Author Archives: David Motto

The California Zephyr is Amtrak’s Scenic Train Ride to Tahoe

photo credit: Anthony Albert for New York Times Locals and tourists alike enjoy going to Lake Tahoe from the San Francisco Bay Area. The potential to-do list in Tahoe is endless and includes: Winter outdoor activities: Skiing (downhill and cross … Continue reading

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Sonoma Coast – Lodging with a View

Jenner Inn Looking for lodging on the Sonoma coast of northern California? Here’s a nice list of hotels and inns in Sonoma with ocean views, courtesy of the Sonoma County Tourism board. There are many to choose from, and we … Continue reading

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San Francisco Rooftop Gardens and Public Spaces

Photo Credit: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle San Francisco has some rare opportunities to catch views that aren’t available in many U.S. cities. These views are from rooftop spaces that are open to the public during buildings’ business hours. Not only … Continue reading

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Scenic Driving Routes in the Bay Area

Photo Credit: Vincent James via sfgate.com Fantastic spread at sfgate.com on scenic driving routes in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. You’ll find beautiful views on most of these roads, and there is also spectacular hiking and beach walks near … Continue reading

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100 Scenic Restaurants in the United States

Photo Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times The users of OpenTable have voted on the 100 Most Scenic Restaurants in the U.S. for 2016. Very interesting list of restaurants to choose from. You could make a tour of the … Continue reading

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The Most Beautiful Places in All 50 States

HouseBeautiful has created a compelling list of the “Most Beautiful Places in All 50 States.” There are many listings to make view lovers go see these amazing locations.

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A Glass Slide Above the Los Angeles Skyline

Photo Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times Looking for a thrilling time AND a great view in downtown Los Angeles? Try the Skyslide at the U.S. Bank Tower! The Los Angeles Times featured this thrill for view … Continue reading

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Best Restaurant Views in San Francisco

  OpenTable has published a wonderful article on the best restaurant views in San Francisco. If you’re in the Bay Area, or are traveling to the Bay Area, make sure you check out this article. San Francisco restaurants listed are: … Continue reading

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Where to go in 2016

photo credit: Danielle Villasana for The New York Times Here’s an article definitely worth reading for view-loving travelers:

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Cliffside Lodging in Peru’s Sacred Valley

Peru’s Sacred Valley, gateway to Machu Picchu and home to several other spectacular Incan sites, offers travelers amazing views and vistas. Now, the cliffs of this valley have become a lodging choice! Take a look at Slate’s coverage of the … Continue reading

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Mountain View Cemetery, Oakland, California

photo credit: Jason Henry for the New York Times One of the best views in the San Francisco Bay Area is from the Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland. You can drive, jog, or walk into the cemetery, and you’ll find … Continue reading

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5 Best Winery Views in Napa Valley

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Stargazing in the Bay Area

It’s notoriously difficult to see the stars at night in urban areas. If you’re a northern California stargazer who loves views of the night sky, there are a few spots that will work for you. The San Francisco Chronicle has … Continue reading

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Mountain Home Inn – San Francisco Bay Views

Following up on yesterday’s post, there is a terrific inn & restaurant (with bar) on the drive up to Mount Tamalpais, in Marin County north of San Francisco, California. This restaurant & inn is called the Mountain Home Inn. It’s … Continue reading

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Mount Tamalpais – Views of San Francisco Bay Area

Photo credit: Ben Davidson Spending some time in San Francisco? Here’s a fantastic day trip: Go across the Golden Gate Bridge to visit Mt. Tamalpais State Park and Muir Woods. There are plenty of trails on Mt. Tam (as the … Continue reading

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Silicon Valley View Restaurant

A view restaurant, the Mt. Hamilton Grandview, opened in 2014 above San Jose, California. View lovers in Silicon Valley have this spot as an option for sunset dinners, weekend brunches, and special events.

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Dinner in the Sky – The Latest Trend for View Lovers?

