San Francisco January 2020
Due to the current state of world affairs I had to postpone our Munich trip, which was originally set for last week. Luckily for the German people it seems they weren't hit as hard as the rest of Europe with the virus - my thoughts are with all during this very difficult time in the world.
If we did move forward with the trip we would have flown home the day before the imposed ban yesterday; however, I'm sure we would be in quarantine right now for the next few weeks somewhere on the East Coast. This is case and point why you should always purchase full coverage on travel plans. Aside from being on hold for about 2 days with Expedia due to the call volume, I got both my hotel and airfare refunded from the bundle package / I was only out the cost of the insurance policy. The only other cost I really ate was for train tickets and that is because I insisted on being overly-prepared / having them ahead of time to avoid any major translation issues at the station. All in all my losses were pretty minimal compared to a lot of what travelers are dealing with right now so I'll take it. I known travel is getting hit ridiculously hard right now but I did rescheduled the same trip through Expedia for mid-December. In actuality, this is probably going to be a better season to go anyway as I've read Munich is one of the best places to visit for the holidays and I have no doubt seeing the Alps with snow will be stunning. I also now have a hotel which is closer to the main train station, which will cut down on commute time.
Since I have so many trips set this year I'm just being cautiously aware of circumstances. The next big one is to Osaka; however, that is over 8 weeks from now. For the sake of everyone, I'm really hoping things are better by then. Although I would be bummed to cancel Japan there are bigger things going on in the world than my travel plans. I had a bit of a reality check yesterday in thinking about all of this (tragic issues of the virus aside). I was pouting at the prospect of having to cancel my Japan trip, thinking how I wouldn't be able to reschedule it until next May since the rest of 2020 I already have trips to Iceland, Portland, Chicago, Key West, and Germany. Exactly. The greed / selfishness isn't completely lost on me. That being said, this goes back to something (I believe) I mentioned in a prior post in that I have decided travel is my major interest / passion. I just wish I figured it out sooner as I feel I'm behind on things. Regardless, whatever a person chooses as his/her major passion / interest (cars, house, food, clothes, etc.) I just hope they have pursue it and I'm sure they too would be bummed if it was taken away / postponed in any capacity. The other factor is that I just really liked Japan and want to go back sooner than later. Much like my bucket list of wanting to visit all of the Hawaiian islands (thus far I've been to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island) I also want to explore as much of Japan as possible.
Anyway, back to happier things.
San Francisco is nostalgic for me. I remember it as one of the first family trips outside of Southern California when I was a kid, taking a few trips there with just my dad in my 20's, and having it as one of the go-to spots for me and my sons the past 10 years. Since this recent trip only lasted approximately 48 hours I am going to approach this blog entry more as a collective conscience of the things I enjoy most in city and likewise my recommendations of where to visit / stay there.
If we did move forward with the trip we would have flown home the day before the imposed ban yesterday; however, I'm sure we would be in quarantine right now for the next few weeks somewhere on the East Coast. This is case and point why you should always purchase full coverage on travel plans. Aside from being on hold for about 2 days with Expedia due to the call volume, I got both my hotel and airfare refunded from the bundle package / I was only out the cost of the insurance policy. The only other cost I really ate was for train tickets and that is because I insisted on being overly-prepared / having them ahead of time to avoid any major translation issues at the station. All in all my losses were pretty minimal compared to a lot of what travelers are dealing with right now so I'll take it. I known travel is getting hit ridiculously hard right now but I did rescheduled the same trip through Expedia for mid-December. In actuality, this is probably going to be a better season to go anyway as I've read Munich is one of the best places to visit for the holidays and I have no doubt seeing the Alps with snow will be stunning. I also now have a hotel which is closer to the main train station, which will cut down on commute time.
Since I have so many trips set this year I'm just being cautiously aware of circumstances. The next big one is to Osaka; however, that is over 8 weeks from now. For the sake of everyone, I'm really hoping things are better by then. Although I would be bummed to cancel Japan there are bigger things going on in the world than my travel plans. I had a bit of a reality check yesterday in thinking about all of this (tragic issues of the virus aside). I was pouting at the prospect of having to cancel my Japan trip, thinking how I wouldn't be able to reschedule it until next May since the rest of 2020 I already have trips to Iceland, Portland, Chicago, Key West, and Germany. Exactly. The greed / selfishness isn't completely lost on me. That being said, this goes back to something (I believe) I mentioned in a prior post in that I have decided travel is my major interest / passion. I just wish I figured it out sooner as I feel I'm behind on things. Regardless, whatever a person chooses as his/her major passion / interest (cars, house, food, clothes, etc.) I just hope they have pursue it and I'm sure they too would be bummed if it was taken away / postponed in any capacity. The other factor is that I just really liked Japan and want to go back sooner than later. Much like my bucket list of wanting to visit all of the Hawaiian islands (thus far I've been to Oahu, Maui and the Big Island) I also want to explore as much of Japan as possible.
