Great San Francisco Weekend - Trip Report
Feb 10th, 2004, 05:48 AM
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Great San Francisco Weekend - Trip Report
My husband and I just got back from a long weekend in San Francisco, so I thought I'd share our trip report for others planning a trip.
We arrived Thursday night and since we were staying with a friend in Berkeley, hopped on the BART from the airport for the trip. It was an easy journey, even though it required changing trains twice. A new BART schedule effective yesterday will make that trip easier in the future!
Friday we met a friend for lunch at a taqueria on Mission. (Just called "La Taqueria".) The carne asada there was great! We all enjoyed our meals. We also saw Mission Dolores while in the area.
After lunch we rode the Powell-Hyde cable car for a way up Powell, hopping off at Jackson to work our way over to Columbus for a walk through North Beach, up to Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. This walk was very nice, but we were a bit disappointed with the views from Coit Tower. Because you are looking through very narrow windows, you can only see bits of the city at once. I'm glad we did it once (we love great views in cities), but wouldn't return there.
From Coit Tower we walked down to the water and along it toward Pier 41 where we were catching the ferry to Alcatraz for the evening tour. We did stop along the way to see the sea lions at Pier 39. They were great fun to watch! But otherwise we avoided all else in this area. Just too cheesy for me.
Going to Alcatraz at nightw as very interesting. The audio tour is great, and we had a great guide for the first portion of the journey. We started with one of the other guided programs after the audio tour, but that guide was not particularly interesting, and her program was pretty boring, so we just wandered around a bit until the door locking demonstration. That was really neat to see - the whole mechanism is pretty amazing. Of course, it started to rain on us while we were out there, so that got pretty cold. But all in all we had amazingly wonderful weather all weekend - warm and sunny!
After dinner I really wanted to head back to a restaurant in North Beach that we had seen earlier. There were no cabs to be found around Pier 41/Fisherman's Wharf, I'm sure due to the cold rain. So, we finally hopped the Muni F-Line and then walked a few more blocks from there to dinner. We had really tasty Italian food at Macaroni Sciue Sciue on Columbus, just south of Jackson. The waiters couldn't have been more personable, and the food was reasonably priced, though the salads we had before the meal were a bit expensive, we thought. Still, the evening was so much fun, and we really did enjoy the food (gnocchi for two of us, and pizza for the third). I'd definitely go back there!
On Saturday we got up and, after a very long bus ride, walked out onto the
Golden Gate Bridge. We took the #38 bus from Market Street out Geary to Park Presidio Blvd. That took almost an hour, then we waited about 25 minutes for the #28 bus that took us to the bridge. All in all, about 90 minutes of travel to get there, but totally worth the wait. The bridge is an amazing structure, and the views from there are just stunning. We walked out about half-way, then turned around because we had a lot of ground to cover that day.
We walked all along the water, past Crissy Field, to Ghirardelli Square for the sole purpose of having ice cream sundaes for lunch. We can get ice cream at home, but would not generally do so for lunch, except maybe on vacation.
It was really great to see people enjoying their Saturday - flying kites, walking dogs, etc.
We worked our way from there to Chinatown via cable car, because the main reason for going this weekend was to see the Chinese New Year parade Saturday evening. We spent a few
hours wandering Chinatown, which was unbelievably packed. They had a big festival there Saturday and Sunday, and there were just so many people around. It was a lot of fun. We found a spot for the parade at
4:45, but it didn't actually reach us until 6:15. My only disappointment about the trip is that, finally, at 8:30 I had to give up. My entire body ached from standing still for so long, after walking 2 11-mile days, and I just couldn't do it any longer. Plus, the
other people who were with us had left about 30 minutes before to find a restaurant since they were tired of standing around. So, I missed seeing the finale of the parade - a 201-foot long dragon paraded through the streets by 100 people. I really wanted to
see it, but I think it was about 9:30 before the parade actually ended. If I had known it would be so long, I would have just gone for the second half of the parade. Still, most of what I did see was fun.
I don't remember the name of the restaurant we ate at, but it was a Chinese seafood place on Jackson, just west of Columbus. The food was good, but nothing spectacular. Just good.
Sunday we had another wonderful day. We were staying in Berkeley at a friend's house, so on Sunday we decided to stay in Berkeley and see the campus areas. We had great pizza
for lunch at Zachary's (actually in Oakland), then wandered around downtown Berkeley for
a bit. Then we met up with another friend on campus and threw a frisbee around and kicked a soccer ball around for a couple hours. That was such a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend our last day on vacation!
