San Francisco 2023 Birthday Week
My husband nor I have ever been to California so when the opportunity to visit San Francisco came up we jumped on it. We booked a room in the The Suites at Fisherman’s Wharf. We had a one room apartment type room with small kitchen, living room/Dining room area single bathroom and bedroom. Our space had a balcony which was great for people watching. The furnishings were modest, the bed was comfortable, and everything was functional. It was clean and open too. The bath and kitchen looked like they had been redone recently, we loved the huge shower! Because of my allergies I prefer to have the option to make my own meals. Its nice to go out to try local places but I am a picky eater to begin with, add in the allergies and some times its just easier to cook ourselves. The staff was excellent! Before we even arrived I received communication from the hotel about our confirmation and the check in process and was told if I have any questions just ask. I asked about transportation, which unfortunately they do not provide but that allowed us to plan for a lyft from the airport. Upon arrival I notified the hotel we were on our way and asked if early check in was available, They did in fact have our room ready. When we finally did check in the guy was super helpful and very pleasant. He gave us information about where to find the nearest grocery stores and a few local eateries. After we got settled in we ventured to the grocery store for a few things. We went online and bought MUNI passes for the week which was unlimited rides on both bus and trolley car. The location was perfect for hopping on and off the MUNI system (San Francisco’s public transportation system). During our pre-trip planning we looked up sites to see, things to do, and places to eat and visit. We pre-booked our Alcatraz tour but left the rest open so we could work around weather and timing.
We arrived on a Sunday afternoon and after getting in and settled our day was done. We got up early Monday and walked out the front door directly onto the bus heading to Golden Gate Park. I admit neither of us is familiar with using public transportation, but The MUNI system did a good job of getting us around with their app. I’m sure if we used the app more than just a week we could find ways to improve it, but for us overall it got us where we needed to go with minimal frustration. There were a few times the app would be off on arrival times, a minor detail because another would be along shortly. Since neither of us were used to planning our day around the transportation getting us where we wanted to be we did miss a ride a few times. We were unaware of how large Golden Gate park really was so naturally when I typed it in to the GPS and said take me to Golden Gate park I really did not know were we would end up. Lucky for us we ended up close to where we wanted to be. We were just a short walk from The Japanese Tea Gardens and the Botanical Gardens.
The Japanese Tea Gardens – as you enter you will have to pay a fee, we choose to pay for all 3 gardens and was told the ticket was good for the week. There is something very serene and calming about the layout of these gardens. Even with so many people milling about the paths and fauna guide you along and you end up just being at easy as you go. Our morning was chilly so we started our day with tea in the garden. Tea was in a small covered patio with seating facing out over a little pond and the entrance to the gardens. We sipped our tea and people watched a bit while basking in the warmth of the sunshine. As the tea house grew busier we departed to wander the grounds.
Across the street is the Botanical Gardens. We entered though the side/ back entrance and looked at the map. 55 acres!! we looked at each other and said we probably won’t see it all, where do you want to start? Husband reminded me the gardens was all about ME….we were in front of the ancient plants so that’s where we started. As we wandered and looped around we saw so many beautiful specimens. We did end up seeing almost the entire 55 acres of gardens.
Back out on the main promenade we saw a sign for the Golden Gate Park bus, we figured we’d just ride along and see the sights. Little did we know that the very stop after we got on was for the Bison Paddock. We got off and proceeded towards the Bison!! we walked for what seemed like FOREVER!!!
Neither of us realized how far away the bison were located, we saw beautiful open fields and people enjoying their day in the park, lots of bicycles and families and dogs. In one pond there where little remote control boats. Finally arriving at the Bison Paddock we saw nothing……they were not out. By this time we were exhausted and both of us were getting hangry. We had to pick a side to walk around and did end up finding them corralled in a smaller area. Near them was a dog park with benches we sat and watched the dogs play a bit. But as I said we were hangry, we needed to get food and since we were so worn out from our day we were ready to crash.
Opening up the MUNI app I found a ride back to home base, we ate in and relaxed a bit but ended up wandering up the block from the hotel to Ghiradelli Square for chocolate and ice cream.
Tuesday was a rainy dreary overcast day. We lazed about a bit before deciding to go out. We started back at Golden Gate park to explore the Conservatory of Flowers. With the intention of also going through the California Academy of Sciences. We decided ticket prices were more than we were willing to spend. Plus with the hard heavy rain we ended up going back to fisherman’s wharf and the hotel to just being lazy.
We napped and did nothing until our Alcatraz tour at 630, which we took a trolley over to pier 31 to hop on the ferry over to Alcatraz. Our hope when booking the night tour at Alcatraz was that it would be geared more towards the ghosts and mysteries and more supernatural happenings on Alcatraz. We were disappointed. The night was the perfect setting for such a tour with the drizzle of rain and the dark looming clouds, the sun setting but because of the overcast the sky was already gray and malevolent. The tour starts on the pier as you disembark the boat, you are greeted by a park ranger who gives you a little history of the island, then you walk up the main road to the prison.
Inside you are herded like cattle to get your personal audio device to guide you along your tour. This is the same audio tour offered to everyone at every other time slot. The bonus of the night tour was extra open areas to explore, for our tour we were able to explore the hospital ward. I would have loved to see more of the island and prison like the morgue but I was hoping for more of a ghost tour. The decent back to the boat was eerie like the set of a horror flick where you were waiting for someone to jump out. Overall yes we would do it again, its just such a neat place to be. The history behind the island, the structures that are there and the ones that have fallen to ruins, there is just a presence about the whole place that draws you in and captivates the imagination.
