The Pacific tourist:

270
iRain falls only in the winter half of the year,
and does not much exceed one-half of the amount
in the same latitude on the Atlantic shore, and
the number of rainy days is very small, since it
is apt to rain hard if it rains at all. T'he atmosphere in winter is quite nioist, and though it is
seemingly dry in summner, during the long absence of rain, pianos and furniiture, and woodwork generally do not shrink as in many places,
owing, doubtless, to the prevailing cool winds
from the ocean. It is rarely cold enough for
frost; plumber's work needs no protection, and
hot days are equally rare, occurring only when
the summer ocean winds yield for two, or at most
three days, to winds from over parched and heated
plains to the north. The air is rarely clear so as
to reveal distinctly the outlines of hill and shore
:it woul d be well to fil o out the day begun in
Oakland, by going through Van Ness Avenue,
which is, and long will be, the finest street for
private residences in the city. Two days more
will enable one to visit the Geysers, and thus, in
five days, all that is most notable in and about
San Francisco, will have been seen.
Tourists who have time enough for it will find
a trip to Pescadero, very pleasant. The route is
by stage from San Mateo or Redwood City, on
the Southern Pacific Railroad, across the Contra
Costa Range, a ride very well paying of itself
for the whole cost of the trip. Pescadero is in a
narrow valley, about three miles from the
famous Pebble Beach, about 100 yards long,
which gives it its chief attraction. Most homelike quarters and delightful cooking are found
~~ffi~ ~
STREET SCENE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
at Swanton's, and one will be taken to the beach across the bay, a misty haze like that of eastern
and brought back from it at hours of his own Indian summer, usually prevailing. After rains,
choosing. At this beach one will linger and and notably after frosts and during the prevalinger picking up finely-polished pebbles, many lence of winds fromin the north this sometimes
of which are fit to be set as jewels. Pescadero vanishes, and a crystal clearness of atmosphere
may be reached also by stage from Santa Cruz, succeeds, in which Mount Diablo and the hills of
and the ride along the coast is wild, interestinii, Contra Costa and Alameda stand out mellow and
unique and full of interest. The timne required clear as thou h just at hand. At such times,
is a day, whether comin? from San Francisco or which are not frequent, and at others, more often,
Santa Cruz, and the samne to retinrn, and no one when it is sunshiny and the air is calmn, and
will spend less than a day there, so that to see the haze thin, there is a spring and vitalitv and
Pescadero means three days, and there are few exhilaration in the air, and beauty in ill outmore enjoyable ways to spend so much time. door natiure not often surpassed. Sornething of
Cli(,,tteo-The climate of San Francisco is this is realized in the early part of most summer
peculiar, and can not be described in a few days, if fo ldoes not -han over the city. As the
words. It is equable on the whole. there being day ad(lvances, the wind from the ocean rises and
no great range of temperature, and the difference Ipohrs in milghtily, cold and fierce-a bane and a
between that of winter and summer being small. blessing at once; a bane because it destroys all
T,Wx racific TOURIST.