Alcatraz Island and other San Francisco, CA Things to Do Tips

Acatraz is the City's # 1 tourist attraction. Once was one of America's most notorious penal colonies from 1934 to 1963. Back then it was known as The Rock, home to the likes of Al Capone and the 'Birdman.' (Click on picture to enlarge.)

I have 1 more photo ... click on the link on the left for an aerial shot of the Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf Area.

There are a couple of good movies to rent before you come to San Francisco. My favorite, on the history of Alcatraz, has to be Clint Eastwood's classic -- on the only successful (?) escape from the Rock -- Escape From Alcatraz

By the way, my favorite website for movie reviews / research is:
RottenTomatoes.com

Advanced ticket sales for The Rock is a must. No fooling!
BlueAndGoldFleet.com

Since you are right there near Pier 39 when you board the ferry to Alcatraz, make this the day you also schedule your visit to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. The Alcatraz tour lasts around 2 1/2 hours. Personally, I would eat a good breakfast and schedule the Alcatraz tour in the morning. Time it so that you return to the Pier 39 / Fisherman's Wharf Area at noon-ish for lunch. It's the warmest time of day to be on the Bay. (Hint: Boudin's Bakery - near the docking area - great sandwiches.)

Or eat an early lunch and go on your tour at midday. The key here is to not waste your time on "The Rock" eating lunch, since you only have a couple of hours to enjoy it. Also you want be on your way back to SF no later than -- let's say -- 2:00 to 3:00 pm, because that's when the ferry ride back to SF is the coldest. Not always -- but you want to make the 15-minute ferry ride on the Bay, to / from the Rock, the most enjoyable.

Dress warm anyway!

One fun thing to do is to take bread with you and toss it up in the air to feed the diving seagulls following your ferry boat back to S.F.

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Directions: Catch the ferry right near PIER 39 - - next door at Pier 41. It's a mile and a half off the coast of Fisherman's Wharf. The ferry runs every 30-40 minutes to and from Alcatraz.

Click Map To Enlarge: [1] Palace of Fine Arts & the Exploratorium Hands-On Museum [2] Wave Organ [3] Marina Greens - picnic, fly a kite, drop-dead views of the Bay [4] Crissy Fields - rent a bike at Blazing Saddles and take your group on the path leading to Fort Point, Golden Gate Bridge, and (maybe even) cross the bridge to Sausalito for lunch, and take the ferry back home across the water ! ! [5] Chestnut Street - a couple of favorites are here, Lucca's Deli, Andale Taqueria, E'Angelo Italian (at Pierce Street) [6] Lombard Street - book a hotel along this centrally located street (see my Hotel Section).

Ferry Schedule: Sausalito/San Francisco: http://goldengateferry.org/schedules/

Blazing Saddles: BlazingSaddles.com

Wave Organ: http://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave_organ.html

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Instant atmosphere, this place overwhelms the senses. There is so much to do, see, eat, and smell.

Do: Watch free street performers, ride on a carousel
See: Where the Sea Lions hangout
Eat: Burgers, Pizza, Chinese, Seafood, Pasta, Ice Cream, endless fast-food, for a sit down restaurant I like the casual "Eagle Cafe"
Smell: Go to the end of the Pier, and look out over the Bay, you'll feel like you are on a Cruise Ship and that you can practically touch Alcatraz Island. The view from the end of Pier 39 is one my favorite places to experience the Bay without taking a Bay Cruise.
Picture: Don't forget your camera

Also: Blue & Gold Fleet Bay Cruise can be boarded nearby. Dress warm for the Pier, especially after 3pm when the wind starts to pickup. It's never a warm night out on The Embarcadero, prepare for cold & fog. The people in these pictures hit the Pier on a rare warm day. Dress in layers.

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Phone: (415) 705-5500
Address: The Embarcadero at Beach Street
Website: http://www.pier39.com/home.cfm

Once you've tried it, you will never forget Boudin Bakery. They are now at the Wharf in a brand new building. Tours available, see their web site.