The trip back to the airport and home was uneventful. Vacation was too short as usual, but it definitely made us want to go back to San Francisco with more time to explore in the future!
We arrived Thursday night and since we were staying with a friend in Berkeley, hopped on the BART from the airport for the trip. It was an easy journey, even though it required changing trains twice. A new BART schedule effective yesterday will make that trip easier in the future!
Friday we met a friend for lunch at a taqueria on Mission. (Just called "La Taqueria".) The carne asada there was great! We all enjoyed our meals. We also saw Mission Dolores while in the area.
After lunch we rode the Powell-Hyde cable car for a way up Powell, hopping off at Jackson to work our way over to Columbus for a walk through North Beach, up to Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower. This walk was very nice, but we were a bit disappointed with the views from Coit Tower. Because you are looking through very narrow windows, you can only see bits of the city at once. I'm glad we did it once (we love great views in cities), but wouldn't return there.
From Coit Tower we walked down to the water and along it toward Pier 41 where we were catching the ferry to Alcatraz for the evening tour. We did stop along the way to see the sea lions at Pier 39. They were great fun to watch! But otherwise we avoided all else in this area. Just too cheesy for me.
Going to Alcatraz at nightw as very interesting. The audio tour is great, and we had a great guide for the first portion of the journey. We started with one of the other guided programs after the audio tour, but that guide was not particularly interesting, and her program was pretty boring, so we just wandered around a bit until the door locking demonstration. That was really neat to see - the whole mechanism is pretty amazing. Of course, it started to rain on us while we were out there, so that got pretty cold. But all in all we had amazingly wonderful weather all weekend - warm and sunny!
After dinner I really wanted to head back to a restaurant in North Beach that we had seen earlier. There were no cabs to be found around Pier 41/Fisherman's Wharf, I'm sure due to the cold rain. So, we finally hopped the Muni F-Line and then walked a few more blocks from there to dinner. We had really tasty Italian food at Macaroni Sciue Sciue on Columbus, just south of Jackson. The waiters couldn't have been more personable, and the food was reasonably priced, though the salads we had before the meal were a bit expensive, we thought. Still, the evening was so much fun, and we really did enjoy the food (gnocchi for two of us, and pizza for the third). I'd definitely go back there!
On Saturday we got up and, after a very long bus ride, walked out onto the
Golden Gate Bridge. We took the #38 bus from Market Street out Geary to Park Presidio Blvd. That took almost an hour, then we waited about 25 minutes for the #28 bus that took us to the bridge. All in all, about 90 minutes of travel to get there, but totally worth the wait. The bridge is an amazing structure, and the views from there are just stunning. We walked out about half-way, then turned around because we had a lot of ground to cover that day.
We walked all along the water, past Crissy Field, to Ghirardelli Square for the sole purpose of having ice cream sundaes for lunch. We can get ice cream at home, but would not generally do so for lunch, except maybe on vacation.
It was really great to see people enjoying their Saturday - flying kites, walking dogs, etc. We worked our way from there to Chinatown via cable car, because the main reason for going this weekend was to see the Chinese New Year parade Saturday evening. We spent a few
hours wandering Chinatown, which was unbelievably packed. They had a big festival there Saturday and Sunday, and there were just so many people around. It was a lot of fun. We found a spot for the parade at
4:45, but it didn't actually reach us until 6:15. My only disappointment about the trip is that, finally, at 8:30 I had to give up. My entire body ached from standing still for so long, after walking 2 11-mile days, and I just couldn't do it any longer. Plus, the
other people who were with us had left about 30 minutes before to find a restaurant since they were tired of standing around. So, I missed seeing the finale of the parade - a 201-foot long dragon paraded through the streets by 100 people. I really wanted to
see it, but I think it was about 9:30 before the parade actually ended. If I had known it would be so long, I would have just gone for the second half of the parade. Still, most of what I did see was fun.
I don't remember the name of the restaurant we ate at, but it was a Chinese seafood place on Jackson, just west of Columbus. The food was good, but nothing spectacular. Just good.
