San Francisco by Foot, Bike, Rail, and Boat
Table of Contents
Story and photos by Scott Kendall (unless otherwise indicated)
Careful or You May Leave Your Heart in San Francisco
One of the world’s uniquely special cities, San Francisco offers visitors a wide variety of attractions to enjoy. Take your choice from the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, Union Square, the Presidio, Chinatown, and other special places in Fog City.
Local professional sports teams include football’s 49ers, baseball’s Giants, and basketball champs Golden State Warriors. Many world class museums, art galleries and venues for the performing arts entertain locals and visitors. For lovers of the great outdoors, San Francisco has numerous green spaces and parks, including Golden Gate Park, the Presidio, and beaches on its western shores.
Hotel Cornell de France
Cornell Hotel de France is a lovely boutique hotel centrally located in San Francisco on Bush and Powell streets. Just a few blocks north of the Union Square shopping and restaurants, and a few blocks south of Chinatown, Cornell Hotel de France is perfectly located to enjoy the best of San Francisco.
Jump on the nearby cable cars to go to Union Square, the Embarcadero, or over to Fisherman’s Wharf. San Francisco is a very walkable city, although visitors do need to be aware of the many hills throughout town. While some downtown parking is available, many locals and visitors prefer walking or taking public transportation.
Each of the 37 rooms in this historic hotel is uniquely decorated, and no two rooms are alike. Floors are named and laden with art from a favorite French artist. Our floor feautured masterpieces from Modigliani. Other floors featured the work of Gaugin, Matisse, Toulouse Lautrec, and other famous artists. Guests will be greeted by Joan of Arc in the lobby, and will encounter French inspired paintings, decor, and artifacts throughout the hotel.
Our comfortable beds and beautifully decorated room made for a lovely stay. Each morning, we were excited to dig into our freshly baked croissants, yogurt, and fresh fruit and juice. Inside our French enclave, we could see the cable cars outside our window, the glow of Vito’s Pizzeria, and daily life in the big city passing by.
Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf
Fisherman’s Wharf is one of the most popular tourist destinations in San Francisco. On the northern tip of the peninsula, Fisherman’s Wharf is full of great restaurants like Fog Harbor Fish House, Eagle Cafe, Boudins Bakery & Cafe, Scoma’s, and The Crab House.
Locals and visitors alike love to congregate to see the hundreds of sea lions gathered on Pier 39 sunning themselves. Other prime attractions include the Carousel, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, the San Francisco Dungeon, Aquarium of the Bay, and tons of other shops and attractions. For a sweet treat, you may want to jump over to the Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate shop.
With sweeping views of the bay, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman’s Wharf offers some of the most scenic views of the area. You can easily ride the cable cars or take other public transportation to get to Fisherman’s Wharf.
Fog Harbor Fish House Restaurant at Pier 39
Fog Harbor Fish House at Pier 39 is one of the most popular restaurants at Fisherman’s Wharf. Their outstanding seafood, famous clam chowder (yes, it really is as good as it looks!), and other menu items are all top notch. Fog Harbor is one of several excellent restaurants run by the Simmons family, who developed Pier 39.
We started with the award winning clam chowder served with freshly baked sourdough bread, followed by the flavorful crab cakes. All outstanding, and I could have easily made a meal from these starters. However, I paced myself because I had more menu items to explore!
I love good seafood, and the tender seared scallops and crab risotto were delicious. My wife also enjoyed her mixed grill of salmon, cod, and shrimp with garlic mashed potatoes. We don’t always eat dessert, but we could not resist the decadent chocolate cake and ice cream served with fresh whipped cream drizzled with tasty raspberry, chocolate, caramel, and raspberry sauces.
This landmark restaurant has been family owned and operated for three generations, and the Simmons family takes great pride in serving only the best to its customers. Fog Harbor is also proud to be the first restaurant in Fisherman’s Wharf to serve 100% sustainable seafood.
For a special treat, make your way to Fog Harbor Fish House at Fisherman’s Wharf.
Bike Across the Golden Gate Bridge with Blazing Saddles
We spent a perfect afternoon biking along the waterfront, through the Presidio, across the Golden Gate Bridge, and to the the charming city of Sausalito. After a rainy morning, the showers stopped, and we even saw a sliver of blue in the still cloudy sky.
