San Francisco: A Wonderful City to Visit

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The Ferry Building and Coit Tower

The crew of Amy Marie took to the rails for a two-night visit to San Francisco.  We patterned our trip on a technique we often use while boating.  Public Transit!  In the bay area, it is better than ever. 

We live ~ 50 miles north of San Francisco, in Santa Rosa, in the middle of the wine country.  In fact, Amy Marie is currently docked on the Napa River adjacent to a vineyard.  After booking a room for two nights near Fisherman's Wharf, we discovered the hotel parking fees were $65/night.  That is a little steep. Time for a new plan.

 

Smart Train

Santa Rosa is served by a light rail system called the Smart Train.  The southern terminus of their system is in Larkspur in Marin County, but still north of the Golden Gate bridge.  From Larkspur, you can catch a ferry which will whisk you to the Ferry Building in San Francisco.  The cost for a roundtrip adult ticket, from Santa Rosa to San Francisco on the Smart Train and the Ferry, is a very affordable $24!  For the two of us the cost was $48.  We saved $82 plus fuel and $9 bridge fare fees.  The savings were easily over $100 simply by taking public transit.  The trip was both scenic and relaxing as the route took us through farmlands and the tidal estuaries of the north bay.

 

Larkspur Ferry Terminal

Ferry traffic, from multiple locations, converges at the 125-year-old Ferry Building, a survivor of both the 1906 and 1989 earthquakes.  These days the inside is full of restaurants and market stalls to serve the commuters and tourists which move through all day.  


Arriving at the Ferry Building



Exploring the market stalls inside the Ferry Building


I think I found one I like!


Many forms of public transport are accessible just outside the Ferry Building.  


It is worth noting that use of the “Muni” system, in its many forms, is greatly simplified by purchasing either a daily passport for $13 or a Clipper Card.  The real bargain is the passport.  It offers 24 hours of unlimited rides on street cars, buses, vintage streetcars, and the classic cable cars.  You can use them as a form of Hop On-Hop Off transportation.  With out the Passport, it is $8 each time you board a Cable Car.



 

We took a vintage 1938 street car on the “F” line from the Ferry building to Fisherman’s Wharf.


We had lunch at Fisherman's Wharf

After lunch, we dropped our luggage at our hotel and walked a few short blocks to North Beach and Coit Tower.  San Francisco is a great walking city.  It was clear the pandemic was tough on restaurant and cafe businesses.  Tourism is bouncing back and restaurants are re-opening.  After 5pm, North Beach sidewalks were busy as were restaurants and bars.



Saints Peter and Paul Church on Washington Square



Stained Glass at Saints Peter and Paul Church



Coit Tower, inside the walls are covered in beautiful murals depicting life during the Depression.

San Francisco is a hilly town.  It is know for the pedestrian steps that allow you to move more easily amongst the homes built on the hills.  One of our goals was to walk the stairs and also look for the flocks of parrots known to live in the trees.  We were fortunate and were able to get excellent exercise on the stairs and we found flocks of green parrots!

Walking the steps from Coit Tower back to the waterfront











Cable Car to Knob Hill


We rode the Taylor Street Cable Car to the Fairmont Hotel



Beth by the Fairmont's Ginger Bread House!



The Fairmont Hotel's Christmas Tree



The original Grace Cathedral was lost in the 1906 earthquake.  It's replacement was started in 1927 and construction was completed in 1964.  It stands atop Knob Hill.



Huntington Park

Lyon Stairs: Pacific Heights


You have to do the Lyon Stairs in Pacific Heights.  The homes are spectacular and the views are amazing.  Clearly you are seeing how the top .01% live.


Beth on Lyon Stairs

Buena Vista Cafe, Aquatic Park,  and Fort Mason


Fort Mason and the Golden Gate Bridge.
A flock of parrots were in the trees above us.



The Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands



The heritage ships at the Maritime Museum


Beth at Aquatic Park



Beth enjoying a hearty breakfast with the traditional Buena Vista Cafe Irish Coffee!

Our San Francisco visit was facilitated by using public transit.  The benefits were convenience, lower cost, less stress, and it's better for the environment.  This same tactic can be used to support trips that originate along the route of Amtrak or Capital Corridor trains, from Sacramento for instance.  They could also be used by a visitor from the east bay or San Jose area.  If you fly into San Francisco on a plane, BART now runs to the airport and will take you to a downtown station as well as other destinations around the bay area.

Get out of your car and see how liberating, cheaper, and more convenient it is to use public transit!


Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 21, 2023 at 4:05 AM

    I like your photos of Saints Peter and Paul Church on Washington Square! Bernard

    ReplyDelete

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