NorCal : San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, Sierra Nevada, etc.

[jan888]

Hi sisses.. May I seek your advise in improving the following itinerary below?  I am open to changes and suggestions ..thanks! 

This is for mid May of this year.. traveling with hubby and a 7.9 y/o daughter. We will be staying at Courtyard SFO Fisherman's Wharf.. 

Arrival day : arriving at SFO at 4pm
1st full day : Hyde St. Pier, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 to watch sea lions, Ghirardelli Square
2nd full day : Alcatraz Island (already bought tickets online), Lombard St., Chinatown
3rd full day : Union Square (shopping)
Last day : departing SFO at 4pm

Hope am not asking too much..will highly appreciate if anyone can suggest which sight to go first, then next sight until the last sight so time will not be wasted..thanks!

Also, please suggest affordable coffee shops / restaurants for brunch & dinner that offer yummy food.  Just to give you girls an idea, hubby and I love coffee while our kiddo naman is fine with bread and
Chinese & Japanese cuisine but doesn't appreciate pastas (spaghetti , carbonara, pizza...) and the likes 

Hope to hear from anyone...please..thanks! 

And may I add, hubby was the one who did the itinerary coz am too lazy to research kaya am thankful for his effort and late nights.. my concern lang is parang we can add a sight or two pa para masulit naman ang stay namin at SFO.. his take naman is we are there to enjoy kaya relax pace lang and may kasamang bata..so there.. 

[xtine]

^For thai restaurant, I recommend Mood Thai which is just near fisherman's wharf.  But when we are in town, we never fail to order the clam chowder in Sour dough in the chinese guy that sells it along Fisherman's wharf.  You may also try the Sonoma / Napa valley one day tour for $60 per person.  We really enjoyed this experience kasi libre ang mga wine tasting.  We also get to eat in Sonoma square where the restaurants serve gourmet food. 
If you have enough time, you have to visit the Painted Ladies across Alamo square.  This is the icon of San Francisco.  Never forget to visit Crookedest st in Lombard st. 

Again, if you still have enough time, visit Manchester's Mystery mansion in San Jose (1 hour drive from SFO).  Just in the same highway as Manchester's mystery mansion is 1 Infinite loop which is the Apple Inc Headquarters.

I really miss SF.  I did left my heart there.  Enjoy your stay!

[jan888]

^wow..thanks sis xtine for your prompt reply.. really appreciate it!  sounds like you really had a great time there kaya pati ako na excite na rin!  hehe..  unfortunately, I asked hubby last night about Sonoma/Napa Valley and other wine tasting place..no time na daw..and to think, siya yun mahilig sa red wine..I guess he has our daughter in mind, baka ma bored sa ganon activities?

yes! we sure must not miss Lombard St.! 

will check out the Painted Ladies you mentioned..this, I didn't see while looking up last night for some tips on how to be a smart tourist at SFO (something to that effect).. that was the link sis mama squeak! shared on her post last Feb 18, 2013.

as for the one hour drive to manchester's mystery Mansion & apple Inc headquarter.. hmm..I doubt hubby will be open to the idea of renting a car for a day..sayang..perhaps next time if we have the chance to go back to SFO and daughter is bigger by then..thanks again! 

[xtine]

^Sis, di ka mahihirapan pag along San Francisco downtown ka lang.   Just get a map of MUNI sa airport and you're all set to tour the whole downtown san francisco.  BART is for malayuan like San Francisco Downtown to Daly City.  Below are within the San Francisco downtown:

Lombard St.
Fisherman's Wharf
Union Square
Haight-Ashbury
Chinatown
Painted Ladies
Palace of Fine Arts (a must)

All these we were able to cover for one hour using MUNI.  We only bought one ticket which is good for the whole day because the drivers didn't bother looking if the ticket was used already or not.

[mama squeak!]

@jan888, if I can make a suggestion. You will be arriving SFO at 4PM, right? Will this be arrival at the airport or at your hotel na in San Francisco? Assuming this will be at your hotel, you can do your Day 1 activities on your arrival day. It will free up one day to see more of what San Francisco has to offer. Here's a sample IT:

Day of arrival 4PM (hotel) - We've stayed at Courtyard FW and it's right in the middle of everything. As soon as you check-in, drop your bags and go out. This is spring-summer time and you will have daylight until 8-9PM. You can do Pier 39, Hyde St and Ghirardelli Square in 3-4 hours time.

Day 1   - From the hotel you can walk to Lombard St. Since it's going to be an uphill climb this will probably take you 30 minutes. But enjoy naman this walk since you get to see a lot of things. After Lombard street, hop on the cablecar (there is stop right on Lombard-Hyde Sts.) direction Union Square and get off at Chinatown. Just ask the conductor where to get off. You can pay on board.

