sultan_sfo]

Go Right at Shiloh Exit

I used the word "Mall" rather loosely! There is a Home Depot, Safeway, and some other stores on the "other" side of the Freeway from the WM Resort. But it is good for picking up a few bottles of wine, fast food, and breakfast items when we get there. We go often to Windsor to visit the wineries! Windsor WM is a great resort. /Sultan

 

[swift]

I used the word "Mall" rather loosely! There is a Home Depot, Safeway, and some other stores on the "other" side of the Freeway from the WM Resort. But it is good for picking up a few bottles of wine, fast food, and breakfast items when we get there. We go often to Windsor to visit the wineries! Windsor WM is a great resort. /Sultan

The shopping center noted here with the Home Depot does not have a Safeway it has a Walmart but unfortunatly it is not a super Walmart. There is also in this shopping center a Quiznos, Cold Stone Ice Cream, coffee shop, and an A&W/Kentucky Fried Chicken.

At the next exit North there are two shopping centers. One has a Safeway, with Starbucks inside, Longs Drugs, Blockbuster, Basken Robbins, Chinnese food restraunt and Marys Pizza Shack. The other shopping center has a Raleys, Mexican Food restraunt, Starbucks, Chubbys dinner, and comming soon a Subway. In between both of these shopping centers is where you will find Johnny Garlics restraunt.

Further in town, same exit you will find the Town Green. This is where you will find little shops, another coffee shop, Powels Candy and soda shop and a new 50's dinner.