San Francisco, Bay area visit (please help plan)

[4fitNphun]

Hello,

I got the day off the day after Christmas and planning on driving to San Francisco. I only have one day to tour the city and I was wondering if someone who lives in or around SF can help me with the point of interest to get the most of the day. I am interested in cable car ride, Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard street, Golden Gate Bridge, and Muir Redwood forest if time allows. I know that cable car will take me Fisherman's wharf and Lombard street from Powell/Market station. I am concerned with the traffic and parking.

Oh, I will be staying at Fairfield Inn at San Carlos.

Thank you all in advance for any advice and suggestions you could give me.

Penny

 

[amyg]

Penny I suggest you check out www.511.org and look at the take transit trip planner. If you're in San Carlos you can hop on Caltrain and take that into the city if you don't want to pay a zillion dollars for parking. (You can also take the KX bus into the city for $4 and walk a couple blocks to Union Square or BART and Muni stations at Powell/Mkt. You can also get on a cable car down there but you'll have to look exactly where since I can't remember!)

Muir woods isn't doable in a day if you're trying to see SF at all; it's a day trip in itself. Lombard and the bridge only make sense if you are in a car so that negates the above paragraph. You'll pay at least $30 to park at Fisherman's Wharf and $5 to drive across the bridge.

You will probably be lucky with traffic on the 26th since it's a holiday for most! The trip from San Carlos into the city should take maybe 30-45 min depending on where you want to go in the city.

HTH

 

[4fitNphun]

Hi Amy,

Thank you so much for your reply. I will check out the site.

 

[andtckrtoo]

Personally, I would, like Amy suggest, concentrate on San Francisco, and be prepared to pay a bit. I would start with a drive across the Golden Gate, then park at the visitors center and walk at least part way over it.

Then drive into town and down Lombard Street. Then head over to the Wharf park and walk around there - grab some lunch, see the sea lions, etc. Maybe walk over to Beuna Vista and have a famous Irish Coffee and if that's your thing, or just enjoy the views, then hop the cable car to Union Square and enjoy the Christmas decorations there. Go to the top of the Hyatt Embarcadaro and have dinner or just a cocktail or diet coke (it revolves and gives you a 360 view). Then hop the cable car or snare a cab back to Fisherman's Wharf and your car and head back to San Mateo.

Yes, that's pretty much the whirlwind tour we give visitors when they come to visit us.

 

[diane57]

DH and I went to SF for 2 days for Thanksgiving and loved it! I second the above suggestions, and also if you have any extra time, SF has one of the best Chinatowns in the world, great restaurants and shops, a very scenic part of the city. It's centrally located, sort of on the way to Union Square from the mid-waterfront area. If you want to find it quickly ask someone for the Ritz Carlton or the top of Knob Hill, Chinatown is a block away from the Ritz. ALSO Russian Hill, adjacent to the Fisherman's Wharf area, has gorgeous wonderful old homes and charming little side streets, and forever views, and is a great area for walking (interval walking, as it's so hilly!). Have a great time!

 

[amyg]

Personally, I would, like Amy suggest, concentrate on San Francisco, and be prepared to pay a bit. I would start with a drive across the Golden Gate, then park at the visitors center and walk at least part way over it.

Then drive into town and down Lombard Street. Then head over to the Wharf park and walk around there - grab some lunch, see the sea lions, etc. Maybe walk over to Beuna Vista and have a famous Irish Coffee and if that's your thing, or just enjoy the views, then hop the cable car to Union Square and enjoy the Christmas decorations there. Go to the top of the Hyatt Embarcadaro and have dinner or just a cocktail or diet coke (it revolves and gives you a 360 view). Then hop the cable car or snare a cab back to Fisherman's Wharf and your car and head back to San Mateo.

Yes, that's pretty much the whirlwind tour we give visitors when they come to visit us.

LOL I love Christine's plan!

Just be aware HOW COLD AND WINDY it will be on the bridge if you're going to walk. Like, colder and windier than you'd ever think possible. (So cold you have to make up a word like "windier"!) Can you tell I did that when I was little and haven't since?

So, if you're up by 7-8 and on your way up the peninsula by 8-9 then you're at the bridge by 9:30, across and park and walk, you can be down Lombard by say 11 and then on your way to the Wharf where the fun begins!

 

[andtckrtoo]

LOL I love Christine's plan!

Just be aware HOW COLD AND WINDY it will be on the bridge if you're going to walk. Like, colder and windier than you'd ever think possible. (So cold you have to make up a word like "windier"!) Can you tell I did that when I was little and haven't since?

I will second that! There is a reason that Mark Twain once said, that the coldest winter he ever spent was in San Francisco in the summer. It can get cold and damp here. But the views from the bridge are incredible. I love walking the Golden Gate.

 

[LillyBea]

Personally, I would, like Amy suggest, concentrate on San Francisco, and be prepared to pay a bit. I would start with a drive across the Golden Gate, then park at the visitors center and walk at least part way over it.

Then drive into town and down Lombard Street. Then head over to the Wharf park and walk around there - grab some lunch, see the sea lions, etc. Maybe walk over to Beuna Vista and have a famous Irish Coffee and if that's your thing, or just enjoy the views, then hop the cable car to Union Square and enjoy the Christmas decorations there. Go to the top of the Hyatt Embarcadaro and have dinner or just a cocktail or diet coke (it revolves and gives you a 360 view). Then hop the cable car or snare a cab back to Fisherman's Wharf and your car and head back to San Mateo.

Yes, that's pretty much the whirlwind tour we give visitors when they come to visit us.

I went to SF for a week in October and stayed a couple of nights at the Hyatt Embarcadero, and I am sad to report that the restaurant at the top of the hotel (the revolving one) has closed. In addition to all the suggestions, I highly recommend the Yerba Buena Arts Center with beautiful gardens surrounding it. Also, if you want to see the Golden Gates Bridge but are short on time, you can see it from the Fisherman's Wharf. Instead of driving in, I also highly recommend using public transportation. It is very convenient and extremely easy to get around (and cheap!).