If you aren't tired yet going around Chinatown, you can swing by Union Square to do your shopping. The shops here close late around 9PM.

Day 2 - Alcatraz. Golden Gate Bridge. You can go back to Union Square for shopping or just walk around the area.

Day 3 - If you are doing the Painted Ladies, might as well do the Golden Gate Park nearby. Here's their website. I'm sure your daughter will like the Academy of Sciences. This can be a whole day affair as there is so much to see and do here.

Day 4 - back home.

By the way, I wouldn't do Haight-Ashbury with your 8 year old kid. Hubby and I love the Haight. But going there with an 8 year old is kinda hinkey. Let's just say, the area is more for mature visitors. 

For affordable restaurants, if you're not particular naman there's always a Denny's near your hotel. Oh and In-N-Out burgers, Hooters, of course. Then there's Boudin's bakery, love their sourdough! You won't run out of places to eat here.

 

[jan888]

^^ & ^ thanks very much sis xtine & sis mama squeak! 

We will get the MUNI passes to get around the city once we arrive at SFO..thanks!

I have checked out the Painted Ladies site..tama ba ang pagkaintindi ko, Painted Ladies refers to the rows of colorful Victorian/Edwardian houses that were built eons ago and are located in Haight-Ashbury?  At the same time, Haight Ashbury was where the hippie culture in the '60s happened?  I guessed it's the history in this place that makes it more appropriate for mature visitors eh?

Hi sis mama squeak!  We will be arriving at the SFO airport at 4pm..am not sure how long the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel will be.  I hope for a change, if it is still early.. we or rather I can just drop everything and we can take a walk to Pier 39, Hyde St. and G. Square as you've suggested.. kc am the type who needs to unpack first so that by the time we go back to the hotel from dinner.. all we have to do is get ready for the night 

I have also checked out the Academy of Sciences, looks interesting!  We might add this to our itinerary..thanks! 

Hubby & I are looking forward to our bread and coffee meal!  Oh no, there goes my diet!

Thanks for arranging the itinerary, I will print it out and hopefully, we can follow most of the schedule.  Last question, is it really a long wait to ride their cable car?  I read one comment, that 30 minutes wait for a cable ride is considered short..some even waited for two hours ??

[xtine]

^I noticed that the long line if you're riding the cable from Union Square.  Pero from Fisherman's wharf side, its usually less people in line.  Union Square is always crowded with tourists that usually there are freelance acts who entertains the long line.

Painted ladies are I think a bit far from haight-ashbury.  The one in Alamo square differs from the other victorian houses because it's background is skyscrapers of san francisco.

Haight-ashbury is a hippie street but kind of very commercialized already.  What caught my attention there were the graffitis, just that.  I'm not into hippie dressing so I wasn't that entertained with the shops around.

[mama squeak!]

^^Yup, the painted ladies refers to the rows of colorful houses not only at the Haight but they're everywhere. The concentration lang is along Alamo Square plus it is the most photographed one. And yes, Haight-Ashbury is where the Hippie movement started. 

If you're taking the taxi from the airport it might take anywhere from 30-45 minutes depending on the traffic. But if you take the BART from the airport, it will be shorter. Just get off at Embarcadero and take a short taxi ride to Fisherman's Wharf. It will come out cheaper too.

Even if you get settled in by 6PM, you will still have some daylight to walk around the area. Actually it's nicer to walk around that time since most of the visitors have started to go home na. Less crowd 

On the cable cars, it can take awhile if you will be getting on from the terminals, (Ghirardelli or Union Square) where almost all the tourists wait. But if you just hop on from one of the stops along the way not so much.

The IT is just a guide. Don't be afraid to venture out. If you see something that interests you when you get there then just follow what you want. That's the beauty of DIY travel, you do what you want and when you want it.

 

[jan888]

^^ & ^ thanks sis xtine & sis mama squeak! for clarifying Painted Ladies and Haight Ashbury for me.. ..thanks also for the tip on riding/hopping on one of the cable car stops rather than the terminal itself.. it will save us a lot of time for sure!

hi sis mama squeak! ..I like the BART idea..concern ko lang is papayag kaya si hubby to lug our luggages around the train with a little kid in tow?  Will the train door stay open long enough for us to load / unload all our luggages..hehe..we might have at least 3 big luggages and 2 trolleys.. aside from i am obviously not a light traveller (which i wish i am  ) we are heading to Orlando then to Toronto after our SFO leg.. I need to bring heavier coats for TO since same time last year, we were there, super lamig pa   ..On the other hand, the shorter ride might make hubby think twice! 

