First, transportation around and inside San Francisco is incredibly easy. We flew into SFO and then took the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) directly into the city. Buying tickets was very intuitive and stops were very clearly marked. Then, while we explored the city, we utilized the public busing system. For two dollars we were able to travel across the city, and because the initial tickets are good for four hours, we were able to jump back on the bus and cross to another part of the city. I found the buses to be extremely clean and again stops were clearly marked.
For accommodations we decided to stay close to Union Square because there's a BART stop there, a trolley that travels all the way to the Wharf starts there and its close proximity to all tourists sites in the city. (ex: Chinatown, The Wharf, Market Street etc.) We ended up staying at the Sir Francis Drake. This hotel was built in 1928 and offers a great view into the glamorous history of San Francisco. The lobby is absolutely gorgeous and the room, though small, was elegantly furnished. In retrospect, I do wish the rooms had been slightly bigger for the price we were paying. The sink, though very cool, offered no space for a toothbrush and if you wanted to use the bathroom there wasn't much space between the sink and the toilet. However, again the location was fantastic.
As for sightseeing San Francisco offers an incredible wide range of sites. Here's what I recommend:
Alcatraz:
Alcatraz Cruises is the official ferry provider to Alcatraz and back. Departures start at 9:30 AM and are available every half an hour throughout the day. However, please note that these cruises frequently sell out, so as much as possible, plan and book your cruise in advance, especially in the summer and on holidays.
To purchase tickets, view the schedule and/or for more information, visit the Alcatraz Cruises web site at www.alcatrazcruises.com.
Pedestrians including wheelchair users and bicyclists can go on the sidewalks of the bridge during daylight hours but roller blades, skateboards and roller skates are not permitted. There are vista points on both north and south sides of the bridge with parking lots.
We decided to rent bikes through Blazing Saddles, which we were able to rent right at Union Square and ride across the bridge to Sausalito and then back through Golden Gate Gardens, Haight-Ashbury and back to our hotel. Sausalito is a great little town and we had a delicious Italian sandwich at Venice Gourmet. After a long bike ride it was great to enjoy a good sour dough sandwich and watch the town go by.
Ultimately we ended up paying a little over seventy dollars for the day, and was definitely the best way to explore the city. There are a bunch of bike companies around the city and all offer a daily rate, a great comfort bike, a detailed map and the option to take the ferry back once you reach Sausalito. I would recommend forgoing the ferry because riding back is easily marked and the gardens are definitely worth seeing...and the ride back is mostly downhill.
The Wharf offers fishing boats, sea lions basking in the sun, seafood stalls, steaming crab cauldrons, seafood restaurants and sourdough French bread bakeries. It also offers souvenir shops and historic ships with detailed signs detailing the history of the Wharf. The historic F-Line streetcar and two cable car lines terminate in the area and sightseeing boats and boat charters link to Alcatraz ("The Rock") , Angel Island and other points around San Francisco Bay.
Ghirardelli Square is worth visiting for the free samples the Ghirardelli store offers, or if you want to wait in line, you must try one of the many concoctions of goodness the Ghirardelli kitchen prepares.
Haight-Ashbury / Chinatown:
Both of these areas can be easily reached through a public bus, through renting a bike or walking. There's not a lot to do in these neighborhoods, but they are worth exploring to just see the different sides to San Francisco.
Lastly, I recommend coming up with a plan ahead of time for food. There is literally amazing options on every street and it can be slightly overwhelming. A few things we enjoyed were:
Right along the Wharf you can buy a whole and very much alive crab. They'll steam it right there for you and offer a loaf of bread along with the meal. The husband went down this route and was blown away by the taste and size of the crab.
Cafe BaoNecci:
Located in the Italian district of San Fran, this was an outstanding dinner. We started with a light Italian salad that literally tasted exactly like the salads we enjoyed when we traveled Italy and then chose two pizzas with prosciutto and fresh basil. All the servers spoke Italian and the food was fast and hot.
Super Duper:
This casual burger place was fantastic. I got a chicken sandwich with an amazing aioli sauce and the husband went for their classic double patty burger. I loved the laid back atmosphere and only regret not trying their shakes.
Overall, this was a great trip and I will definitely be back.
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