iamq - can't believe it's a year already! Congratulations! We're arriving SF on the 8th! Can't wait!

To StuDudley and the other SF gurus, we are coming to SF next week and had planned to do the Alcatraz night tour on Sat 9/5. When I went to the site and tried to buy tix yesterday it said it was sold out. Can this be?! Where else can I get tix for that night? Could our hotel concierge get them? Help. Our itinerary is packed and Sat night is the only night we can do Alcatraz. Thanks.

thank you very much Stu for all the work you did with this fantastic post!

Next Saturday is Labor Day weekend - one of the busiest of the year. Not surprised it's sold out. Don't know how to get tickets - it's a National Park, so I don't think there are any "ins" - but I've never tried.

Stu Dudley

Thanks cpg. It has been an interesting year to be a married gay couple in California. We'll be at Boulevard on the 6th. Not sure where we'll eat on the 5th. The plan is to wander around Embarcadero/Coit Tower and North Beach on the 5th and then do a little more wandering the next day in Noe Valley.

Anyone reading this have any experience with Pesce?

iamq - I love Boulevard too and am eating there on the 11th! I will be leaving w/ your recs for Palo Alto. If you guys like hot chocolate, don't miss Boulette's Larder in the Ferry Bldg. Have the best celebration!

cpg, BL is on the list!

Just had to come back here to shout THANK YOU again, Stu, for all this information! I sat on the 5 hour plane ride with your 22 pages of info, a SF map, and a highlighter and mapped everything out.

We enjoyed the Vallejo garage, Chinatown from Stockton, rich houses on Broadway, Crissy Field, Ft. Point, Robin Williams house, Alamo Square, and so much more because of the time and effort you took to share this with us.

Thank you!
Sharie

You're welcome. Glad my info was useful.

Stu Dudley

Stu, We have finally made it here and are enjoying Sonoma terrifically. I had printed off tons of your advise before I left, but somehow missed the message where you tell the best way to get to the airport (SFO) coming from the north. I know it is not the 101, can you please post the info again.
Thank you! We need to return our car before out stay in SF.

Hi snshine-
I live in Sonoma County and don't know why you wouldn't use Hwy 101 to get to SFO. We do all the time.
Sounds like you're just returning a car, so as long as you avoid
the rush hours and travel to return it between 10 AM and 2 PM
you will be fine. If you want specifics post back here.

R5

Here are two options:

Take 101 south over the GG bridge. Then:

Option 1. Take the first exit past the GG Bridge toll booth (actually, it's the second exit, but you are likely to not even notice the first exit). I believe it is marked 19th Ave/GG Park. Keep following the cars in front of you through Golden Gate Park & on to 19th ave, then onto Hwy 280. 10 miles or so later, take hwy 380 (airport signs are clearly marked) to 101, then to the SFO exit.

Option 2. Past the GG Bridge toll booth, take the Lombard Street exit. Head east on Lombard to Gough. Turn right on Gough. Keep heading south on Gough, and pretty soon Gough will be a fast one-way street. When you get to Hayes St, work your way right to the second most right lane, and turn right on Fell St (1st street past Hayes). Take the first left, which is Octavia. This is a very major street. Keep heading south on Octavia and soon you will cross Market St & find yourself on the freeway. Keep to the right, and merge onto 101 which will take you to SFO.

If you take 101 all the way to SFO from the GG Bridge, you will travel south on Van Ness, which is much slower than Gough and the freeway entrance will be more complicated.

Option 1 is easier
Option 2 is more "city" scenic (some nice Victorian houses along the way), but will involve more inner-city driving.

Stu Dudley

Thanks Stu, we'll do option 1. RD, we took the 101 from the airport, just remembered there being another option. We leave this morning and can't wait to explore the City! Celebrating our 35th.
Cheers

Yeah ! Stu saves the day, LOL!

Yes-Option 1 is the way.
Congrats on your 35th !

R5

"Dudley Stu-right" to the rescue!

((Y))((Y))

very helpful. thank you so much for the hard work Stu.

was in SF 2 years ago, and loved the city tour of the victorian houses. (as well as other things). Was only sorry that we did not do more of the city tours with the Library.

Stu - you are quoted all over the place in Fodor's SF. Can't wait to try out your recommendations. It's been years since I've spent any time in SF and we live relatively close -- Southern California! We have a trip planned for mid April. Definitely looking forward to it! All your suggestions are wonderful!

Thanks, annetti, Diane, & naughty. (there is a City Guides tour called "Bawdy & Naughty".
http://www.sfcityguides.org/desc.html?tour=6

Stu Dudley

What a delight it was to find this posting! I'll definitely be pouring over your posts before my trip.


Are you familiar with any tours with photography specifically in mind? I've seen them offered in other cities but I generally find them too late to benefit. I'd like something other than the generic tour since photographers tend to think about lighting, angles and such.

Many, many thanks for your hard work! :)