San Francisco Day-Trip Recap

The day-trip represented one of my favorites to-date: Muir Woods, Ghirardelli Square, Cable Cars, Chinatown, Golden Gate Park, Coit Tower, and Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf.

1. We left Sacramento at 6:30AM
2. Muir Woods allowed everyone in without charge on Saturday in recognition of National Public Lands Day. Dawn purchased a Muir Woods patch. 2008 represents the 100th anniversary of the founding of the monument. Arrived at 8:30AM and found ample parking adjacent to the main entrance. We trailed a few people at the start of the loop walk but by Bridge 1 had the trail to ourselves. Silence dominates the early morning in Muir Woods--no animal noises, no people noises, only the sight of the towering trees and the sound of branches shifting in the wind, the trickling flow of water in the nearby riverbed, and the crunch of one's footsteps on the dirt trail. The return trip took us over Bridge 4 and back along the Hillside Trail. Exiting the parking lot around 10:00AM, we noticed streams of cars passing the entrance--the rangers had cordoned off the entrance to our parking lot, directing traffic to the nearby secondary and overflow lots.
   
3. Golden Gate Bridge greeted us with full sun and no fog. We crossed, paid the $6 toll and arrived at Fisherman's Wharf at 10:35AM. Leaving the car in the Beach & Hyde Parking Garage ($25/day maximum), we walked about two blocks to Ghirardelli Square and ate a lunch of packed sandwiches (muenster cheese, mixed greens, and spicy mustard on sourdough bread) and Thomas Kemper cane-sugar root beer next to Andrea's Fountain. Dessert consisted of a Warm Brownie Sundae at the Ghirardelli Chocolate and Ice Cream Shop.
4. Cable Car crowds already encircled the Powell-Hyde line's turntable in Aquatic Park by 11:00AM. Instead of waiting in line, we purchased two $11 one-day unlimited municipal transportation Passports and walked north on Hyde to North Point Street and waited at the cable-car stop. Why do people wait in line? We rode the car up Russian and Nob Hills, exiting at Washington and Mason.
5. Chinatown greeted us around 11:20AM. From Washington, we walked to Grant and proceeded south. Dawn remarked, "It's like Good Orient in person." At the Peking Bazaar, we discovered the Blue Moon Japanese dinnerware set we had drooled over online. Prices online seem competitive (ignoring S&H), especially for sets of plates. Starbucks provided a bathroom break. Dawn found a gorgeous, $150 coat from Old Shanghai (this company distributes fashions to several stores on Grant Street, including Peking Bazaar, Old Shanghai, and Canton Bazaar)--they don't seem to offer the full selection online.
6. Union Square lay just north of our bus stop--#21 line to Golden Gate Park to see the opening day (re-opening, as it turns out) of the California Academy of Sciences building. En route, a fellow passenger informed us that by 8AM that morning, the Academy had already handed out all the free passes for the day. Lines stretching for one-half mile attested to the huge demand for the all-day free event--even at our arrival at 3PM. We walked around the many vendor booths in front of the Academy, then walked to the de Young Art Museum. Dawn noticed the cutest gopher as we walked--it's face appeared in a two-inch hole in the ground, munched grasses, then disappeared into the hole. A small crowd gathered as we watched. After several minutes, the gopher retreated and backfilled the hole with dirt, leaving no trace save the missing grass. The Japanese Tea Garden offered a peaceful respite from the many people, but Dawn decided to press on to the Museum. When we arrived, we noticed the line and decided against waiting. A late afternoon snack consisted of nuts, pretzels, gala apples, water, and a Z-Bar.
7. Coit Tower turned out to represent the next destination. Hopping back on the #21 bus, we traveled back toward Union Square. Unfortunately, due to the heavy traffic from the Academy opening, it dumped us halfway to maintain schedule, leaving us to walk the remaining distance. Arriving at the turntable for the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cable car lines, we again skipped the lines (why do people wait?) and walked north on Powell several blocks until we reached the first cable car stop. We failed to act fast enough to get on the first car, but successfully boarded the second. The car carried us a significant distance uphill and we exited at Washington, walking the remaining distance to Coit Tower on foot. Tickets cost $5/each, and the 21-story view at the top at sunset included the entire bay and city.
8. Pier 39 represented the final destination around 6:30PM--seals, a bathroom break at the public restrooms, and Na Hoku Hawaiian Jewelry represented the final stops of the day.
9. IHOP on Lombard at Pierce provided a dinner of pumpkin pancakes, apple juice, and hash browns as we drove out of town. Fog streamed violently over the Golden Gate Bridge as we exited the area. Arriving home at 10:30PM, we both felt happy to rest after a long day of playing tourists.

Thoughts for next time (not necessarily on the same day):

1. Japantown--the saleswoman at Na Hoku recommended checking it out
   
2. Chinatown--tableware, clothing, and so forth
   
3. California Academy of Sciences in several months when the crowds become less insane
4. San Francisco Zoo
5. Alcatraz
6. Mount Tamalpais sunset
7. Japanese Tea Garden
8. Muir Woods hiking trails
9. Hang on outside of cable cars
10. Wild parrots of Telegraph Hill--Coit Tower operator mentioned they frequent the hill most often between 6AM--10AM.

Total cost: ~$150, of which 33%--$20 (gas) + $25 (parking) + $6 (toll)--related to car expense and another $22 (one-day Passports) related to public transportation expense, for a total of ~50% of transportation. The evening IHOP meal cost $27, so that represents ~20% of the expense. The remaining 30% includes: Ghirardelli Warm Sundae Brownie ($9), Muir Woods patch ($5), tea strainer ($4), slice of Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf bread ($2), Coit Tower ($10), and a hoodie ($22). I'm probably missing something but that's the majority.