Columbus Weekend in San Francisco

With only 3 days to see the sights, we packed as much as possible into our first, and hopefully not the last, visit to San Francisco. Armed with camera, good walking shoes, map and the Muni pass, we covered alot of ground in this beautiful city by the bay. Since it was Columbus Day weekend, we passed by the parade through North Beach. Several Navy ships were in port for Fleet Week and the Blue Angels performed their stunts as part of a 2-day air show. Also going on (but we did not get to) were the Castro Street Fair and a bluegrass festival at Golden Gate Park.
Not to be missed are the sights and aromas of Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, the views from Telegraph Hill, walking on the Golden Gate Bridge and a cruise to Alcatraz. Hang on when you ride the cable cars and be sure to watch the turnaround at the end of the line.
We enjoyed some of the local foods: sourdough bread, fresh shrimp and crab from the stands at the wharf and Ghiradelli hot fudge sundaes.
We ventured further from the touristy areas to see Mission Dolores, the oldest site in the city, Haight Ashbury of peace & love 1960s fame, and Golden Gate Park.

Quick Tips:

San Francisco is small enough to get around easily on foot but distances seem longer when going uphill. Good walking shoes are a must as is a light jacket or sweater. The weather changes quickly when the fog rolls in.
Pick a hotel in the Union Square area. There are many restaurants, major department stores, theater district, Powell-Hyde trolley, and easy access to most bus and street car lines. On any night, there are street performers and something going on. If you are a light sleeper, request a room in the back of your hotel, rather than one facing the street.
onlyinsanfrancisco.com was a good source of information in planning our visit.
Tours to Alcatraz book quickly so it's best to reserve in advance online and print your tickets at home.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is walking and using the Muni transit system. Visitors can pay as you go or get a 1 or 3 day pass. The system map costs extra but is worth it. Bus drivers are very helpful and will let you know when to get off. There were long lines for the trolleys but you have to ride one at least once.
Getting to and from the airports is easy on the BART train. Tickets may be purchased in advance online and will be mailed to your home. You don't need a rental car unless you wish to explore the surrounding areas like Napa Valley, Sonoma, and Muir Woods.

This 183-room boutique hotel was a block away from Union Square. The rooms have been recently redecorated in a romantic Italian style and provide a homey sense of comfort. Windows do open and have plantation-style shutters. Rooms have air conditioning, which is uncommon in many of the older downtown hotels. The bed was the most comfortable ever - we slept very well after days of walking all over the city. Bathrooms are old-style tiled with modern fixtures. The towels were plush; LATHER bath & body products were featured. Rooms contained iron and ironing board, honor bar and snacks. The furnishings overall were in excellent condition.
The lobby is very inviting with comfortable furnishings and internet station with printer. We were able to check-in for our return flight and print the boarding passes there.
Tea & coffee are provided each morning and there is a free wine tasting hour in the evening. Unfortunately, we missed this due to our touring the city.
The staff was very friendly and accommodating. We had a problem with our credit card at check-in but they were able correct the situation. The day we checked out, our luggage was held at the hotel until we left for the airport at 7 PM.
Kuleto's restaurant is adjacent to the hotel and its dining area separated from the lobby by a glass enclosure. There's also a small cafe for pastries and coffee.
We were able to check in early but the only rooms available faced the street. It was noisy at night with the street performers at nearby Union Square and the cable car bells.
We would stay at Villa Florence in the future. The location was convenient to all transportation, restaurants and shopping. It's a good place for couples and business travelers.

In the heart of North Beach is this Sicilian cafe. As we walked by, the hostess passed a tray of bruschetta around to those checking the menu. She burst into a robust version of "Volare" and invited passers-by to come in for dinner.
The atmosphere is noisy and jovial; diners get a view of the open kitchen. TAbles are close together and you may end up talking with the adjoining diners.Music of the great Italian singers plays in the background.
Menu is billed as Sicilian specialities and features pasta dishes, antipasto, fried calamari, seafood, chicken, veal, steak and even rabbit. Italian bread and marinated olives are served with all meals.
Pasta, gnocchi and ravioli are homemade daily. We opted for Pasta volare and Gnocchi w/ pesto sauce. Both were hearty portions and delicious. There are many entrees featuring mussels, clams, prawns and shrimp.
The cafe has an extensive wine menu and offers house wines by the glass, 1/2 or full carafe.
We were too stuffed for dessert but they offer homemade cannoli and tiramisu.
Service was quick and attentive, except when it came to pick up the check. We enjoyed our experience at Trattoria Volare and recommend it for families, couples, anyone who wants good local cuisine.

A night tour of Alcatraz Island provides more features than daytime tours. You have a guide up to the prison, then walk your way through listening to the audio tour. At the end, there are several options - extra guided tours, movies, or just time on your own. The boat ride across the bay has many photo ops of the city, Golden Gate Bridge and the island itself.

