watercolors

Planning a 5 day vacation to San Francisco area the last week of March (2005). I am in my 40s and will be taking my very healthy 80 year old mom. I need help planning the adventure. I hear the carmel/monteray area is fabulous as is the coastal drive. the problem is i am not really thrilled with too much driving, especially in the city ( not a problem on open highway)would appreciate help with hotel accom/ itinerary and driving alternatives. oh, what kind of weather can i expect in late march? thank you

Patrick

First of all you do not need to drive in San Francisco. There are trollies, cable cars and busses to easily take you anywhere you need to go.

You could easily stay right in the city and do a boat trip on the bay, and visit the city. Or you could get a car and go out for a day or two to Carmel or Monterey, but frankly I'd skip all that and enjoy the city. You will have plenty to do.

FainaAgain

If you don't want to drive there are 2 more ways to get to Monterey:

1. tour bus - it's a full day tour, very nice by the way, I beleive they will pick you up from your hotel, but know for sure they'll take you back to your hotel. The cost was about $60-70 per person. Maybe a senior discount.

2. Caltrain train to San Jose and bus to Monterey. This must be a pain! So I just mention it here for the young and very adventurous who may do a search later.

Patrick

To add to my short answer above, here's an alternative to the long drive to Monterey if you are looking for beautiful scenery.

Rent a car in SF for the day and drive over the Golden Gate. Stop at the far end for the views back. Go up to Point Reyes to see the beautiful coast and lighthouse. Stop in Muir Woods even for a short walk into the redwoods. Stop in Sausalito in the later afternoon and have drinks or dinner facing back across the bay. Head back into the city.

You can also drive out to the western reaches of the city, through Golden Gate Park and to the Cliff House for drinks or lunch. See the beautiful rocky coast from there.

sueredrx

The absolute best thing you can do is to hire someone to take you to Muir Woods and around San Francisco. We hired Rick form Blueheroncustomtours.com and it made a huge difference. It is sooo much better to let him drive. It is quite steep and winding and you will spend all your time trying to read a map and not looking at the scenery. Rick can take you wherever you want to go.

watercolors

thank you for the input---i called rick and he suggested taking me around the city and muir woods--- price- 330/day.How would you divide the time--- # days in city vs staying in carmel or pacific grove--- any recommendations for places to stay-- would like to spend around 11/night. After talking w/ rick and finding that it could be very rainy at that time i'm thinking of going maybe in mid june. any furthur help/suggesstions are appreciated.

watercolors

oops, that's 100/night

StuDudley

In mid June you're getting into our foggy season. A trip to Monterey along the coast could be a bust if you have to commit to a specific date. Late March is OK.

Take several SF City Guides walking tours - they're free & sponsored by the Public Library (donations encouraged). See www.sfcityguides.org for a description of the 30 or so tours and a schedule. Your 80 YO might like the Palace Hotel tour, the Victorian Homes tours (there are 2), Pacific Heights Mansions, Haight Ashbury, Chinatown. If she's very healthy, she might enjoy the Bawdy & Naughty tour.

Here is probably the BEST view of SF. You can look through the GG bridge, & then above the bridge to SF and all the way south down the San Mateo County Coast on a clear day. Do this late in the day. Take the first exit past the Marin Co. lookout off the GG Bridge going North (marked Alexander Ave). Turn left the first chance you have, & go under 101. Follow the sign back to SF, but just before getting on 101, make a right turn up the road & follow this road. It’s easier to find than this description might indicate (get a AAA map & take a road called Conzelman). Old WWII bunkers & gun turrets along the way. Go all the way to the top, where it looks like you can't go anymore. Get out & admire the vies on the way up and at the top too DON’T MISS.

Perhaps the next best view is from Twin Peaks - your driver will know how to get there.

Here is a drive I always take guests on. Have your driver take you to the Palace of the Legion of honor. Drive along El Camino del Mar. The views of the Golden Gate and later the bridge are fantastic. Just before the golf course ends and houses begin, there is a nice viewing platform on the left - downhill. Drive through our most exclusive neighborhood at Seacliff. Have your driver point out where Robin Williams lives (he should know this). Stop at China beach. Continue along Lincoln Blvd for more killer views of the Golden Gate bridge. Don't forget to look behind you for a good view of Seacliff. Go under the bridge, and perhaps turn left to get on the GG bridge to go to the first "scenic" spot I mentioned.

Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca

watercolors

stu--are you saying i would be better off in march? i could go either time--i really wanted to see the carmel area--if i did go then, would you mind helping me plan my itinerary? i was hoping you would find my post, you seem to know a great deal about the area. what do you think of paying a driver 330 dollars for 8 hour tour? like i said, i'm fine on the highway, even though i read on a post that the one driving really can't experience the beauty and if they pull off , traffic is a bear ? i also read where i shouldn't rent a car a the airport?

curmudgeon

Late March still has potential for rain, June might be a bit foggy, but most likely either time will have fine weather. You could rent a car for the part of the trip in Montery/Carmel, and drop it off in SF, where it would be less usefull. If you head down to Montery, you could visit the redwoods in Big Basin or Henry Cowell parks on the way rather than going to Muir Woods.