. located in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf
. taste real sourdough bread
. their sandwiches, made with their sourdough rolls, are amazing (my favorite: tuna, with everything on it)
. beat the high cost of eating when you're in the Pier 39 & Fisherman's Wharf Area
. they have a number of breads / gourmet food ideas - makes great gifts for those back home (my favorite: crab shaped sourdough). Sure beats the bread they sell at SFO (airport).

http://www.boudinbakery.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=wharf

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Address: Shoreline near Jefferson between Powell and Hyde
Directions: Located at: 160 Jefferson Street

Also helpful:
FishermansWharf.org

Aerial view of the new museum in Golden Gate Park, with its controversial twisting tower.

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The length of the steel wires used in the cables of the bridge is enough to circle the earth three times!

During construction, a safety net below the bridge saved the lives of 19 men who became known as the 'Half-Way-to-Hell Club.' But in 1937 10 men were killed when the scaffold they were on plunged through the safety net.

The recent installation of safety railings between the roadway and sidewalk took 3 years to design. They wanted to create one that would be as discreet as possible.

'It took two decades and two hundred million words to convince people the bridge was feasible.' --Joseph Strauss, the Bridge's Chief Architect

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Sunday is the best day to visit Golden Gate Park, because they close off the 'important' area to traffic, except for MUNI buses. This area is the one surrounding the California Academy of Sciences Building, which houses the Morrison Planetarium, the Steinhart Aquarium, and the Natural History Museum. Free the first Wednesday of the month (one price for all 3 places, $8.50). www.calacademy.org .....The Golden Gate Park Band gives free concerts in the Music Concourse every Sunday at 1pm. There's the Strybing Arboretum & Botanical Gardens (a must), and the Japanese Tea Garden ($3.50 admission). There's Stow Lake (a must, don't forget to bring treats for the squirrels and ducks). And there's the Conservatory of Flowers. This is the 'important' part of the Park. It's a long walk to the live bison at the 'Buffalo Paddock' near Spreckles Lake, hardly worth it if you don't have 'wheels' to get there. Therefore, exit the Park and take MUNI to the Cliff House/Seal Rock. Best panoramic view of the sea, real special at sunset. (Pictured here is the 'Conservatory of Flowers'.)

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Directions: See my 'Transportation' section for a map of Golden Gate Park.

1: Horseshoe pits

2: Children's Playground and Carousel

3: Great gardens:
-Floral plaques at Conservatory of Flowers
-AIDS Memorial Grove
-Shakespeare Garden
-Rose Garden
-Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden

4: Temple of music (park band shell)

5: Boats
-Stow Lake (big boats)
-Spreckels Lake (little boats)

6: Picnic classics
-Speedway Meadow
-Lindley Meadow

7: Serenity
-Portals of the past/Lloyd Lake
-Strawberry Hill/Stow Lake

8: The great dog show: dog training area

9: Petanque/bocce ball

10: Senior citizens center

11: Archery range

12: Beach Chalet

See my Golden Gate Park Travelogue.

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Cable Car Ride (the best route to take is the Powell-Hyde Cable Car Line, extending from the Union Square District to the Fisherman's Wharf District)

San Francisco's cable cars date back to the 1870s.

If someone told me that had only 30 minutes to experience the City, I would tell them to hop on board the Powell-Hyde Cable Car Line, wedge yourself in, and hang on!

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

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Directions: The steepest descents (& best Bay views) come on the Powell-Hyde line, heading north. It is also the most crowded, but well worth it.

Palace of Fine Arts 'PFA' (in the Marina District) It was built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition. To get here, Chestnut Street is a nice street to walk down. (Click on picture to enlarge.) At the PFA, hopefully you brought some food to feed the ducks!

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Address: Intersection of Baker and Beach Streets