Love California Part 1: San Francisco

San Francisco is no doubt one of the greatest cities of the world. I always wondered what makes cities great and what makes others not so great? I would say its people, landscape, culture are the biggest contributors to being of a city.  SFO has all that, along with that Californian free attitude!

Golden Gate Bridge on a clear sunny day

One thing about south-west that is different compared to other parts of us is its Hispanic affiliation.

California was admitted to be a part of United states only in 1850. Most of the names of the cities/roads/localities would be in Spanish. San Francisco surely strikes out as different compared to these. It’s not a huge city. It’s not flat at all. It still retains its small city image with independent small cafes

Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point

1.       Golden Gate Area:  If anything that represents this city  it would be Golden Gate Bridge. It is one of the most beautiful Bridges ( I'll soon be seeing the Pont Alexander III). Its  painted in “international Orange Colour” but looks more like red. It seems very distinct on the blue-green background of the bay’s colour. This makes it look very beautiful.This bridge is a part of Highway-101/CA-1 (that runs from Seattle up to Los Angeles). It is a part of Golden gate Recreational Area (NPS). Actually speaking it is hard to miss this bridge. While going North from SFO you will have to cross the bridge!

There are two ends to the bridge (South and the North)

In the southern End- you can go to the Fort point over look (Highly recommend). You can drive up to a point and park your vehicle there ( you can also rent a bicycle at Pier 39 and come here LHS of bridge from south is just for bikes) It is a place where you need your camera handy!

At the northern end is - Vista point – Just cross the bridge and to your right first exit. You will notice a traffic Jam! That’s the Vista point for you.

Parking is free and rare.You can walk over the RHS (from south) of the bridge. Walking over the bridge is recommended. There are other better views also.

It should take 2-4  hours depending on what you do.

    Link: http://www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm

Warning: There is a one way toll of $6 when you return to San Francisco. Only Cash! Check for the weather it is often cold and Fog will not allow you to see the bridge- has happened to me many times.

2.       Fisherman’s Wharf (Pier 39): This is something which is not to be missed. There is a huge wooden pier with many-many shops, cafes, ice-cream parlors on the pier. There are small shows for children, a merry go round etc. Cafes serve you crepes, ice-creams etc. There are hordes of shops selling all kinds of memorabilia.  Sea Food is something special here.  Clam chowder has to be tasted.

Cooking Crepe at Pier 39

I have become a big fan of crab-cakes here! The prices will set you back by $60 for a lunch.There are cheaper and better options for sea food if go on the streets adjacent to the pier. This place is always lively and filled with street performers.

There are places walkable form here like the Maritime museum, Ghirardelli  Square and the famous cable car. You can rent a bicycle here and to  the Golden gate area  You can spend half a day either morning or evening here. Ghirardelli Square is where Ghirardelli chocolates was started. It’s a nice place to go and try different chocolates and sundaes. It’s about 15-20 mins walk form the pier. Also Fisherman’s wharf  is the place (pier 33) where you will get the ferry to Alcatraz island.
 

Warning: Public Parking is available, but at a cost.  If you park close to the pier it would cost you $35 a day.There are places where you can park for as less as $18 a day. But parking here makes sense as most of the things are close from here.

San Francisco from Alcatraz

3.       Crooked Street (Lombard Street): This place is very well on the verge of being a tourist trap. I would have rated it as one, if there was a charge to see it.

Lombard Street

There are many options on how you can see this place. You can park your car at the fisherman’s wharf ( where there is a flat fee to park) and take a tram to the crooked street.

The tram (or Cable Car) is fun to ride and you will need to pay in cash ( should be around $5 for a return ticket)

You can also take your car right up to the place. You can park your car for free up to 2 hours (if you find a place).

But views are great from here! You can see the Alcatraz island. 
                                                                                                                                       



                                                                                                                                       Warning:  The roads have extremely steep slopes. Some have as much as 17°.  You will fear if your engine or brakes will go down but fear not! