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First time in SF but only one day to see it...

First time in SF but only one day to see it...

Old Jan 29th, 2006, 06:21 PM
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First time in SF but only one day to see it...

I will be in SF arriving in SF late evening and leaving late the next afternoon. Since I have about 8 hours of tourist time I am now pretty sure I will just do a one-day tour for an overview of the city. I am told not to miss Alcatraz.

Anyone recommend a good tour company? How about this one: http://www.allsanfranciscotours.com/...tour=SFO-B0002

Thanks,

Marc
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 06:27 PM
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Or this one?

http://www.graylinesanfrancisco.com/...cation_id/1121

Marc
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 06:51 PM
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allsanfranciscotours is a good company. Will you have enough time?
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 07:17 PM
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You are now told to miss Alcatraz. If you go there, you will see Alcatraz, but you will not see San Francisco (except from Alcatraz). A tour of Alcatraz will basically take all of your time, so you will not see the city, only the old prison island out in the bay.

Try the Barbary Coast Tour (self guiding) around downtown SF. It follows the old coastline, five or ten blocks inland from the Bay. Or a bus tour of the 49 mile drive if you want a guided tour. Or go to Alcatraz, just be aware that you're going to see Alcatraz, not San Francisco.
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 07:43 PM
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skip Alcatraz

ride a cable car
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 07:43 PM
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thru Chinatown to Fishermans Wharf
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 09:51 PM
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I wouldn't do a tour-you'll see everything so quickly, through a bus window or at a quick photo-op, that it will be no different than flipping through a coffee table book or watching a video. Pick one or two things to really do and assume this won't be your only time in SF.

I would say if there's one thing to do, it's walking across (or just partway across) the Golden Gate Bridge. The Barbary Coast walking tour is also a fantastic idea. Alcatraz is neat but not the one thing I'd do with that short amount of time-the poster who said you won't see any of SF is right.
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Old Jan 29th, 2006, 10:36 PM
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visit the ferry building, walk downtown and admire the beautiful architecture, and stroll across the golden gate bridge. skip the rest unless you want the complete touristy things (fisherman's wharf, etc = super tourist). the golden gate may be touristy, but at least you get to SEE san francisco because the view (not to mention the bridge itself) is amazing. you can see so much from the vista points there. san francisco is about art, food, and whatever you may find on the streets.
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 06:52 AM
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Thanks for all the great info. The tour is 6 hours total, from 10-4. 3.5 hours in the city and 2.5 hours on Alcatraz.

More details on my short stay: I will be flying into SFO at 7pm Tuesday night from NJ. Want to wake up early the next day (Wed) and see the City. Need to leave that afternoon and drive to South Lake Tahoe where I am skiing for four days (Thurs-Sun). Not sure what time I should be on the road from SF for the 3.5 hour drive to Tahoe?

Any suggestions?

Marc
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 09:06 AM
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Lets see..... you are arriving late one day and leaving late afternoon the next - but you are contemplating a tour that lasts from 10 to 4 that includes Alcatraz. You'll probably won't leave SF till 4:30 or 5 - at the peak of rush hour across the Bay Bridge. Getting to Tahoe will take much longer than 3 1/2 hrs at this time - at night You may not even leave the Bay Area in 3 1/2 hrs if the traffic is worse than normal. It may take 6 hrs to get to Tahoe if it's snowing.

Also, most people advised you to skip Alcatraz. Count me as another advisor to skip it. It's not really San Francisco, anyway.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 10:49 AM
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I know, I know its an ambitious plan but I was traveling alone so I REALLY thought I could pull it off!!!!

I think a better (and more realistic) plan is to just do the Grey Line Deluxe City Tour which starts at 9:15 and is over by 12:45.

Anyone do this tour or suggest any others:

http://www.graylinesanfrancisco.com/...cation_id/1121

Thanks.
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 11:08 AM
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there's ambitious and there's barely possible! i think you need a more realistic driving time for getting out of the city and to Tahoe (as you've been given). yes the 3 hour bus tour sounds like a much better idea to me.

i still don't get the fascination with Alcatraz, having been to SF loads of times myself, it never even occurred to me to include it.
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 11:40 AM
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Thanks Suze. In your earlier post you mentioned riding a cable car thru Fisherman's Wharf to Chinatown. Where would you park to do this?

I am still not sold on the Gray Line tour and may just "wing it" for a few hours. Problem is I know NOTHING about SF in terms of where things are located.
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 12:18 PM
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If you wing it, I'm with Suze. Ride a cable car, have lunch (dim sum) in Chinatown, check out Fisherman's wharf, get an ice cream at Ghiradelli.
I do like half day tours when in a new place, however, since it gives you a good orientation of the area, and some facts and tidbits you wouldn't otherwise learn.
Have fun!
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 12:37 PM
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Here is a link to the self-guiding Barbary Coast tour that Sequoia suggested. It covers some of the most interesting parts of the city and includes a cable car ride. This allows you to hit the highlights without being stuck on a bus or having to plan your own itinerary:

http://www.sfhistory.org/bct/flash_index.html
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 01:10 PM
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When you get to SF on Tuesday, I would suggest that you explore the North Beach area that first night. It stays open very late. Have dinner at one of the many Italian places on Columbus St between Broadway & Filbert St

The Wharf is ultra-touristy tacky - but it's the best place to pick up a Cable Car. Get a map of SF at AAA. Arrive at the Wharf area early (9:00) to avoid the crowds at the Cable Car pick-up. There is a parking garage at the Beach St side of Ghirardelli - which would be my choice since it will save you from looking around for a parking space and also save you from having to walk through the Wharf now. The Cable Car pick-up is at the extreme northern end of Hyde St in front of Ghirardelli. Hop on the car, and sit on the east side for the best views. The east side will be the "other" side - the side facing you as you are in line is the west side.

Watch for the "crooked" Lombard St (you can't see it from the west side of the car) and also enjoy the views of the bay, Downtown, Coit Tower, & the Bay Bridge from the east side.

Take the car all the way to the end. You will pass Union Sq just before the trip terminates. Walk back to Union Sq & look around. Then if you want to visit Chinatown, walk east on Post St (north end of Union Sq, 1 block to Grant. Turn left & walk north a few blocks & through the Chinatown gates. Chinatown is kinda tacky too, but tourists love it. The "real" Chinatown (where the Chinese shop) is 1 block west on Stockton. If you want to go there, continue on Grant till Pacific St, turn left & walk 1 block west to Stockton. Turn left & then walk south along Stockton till you get to Sacramento St (Stockton enters a tunnel there). Turn left on Sacramento and walk several blocks to the Financial district all the way to The Embarcadero (waterfront promenade). You will see the Ferry Building directly in front of you at the end of Sacramento. I don't know where the Barbary Coast route starts, but it goes along the Embarcadero for a while. Follow it. You can return to the Wharf to pick up the car by continuing along the Embarcadero - which is a very lovely promenade.

Hopefullly you will get to the Wharf late enough so you are not enticed to linger too long there.

Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 30th, 2006, 09:51 PM
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I live in San Francisco, and it took me 4 years to get over to Alcatraz. You have to plan ahead to get tix... Anyway, you aren't missing much if you skip it. If you want to just take a ferry ride, go somewhere else (Sausalito, Larkspur, Tiburon) and ride back and forth.

With only 1 day, I would definatly recommend riding the Powell Street cable car (not the one on California Street), drive down the curvy part of Lombard Street, enjoy the beautiful views of the Golden Gate Bridge, eat some dim sum in Chinatown, and if you have time, have drinks at the Top of the Mark (Mark Hopkins Hotel on Nob Hill).
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Old Feb 1st, 2006, 08:10 AM
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My first one day tour of San Francisco (but I had a full day with a flight in the late evening) made me fall in love with the Bay Area and it's now my home.

How can I say this strongly enough: SKIP ALCATRAZ!! I don't know who told you this, but there is nothing all that wonderful about it and it is a downright creepy introduction to a very beautiful city. It is for the most touristy of tourists. The kind you want to avoid, or you wouldn't be on this board. Save it for a later trip if you must.

I'd take a short city tour, and if you have some time after that pick an area by the water: do a power walk over the Golden Gate Bridge if you have time, you will have a MUCH better view of the area than from a boat going around Alcatraz.
The area around the Ferry Building is a possibility (and may be convenient to your hotel & vehicle for a quick escape.

You didn't say what day of the week you are doing the drive to Tahoe. This has a big impact on time it takes, as well as weather. And if you MUT be in Tahoe by a certain time, you must allow extra time for traffic, which can be very bad even in good weather. Especially on Fridays. On a Friday, I think you need to be on the road by 1pm to avoid the afternoon traffic jams. Even in good weather, on a Friday it can easily take 4 hours to get to Sacramento! And heaven help you if there is a heavy rain, or at higher elevations snow, which is very very possible at this time of year. (That's why this is the ski season...)

One more thing....SKIP ALCATRAZ!!!!!!
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Old Feb 24th, 2006, 10:24 AM
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I wouldn’t choose any of those tour companies. Instead, try Extranomical Adventures:

http://www.extranomical.com

They have smaller, more intimate tours and they travel in a smaller vehicle rather than a gigantic bus. Especially important if you are traveling to Yosemite and would like to see the Giant Sequoia Grove. The busses cant get up there.

If Wine Country is what you're after, then the Muir Woods and Wine Country tour would be a good choice. They tend to stick to the more smaller wineries so you wont get mixed up in all the commotion occurring at the larger corporate Napa wineries.

Hope this helps.

Happy Travels.
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