Anyway, back to happier things.
San Francisco is nostalgic for me. I remember it as one of the first family trips outside of Southern California when I was a kid, taking a few trips there with just my dad in my 20's, and having it as one of the go-to spots for me and my sons the past 10 years. Since this recent trip only lasted approximately 48 hours I am going to approach this blog entry more as a collective conscience of the things I enjoy most in city and likewise my recommendations of where to visit / stay there.
There are essentially two options for flights into the area : San Francisco International Airport or Oakland International Airport. Don't let the names deceive you; if you are planning on staying in the downtown area the San Francisco airport really isn't that much closer than the Oakland airport. Neither one is necessarily a quick trip to the area and ultimately if you end up taking the BART you will likely end up at the same location in about the same amount of time (just from opposite directions) regardless of the airport. One thing to note about the BART; however, is that if you are not staying in the financial district and have your hotel closer to the Wharf area, you will still need a second form or transportation. In a prior trip my sons and I took the historical street car (which is pretty close to the subway stop point in the financial district) to the Wharf area, which was pretty fun.
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| Inn at the Presidio |
Although we didn't stay there this time, I highly recommend the Inn at the Presidio (https://www.presidiolodging.com/inn-at-the-presidio/). It isn't a cheap place for accommodations but the ambiance is unmatched. As I think of hotels I've stayed at over the years it is easily near (or at) the top of my list. Essentially, old housing quarters for the military were converted into an Inn so you are staying in the same rooms military families stayed in years ago. The lobby is very welcoming and the fee includes breakfast. Although this alone doesn't offset the cost of the room it does help rationalize the price (a bit) seeing that most eateries in the San Francisco area are relatively expensive.
The Presidio area is probably my favorite place to visit in San Francisco. Along with Inn at the Presidio it also houses a really good Mexican restaurant, Arguello (https://www.arguellosf.com/), and has The Walt Disney Family Museum (https://www.waltdisney.org/). I don't think I've mentioned it previously but I'm not a huge museum person. I would rather visit actual sites of historical value than read about them on posters in a museum but there are 2 museums which I really do enjoy and have no issues revisiting. The first is the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) in Phoenix and the second is this Walt Disney Family Museum. As noted many times before, I have read quite a few books about the history of Disney so I fully appreciate the effort and care which went into this museum. If one was to read all of the displays it would easily take a day to go through everything but my sons don't have the patience for such things. Even a 1-2 hour visit is worthwhile. In proper Disney fashion they try to make it as interactive as possible.
Another nice perk about the museum is that every day they either have a screening of a Disney film or a Disney-related presentation. The first 2 times we went they showed Dumbo and Lady and the Tramp and at this most-recent visit was lucky enough to coincide with a lecture from Tim Sito, who is an ex-Disney animator. Incidentally he worked on Who Framed Roger Rabbit, which is my favorite Disney film (along with Fantasia). If you plan to visit, check out the museum's calendar on their website to see what is going on that day.
If you were to ask my youngest son the best thing to do in San Francisco he would easily say visit Alcatraz...Ghiradelli Chocolate would likely be a close second. We have been to Alcatraz every visit to San Francisco and even though the standard tour is the same information repeated it never fails to fascinate. I would recommend giving yourself (at least) 2 hours on the island (not including the boat travel time). When we head back to San Francisco (which looks like it will be in February) I aim to schedule the behind the scene tours and/or night tour - I'm sure there will be a spooky feel being among the dilapidated buildings and within the prison walls which have so much history.
Interestingly, the cable cars have not been something we make a point of riding every trip but I wouldn't mind placing in on a "must" list for anyone visiting for the first time. As much as I enjoy them, I also wouldn't mind riding them every trip. Luckily I was able to ride them this trip with my parents, who had not been on them for decades. As alluring as it may be to grab the cars from the touristy location near Ghiradelli Square I recommend heading a few blocks east to the Taylor & Bay location. Every time I have walked by both locations it has a much shorter line and both cable car lines end up at Union Square. If you're not inclined to hang on the side of the car like a 1980's Rice A Roni commercial, I would recommend getting in the standing area where you can watch the operator. The physicality involved with the operation of the car is pretty intense and mesmerizing.
