‘Go Green’ adventures in the Bay Area

A new website is coming to town and it wants to save you gas, time, and money while traveling the West Coast car-free. And with gas slowly inching towards $5 a gallon, it should be a welcome change.

OffMetro.com began as an online resource for city-dwellers in NYC looking for cheap car-free getaways. Last week they announced they would be expanding their coverage to San Francisco. The site has a variety of ideas for unique trips from The City that involve travelers using everything from trains to bikes to arrive at their desired destination.

The website, began in 2009 by pushing the limits of New Yorkers and sending them on trips out of Manhattan and off the beaten path. Co-Founder, Lauren Matison, told Inhabitat:

“We started a blog as a hobby in 2007, which documented our local trips by train, bike, and bus, and within six months, we had created this eco-conscious getaway guide that was inspiring thousands of New Yorkers every month. As our site grew, we decided to punch the “green” angle up a notch by  incorporating reviews of farm-to-table restaurants and eco hotels to make leading a green lifestyle even easier and more enjoyable for an active, urban dwelling audience.”

Now that they have spread to SF, the website teamed up with the public transportation giants like Amtrak, PUBLIC Bikes, BART, and the Sierra Club to expand the horizons and adventures of Bay Area travelers. The site features a “Get Off Here” section that recommends things to do near BART, Caltrain, and ferry stops and they also offer a San Francisco Bike Guide. In fact, I’m sure that the new bike sharing coming to The City could help give you a memorable weekend or day trip.

Local contributors help create each local adventure and tries to find every unturned hidden gem reachable by public transportation or bike. Each trip gives you an idea of different activities, restaurants, and places to crash at night.

Example trips include a two-night stay in Yosemite via Amtrak and bike getaways to Humboldt, Tiburon, Lake Tahoe, or Napa.

So what are you waiting for? Get out of The City and explore already!