For a fun day trip outside San Francisco, drive out to Filoli’s mansion and gardens followed by shopping at Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center.

Filoli is an estate with over 650 acres in an area where real estate values are astronomical.  The Bourns, who created the estate in 1915, got rich from a California gold mine.  Filoli got its name from their philosophy on life:

“Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

When visiting the estate, you can tour the early 20th century mansion, which is still furnished.  Almost every room has a beautiful fresh bouquet of flowers – each one tailored to the room - from the estate gardens.  Outside you can stroll around 16 acres of formal gardens which have gained world-wide attention.  Depending on the season, you’ll see thousands of tulips, daffodils, roses and lilies. 

If you’re old enough to have watched – or seen the re-runs – of Dynasty with John Forsythe, Linda Evans and Joan Collins, then you’ve seen glimpses of the Filoli mansion where the TV series was filmed.  The Wedding Planner (Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey) was also filmed here.

Filoli is open February 14 through October 28, 2006, Tuesday – Sunday.  Filoli’s web site

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities.  And it’s easy to see why.  It has a spectacular setting, moderate weather, cable cars, great shopping, interesting people and fabulous restaurants.  It’s a great place for a girls-only get together. 

To help you plan your next trip to the Bay Area, here’s my top ten list of favorite things to do in and around San Francisco:

1. Walking around the Marina District and seeing Chestnut Street, Marina Green and the Palace of the Fine Arts
2. Shopping at Union Square
3. Spending a Sunday in Golden Gate Park and watching the remote control boats and visiting the Conservatory
4. Driving down Lombard Street, the world’s crookedest street
5. Taking an informal walking tour in the Pacific Heights neighborhood (near the Presidio), where you can stroll by beautiful Victorian mansions
6. Driving over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands overlook for a panoramic view of San Francisco Bay, the bridge and the city
7. Spending an afternoon in Mill Valley, a misty storybook-like village just across the bridge
8. Having lunch at Sam’s in Tiburon, one of the few restaurants right on the Bay
9. Shopping at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto (borders Stanford University)
10. Exploring the mansion and gardens at Filoli

Here are some highlights from July:

• The Getty Museum (Los Angeles)
• Summer Travel Specials
• Local Getaway - have fun in your own home town
• Summer Entertainment Sampler
• Shakespeare Festival (Ashland, Oregon)
• Win a trip to France!
• Top Ten Bakeries
• Organizing a Girls Trip? Check out TripHub.
• San Juan Islands, Washington
• When the Girl is away…
• San Juan Island Lavender Festival
• Who’s the queen of chick flicks?

If you’d like to make theater the central theme of your next girls trip, consider Ashland, Oregon as your destination.  Each year from February to October, the small town of Ashland hosts the internationally acclaimed Oregon Shakespeare Festival and presents several Shakespearean plays as wells as contemporary works.  Most of the Shakespeare plays are performed at an outdoor Elizabethan Stage, modeled after London’s Fortune Theatre.  If you plan to see a performance, be sure to get tickets as soon as possible, since they sell-out early. Besides world-class theater, Ashland offers several nice shops, and plenty of restaurants and B&B’s to choose from.

Here are some of the plays showcased in this year’s festival:

• The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.  Angus Bowmer Theatre until Oct. 29
• The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare. Elizabethan Stage until Oct. 6
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare. Elizabethan Stage until Oct. 8
• King John by William Shakespeare.  Performed at the New Theatre until Oct. 29
• Cyrano de Bergerac: at the Elizabethan Stage until  Oct. 7
• The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare. Angus Bowmer Theatre until Oct. 29
• Bus Stop by William Inge.  New Theatre until Oct. 29
• Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Angus Bowmer Theatre until  Oct. 28
• Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage. Angus Bowmer Theatre until Oct. 28

If your get-together happens to be in Los Angeles, I highly recommend visiting the J. Paul Getty Museum.  Perched on a hill in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty Museum provides panoramic views of the city below.  Part of the fun of visiting the museum is just riding the tram from the parking lot up to the hilltop.  The tram winds it’s way slowly up the hillside so you can enjoy the scenery. (more…)

Besides Orcas Island (see previous post) another popular destination within the San Juans is San Juan Island itself.  Step off the ferry at Friday Harbor and enjoy this picturesque walk-able seaside town with several interesting shops and good cafes.  

This weekend - July 15 and 16 - is San Juan Island’s Lavender Festival and Summer Arts Fair.  Friday Harbor will host most activities which will include local artists, live music performances and everything lavender. (more…)

If you’re looking for a destination where nature is the main attraction, there are few places more beautiful than the San Juan Islands, located north of Seattle.  The San Juan Islands are made up of several small islands including Orcas, Lopez, Shaw and San Juan Island.  The best time to visit is from June through mid-September when the weather is warmest.  Most people reach the islands by boat or by taking the Washington State Ferry from Anacortes.

I love taking the ferry.  It stops at each of the islands, so you get to watch all the travelers coming and going and see the beautiful waterfront homes. For my money, it’s one of the best cruise deals around.  Once you board, head up to the passenger deck and grab a hot drink or Ivar’s famous clam chowder. Relax in one of the booths in the observation areas that overlook the open water.  Hold on to your hair and anything else that isn’t attached to your body and brave the front deck to catch a glimpse of porpoises (or maybe an Orca if you’re lucky) swimming in front of the bow of the ship. (more…)

Here’s a quick recap of what appeared in June:

• Where the Girls Are
• Chocolate Martinis
• Westin Kierland Resort & Spa (Scottsdale)
• Girl (Trip) Interrupted
• Mackinac Island, Michigan
• Spa Recap
• Vinotherapy
• Deals: Travel & Leisure’s Spa Week
• Stowe, Vermont
• Sharing photos? Try Flickr.
• Flip-Flop Style
• Nantucket
• Booking a Flight?
• Green Valley Resort & Spa (St. George, Utah)
• Beach Reads
• Carmel, California
• Things to do around Carmel
• Women may Benefit from Moderate Drinking
• Want to be on the Today Show?