One of the best places to view the Golden Gate Bridge (short of actually driving, walking, or bicycling across it) is from the Fort Point area, which is just at the base of the bridge exiting San Francisco.
You have to take a couple of side roads in the Presidio to reach it but the scenery and ocean breeze are awesome. The area also holds some significance in movie history. If you aren't aware already, Vertigo was filmed throughout the city with this location being where Kim Novak throws herself into the bay. If you haven't seen Vertigo, watch it now...I'll wait.
Great film, isn't it? Although it didn't start as such after my initial viewing, it has become one of my favorite films. It begs repeat viewings and critical analysis; however, that is for a different blog.
There are actually quite a few notable films which were filmed in the San Francisco area. I didn't put all of them in my recommended viewing section but just to name some others : Dirty Harry, Family Plot (another great Alfred Hitchcock film), Mrs. Doubtfire, Towering Inferno, The Rock, The Game, etc.
A very touristy but still worthwhile area is the Fisherman's Wharf. This is a relatively short walk from Ghirardelli square and has multiple shops and food vendors. Right in the middle of everything is the Boudin factory. If you love sourdough bread as much as I do make sure to stop here to grab a fresh loaf. Also, make sure to head upstairs, where you can get an overhead view of the bread-making process. There is also a restaurant upstairs - the food was decent but even just going there for a sourdough based dessert is something to consider (the sourdough bread pudding is very good).
Final thoughts
If you only have a few days in the city I would place Alcatraz at the top of your list of things to do. You can easily see most of what Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz have to offer in a full day. Another site worth a visit (if you have time) in the Alcatraz / Wharf vicinity is Coit Tower. I've only been up in it once but the view really is spectacular. We actually attempted to go a second time but the parking situation was so horrific we ended up passing. If you do chose to head to the tower (especially on a weekend) I would recommend taking a share ride up to the top...unless you are in good enough physical condition to walk up there / climb a bunch of stairs. After checking these places out I would suggest riding the cable car up to the downtown area. This is mainly an area for shopping but you can easily find a restaurant to grab dinner then head back to the Wharf area on the cable car. Obviously, if your hotel is in the downtown area I would suggest grabbing a cable car early to the wharf area to start your day. In the wharf area, along with (and near) Boudin, I suggest touring the submarine USS Pampanito and checking out the Musee Mechanique, which has a bunch of arcade games from the late 1800s.
If you have more than a full day it really depends on preference. I would easily say check out the Disney Family Museum and go to a restaurant in the Presidio; however, if you are only a passive fan of all things Disney and have no interest in the history of the company this may bore you immensely. Seeing that most people enjoy chocolate in some capacity the very touristy Ghirardelli square is worth at least one visit (and you probably could even shove this into the same day as Alcatraz and the Wharf if you take an early Alcatraz boat). Since I am into more dark chocolate and artisanal items, I personally prefer Dandelion Chocolate; however, I know most people are into the sweeter things / milk chocolate - if this is you, it may not be worthwhile to drive out of Wharf area to get to Dandelion.
If you are into art, Legion of Honor is spectacular. On a side note, this was also used as a location in the movie Vertigo. I haven't been there in years since I literally would have had to drag my sons there when they were younger. Now that they are older (and hopefully more cultured) it may be something I can check out again next trip. If you go to the Disney Museum in the morning then head to the Legion of Honor, I would then suggest going to the Cliff House to grab a drink or food or to just check out the views of the ocean. Reading up on the history of the Cliff House is pretty fascinating as well (https://cliffhouse.com/history/).
If you are looking for more kid-friendly locations I would recommended heading to Golden Gate Park and going to the California Academy of Sciences. Although it would likely bore children, the de Young Museum is just across the way from the Academy and is a great art museum.
Finally, for those who have never been to the city I would recommend crossing the Golden Gate Bridge one way or another. You could easily drive across it and check out the city of Sausalito or use one of the numerous tour companies. Of course, if you are up to the challenge, you could also walk or ride your bike across. I've not done this but have heard it it quite the adventure with all of the wind gusts.
Next up : Japan (Osaka / Kyoto / Nara / Kobe / Himeji)...hopefully...
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