We are going to be in San Francisco around Jan 1. We were debating on driving to Sequioa or Yosemite for 3 or 4 days also. How do the trees at Muir Woods compare with the trees at Yosemite or Sequioa National Parks? I know that Muir is much smaller in area, but are the trees about the same? We were also thinking of doing a segway tour while there. We are 40 and will have our 13 year old with us. We will be interested in the tourist stuff. Golden Gate, cable Cars, Alcatraz, Chinatown, crooked streets, Fisherman's Wharf. I am not exactly sure which tour I want to do of Alcatraz. Do you have to wait in long lines for the cable cars? I am also a little confused in the difference of a trolley car, streetcar, and cable car. The segway tour has me a little concerned about weather at that time of year. What is the best place for Dim Sum in Chinatown. I am not entirely sure what Dim Sum even is. PF Changs is about as exotic for Chinese food as we get. We were thinking of eating at Boudin's Bistro also. We would most likely rather do Sequioa and Yosemite at a later date in the summer, but at the same time, it might be interesting in the winter. The winter weather and requirement of tire chains sounds kind of iffy to me. We have been to several National Parks, but never to any in California. We have been to LA and San Diego. My wife and child have never been to San Francisco and it has been 25 years since I have been. At the time I went, the cable cars were closed for refurbishing. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I would highly recommend a visit to the Exploratorium (hands on science musuem) for your family. We took our teens there when they were 12 and 15 years old and they loved it. (So did we adults.) You can easily spend a whole day there. We also booked a visit to the Tactile Dome which we all enjoyed as well. If you do the Tactile Dome, I'd recommend going after-hours so as not to take up Exploratorium time. Even though we were there all day, we still didn't have enough time to see everything and we were glad that we had booked the Tactile Dome for the evening.

Coastal redwoods and giant Sequoias are not the same trees. The former grow in length, the latter in girth. Moreover, the setting is quite different.

Make sure you carry chains if going to the Sierra. But if going to Yosemite, you do not need to go to Sequoia. The southern end of Yosemite has a grove of giant Sequoias, or you could go to Calaveras Big Tree SP to see them there (and visit gold country at the same time).

Micheal is correct. The coastal redwoods and sierra redwoods are two different species, but spectacular in their own rights. Stick to SF/coastal redwoods on this trip, since your wife & child have never been. Plan a trip to Yosemite in spring or summer when the waterfalls are at their peak.

MY

P.S.

There are two cable car lines: Powell/Mason are the busiest with long lines. We prefer the California Street cable car since it is usually not crowded and takes us down toward the Ferry Bldg. Cable cars run on a cable beneath the street and are what you see in ads, books etc.

What I call trolleys are the street cars that run on overhead power sources and on tracks.

Good luck and have fun.

MY

In January, esspecially mid-week, you shouldn't have much wait for the cable cars. If you ride the California line, there shouldn't be any wait at all.

Regarding the difference between cable cars, streetcars, and trolleys:

Cable cars are the classic street cars that everyone thinks of when they think SF. As far as I know, the terms streetcar and trolley are synonyms. Cable cars are a special type of streetcar that runs by means of a cable under the street.

There are also the F-Line streetcars - the F-Line runs down Market and Embarcadero and the cars are restored streetcars from all over.

For modern streetcars, there are several MUNI lines (MUNI is the public transportation system in SF) that go to different parts of the city. They are underground along Market St and then above ground away from downtown. These are also called lightrail trains and trams.

Hello sprio..here is the Muni website which will probably help you with public transportation in SF. Do have a wonderful trip!

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mhome/home50.htm

Hi Spirobulldog,
To answer your question about dim sum:

Dim sum are small plates/baskets of steamed, baked, or fried dumplings and other small portions. Larger dim sum restaurants do not have a menu--the servers wheel carts among the tables with a variety of dim sum plates/baskets. You can ask the server what’s in each basket. Each serving has 3-4 pieces (or can be cut into smaller portions by the server—they’ll do it with scissors). You are charged by the plate/basket, usually about $2-3 each. Your ticket will be stamped by the server.

Har gow (small steamed shrimp dumplings) is popular. Shu mai has ground pork. There are other dumplings with mushrooms and vegetables. Each type of steamed dumpling has a different shape. You’ll also see the spring rolls (fried egg rolls); ask the server to cut it into smaller pieces. There will also have larger plates of vegetables or noodles (you’ll have to ask for fried rice or chow mein).

The servers speak some English, at least to be able to tell you what each dish contains. Don’t be shy to ask for forks, ask what’s in each basket, or look around to see what other people are eating. When you’re done, just ask for the ticket/bill to be totaled.

There are some dessert dishes available—small custard tarts, litchi.

Dim sum are normally served at lunch, but some restaurants may have it at dinner time. Smaller dim sum restaurants require you to order from a menu, which is not as much fun.

One of my favorite places for dim sum is City View (662 Commercial Street between Kearny and Montgomery) on the edge of Chinatown. City View is popular with Chinese and people who work in the nearby Financial District. It’s only open at lunch time, but it is also open on Saturdays. I took some friends who never had dim sum (40s and their kids 10 and 12) to City View and they loved it.

Afterwards, we went to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company (56 Ross Alley, near Jackson St.) which has a Rube Goldberg-contraption that makes fortune cookies. You can purchase small bags of fortune cookies (including chocolate ones). It's a tiny place and easy to miss.

Go to yelp.com for reviews on these places. Have fun!