Here are some of our ideas for our upcoming August SF trip. We are splitting out time between SF, Monterey, and Cambria/Hearst Castle. I don't want to be too stressed out...especially with the driving. Let me know if this plan seems doable or just too much. Thanks,

Aug 2--Fly into Oakland arrive 3:30pm
shuttle to Fisherman's Warf-hotel
Check in and unpack
Dinner somewhere near hotel
Doodle around Fisherman's Warf area

Fri Aug 3
Check out Musee Mechanique
Tour China Town
late lunch/early dinner in China
Town
Night Time Alcatraz Tour (leaves
4:30pm)

Sat August 4
Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
Lunch in Sausalito???
Ferry back to SF
Open evening--any suggestions?

Sun Aug 5
No set plans yet...
Cable Car Museum?
Maritime Museum?
Walking Tour?

Mon Aug 6
rent car to head out of city
(any rental spots close to
Fisherman's Wharf area?)
Drive down to Monterey
Monterey Bay Aquarium Tour
Check out Cannery Row and
Monterey
Dinner at Bushwhackers in Mont.
We will be spending the night in
Monterey

Tuesday August 7
leave Monterey early morn
head south to Cambria
(not sure which route to take)
tour Hearst Castle
dinner somewhere in Cambria area
Staying at Cambria hotel

Wed August 8th
Check out Cambria's beaches
(if we don't get a chance to do
this the day before)
Head north back to SF
(maybe taking the more scenic
route this day)
Drop off rental car
Back to Fisherman's Warf Hotel

Thursday August 9th
Breakfast near the hotel
Shuttle to the airport
flight out of Oakland 10:30am

What do you think? I am anxious about driving the rental out of SF. A bit anxious about the timeline of our drive south. Any info is GREATLY appreciated...I am a timid traveller.

Dear bebalm:

On Sunday, head out to Golden Gate Park: deYound Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, Japanese Tea Garden. The go out to the Cliff House. This would be easier with a car, but is doable.

Don't stress about the driving. Just avoid rush hour and you will be fine.

MY

The logical way to go from Monterey to Cambria, is Hwy 1/ the scenic route. Then on the way back to SF, take Hwy 1 south to 46 east to 101 north. That takes you back to SF (4 1/2 to 5 hours maybe). Leave by 9am to avoid rush hour back in the SF Bay area.

Warning about Musee Mechanique - it's not exactly a museum, it's more an arcade place - old and new. Make sure you have plenty of quarters with you, especially if you are with children.

In Sausalito I recommend Spinnaker - even if $20 a plate is a bit high for lunch, go for it. The views of the city (and Sausalito on the right, Tiburon on the left) are the best!

Maritime museum is now closed for renovation. Hyde Street pier is opened, and a very interesting place. Also, if you are into sea/engineering type of museums, Bay Model museum in Sausalito is very worth visiting, and I think it's free.

You are taking shuttles from/to the airport - just be aware, they charge less for the 2nd, 3rd person - don't know how many of you are traveling. Also search the internet for coupons. And tourist booklets.

Check out the Bay Shuttle, used to be the least expensive if you make internet reservations.

thanks for the pointers. As long as we have enough time to fit in Hearst Castle on the way down we will be doing well. Thanks for all the info!!

I agree with MichelleY, the DeYoung Museum, Conservatory of Flowers, and Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park are all wonderful, and close to each other. If you don't have a car, it's easy to get there on a city bus.

When you're in Monterey, if you can fit it in, I highly recommend you go to Point Lobos and walk on the spectacular trails by the ocean - breathtaking! Maybe you could do it either after you visit the aquarium, or the next morning on your way to Cambria - you'll drive right past it on Highway 1. Also, try to stop at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and take the short walk to see the beautiful waterfall that that drops to the beach.

are their shuttles readily available at the Oakland Airport? How long of a ride is it from Oakland airport to Fisherman's wharf?

I took a shuttle only once from OAK, at night, it was there waiting, I got on, sat in it for maybe 10' waiting for more passengers.

I would think the shuttles are always there like at SFO.

How long a ride depends on the route - you can be the first one to be dropped off, or the last one.

any other takers?

Bring a jacket - really. It is not a rumor, it can be awfully chilly in the evenings in San Francisco because the fog (which I love) blows in every few days. Do book your Alcatraz tour online and do rent the audio tour when you are there. It is so worth it.

I can recommend the Cafe Trieste in Sausalito, where you can eat a decent slice of pizza or pasta, drink a really great latte, grab a gelato and then stroll along the harbor to see the moored boats (and a Moorish houseboat, if you are lucky). Great Japanese food is to be found at Sushi Ran on Caledonia Street if you can pry yourself away from the waterside views, as this is in the real "downtown" of Sausalito and away from the water.
Since you will get in a ferry ride to Alcatraz, consider renting a car and driving over the Golden Gate bridge, park on the landing on the far side of the bridge, walk as far as you want then turn around (windy, windy) and then drive to Sausalito for lunch
(quite a walk from the Golden Gate Bridge, though thankfully downhill all the way into Sausalito ), then take the drive up HW 1 to see (and walk in ) Muir Woods as it is aweome, maybe drive a little further to Muir Beach and have hot chocolate at the Pelican Inn, which is near the beach and cozy and picturesque. Otherwise, if you are a walker, you should be able to do the bridge, walk to Sausalito, then ferry back to the city.

Also, you might want to check rates as far as picking up your car in the city, and then dropping it off in Oakland when you reach the airport instead of releasing the car a day early and then paying for the shuttle to Oakland. You might find that the cost, if you have a hotel with parking, is comparable.

any other suggestions?

If possible, take the night time tour of Hearst Castle. They have actors/people lounging about as they would have in Hearst's day and the guide we had was great fun giving us the history and the gossip.