Yeah, agree with DIY travel..we've been doing it ever since..well, except for our honeymoon vacation..hehe  Hindi kami bagay sa group tour, we are the type na we want to enjoy the place in our own pace  .

[mama squeak!]

^No worries with the BART since the airport and Embarcadero are the terminal stops. You have more time to get in/out of the train. Plus the driver always checks the platform before he closes the doors to make sure walang taong maipit.

Another suggestion you can do (I did this when I had to overnight in SFO for a connecting flight), if you can pack your clothes for your other trips in separate suitcases. You can then leave those bags at the luggage storage facility in SFO. Instead of lugging 3 big suitcases probably you can just bring one bag with clothes that you'll be needing just for your San Francisco leg. The left luggage facility is located at the departure level of the international terminal. The facility's name is Airport Travel Agency contact number is 650.877.0422 or CF.Airport@gmail.com. If I remember correctly my big bag was charged $8 for a 24-hour period. That solves the problem of having your hubby lug all three big suitcases and easier for you pa to manage your kid.

 

[jan888]

^hi sis mama squeak..thanks again for another valuable tip!  You sure know your way around SFO! 

Good to know that the airport & Embarcadero are both terminals.. mukhang malabo for us to leave the luggages at the airport for security reasons and medyo costly for us coz we will be in the city for 4-5days..although the idea is so tempting and convenient for us!

May I ask, if we use the BART from airport to Embarcadero, will there be luggage trolleys available for us to load our luggages?  I always help hubby with one of the luggages (thank you the spinners were invented!) while he takes care of the other two luggages + hand carries.. that leaves me with one hand for our kiddo    she also helps with our 2 wheel hand carry at times.

All your replies, suggestions, ideas are highly appreciated sis mama squeak! !  Thaaaaanks!

[mama squeak!]

^I have family in San Francisco that I visit once to twice a year 

There are luggage carts available at the arrivals area but I don't remember seeing them at the train platforms. Parang limited access lang yung mga carts to the airport. I don't remember seeing them at the Bart stations either.

The storage facility at the airport is safe naman though as you've mentioned it can be quite costly since they charge for every piece of luggage per 24hours. Just weigh the convenience na rin as against the cost.

Enjoy your trip!  I'll be back there myself later this year. 

[jan888]

^thanks sis mama squeak!..for the generosity of your time and knowledge..really really appreciate your help!

I'm sure we will enjoy our trip.. am hoping the weather will not be too brrrrrrrr for me, I know hubby will love the cool crisp air!  Wishing you a happy trip back to SFO soon! 

[wickedlovely]

Hi sissies! I was wondering if it's easier to fly from Manila - San Francisco rather than fly Manila - New York... the tickets seem to be cheaper but I'm not sure if it would be cheaper if I add the San Francisco-New York flight. Anyone here who could enlighten me as to which route would be better?

[mama squeak!]

^If you'll be coming from Manila, a MNL-SFO ticket is definitely cheaper compared to a MNL-NYC fare. Mas malapit naman kasi si SFO sa Manila compared to NYC which is another 5-6 hours of flying time from SFO. Even if you buy a domestic SFO-NYC ticket it will still be cheaper than a MNL-NYC fare since you have a lot of domestic carriers to choose from.

If you are planning an immediate connection to NYC upon arriving in SFO, make sure you have enough time to connect to your domestic flight. Personally I allow at least 3-4 hours transit time. It's a bit longer than what is suggested by the airlines but I always make allowance for flight delays, immig/customs procedures plus the time pa na you have to transfer to another terminal in case your connecting flight is leaving at another terminal. 

[wickedlovely]

^ Thanks mama squeak! If that's the case I might as well spend a couple of days in SFO. Enough na kaya 2-3 days in SFO to see all the major sights? I'm very much interested in seeing the Painted Laides and all the quaint houses. Also, how's the weather there around late Sept?

[mama squeak!]

^I'll be back there myself in September    Fall weather Sep to November is perfect weather. Days are sunny while nights are cool, the perfect weather to make pasyal.

If you backread a little, I gave a sample itinerary for a 3 day visit to SFO. Medyo bitin but okay na to see the must-sees there. Aim for 3 whole days much better than just 2 days.

 

[pink_baby]

It will be my first time in US and I'm so glad San Francisco is my first stop because of what I've read in this thread!

We will be there also to visit Sacramento (relatives) and to watch a 49ers game on Nov. 10 at candlestick park. Is this near downtown SFO?

Thank you! I'll probably read another round of this thread, ang saya lang sauluhin ng infos!

[mama squeak!]

^Yup, 15-20 minutes drive from downtown going south direction San Jose.

[pink_baby]

^Thanks mama squeak! Also, is Six Flags theme park in downtown area? Di pa ata namention ito in this thread but its a good theme park daw

Thanks again!