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VACATION &TRAVEL
AN ANTON MEDIA GROUP SPECIAL
Bay Area Adventures
An eco-conscious vacation to San Francisco and Marin County BY KIMBERLY DIJKSTRA kdijkstra@antonmediagroup.com
S
an Francisco, the hilly city by the bay, has captured the hearts of many. Even Tony Bennett left his heart there among the cable cars and morning fog. Just beyond the bridge lies Marin County, a respite from city life with a charm and beauty all its own. Marin itself features in a song or two. The Bay Area has lots to offer as a vacation destination and is the perfect choice for the environmentally conscious. San Franciscans prioritize
sustainability in their daily lives and these practices extend into the hospitality industry. Many hotels boast eco-friendly practices, such as Hotel Spero, which is so committed to sustainability, it launched on Earth Day last year. The renovation took careful steps to pay homage to former owner Lizzie Glide, a well-known San Francisco philanthropist and activist. Hotel Spero, which is just steps from Union Square and located centrally to major attractions, invites guests to be a part of its
Hotel Spero strives to be Earth-friendly. (Photos by Kimberly Dijkstra)
mindfulness, philanthropy and environmental efforts, which ultimately makes your stay there more enjoyable. For example, the water filling station in the lobby helps minimize plastic bottle waste. The BeeKind products in every guestroom are made from all-natural ingredients, have recycled packaging and the company supports the Honey Bee Research Program at UC Davis. Guests will also find graphite pencils with forget-me-not seeds embedded that can be planted after the pencil is used.
Also, luggage racks in each room double as ‘giving racks,’ where you can leave spare clothing behind to be donated to the St. Anthony Foundation.
GO GO GO
Lots of different things attract travelers to San Francisco. The Go Card (smartdestinations.com) offers admission to nearly all of them including bus tours, cruises, museums, historic monuments and family activities. The Aquarium of the
see BAY AREA on page 24A
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