Amsterdam is busy in late August, early September.Credit: Iwan Baan
COULD YOU MAKE A LEFT-FIELD SUGGESTION FOR MY UPCOMING TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO? IT’S MY SECOND TIME THERE AND I WANT TO DO SOMETHING MEMORABLE, BUT NOT ONE OF THE OBVIOUS TOURIST MOMENTS.
K.ELSOM, ALEXANDRIA
Well, there's always the flowers in your hair thing, but what about staying on a houseboat in Sausalito? Located in Marin County, on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito is a funky little waterfront town and some of the houseboats tied up along Yellow Ferry Harbour are available for rent. Check HomeAway (homeaway.com), Airbnb (airbnb.com), Zillow (zillow.com) and Yellow Ferry (yellowferry.com).
You are a 30-minute ferry ride from the city but there is also a bus, which is quicker but not so much fun. Sausalito was originally a fishing town and it later became a hangout for well-heeled yachties, and later still a chill-out refuge for the love generation, now popular with seals that often lounge around close to the houseboats.
Fleetwood Mac recorded Rumours there and now Sausalito is affluent and artsy with raffish overtones, which gives it a fashionable mix of cafes and dining, including Japanese, seafood, Thai and burger bars.
I AM HOPING TO GO TO AMSTERDAM LATE AUGUST-EARLY SEPTEMBER FOR FOUR DAYS MIDWEEK WITH TWO OLD FRIENDS. AS SELF-FUNDED RETIREES, WE ARE LOOKING AT SOMEWHERE CENTRAL THAT ISN’T TOO EXPENSIVE. WE FIND THE INTERNET CHALLENGING IN TERMS OF COMPARING ACCOMMODATION. CAN YOU SUGGEST SUITABLE IDEAS FOR ACCOMMODATION, AND ALSO PERHAPS SOME NON-TOURIST LOCAL RESTAURANTS?
M. HAYES, TURRAMURRA
The dates you’re proposing are peak holiday period and hotel bookings are already tight, especially for hotels close to the centre of Amsterdam. If you are able to push your holiday back a little, possibly to mid-September, you will find a greater choice. Normally I’d suggest Airbnb (airbnb.com) because this would allow you to book an apartment that could accommodate all of you, with the facility to prepare your own meals and save money. However this does require using the internet. Flynt B&B (flyntbedandbreakfast.nl) is a small property with great character in a prime location. The Leidseplein, Rijksmuseum (pictured), Van Gogh Museum and the Vondelpark are all walking distance. The room rate is from €85 ($121) a night. Hotel Freeland (hotelfreeland.com) is another small, atmospheric and reasonable hotel. Further from the city centre, the Best Western Blue Square Hotel (bluesquarehotel.nl) has comfortable rooms at an affordable price and the tram stop close to the hotel offers easy access to the city centre. Lonely Planet’s Amsterdam guidebook is a great resource.
IN OCTOBER, I AM GOING TO A WEDDING IN LOS CABOS, MEXICO, A US HOLIDAY RESORT WITH LITTLE RELATIONSHIP TO MEXICO. I HAVE TWO TO THREE DAYS AT THE END AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE A MORE AUTHENTIC MEXICO. COULD YOU SUGGEST A TOWN EASILY REACHED FROM LOS CABOS BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT?
F. BROWN, WOY WOY
Los Cabos is a non-stop fiesta machine, attracting 2 million Americans each year. A former fishing village at the southern tip of the 1200-kilometre Baja California peninsula, it is popular with college kids. About an hour’s drive north of Cabo San Lucas, between the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra de la Laguna Mountains, Todos Santos is a quiet colonial town with artistic and historic charm. It is one of only 30 communities in Mexico designated a ‘‘Pueblo Magico’’, a magical town. It has a lively cultural calendar, with music, art and dance. Surfing and other watersports are popular, but nothing to compare with the frantic action on Los Cabos. The cliff-top Hacienda Cerritosis an expensive boutique hotel, but it has a great bar. For accommodation, see tripadvisor.com.au.
FEEDBACK
OVER TO YOU ...
‘‘Thrift’’ was the runaway answer to the request for your best overseas money-saving tips. ‘‘Eat and drink like a local,’’ J. Brewster says. ‘‘Discovering delicacies in markets not only stretches your dollar but enhances the travel experience.’’
‘‘I saved money when travelling in Europe by carrying lightweight eating utensils, an electric kettle and a vacuum flask,’’ P. Brown says. ‘‘I could choose whether to make my own meals.’’
‘‘Scrimp on accommodation and spend the savings on culture and sightseeing,’’ J.Rannard writes. ‘‘You’re often only in your room to sleep. But splurge on the last night ... if you can.’’
‘‘Other than a 28 Degrees MasterCard preloaded so cash can be withdrawn to avoid fees, taking a plastic plate, a pocket knife with a corkscrew and a small cooler bag gives flexibility and makes local markets and supermarkets part of the experience,’’ J.Kerrigan writes.
The 28 Degrees MasterCard has another fan in A. Li. ‘‘Prior to our trip to NZ last June, my wife acquired one for her and one for me. There is no additional service charge for converting $NZ to $A and we saved a lot.’’
H. Cadle is right on top of car hire. ‘‘US car-hire companies have half-price weekend rates from Friday afternoon to Monday afternoon.’’
Thanks — and a Lonely Planet guidebook — to all.
Next question: Has the falling Aussie dollar affected your travel plans? What’s your new plan?
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