Will be arriving San Fran @ 7:25pm
on Fri March 13
will take BART to Hyatt Embarcadero

Sat Breakfast at Les Croissant
(I believe this is across the street from the hotel and is a Vietnamese Donut place???)
Ride Cable Cars stopping in Chinatown and Union Square along the way. (is this is to just get on and off???)
Eat at Seafood Stands @ Taylor and Jefferson Street around Noon
(any comments on this??)
1:30 Segway tour-3hrs
4:30 Ice Cream in Ghiradelli Square
see Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39, Sea Lions
7:00 Macaron Scui Scui for dinner
(any comments on this, we will be dressed casual)

Sun
8:00 Ride Muni to Golden Gate Park
Japanese Tea Garden
Flower Conservatory
Tulips should be in bloom???
1:30 Yank Sing for Dim Sum
(is this to late for Dim Sum or is it still in full swing at that time???)
4:00 Alcatraz Evening Tour
(exact tour time is not yet available)
7:30 Bistro Boudin on pier 43.5

Mon
Car Rental opens @ 7:30
drive over Golden Gate Bridge
Muir Woods
Point Reyes
Don't know what hikes I want to do or where I want to eat at on this
plan on getting back to hotel by 10:00pm ( Do I want to drive thru wine country on my return, if we are in daylight???)

Tues
Depart Hotel around 8:30 via BART
get brea
Depart SFO airport 11:00
(should I depart hotel earlier??)

You certainly like to plan ahead.

A couple of thoughts/comments:

Yank Sing should still be busy at 1:30 on a Sunday--we were there around that time when we ate there on a Sunday in May and it was still busy.

If you like Vietnamese food, it would be a shame not to include lunch or dinner at the Slanted Door across the street from the Hyatt in the Ferry Bldg (make reservations well in advance).

When you're at Golden Gate Park, take the time to ride up the tower in the DeYoung Museum for the great views (it's right next to the Japanese Garden and it's free).

I know I'm biased against the Wharf - but that's a lot of time at the Wharf. I don't know if the segway tour is around there too - but if it is, you're missing out on most of what (IMO) makes this city interesting and unique. I think your Sat schedule is pretty loaded - but do-able if you're quite active & don't need a rest.

Sun
8:00 is pretty early in March. I doubt if you can get up, have breakfast, and catch Muni in time to do all the things you want to do in the park & get back for Dem Sum. The conservatory of Flowers & the Tulips are at the opposite ends of the park - that's a lot of walking. I suggest that you rent a bike somwewhere on Stanyan & bike the park instead.
Back to the Wharf for Alcatraz & dinner!!?? Why don't you try to do something more "real San Francisco"?? After Alcatraz, take the Cable Car up to Lombard St. Get off & walk down & back the twisty section. Then walk south on Hyde to Green and have dinner at Frascati. After dinner, hop on the Cable car again & connect with the Calif line back to your hotel.

Stu Dudley

When you're at Golden Gate Park, take the time to ride up the tower in the DeYoung Museum for the great views (it's right next to the Japanese Garden and it's free).

Sorry, but I have to correct you. The ride is not free, it's included in the museum admission which is $10, or $8 with MUNI ticket.

The first Tue of the month is free.

Hmm...when I was just there in May (on a Saturday), I was told there was no admission charge for the outdoor sculpture garden or the tower, and we were able to ride up to the tower without paying the museum admission. I'm pretty sure I confirmed that information with a 2nd museum guard before we went up the elevator to the tower to be sure as I didn't want to be doing something you weren't supposed to.

This seems to confirm what I was told (the information about admission to the right of the page):

http://www.sfgate.com/deyoung/

I'm sorry, but I'm really confused. You are staying at Hyatt Embarcadero and riding cable cars from there stopping in Chinatown and Union Square on the way to -- where? If you meant on the way to Fisherman's Wharf, that isn't going to happen.

And having done dim sum on a Sunday at Yank Sing -- I'd say forget it. We had a spectacular lunch at Slanted Door for LESS MONEY for infinitely better food. Since you can plan ahead -- obviously -- get a reservation at Slanted Door and forget about the overpriced, mediocre Yank Sing. Or even do dim sum in a regular Chinatown place.

NW, it was probably when they first opened after the remodeling.

http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/visiting/index.asp

Hours & Admissions


Hours
Tuesday through Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Fridays until 8:45 p.m.

Open July 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Closed January 1, Thanksgiving Day, and December 25

The museum closes at 4 p.m. on December 24 and 31.

Admission
Adults $10, Seniors 65 and over $7, Youths 13-17 $6, College Students with ID $6, Children 12 and under FREE. There is a $5 special exhibition surcharge for Chihuly at the de Young.

Admission tickets to the de Young may be used on the same day for free entrance to the Legion of Honor.

First Tuesday of each month FREE. Special exhibition fees, if any, still apply.

Muni riders with Fast Pass or transfer receive a $2 discount.

FAMSF Members are always FREE. Not a Member? Join today!

Phone
415.750.3600

Nothing about free admission to the tower or to the sculpture gardens (I think the gardens are still free).

