My first trip to San Francisco was a tremendous experience. My wife and I have always wanted to fly to San Francisco, and then travel down the coast to the Monterey/Carmel area. I brought my father out on this trip to scope a future one for my wife and I. It was a great time and I learned what to do and not to do on future travel out here.
We only had four full days in the San Francisco Bay area, so I wanted to get as much exposure to the area as possible. I decided not to rent a car, but to stay at the Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco, and take tours to where I wanted to go. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon in the beginning of October, and immediately went walking around the Wharf. What a pleasant surprise of shops and dining areas in a central location. Fisherman’s Wharf is fairly flat, but San Francisco in general is a large amount of hills and valleys, that only the best-fit persons could possibly walk.
We spent our first evening in the Wharf area and scoped out what tours we wanted to take. We watched the weather and found that the next few days were going to be very nice so we opted to take a City tour the first full day, along with a tour of the Muir Woods and Sausalito. The city tour was 3.5 hours of informative information about the specifics of San Francisco along with riding through the different locations with its diversification of culture. While taking this tour, we visited areas such as Union Square, with it’s upscale shops and hotels, North Beach, with it’s array of authentic Italian restaurants, China Town, Nobb Hill, Pacific Heights, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Hyde Street Trolley Car, and not to forget the Golden Gate Bridge. The views of the Bay from many of these areas are breathtaking. After Three and a half hours of driving around San Francisco and several stops, I had a better feeling of the city and what it was about.
In the afternoon, we got back on another bus, (with the same driver who was excellent), and he took us over the Golden Gate Bridge again, and we headed north to the Muir Woods. This four-hour tour included an hour stop at Muir woods, a half hour stop at Sausalito, and a picture stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Because we had just finished the City tour with the same driver, most of the information, (along with his jokes), were repeated from the morning. He needed a second act because at least half of the tourist was the same from the City Tour. So the first 45 minutes of the tour was not very interesting. After we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge for the second time that day, we headed towards Muir Woods. The bus parked at the entrance to the Woods, and we only had one hour to walk into and back out of the woods. The paths were well marked, and the redwood trees were amazing, but with only one hour, and an elderly gentleman with me, we did not get very far. We only made it about one quarter of a mile into the woods and we felt the need to turn back so we would not miss the bus. What we saw was very interesting, but we could have used a few more hours to get a good chance to explore.
Once we loaded the bus, we headed to Sausalito, but once again we were only allowed one half hour to wonder around. We did not get very far. We then loaded again and stopped one more time at the Golden Gate Bridge peak for pictures and then went back to the Wharf where we unloaded. I felt this tour was rushed and not worth the money. If doing it again, I would have rented a car and explored on my own.
The second full day of San Francisco, we went on a tour of Monterey, Carmel, and the seventeen-mile drive along the coast. This tour started at 9:30 AM and ended at 9:00 PM. Our bus driver left approximately thirty minutes late, which put us behind from the start. We drove along the coast from the beginning and at first saw some great views, but then we ended up driving through farm fields along the coast. For the first two hours, there was nothing impressive except the first few minutes. We stopped at a small town called Davenport, where the driver allowed everyone a half hour break at a small restaurant. We spent the whole half hour waiting in line for the bathroom, and grabbing a drink. I watched the driver receive free food along with a $10.00 bill wrapped in the waxed paper. That disturbed me.
After the break, we were only about a half hour before we arrived in Monterey. Monterey is a quaint town with great shops and dining. We had two hours to explore and grab lunch before we loaded back up for the infamous 17-mile drive between Monterey and Carmel.
The 17-mile drive, which goes through Pebble Beach Golf Course, was spectacular. The views were something I’ve never seen. The driver did stop several times for photo opportunities and time to take in the fabulous views. This seventeen-mile drive was worth the whole trip.
Once you end the seventeen-mile drive, you arrive in Carmel. Carmel is another quaint town with wonderful Bed & Breakfasts, shops, and dining areas. We arrived at 5:20 P.M. and were told we had until 6:30 to explore. We were also informed that the town closes everything down around 6:00 P.M. so we did not have much time. The center of town is about 10 blocks from the beach and although the walk to the beach was down hill, the walk back up was a hike. Once again, traveling with an elderly gentleman did not allow us enough time or effort to see the beach.
We walked the town and grabbed something quick to eat for dinner. The town is fabulous and I would definitely want to spend more time here. We loaded the bus at 6:30, and headed straight back to San Francisco. The driver had to make a stop on the way to use the bathroom, which put us back at our hotel at around 11:00 P.M. after he left everyone off at their hotel.
It was a long day, but well worth the trip. I was angry at the bus driver for a few reasons. First, he had a very strong accent, and my father, myself, and several people around us did not hear half that he said. He made the unnecessary stop in Davenport, and we could have spent that wasted half hour in Carmel, which I felt we did not have enough time. But the trip was very enjoyable and I now know a great place to go and where I would stay and what I would do.
The last full day in San Francisco was spent visiting Alcatraz, riding the cable car, and visiting North Beach for a fabulous Italian dinner. Alcatraz is something everyone should see. I was amazed to find out the history of the Island and how it changed from a strategic Fort for our military, to a prison, and then to be occupied by the Indians for almost two years as a quiet protest for their rights. Although there is a lot of walking, (equivalent to walking up a thirteen story building), the national park offers a tram for those who cannot make the walk to the top. Because we had plenty of time, we made the walk.
We enjoyed the narrative presentation by the park ranger, followed by the self-guided audio tour as you walk through the cellblocks. The boat ride to and from the Island was a pleasure and the tour was well worth the effort. I would advise anyone coming to San Francisco to take the time to see Alcatraz. Making reservations is suggested because of limited seating on the Ferry.
In the afternoon, we took a trolley car up Hyde Street, which is the infamous “Rice-A-Roni” background. I’ve been on a trolley car before, but never like this. The steep hills that are climbed along with the valleys in between, makes this ride like a slow roller coaster. We had the pleasure of standing at the back of the car and as we traveled up the hill, you could see the bay from a view that was amazing. I could not get enough pictures of what I saw.
We drove the car to the end, emptied off, and got in line and came back down to a drop off point where we could walk down hill to North Beach, which was known for the Italian restaurants. We had a wonderful meal at “Mona Lisa’s”, which was recommended by our Concierge. The price for our meals was very reasonable, and the food was delicious. After eating, we continued walking down hill to the Wharf and back to our hotel. We had a great day.
Our last day in San Francisco was supposed to be spent either going to Napa Valley, or spending more time around the city. The weather forecast was for rain, so we decided to rent a car and do some riding around. Before we left the City, we drove down Lombard Street, which is the “Crookedest” street in the world, and we visited Ghiradelli candy store, where we purchased some of their famous candies for souvenirs. We drove up towards Napa Valley and the rain stopped us from visiting any wineries, but the drive was nice. We drove back to the airport and headed home. We had a great time and I’m ready for my next venture here. Now that I’ve had a taste of everything, I will plan the next trip accordingly.