StuDudley

>>>what do you think of paying a driver 330 dollars for 8 hour tour? like i said, i'm fine on the highway, even though i read on a post that the one driving really can't experience the beauty and if they pull off , traffic is a bear ? i also read where i shouldn't rent a car a the airport?<<<

That sounds like a lot of $$$. For Carmel, leaving SF and taking the coastal drive all the way down is quite easy. There is a short stretch north of Half Moon Bay called "Devil's Slide" - and it's named approptiatly. South of that, the drive is very easy & there is not much traffic at all. The coast betwen Pacifica & Santa Cruz is quite scenic (except for a brief stretch around Half Moon Bay). Traffic will pick up through Santa Cruz, but it's no different from where you live.

If you take the freeway (101 or 280) to Carmel, there is very heavy commute traffic on weekdays, and 101 is not scenic at all (280 is quite nice between Daly City and the San Jose area).

I don't agree with whoever said that the driver can't enjoy the beauty of the coast. The drive from Half Moon Bay to Santa Cruz is very straight, pretty fast, & the beautiful scenery is right in front of you There are hundreds of places to pull off & just stare out into the ocean. My in-laws were out for Christmas, and we did the usual trek up & down the coast like we do for them every year.

The coast south of Carmel all the way to Cambria is a different thing. More winding. However, the driver can still see a lot. Again, there are hundreds of places to stop & admire the view.

As far as driving in San Francisco, you really don't need to have a car for about 80% of the attractions. I know the places where parking is easy & how to avoid traffic - but unfortunatly, you don't. However, the driving and parking west of Van Ness is not that difficult. It's made easier by most of the streets being laid out in a grid pattern. Many things in this area (including Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, Pacific Heights Mansions) are more difficult to enjoy by public transportation, so a car is best. Seeing the sights in the City by car, though, is a little tougher for the driver. In this area, parking is much easier and you could stop at a spot if it seems interesting.

Five days here is not a lot of time to do much stuff. Carmel will consume 2 full days. We go down there quite often as a day trip & come back in the evening, but you'll probably want to spend more time there than that. If you can do Carmel on a Saturday and return on Sunday, 101 will get you there in about 2 1/4 hrs. Much longer for week days. The coastal route all the way there is longer - I've never timed it, but it's perhaps 3 1/2. The coastline between Carmel and Big Sur is more scenic than the coast between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. BTW, Half Moon Bay is worth a visit - my wife's favorite knitting shop is there. The actual "village" is not on the coast highway, but on Main St just a little east of the Coast Highway.

You could start your trip by renting a car at the airport, visiting Carmel either by getting there on 101 if it's mid day or a weekend, or by taking 92 over to Half Moon Bay if it's commute time, and then return for your SF portion of the trip. You could also end your visit by a Carmel trip & return to the Airport.

If you stay in the Marina area, most of the motels have free parking. You could visit SF for 2 days without a car, then rent a car & drive over the GG bridge, go up to the scenic spot I described, drive along the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Pacific Heights, Union St, Perhaps Haight Ashbury (parking is more difficult there). The next day, head out for Carmal & spend 2 days there.

I would be glad to give you any more help

Stu Dudley

dovima

Watercolors,
I think Patrick, at the top of this thread, outlined the perfect schedule for a one-day car rental. It could be pared down just a bit if you are feeling a bit tired. If going to Point Reyes, do check to see that the lighthouse is open that day. However, be aware that no matter how fit your honorable mother is, the 100-plus stairs on the way down and then back UP from the lighthouse are a challenge at any age!

watercolors

Thank you all for the wonderful responses...very helpful!

slipperblue

I'm interested in the replies to this discussion. We were contemplating an end-of-April trip to SF (it would be our first visit) but was concerned the weather might be cool and rainy. Any other opinions for an April visit?

JerseyGirl1962

Slipperblue,

Hubby and I are going in April (4/17-4/23, to be exact). Although I will obviously defer to the locals , from what hubby told me, April isn't as rainy as March.

Our itinerary isn't set in stone as yet, but we'll do some touristy things, like Alcatraz (have to get tickets ahead of time, from what I've read on this board), maybe the Cable Car Museum. One thing that bummed us is that, according to one book on S.F. I have, that the mint is closed due to seismologic concerns! Hubby collected coins as a kid and always wanted to see the mint if he ever got the chance. Oh well.

Anyway, we'll be staying in North Beach and are planning to rent a car and go to Muir Woods; take a tour of the Anchor Steam Brewery on 4/20 (hubby's birthday; good thing I like good beer ;-)); take a walking tour of some of the beatnik/hippie hangouts, like City Lights Bookstore, Visuvio's (might eat there was well), Haight-Ashbury; Chinatown, including dim sum that the *locals* like; Coit Tower; maybe the Naval Museum, although the Ferry Building sounds nice - wonder if there's a tour thru it?; possibly more than a walk thru The Presidio.

We generally just set up a few "must see" or "must do" things and then wing the rest - it would be easy to get stressed out because it seems there so much to do in S.F. and not enough time!

Still, seems to me doing a few walking tours, no matter what the weather, is an esp. great thing to do. Just bring your umbrella, get on one of those guided walking tours (or get a walking tours book, like I did), and have fun schlepping around - that's what we intend to do a good portion of the time!