spirobulldog,

Just wanted to add that you might want to time your cable car ride with discretion, especially if you plan to board at the Powell/Market turnaround. Try not to go in the middle of the day. That's when I see most family groups with kids, and the line can be really, really long. Wouldn't try the morning or evening rush hours as well - for some city dwellers, the cable car is their normal commute vehicle. Around 10 or 11 a.m. or after 6:30 p.m. is a good time. Alternatively, late night is a great time to ride the cable cars - very uncrowded, and the night views of the downtown skyscape and the Bay are unforgettable.

And to underline what others have advise, split your out of town driving itinerary. The only time I would advise combining the Marin/Sonoma coast and Napa is if someone were starting out early in the morning and planning to settle into accommodations in Napa late the same evening.

FWIW, I used to commute on the cable car (all the way down California Street).

If you want to take a cable car ride just to take one (they are fun), you can easily get on at the bottom of California Street (the one you mentioned that is outside the door of the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero), ride it up the hill as far as you want, and either walk or ride back down. You can ride up, e. g., to Powell Street, walk back down a couple of blocks to Grant Street - and start your walking tour of Chinatown.

Next time you're on the MUNI site, use the 511 trip planner link. Plug in your starting and ending addresses and when you want to travel, and it will give you a complete printable route map. We used this site quite a bit before we went to San Francisco.

We had dim sum at Gold Mountain on Broadway in Chinatown. It was tasty and inexpensive.

Lee Ann

Is Dim Sum served in the evening or only at noon?

We had it for lunch.

Go to www.sfgate.com/food and use their restaurant search feature. www.chowhound.com is a good site, too, but I've never used it for San Francisco.

Lee Ann

Bookmarking - Answers to many of my own questions! Thanks!

2010

bookmarking

Please take into consideration the traffic on Higway 1 going north out of SF and returning. It is heavy most of the time going back and forth across GG Bridge. It takes 1 1/2 hours to get to Napa and it really isn't good to do it in a day. Muir Woods/Pt Reyes maybe.

BART (BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT) connect bay area cities, has a few stops inside SF but don't plan on it for getting around town. Cable Cars are very limited to Powell & Hyde Street areas. Muni system/cabs best for getting around.

Dim Sum is only served at lunch.

>>Please take into consideration the traffic on Higway 1 going north out of SF and returning. It is heavy most of the time going back and forth across GG Bridge. It takes 1 1/2 hours to get to Napa and it really isn't good to do it in a day. <<

Not sure I agree with this. It's heavy getting into San Francisco during commute hours in the morning, and also leaving SF in the evening during commute. It's heavy leaving on Friday "getaway day" after about 2pm. On weekends it's not heavy at all except possibly Sunday late afternoon, especially after a 3 day weekend (then it's on Monday).

It takes me about 1 hr from the GG bridge to Napa. Another 30 mins or less to Calistoga. I've done day-trips dozens of times. On day trips from The City you're traveling in the opposite direction of commute traffic.


There are 3 cable car lines:
1. Powell/Hyde
2. Powell/Taylor
both the above run north & south

3. California line, from Calif & Market, to Calif & just short of Van Ness. This runs east & west.

Stu Dudley