San Francisco is a vibrant and unforgettable city filled with iconic landmarks, breathtaking views, charming neighborhoods, and endless opportunities for adventure. From the winding streets of Lombard Street and the colorful sights of Chinatown and North Beach, (Little Italy), to the majestic Golden Gate Bridge and the beautiful waterfront of Fisherman's Wharf, every corner of the city offers something new to discover including self driving cars offered by Waymo.
Living in a technological and AI driven society and on the East Coast, I never saw a self driving car. Well, being near Silicon Valley and Mountain View California, where many tech companies reside, I was not surprised to see a Waymo robotaxi, a self driving car. It totally blew my mind!
Waymo partnered with Jaguar who makes the vehicles. There is an app to download to request a ride, similar to Uber and Lyft. When entering the vehicle, you must sit in the back seat, and fasten your seat belt or the vehicle will not move. I was told that if there is a person sitting in the front seat, it most likely is a software engineer testing an update or troubleshooting. Safe to say, I did not try it, but it was amazing to see.
Day 1
Upon arriving, I went to Fisherman’s Wharf to walk around the pier and have breakfast. I stumbled upon the San Francisco Bay Area National Parks, where they had a replica of Alcatraz along with information about the island. It was very interesting! I decided not to take the tour of Alcatraz because I wanted to visit Muir Woods instead. Pictured above is Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay. The water is cold, and the current is very fast, making it difficult for prisoners to escape.
On the first day, I took a half-day tour called the Amazing Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour. The tour stopped at Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which offers beautiful views overlooking the bay after crossing the bridge. It was absolutely beautiful!
Afterward, I went to Muir Woods National Monument to hike and see the Coast Redwood trees. The Coast Redwoods thrive in this area because of the moisture from the fog, heavy winter rains, and moderate year-round temperatures. They are the tallest trees in the world, and the pictures simply do not do them justice.
Afterward, we took the curvy road out of Muir Woods National Monument and headed into Sausalito. This small coastal town had so much character, and it was beautiful. I walked around, grabbed a bite to eat at Napa Valley Burger Co., and then got back on the tour bus to return to the hotel. I stayed at the Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman's Wharf.
Review:
- I really enjoyed this tour and seeing the Coast Redwood Trees was amazing! I would recommend it, but next time, I would skip Sausalito and go on an Alcatraz tour instead. The tour Alcatraz with Muir Woods and Sausalito Tour is a full day tour.
- The Hotel Riu Plaza Hotel was in a great location and I would recommend it. It was clean and close to Fisherman's Wharf. However, it did not have a restaurant open for dinner, instead they only had grab and go food, which I am not a fan of.
Day 2
The next day, I went on a full-day, 15-hour tour of Yosemite National Park and the Giant Sequoias. This tour was excellent, and I would highly recommend it. Be prepared for a long day! Bring plenty of snacks and wear comfortable hiking boots! If you love national parks as much as I do, this is a must-see!
It was a perfect day to visit Yosemite National Park, and it did not disappoint! Seeing El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Bridalveil Fall was spectacular!
Upon arriving at the park, we stopped at a bridge to take in this view of Half Dome in the background. From where I was standing, Half Dome was about 7 miles away.
Below is another picture with a creek in front of Half Dome taken from a bridge.
Fun Fact: Half Dome is a granite rock which rises 8,846 feet above sea level. The elevation gain is 4,800 feet from the Yosemite Valley floor.
Next, I hiked to Lower Yosemite Fall, which is 320 feet high. Yosemite Falls is the tallest waterfall in the park and one of the tallest in North America. Luckily, there was still a steady flow of water during my visit. As the weather changes and temperatures drop, the water flow will eventually decrease as the water begins to freeze.
Yosemite Falls is separated into three sections: Upper Fall, which is 1,430 feet; Middle Cascades, which are 675 feet; and Lower Fall, which is 320 feet. The picture above shows both the Upper and Lower Falls.
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Afterwards, I hiked through a meadow to Superintendents Bridge to a small chapel. The views were so beautiful and because this area of the park was less crowded it was much more peaceful.
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Next, our tour guide Brian Wunderlich drove us to another meadow nearer to El Capitan. He setup telescopes for us to look through to see if we can spot any climbers. There were not any climbers on El Capitan, but he did find a backpack hanging on the rock.
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Our last hike in the park was the Tuolumne Grove Trail, which takes you through a trail to see the giant sequoia trees in Yosemite. There are not many sequoia trees in this area. If you want to see more of them, you must visit Sequoia National Park.
This hike took us down a trail where we saw a few living sequoia trees. The picture on the left is a young sequoia that is about 500 years old. We continued walking down the trail and came across a hollowed-out sequoia tree and another one that had fallen down. These trees are massive—not only are they incredibly tall, but they are also very wide. Again, the pictures do not do them justice. The trail was about 2.7 miles round trip, and it was a steep climb back up, but I am so glad I hiked it, and I would definitely recommend it.
Review:
I loved every minute of this tour! Brian Wunderlich from Best Bay Area Tours was very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. On the way to the park, which was about 3 to 3.5 hours from San Francisco, he shared his personal photos and showed an informative movie about the park for everyone to watch during the drive. He shared so much information, and it was great!
Wear hiking boots, bring snacks, and don't forget sunscreen! I would highly recommend this tour!!!
Day 3
My last full day in California included a full-day tour of Big Sur, Monterey, and Carmel. This tour included visits to Lovers Point, Bird Rock, Pebble Beach Golf Course, Carmel, and Big Sur. The Pacific Coast Highway runs through these areas, and the views were absolutely breathtaking.
Next, we stopped at Bird Rock, which was a few minutes south of Lovers Point. This area was unique because there was so much wildlife. We saw pelicans, seagulls, cormorants, and seals swimming, sunbathing, and barking. It was such an active area, and it was amazing to see all of the wildlife up close.
Just a bit farther south, we stopped at the Lone Cypress, which is located along the Pacific Coast Highway in Pebble Beach. This is the tree pictured on the left, standing at the top of a granite boulder. The tree is believed to have been planted around 1769 by Spanish settlers. However, due to the wind and salt spray from the ocean, the base of the tree has been eroding. Cables are used to help keep it standing upright.
Next up was Pebble Beach Golf Links, which is known for its prestigious 18th hole overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The people on our tour were able to walk around the lodge and get close to the 18th hole, but we had to remain behind a wooden fence and be quiet out of respect for the golfers. It was a foggy morning, as shown in the pictures above, but the view was still beautiful. I was told that it costs a member $150,000 to play a round of golf!!!
Afterward, we walked around the town of Carmel. Again, it was a beautiful small town with lots of shopping, restaurants, churches, and parks.
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My last day in San Francisco, I visited Lombard Street. It is famous for being a crooked street! It is a one-block section featuring eight sharp turns on brick pavement surrounded by beautiful gardens. It is also a residential neighborhood where homeowners can park in their driveways or pull into their garages. Apparently, it became even more famous after appearing in many movies.
Overall Thoughts
In conclusion, I wanted to make the most of my time in San Francisco, so I decided to book a few tours through Viator. Here is the link to the tours on my list. I didn't have to worry about driving or navigating directions. I was with a small group of people on each tour, and I felt safe and comfortable throughout my trip.
I am grateful that I was able to travel to California and see so many beautiful places. Thank you for reading my travel journal!
If you're thinking about planning a cruise—or any type of vacation—I'd love to help. Feel free to contact me, and let's make your travel dreams come true! A wise man once said, "work to live, don't live to work!"