Imagine yourself hoisted high above magnificent scenery at a table for 20, experiencing fine dining prepared just for you. This is the latest offering for view lovers looking for an extravagant dining option that allows you to take in the … Continue reading

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Monterey Bay, California: Views and Things To Do

Monterey Bay, California, has so much to offer for view lovers. Beautiful coastal scenery, wildlife, the occasional breaching whale. Fall is the perfect time to visit this coastal area of northern California, as there is often less fog than in … Continue reading

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Top of Africa Viewing Deck – Johannesburg, South Africa

The Top of Africa viewing deck, on the 50th floor of the Carlton Centre in downtown Johannesburg, offers 360 degree views of the Johannesburg metropolitan area. The Carlton Centre is Africa’s tallest building, and all view lovers will want to … Continue reading

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Yangshuo and Moon Hill (Guangxi, China)

The stunning karst mountains of Yangshuo should be on every view lover’s travel list. You can hike to the arch on Moon Hill to take in the view, go for the more rugged mountain climbing approach to catching a great … Continue reading

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World Heritage Sites 2015

UNESCO has announced their 2015 World Heritage sites. Quite a lot of places to find world-class views among the list. There’s been a lot of great media coverage on this list, with many beautiful images to get the travel bug … Continue reading

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500 Ultimate Travel Destinations

Lonely Planet is publishing a new book on its 500 top travel destinations in the world. There are a lot of incredibly beautiful places on the list, sure to whet the appetite of any view lover.

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The World’s Top 25 Landmarks

TripAdvisor recently published their World’s Top 25 Landmarks, as chosen by their customers. Some great places to visit for view lovers, and they’ve included some remarkable images of these sites.

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Waterfalls Around the World

Here is a fantastic slide show of waterfalls around the world. The photos were aggregated from Instagram and published recently on Huffington Post.

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Breathtaking Places to Visit Around the World

photo credit: laboiteverte.fr Here’s a wonderful post on Breathtaking Places to Visit that includes some really extraordinary images and ideas for travel.

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One World Trade Center Observatory in New York

The observatory at the new World Trade Center building in New York officially opened today. Visitors to Manhattan will once again have the opportunity to take a high-speed elevator to the top of the World Trade Center for 360 degree … Continue reading

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Waipio Lookout on the Big Island of Hawaii

One of the many stunning vistas on the Big Island of Hawaii. Thank you to my friend Raj Raheja for the photo. You can hike, ride horses, or take a 4-wheel drive to this area of the Big Island.

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Views from Landmarks Around the World

photo credit: R. Ian Lloyd Wonderful photo spread of views from the top of iconic landmarks on the Travel+Leisure website recently. All great places to add to your lifetime travel list! And, remember the ViewGuru philosophy: Get the view from … Continue reading

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Waterbar Restaurant in San Francisco

photo credit: Brant Ward / The Chronicle Waterbar is a terrific restaurant on San Francisco’s Embarcadero. Nice ambience. Great food. Views of the bay, the Bay Bridge, and Treasure Island.

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Las Vegas “High Roller” Ferris Wheel

Travel destinations are realizing the power of using views to attract visitors. Here’s a large sign in McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, which I shot from the escalator that takes you to baggage claim – so everyone arriving at … Continue reading

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The World’s Best Views

Okay, this post may be a bit far-fetched, given that there are thousands of truly great, amazing, awe-inspiring places in the world to take in beautiful views. It can be pretty difficult to rank beauty and inspiration. But, Rough Guides … Continue reading

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Taking in the View from Major League Baseball parks

There ARE advantages to the cheap seats in many of the ballparks in the U.S. Along with the game, you can take in a view of the surroundings. Here’s a fun article on the Major League Baseball parks with the … Continue reading

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Top 10 Restaurant Views in San Francisco

San Francisco is known for its beautiful views. If you’re visiting, you’ll definitely be eating in some of the 3000 plus restaurants in this city. Might as well choose places that give you spectacular views with your meal! Here are … Continue reading

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The 5 Best Road Trips in National Parks

Valerie Conners recently published a wonderful, short article for Condé Nast Traveler on beautiful road trips through U.S. national parks. As of now, as I’m posting this, I’ve been to all of the parks listed except Shenandoah, which I’m hoping … Continue reading