Blazing Saddles on Hyde Street has hundreds of bikes to choose from. Our wonderful host, Annelaine, recommended that me and my wife try the ebikes. A combination of leg power supplemented by the motor of the bikes made for a comfortable, but still challenging ride. Thanks for the great advice, Annelaine! Blazing Saddles even has many bikes built for two for those who want to bike in pairs.
Customers can choose from a variety of guided or self-guided routes. Highlights include the coastal waterway from Pier 41 west, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, and Marin County. The friendly staff at Blazing Saddles will help you plan the best route designed just for you. By far, the most popular ride is along the waterfront and across the Golden Gate to Sausalito, and then taking the ferry, with your bike, back to Blazing Saddles.
Adventure CAT Sailing
What better way to explore the Bay Area than a cruise with Adventure Cat Sailing Charters. For 90 minutes, guests are treated to fantastic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the San Franscisco skyline, Alcatraz Island, and beyond into the deep blue depths of the Pacific Ocean.
Our ninety minute Adventure Cat cruise was the perfect way to relax while enjoying the incredible sights. The professional but friendly captain and crew will answer your questions, take photos, and ensure that your every need is met. Also, an audio tour, offered in seven languages, can help make sure you don’t miss any interesting background information or sights. For refreshments, soda, beer, and wine are available for purchase at the cabin bar. You can even try out the deck trampolines for an added thrill.
Adventure Cat Sailing is conveniently located on Pier 39 near the entertaining sea lions. In addition to the basic bay cruise, Adventure Cat offers Sunset Cruises, City Light Sails, and an Alcatraz sail and tour.
The Presidio
The Presidio is the redeveloped area on the northern peninsula that is the former home of the Presidio Army Base. The base was closed and moved to the National Park Service in 1994 and to the Presidio Trust in 1996. The large multipurpose area encompasses 1,500 acres and is a major recreation area for locals and visitors to San Francisco. The hilly landscape with many forested areas, hiking and biking trails, coastline, and scenic overlooks is an oasis in the middle of an urban city. There is The Presidio Golf Course, Fort Point, Baker Beach, and the innovative Presidio Tunnel Tops is now under construction.
The Walt Disney Family Museum is another top attraction. In addition, you can even visit the Yoda Fountain at Lucasfilm, one of the many attractions in the area. The Presidio is full of businesses, museums, restaurants, and homes in this newly developed mecca. In addition, there are many great restaurants in the area, like the outstanding Presidio Social Club.
Walt Disney Museum at the Presidio
The Walt Disney Family Museum at the Presidio tells the story of the life and legacy of the legendary Walt Disney. The museum does a wonderful job telling the story of this creative genius, starting with his parents and his birth in Chicago in 1901. The outstanding exhibits chronicle major milestones in his life all the way till his death in Burbank in 1966.
The museum was opened in 2009 by Walt’s daughter, Diane Disney Miller. Highlights include 248 of the awards Disney won during his career. The creator of such classics as Mickey Mouse, Snow White, Cinderella, Bambi, Mary Poppins, and so many more masterpieces was quite a man.
Walt Disney Brings Out Our Sense of Wonder
The exhibits do a great job of explaining how Disney’s early life shaped his later life and achievements. His early days of drawing cartoons and studying animation led to his foray into creating his early works. His insistence on always improving and always finding a way to do the impossible led to his fascinating achievements. Countless characters, movies, television shows, Disneyland, Disney World, and so much more are documented at this fascinating museum.
Come See San Francisco for Yourself
With so much to see and do, San Francisco remains one of California’s most popular destinations. The spectacular beauty of the coastline, the deep blue waters of the the bay, the gleaming Golden Gate Bridge, and the numerous attractions make San Francisco a true treasure.
Scott Kendall is the Founder, Editor, and frequent contributor to PlayStayEat. He is a former Navy Officer, teacher and tennis coach who is an avid traveler and writer. Scott has traveled extensively throughout the United States and overseas to Italy, France, England, Croatia, Slovenia, and others. In addition to his contributions to PlayStayEat, much of his published work can be seen at scottkendalltravels.com.
Thanks to our gracious hosts who made this trip so special: Cornell Hotel de France, The Simmons family and Fog Harbor Fish House, Blazing Saddles Bike Rental, Adventure Cat Sailing Charters, Presidio Trust, Walt Disney Family Museum, and the Presidio Social Club.
All opinions are those of the author.