Sunday we had another wonderful day. We were staying in Berkeley at a friend's house, so on Sunday we decided to stay in Berkeley and see the campus areas. We had great pizza
for lunch at Zachary's (actually in Oakland), then wandered around downtown Berkeley for
a bit. Then we met up with another friend on campus and threw a frisbee around and kicked a soccer ball around for a couple hours. That was such a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend our last day on vacation!
The trip back to the airport and home was uneventful. Vacation was too short as usual, but it definitely made us want to go back to San Francisco with more time to explore in the future!
Feb 10th, 2004, 06:47 AM
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I'm glad you enjoyed SF. We had a great time there too on a 4-day weekend. Plan to go back next year.
I just hope the Fodor's board police don't scold you for not going to San Jose and being a member of the SF Tourist Board.
I just hope the Fodor's board police don't scold you for not going to San Jose and being a member of the SF Tourist Board.
Feb 10th, 2004, 08:33 AM
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Great report, Jenifer. Next time plan to go to the bridge on Sunday taking bus 76, it runs up Sutter, along Van Ness, and to the bridge. Also taking bus 29 instead of 28 could've saved some time. I'm posting this for others who'll plan a similar trip.
Feb 10th, 2004, 08:48 AM
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Budman - Let the accusations fly! 
Faina - I don't know when my next time might be, but does the 76 only run on Sunday? (That was not really an option for us this trip.) Also, where would you pick up the 29? I had read that both would go to the bridge, but the muni trip planner suggested this route, and I didn't really explore it further.
Faina - I don't know when my next time might be, but does the 76 only run on Sunday? (That was not really an option for us this trip.) Also, where would you pick up the 29? I had read that both would go to the bridge, but the muni trip planner suggested this route, and I didn't really explore it further.
Feb 10th, 2004, 10:42 AM
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Bus 76 runs on Sunday and holidays only, once an hour.
I don't remember where you can board 29... if 28 is on Presidio (13th ave) then 29 is on 25th ave... or vise versa. Between lines 28 and 29 one runs along Presidio - 13th avenue, and the other along 25th ave... can't remember which is which.
I don't remember where you can board 29... if 28 is on Presidio (13th ave) then 29 is on 25th ave... or vise versa. Between lines 28 and 29 one runs along Presidio - 13th avenue, and the other along 25th ave... can't remember which is which.
Feb 10th, 2004, 12:35 PM
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Jenifer:
Thanks for an excellent report...
Living in and around the places that you relished reminds me to go out into my own front yard!
Zachary's is excellent. I "complain" about the line but by hubby and son LOVE it.
You make "us" sound good!
Oaktown Traveler
Thanks for an excellent report...
Living in and around the places that you relished reminds me to go out into my own front yard!
Zachary's is excellent. I "complain" about the line but by hubby and son LOVE it.
You make "us" sound good!
Oaktown Traveler
Feb 10th, 2004, 01:26 PM
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The number 29 bus runs along Sunset Blvd., then heads east on Lincoln Way, turns north on 19th Ave., and then goes through the park to the 25th Avenue exit. It continues on 25th Ave. into the Presidio. There is a stop right at the Golden Gate Bridge.
The number 28 bus runs down 19th Avenue all the way until it hits the park, goes through the park (sorry, it's Golden Gate Park) and comes out on Park Presidio Boulevard. It continues on Park Presidio towards the bridge and it too has a stop right at the bridge toll plaza.
FYI, "Thirteenth" Avenue in San Francisco is Funston Avenue. I know because I grew up on Fourteenth Aveue near Judah and had this superstition explained to me as a wee tot.
The number 28 bus runs down 19th Avenue all the way until it hits the park, goes through the park (sorry, it's Golden Gate Park) and comes out on Park Presidio Boulevard. It continues on Park Presidio towards the bridge and it too has a stop right at the bridge toll plaza.
FYI, "Thirteenth" Avenue in San Francisco is Funston Avenue. I know because I grew up on Fourteenth Aveue near Judah and had this superstition explained to me as a wee tot.
Feb 10th, 2004, 02:55 PM
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Faina: Park Presidio was started about 100 years to link up the GG Park with the Presidio, ergo, the name "Park Presidio". It is now part of the state highway system and is also known as Highway 1.
Funston is a city street, like 12th and 14th.
Park Presidio lies parallel to Funston and 14th and between them.
Confusing, huh?
Funston is a city street, like 12th and 14th.
Park Presidio lies parallel to Funston and 14th and between them.
Confusing, huh?
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