April 2026
by Angela Denova
I traveled to San Francisco California including Napa, San Jose, and Monterey.
I took the direct flight from the East Coast to the West Coast and landed in San Fransico for a fun family adventure.
The first day of our trip was also my 47th birthday.
We spent the day touring the Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, and the Ghirardelli Square.
Oh, the fun exciting sites of the Bridge then to top off the day with the best chocolate sundae ever!!!
We then loaded up the van and drove to see the coast for the evening at Santa Cruz!
It was a bit rainy, but it cleared up as we headed to Muir Woods and Napa the next day! It was a beautiful drive.
While in Napa we had a very special lunch aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train.
They did a wonderful job with a handicap lift for my wheelchair and myself.
My husband and children joined me to ride through the Valley all while enjoying a very nice meal with sites of the Napa Vineyards for hours!
The train offered a crème brûlée with a candle on top for a special birthday treat.
The remainder of the trip we loaded up the van again, thankful for my Permobil wheelchair and its comfort.
Off to Monterey coast for the water views!
The west coast was so stunning including seeing the famous Pebble Beach for a quick pizza and a new hat.
I could not thank Emily at Team Gleason enough for her tremendous support. The encouragement given to travel while in a wheelchair was so appreciated. I hope to spread awareness that ALS won’t get me down!
I had trouble sleeping in the hotels beds. Thankfully I was able to get an additional comforter and sleep in my Permobil wheelchair while at the hotels. Team Gleason was a wonderful help to set up roll in shower hotels for the entire trip. Thank you!
This Adventure shows that I can still travel even though I have an ALS diagnosis. This Adventure gave me something to plan and look forward to during the most difficult time in my life.
Adventure Details:
Flights: American Airlines
Hotels:
Marriott San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf
Marea Sol Hotel
The Napa River Inn
Casa Munras Garden Hotel & Spa
Hotel Zephyr