As you disembark the boat, a guide welcomes you, explains the history of Alcatraz - first as a military fort in the Civil War days, then the federal penitentiary, and finally the Indian occupation during the late 1960s. It is presently operated by the National Park Service.

Visitors walk through the Guard house and Sally Port, just as the arriving prisoners did. You walk the same path as Al Capone, "Creepy" Karpis and other renowned inmates. The former Officer's CLub was destroyed by fire in 1970 but served as a backdrop in the movie, "The Rock." You climb your way uphill and finally enter the cellhouse, in the same receiving and shower area the inmates used. Here you are given the audio equipment and go upstairs to the cellblocks.

It's an eerie feeling walking around the prison cells, especially as the sun sets and night falls. The tape has actual voices of inmates and guards; you continually hear the slamming of the cell doors/bars. Seeing the sights and hearing the sounds one can imagine what life in the pen was like.

At one point, you can go outside the warden's office area. At that time of the evening, the setting sun beyond the Golden Gate Bridge was a beautiful sight. The shimmering buildings of downtown San Francisco provide a scenic backdrop to the abandoned ones on Alcatraz. As the audio reminds you, the city lights and sounds are so close yet were unattainable to the inmates of the prison.

Your tour ends in the gift shop with options for additional tours or video before the last boat leaves for the night.

Using the walking tour guide found in the AAA book, we headed out from our hotel to tour San Francisco. After a hearty breakfast at David's Deli, we began at Union Square. This area is surrounded by major department stores: Saks Fifth Avenue, Macys, Neiman Marcus, and Tiffanys, to name a few. An interesting side street is Maiden Lane which has iron gates at each end. It boasts a small art gallery designed by Frank Lloyd Wright that was a prototype for the Guggenheim in NYC.
We next approached Chinatown, up Grant Street. You can't miss the gateway marking the entrance to this neighborhood. Many gift shops and businesses beckon visitors inside. We passed Old St. Mary's church, the original Catholic cathedral in San Francisco. Walking over one block to Waverly Place, you will find colorful buildings with balconies, tea shops and a strong smell of incense. Walking back over to Grant, we were tempted by the many restaurants offering dim sum, duck, and other Chinese fare.
Where Grant meets Columbus Ave, you will see Jack Kerouac alley. Named after the author, this lane runs between City Lights, the landmark book store, and Vesuvio Cafe, hangout for "the Beat" writers in the 60s.
Proceeding up Columbus, we passed sidewalk cafes getting set up for Sunday brunch/lunch and viewing of the Columbus Day parade. The aromas of garlic and sauce proliferated the streets. One cafe had a line nearly out the door for coffee - promoted in our guide as the best in town. We did not want to wait and were still full from breakfast to partake of anything at the time.
The church of St. Francis of Assisi is a shrine to its patron. Saints Peter and Paul church is a neighborhood landmark at the edge of Washington Square park. When we walked through the park, there was a car show and Columbus festival adjoining the church. Inerestingly, the statue in the center of this park is Ben Franklin, not its namesake, George Washington. The atmosphere in the square was festive in anticipation of the Columbus parade.
From the square, we made our way to Lombard St. In the distance to our left we could see the famous "crooked street." We turned right and plodded up the nearly vertical climb to Telegraph Hill. Still uphill, we continued on to Coit Tower. At the base, you overlook the Bay, Alcatraz, Oakland Bay Bridge and, to the far left, Golden Gate bridge. A statue of Christopher Columbus presides over the view. We did not pay the $4.50 to ride the elevator to the top of the tower. It is worth looking around inside the ground level - there are many murals to view.
Leaving the hill, we walked down a street of steps (Montgomery) and continued through North Beach to Fisherman's Wharf area. We passed many parade participants waiting to begin the march. Making our way through the crowds, we got to Boudin Bakery, home of the famous sourdough bread. We passed on the guided tour but grabbed a sourdough roll to eat as we walked. The specialty is clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.
Stopping at the original fish stands is a must. Shrimp rolls, Dungeness crab, chowder and other seafood are the specialties - place your order and find a spot to eatit on the wharf.
While we were there, it was Fleet week and an air show was going on. It made for interesting sights and sounds, crowded streets and much craning of the neck. The Blue Angels were amazing as they dipped and swirled over the bay and city.
Our tour on foot took to The Cannery, a former DelMonte peach canning plant. It is now home to several boutiques and restaurants. In spite of the description in our AAA book, we did not feel it was a "must see."
Ghiradelli Square is another matter. It also is a developing area with shops and cafes. The signature place is the Ghiradelli Ice Cream and Chocolate shop. You can watch the chocolate being processed, visit the gift shop and indulge in a hot fudge sundae - highly recommended!
Rather than returni