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Rio Grande Scenic Railroad

A great way to see Colorado’s San Luis Valley is aboard the Rio Grande Scenic Railroad. The sunset dinner ride offers cocktails and a meal, plus amazing views of Colorado’s peaks. A recent article on the Travel + Leisure website … Continue reading

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The Round Tower, Copenhagen, Denmark

The Round Tower (Rundetårn in Danish) is a popular landmark in central Copenhagen that’s a must-see if you’re looking for expansive views of the city. The building is unusual – it has an equestrian staircase, a spiral staircase sloped gently … Continue reading

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Ribe, Denmark

While most Americans who visit Denmark go only to Copenhagen, there’s quite a lot to see in this small, beautiful Scandinavian country. The beaches of western Denmark are popular with German tourists, and one of the most popular is the … Continue reading

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Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg, Germany is a beautiful, historic town with one of Germany’s top universities. Wonderful castle. Beautiful architecture. Stunning, hilly setting on the River Neckar. For a nice view of the castle, head across the Old Bridge. (This is where I … Continue reading

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Main Tower – Frankfurt, Germany

Home to Europe’s 3rd busiest airport, Frankfurt is a common stopping point to get to other parts of Europe, and it’s an interesting city to visit. If you find yourself there, I recommend heading to the top of the Main … Continue reading

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Best Restaurant Views in the World

Great views elevate a restaurant experience to a whole new level! Food & Wine has a terrific spread on restaurants around the world with spectacular views. Scenic outlooks. Urban landscapes. Sunsets. The beauty of nature. These restaurants have it all.

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White Mountains, New Hampshire

National Geographic Traveler Magazine recently ran a terrific article on the White Mountains of New Hampshire by Joyce Maynard. Inspiring writing for hikers and people looking for peak experiences. Wonderful vistas available on the hikes in this area! Here’s a … Continue reading

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Claremont Canyon, Berkeley, California

Looking for a hike overlooking the San Francisco Bay? Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve in Berkeley, California, is just what you’re looking for! You’ll get views of the bay, San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and the Berkeley campus. One … Continue reading

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Haiku Stairs (Stairway to Heaven), Oahu, Hawaii

This amazing trail, the Haiku Stairs, was recently featured in a terrific article on 30 Surreal And Beautiful Places in The U.S. (That article will give you even more ideas for places to go for amazing views!) You can see … Continue reading

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Waterfall Views in Big Sur, California

Big Sur, California, is a magnificent area for view lovers to explore. Beautiful trails, spectacular views of the rugged California coast. This is McWay Waterfall, shot from the Overlook Trail, in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, one of California’s most … Continue reading

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More Views of Earth from Space

Aah, what view lovers worldwide wouldn’t give for space tourism to become a reality. For now, we’ll have to settle for the images from satellites (like these from satellite company DigitalGlobe) and the wonderful pictures from the International Space Station.

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The View Lounge in San Francisco

The name says it all: The View Lounge at the Marriott Marquis in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco, California.

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Views of San Francisco Recommended by Locals

Lyon Street Steps. On Broadway at Lyon, in the heart of Billionaires’ Row, you’ll find this terrific view of the San Francisco Bay. Vallejo Street Steps. Great views of San Francisco Bay and Coit Tower from these steps on Russian … Continue reading

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The View from Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah

Dead Horse Point State Park, just outside of Moab, Utah, is a terrific place for canyon views. The AAA magazine Via says the park “offers arguably the country’s best single view of the Colorado River.” If you’re visiting Arches or … Continue reading

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Views That are Literally Breathtaking

Here’s a great list from Thrillist.com of hotel views that are breathtaking – literally! These high-altitude lodgings are terrific choices for view lovers.

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Views of Earth from the International Space Station

The ultimate location for views – space! Hopefully, we’ll all be space tourists someday and get these types of views. For now, we’ll have to enjoy the photos taken from the International Space Station. This article from SFGate.com starts with … Continue reading

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