California Official Visitor's Guide 2009 - (Page 39) A dedicated green tourist, I checked into the Orchard Garden Hotel, which boasts that it’s California’s first newly constructed LEED-certified hotel (only the third in the U.S. and the fourth hotel in the world with this certification). LEED—Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design—is a universally accepted set of strategies for making buildings more sustainable. It’s been developed and promoted by the U.S. Green Buildings Council. The hotel, which opened in late 2006, is built from concrete made of recycled fly ash and sustainably harvested wood. The building is well insulated, energy efficient, and decorated in “soothing, spa-inspired tones.” The location at Grant Avenue and Bush Street, where it’s an easy stroll to the Chinatown Gate or Union Square, is just about perfect. And if you’d like to trade the convenience of a central location for a spectacular natural setting, you can stay just across the Golden Gate Bridge in the newly opened Cavallo Point: the Lodge at the Golden Gate. Located at Fort Baker, a former army installation now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the lodge offers easy access to hiking trails and kayaking. There’s a full-service spa [ SF spa & wellness] that can supply relaxing massages or guided meditation sessions or organize more vigorous activities such as mountain biking. Bay Area cuisine: Fresh, local, and sustainable In San Francisco and its environs, the green tourist will find an endless supply of restaurants that specialize in locally grown, organic, vegetarian, vegan, or raw cuisine. A good starting point is the Ferry Building, originally completed in 1898 as the main gateway to the city. In 2003, after years of painstaking renovation, it was reopened as foodie heaven. The Ferry Building Marketplace has over 30 retail vendors who sell everything from locally SAVE 25% TO 65% EVERY DAY Camarillo Premium Outlets, Camarillo • 120 stores | Carlsbad Premium Outlets, Carlsbad • 90 stores Desert Hills Premium Outlets, Cabazon • 130 stores | Folsom Premium Outlets, Folsom • 80 stores Gilroy Premium Outlets, Gilroy • 145 stores | Las Americas Premium Outlets, San Diego • 125 stores Napa Premium Outlets, Napa • 50 stores | Petaluma Village Premium Outlets, Petaluma • 60 stores Vacaville Premium Outlets, Vacaville • 120 stores | and More PREMIUMOUTLETS.COM A Enter keyword in Search box at visitcalifornia.com 39 http://www.PREMIUMOUTLETS.COM http://www.visitcalifornia.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.