Perhaps the group getaway is a family reunion? Kids stay free at this hotel that’s only a two block’s walk from the BART station in Walnut Creek, 20 miles from downtown San Francisco. And Fido can come too, since the hotel is pet-friendly. If a group hike is on the agenda, it’s 16 miles to Mt. Diablo. Back at the hotel, there’s a heated outdoor pool and a modern fitness center.