We are driving up to SFO this weekend from LA area and not sure what time we will get there on Sunday. We will be there just the one day. Will there be a problem purchasing tickets for the Alcatraz tour after we get there this time of year? Also, what is the most direct cable car to take from Fisherman Warf area to China Town. One last question....we are driving up Hwy 1. What is the fastest way to the Warf ? Should we cut over to the 280 and onto the 101 just below SFO or stay on Hwy 1? We will be returning home from north of SFO on Tuesday around 9am and don't need to go back over the Golden Gate bridge. Is there construction we should be aware of? Should we cut over north of SFO to the 580 and head south on the 80 and avoid SFO all together? Thanks for any help you can give me! Wendie

Don't know about Alcatraz.

The most scenic & probably fastest way to the Wharf is to stay on 280 till it ends on King St near AT&T park. Keep going straight and King kinda becomes the Embarcadero, which is the road next to the bay. Stay on Embarcadero and you'll know when you arrive at the Wharf when things start to become touristy & tacky.

From the Wharf, both cable car lines will take you to Chinatown. The most scenic, however, is the Hyde/Powell like. Sit on the east side of the car for the best views. The Hyde/Powell cable car starts next to the Cannery on Hyde St.

Major rainstorm here today.

Stu Dudley

Thanks, Stu! Sorry for not spelling Wharf correctly! I just spent an hour cut and pasting a wealth of info from your older posts about traveling the coast and SFO to my wordpad and then my computer frooze up and I lost it all! Word to all....save or print as you go! Oh well, back to the drawing board! So happy to have the "big fish" StuDudley answer my post!!

"Stay on Embarcadero and you'll know when you arrive at the Wharf when things start to become touristy & tacky."

LOL

If you have your heart set on Alcatraz, purchase your ticket ahead of time. It seems to always be booked up.

Ordinarily, I would be the first to raise the issue of purchasing Alcatraz tickets ahead of time. This week, not so much -- the weather being the deciding factor. I'm just not sure anyone's going to be going to Alcatraz this Saturday!

I agree MIchelle - you can go on the site and see if there are times/tickets available. It would be a pretty miserable tour imo in the rain. the Alcatraz part is inside but walking up that hill and the waiting to get on the ferry etc. I would check the weather as well.

There is rain in the forecast for this weekend, but not on all channels - hopefully they are wrong as usual

I saw Alcatraz tickets being sold in season as a package with the city tour - so if you really want to go, you can get them. Also you can take a boat around the island.

I don't think there are any works being done on Golden Gate bridge, are you confusing it with the Bay Bridge? There is always a traffic jam on GG bridge - give yourself extra time.

I looked it up and there are plenty of times available for this Sunday, Oct 18 if that is when you are coming but I would buy the tickets if you want to really go.

Oops! I changed my mind. Just looked at the forecast: some say chance of rain, others just cloudy. I would check the weather forecast in a few days, then make your decision to purchase. It is pretty miserable on the bay in bad weather.

Stu, I just wish you'd put a sock in it about Fisherman's Wharf. Enough already.

Mr R5 and I had an unexpectedly fabulous time around the Fisherman's Wharf this past Friday. The weather was sunny and just a tad windy. The Blue Angels were soooooo exciting to watch. We wandered around Pier 39, enjoyed the multitude of sea lions and a very good rock band composed of enlisted Navy men and women. We wandered down near Fisherman's Wharf and found ourselves standing in front of The Franciscan Restaurant and said "What the heck, let's try it."
The food was really really good. Of course the sourdough
bread and oysters were the best, LOL!
The view from our table was unbeatable and the service was very professional.

After dinner we strolled down to the Buena Vista for their signature Irish Coffee.
In the stroll from the Franciscan to the Buena Vista I can say their was
only ONE BLOCK that was truly tourist tacky.

We enjoyed our time there! So go ahead, all you tacky folks, go and enjoy Fisherman's Wharf. I'm quite certain the many, many people who joined us
on our fab Friday had a fine time and I don't think all the money they were pouring into the SF economy went unoticed by many grateful merchants.

R5

>>Stu, I just wish you'd put a sock in it about Fisherman's Wharf. Enough already.>>>

What ??? - I'm not allowed to express my opinion about it?? My tastes are obviously quite different from yours.

Stu Dudley

I do seriously question why anyone in their right mind would be interested in buying porcelain elephants made in Thailand at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco!

But we had an enjoyable walk along water in FW a few weeks ago, too, just have to keep your eyes averted from the tack.

When we had a large GTG here in the city, a group of out-of-towners took a bay cruise, bought sourdough bread shaped as a lobster, they loved the area!

You're not too much of a snob, eh Stu ?
Of course you can express whatever opinion you like,
but I must say you've really beat your opinion of the Wharf
into ground already...
BTW, MY taste and mind is a way bit better open than yours,
my dear !

Thank you, sf7307 and Dayenu, for expressing some
positive experiences of the Fisherman's Wharf area.

R5

Wendie - we just booked a weekend in San Fran and we too, are going on the Alcatraz tour. Although we have been to San Fran several times, we've never done the Alcatraz tour and we have out of state guests traveling with us who would like to see it.

I just booked the 4:20 p.m. tour on Friday the 30th...just wondering if we should go to the earlier tour? Maybe after you go you could post your trip report...would love hear how it was and any suggestions you might have.

By the way, I booked the tickets and they are fully refundable if you cancel within 3 days of the tour (I think it was 3 days)...gives you an option to bail out in case of bad weather!

Have fun!

Wendie, this is just our experience, but we walked up to the window and purchased tickets for Alcatraz with no problem, maybe we were just lucky, but we had our choice of times and it was a nice sunny day. However, I don't remember the month, maybe that makes a difference.

Also, we did love walking the whole Wharf area. We found it very intertaining and having lunch with a view of the barking seals, for us, was part of being in SF.

We did Alcatraz when it was cold and rainy, and it wasn't a problem. Granted, it wasn't stormy weather. The ride over was fine, a bit chilly but we are from OR so are used to that Once on the island, no problems. The walk up the hill is very short and not bad at all. I would recommend going regardless of the weather. Just my personal opinion on being there in the cold and the rain.

mms - you folks from OR can handle anything

>>

Either you were "just lucky" or it was the middle of January. Alcatraz tours sell out, often.