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Wednesday was also overcast and rainy, but not the down pour we experienced Tuesday. It was more intermittent drizzle and misting with an occasional bucket of down pour, which means another inside activity day. Over to pier 39 where the Aquarium of the Bay is located along with the sea lions. A leisurely stroll through the aquarium includes picking out all the fish and coral I have in my tank and marveling at all the creatures to big for my home tank. Outside back on the pier we wandered looking in the little shops and avoiding the rain. At the end of the pier there is a spot where dozens of sea lions hang congregate, sunning themselves and laying about on floating platforms. A relatively light adventure day. Back in the hotel we prepared for the next day of getting up close to those HUGE trees. We had to book our time and pay for our parking spot at Muir Woods. We had to reserve our rental car too and chart out our transportation to the rental car place so we did not miss our trolley there.
Pier 39
Areas Surrounding San Francisco
Thursday we were up bright and early!! We were out of the hotel by 730 am to catch a trolley downtown to pick up our car rental. This was the best time to get the trolley, we were the only ones on it. We went from Hyde St to the end of the line, a few blocks walk was the car rental. Once on the road we typed in Muir woods address and off we went. I would absolutely love to tell you about going over the Golden Gate Bridge unfortunately I was answering clients at the time and totally missed the whole thing.
Muir Woods was about 20 degrees colder than San Francisco had been, we were not really prepared for that much of a temperature difference. OK, I wasn’t really prepared for the temperature difference. We paid our entry fee and wandered down the wood plank path. The path we were told was to help protect the roots of the sequoia trees because there roots are shallow. We were prepared to hike that day (not to be cold, but to be in the woods) and even though almost everyone else was also dressed for hiking we did see one lady…..all dressing in white with heels. We were not sure what she was thinking but it definitely was not “I’m going to enjoy mother nature and hug a tree”……….Of course we had to hug a tree, well try to. These trees were so big that 3 or 4 people could have been hand to hand to fit around them. These trees we were told were some of the tallest but not the biggest circumference. After communing with nature we headed to brunch. We stumbled upon a little coffee shop in a little town called Equator Coffees. I had Fresh Blueberry Gluten Free Waffle, it was delicious, husband was less impressed than I was but that because he can find food anywhere.
We were told these are the tallest trees, not the largest girth. Still big enough to hide a full figured woman in a nook.
Since it was still early in the day we decided to go to the Winchester Mystery house in San Jose. Our tour of the Winchester Mystery allowed us to explore the house itself and the grounds around it, we did not participate in the ghost tour here because of time. After leaving San Jose we returned to San Francisco and the car to the rental company. Dinner was a Barrio Restaurant in Ghiradelli square. This place has great gluten free options and the view of the bay was the perfect backdrop to our meal.
Friday we hopped on the ferry to Oakland where we spent the day with my cousin and her son and fur baby. We hung out in Jack London Square for the day. It was a great addition to our adventures to be able to spend time with family that I rarely see.
Saturday, My official birthday, we hopped on the bus to China Town! Like most other tourist areas there are a ton of little shops to poke around in and the streets are lined with people and full of excited energy. We saw the lion dancers practicing, unfortunately earlier in the day we arrived a little to late to see the actual show. These kids and teens that we saw were amazing and the art that they are learning is memorizing. If you ever have the opportunity to see them definitely take advantage of it.
Earlier in the week when looking for festivals and events in the area we stumbled upon a drag show at a roof top garden. Naturally, when in San Francisco we have to go to a drag show and the opportunity to see a roof top garden, I was in!
Found a bus, wandered the outside of the building until we found a gondola which peaked our curiosity. We were going up, it when up, so we figured must me the way to get there. The drag show was advertised to start at 130, when we arrived the sign said 230. That provided us time to walk around the roof top. There are these water jets that would come up so randomly, we could not understand why they were so random…….wander more and find an answer. They are part of an art installation where the water jet is produced as a city bus travels under them. There are little niches to sit and relax at the center was a court yard with food and refreshments. After our exploration we found a seat for the show, chatted with a few of the performers and enjoyed a snack.
The show unfortunately was not structured and because of how dragged out it turned out to be we decided to go back to China Town for dinner. There were so many places to choose from the had gluten free options. I knew husband wanted some thing that was as close to authentic chines as we could, he loves chines food. We settled on House of Dim Sum. When it was our turn I let them know I had a gluten allergy, she started pointing out options and I just said yes to everything the offered…..$60 later. I did not really realize I was saying yes to whole portions, in my mind I was saying yes to a taste of everything. I did try everything I had and liked most of it, I loved the sesame seed ball. I couldn’t tell you what husband had. I can tell you we were both stuffed.
As many of you have probably guessed I am a junk food junkie! I love my ice cream. Later that night after we rolled ourselves back onto a bus and back to the hotel, since it was our last night we wanted to go to a local ice cream establishment. Swensen’s established in 1948, fresh made in house ice cream popped up in the search. This time we wanted to take the trolley, so did 500 other people. We waited an hour and a half before we finally got a seat on the trolley to ride it up the hill to the ice cream shop. This shop has a nice old fashion vibe to it, it is popular with the locals, who were lined up around the building to get their treats. After our treats were in hand we slowly descended the Hyde st. hill back to the hotel. It was a brisk evening but absolutely the best way to end our visit. We got to take in the setting sun as we traveled back past the parks and town houses, past Lombardo street with its curves, trolleys passing up the hill and down, people walking their dogs, life just going on all around.
