Stunning San Francisco
We drove up from Los Angeles on the I5 and dropped the car off at Union Square, you wont need a car in SF as Fishermans Wharf and Union Square, which are the main tourist areas, are only about 10 minutes away from each other.
We stayed in Fishermans Wharf in a 3 star plus hotel, which was set back about five minutes walk from Pier 39, which was an ideal location for catching the tram at the end of the road. It had free internet access and complimentary breakfasts, free coffee and tea in the morning and free wine at their evening reception. I would definitely recommend this hotel for your stay as it is only thirty minutes from the airport.
Pier 39 is the busiest pier as it has plenty of shops, restaurants and even an aquarium. At Pier 33 you can catch the boat over to Alcatraz, a trip that I would definitely recommend. Take the cell house audio tour to get a feel for what life was like for the inmates.
The Port Terminal for the cruise lines is situated at Pier 33, so if you are taking a cruise, the excursions would go from here.
The one thing I was looking forward to was the food and I wasn’t disappointed, go to Pier 47 to Nicks Restaurant where you can try their famous Dungeness crab, lobster and of course the clam chowder. The quality of the food was amazing everywhere in San Francisco! Straddling the San Francisco bay are the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay bridges, both are stunning. We rented out bicycles and rode across the Golden Gate Bridge – it was just magical! It was busy with people running, walking and cycling across.
We took a day trip to Yosemite National Park, the round trip was 14 hours by coach, but it really was worth it. As we were visiting in May, the waterfalls in the park were free-flowing as the snow was melting on top of the mountains. The scenery was breathtaking but unfortunately we didn’t get to see the giant Sequoias as there had been too much snow and the road was closed.
If you like to shop then Union Square is the place to be. From designer shops to retail outlets, you could spend a fortune here with the top quality goods on offer.
We of course rode the cable cars and what an experience; hanging off the side of the car to see the steep hills of San Francisco and the SF Bay as the backdrop was so much fun! There is a high rise financial district to the city but in the main the buildings and residential houses are low rise and very pretty.
If you are thinking of visiting San Francisco, don’t delay, it is beautiful. The people are lovely, the food is amazing and there is plenty to keep you busy. It also has a couple of beaches, where you can relax - I will definitely be going back!
I would recommend pre-booking your tours before leaving the UK as Alcatraz in particular can be booked up for a week in advance and if you are only in town for a few days, you could miss out.