Well, I can only speak from my recent personal experience and as I said, more than one museum guard I spoke to at the museum said the tower was free and we were not asked to pay (nor was there anyone checking tickets) when we went up the tower in May.

And NeoPatrick, we had a very different experience at Yank Sing. I love the Slanted Door and recommended it to the OP as you can see, but we thought Yank Sing was excellent as well.

We did the Yank Sing at the Rincon Center near Embarcadero on a Sunday for brunch. We were seated in the "mall" area (atmosphere reminiscent of a nice mall food court to me) -- the inside was filled mainly with large groups. We (two of us) split just four different typical dishes of dim sum, all ok, but none of them "special" as far as we were concerned. I had a beer. We drank tap water. With tip and tax the bill was $60.10. We left rather hungry.

For lunch at Slanted Door just two days later we had pork over noodles with imperial rolls, Pho Bo beef noodle soup which was spectacular, and seared tuna with salad. We drank their green tea. With tax and tip the bill was $54.61. Every bite was wonderful and we left quite full.

Personally, on Saturday morning, especially since you're staying at the Hyatt, I would head straight for the Ferry Bldg. for breakfast and "sightseeing" at the enormous farmer's market (NY Magazine refers to it as the "granddaddy of them all") and permanent food market. Then I would WALK to and through Chinatown and North Beach. Continue to Fisherman's Wharf for lunch and Segway tour (not sure why you'd want to take a 3-hr. Segway tour around Fisherman's Wharf?). Take the cable car BACK from Fisherman's Wharf to the top of Powell Street, and walk down the hill to your hotel.

YES. dmlove's plan sounds like a perfect SF day to me!

Thanks for all of the replys. I don't know that I like Vietnamese food, I just know that the donut place was listed high on tripadivor and it is right across the street. We have never had dim sum anywhere and San Fran seems like the place to have it, if you were ever going to. I have my heart set on Bistro Boudin for some reason.

The Segway Tour is right near Ghiradelli Square. It just seemed like a good thing to do, to get an overview, plus I have never been on a segway.

If I am riding the Cable Cars from Hyatt to Ghiradelli, I can't get off and see Chinatown? I have looked at maps until I am exhausted with trying to figure out SF muni/bart/cable cars/street cars/buses. I was hopeful that it would be easier than what it seems, once I arrive. I do most definately like to plan ahead, and I don't particulary like the way I have this one planned so that is why I was asking several questions.

Basically, I want to spend two full days in SF. I want to Segway, Ride Cable Cars, see Alcatraz, eat Dim Sum, eat seafood.

I have another full day. I want to use that day for PT Reyes and possibly Muir Woods. I have been to Sequioa NP and will go to Redwoods next July. We stayed 3 days in Sequioa and we will only be in the Redwoods for a couple of hours. Do I even want to stop at Muir Woods? Is Tomales Pt. a must do in Point Reyes?

One more thing. If I am staying at the wrong place, please tell me. It just seemed easy to get to via Bart from airport without renting a car or a taxi.

10:30 or 1:30 is Segway tour time
5:00ish is Alcatraz Tour time ( tour times for spring aren't available yet)
I would like to eat Dim Sum for Lunch. The problem is that if we eat after the 10:30 Segway Tour which is 3 hours it will be 2. We never eat that late, plus it will seem like 4:00 to us as we are two hours difference in time zones. We like to eat light breakfast in our rooms or on the go. Then an early lunch around 11:00, then dinner early as well, when possible.
I was wanting to ride cable cars and see chinatown and eat dim sum there as well, if possible.

You are staying at the right place, at least location-wise.

Perhaps, you are confusing streetcars with cable cars.

Cable cars look on the map something like a cross. One line goes east-west from your hotel along California St up to Van Ness. You can get off on Powell, on another line toward the Bay.

Streetcars run like letter U with the bottom at your hotel.

BART is only to take from/to airports, unless you want to go to Berkeley.

And I agree, the bus system is confusing. Ask questions. Ask the driver, they all are trained to answer questions.

I think bus line #1 is the most convenient to get to Chinatown (Grant, Stockton streets). Or cable car along California St, so you can see the lion gates.

Oh, you are arriving on Friday the 13th!

Don't worry, by that time you'll have it all figured out and nailed!

Have you tried the 511 site? Sorry if you already know this, but it may help alittle if you play around with it and follow where it is sending you on a map. Someone had posted that they plotted their whole trip using it before they went. We weren't able to do that because we didn't know exactly where we would be each day.

Also, we found the map we bought when we bought our passes of the transit system was easier to follow than others I had seen. There are so many colors and different symbols it is mind boggling. Even when we were there we followed our map while on the bus to see where we were and where we wanted to get off. There wasn't a sign that said Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf -- you had to know what streets you wanted to get off at. The driver said she would tell us where to get off, but got busy and we ended up taking a tour of the route -- that was when we learned to figure it out ourselves. And once we did it wasn't that hard -- I know how you feel, it is hard to picture. NYC's subway was a piece of cake to figure out compared to this.

I'm definitely not an expert only having used it 1 1/2 days -- going back to try it again in about a month.