Alcatraz is great. Get the audio tour. Fisherman's wharf isn't great, but worth passing through for a very unusual excursion with great views. Really.

I changed the car rental to Friday and using from one near our hotel - thanks for the suggestion!
We're doing Fisherman's Wharf with the kids and grandkids Thursday. My husband wants to see Alcatraz now that we're not doing Monterey or Muir Woods on Wednesday.

Thanks again!

Not sure if someone has already mentioned it, but do reserve Alcatraz now - the trip often sells out, and there's only one way to get there (besides swimming!).

https://www.nps.gov/alca/planyourvisit/fees.htm

Thank you sf7307! Will do!

sf7307, Ugh - I regret that Alcatraz tickets are completely sold out. I checked tours but those that circle Alcatraz are the only ones available.

What tours would you suggest for city tours for us? We have one full day before family arrives to meet us. They want us to see all that we can and I want to make sure we don't end up just wandering around missing out. As a reminder, we'll be stopping at the Redwoods on the way to Oregon, so will not do the Muir Woods tour.

Thank you for any suggestions!

Haven't been back to the thread lately -- re walking on Angel Island. The walk around the island is basically flat so not difficult. And there are benches here and there around the perimeter. There is more to see/do in Sausalito than in Tiburon but I might take the Tiburon ferry instead for the less/flatter walking.

Re I-5 - if you are going up the coast/want to see the Redwoods you don't need to take I-5 -- except maybe for a bit in Oregon depending on which route the family is taking.

I-5 north of Sacramento is a straight/4 lane/semi boring high speed road with not too much traffic most times -- though lots of trucks pretty much all the time. There are nicer bits farther north like Redding/Mt Shasta/into Oregon.

Hi janisj, Thanks for getting back to me and for the Angel Island/Sausalito/Tiburon info - I'll take that all into consideration!

We are definitely taking Rt 101. I think my son has only driven Rt 5. What is the drive like please?

Sorry - I meant what is the drive like on RT 101? Thanks.

Regarding walking in Sausalito, I lived for a time on Bridgeway, across the street from the Trident Restaurant, the main road through town. Also where virtually all the shops and restaurants are located and where the ferry comes in from Pier 41. Bridgeway runs parallel to the water and could not be more flat. You can, if you like, walk uphill away from the water but I suspect 99% of visitors don't. I'm not sure how Tiberon could mean less walking or have more of interest near the ferry or how it could be flatter. Maybe someone will explain it to me.

MmePerdu, I'll keep that in mind! Do you know of local tours that would include Alcatraz tickets? All I am seeing are tours where I would have to have purchased the ticket already (and they are sold out while we're there.) I think maybe I should give up on that and concentrate on tours that do not include it.

(IsabellaNardin - looks like you replied on the wrong thread.)

"Do you know of local tours that would include Alcatraz tickets?"

Sorry, I don't. The last time I went to Alcatraz was in 1979. It was looking very spiffy, Clint Eastwood having just had the place painted for his movie 'Escape from Alcatraz'.

MmePerdu - very cool! I think we'll just get tickets to the Hop On Hop Off bus and see as much as we can the day we're on our own. After that we'll have 6 to 8 more adults and 4 little girls joining us so not sure how much we'll really get to do. Probably some things we'll use to bribe the girls with to keep them entertained... the aquarium I'm sure.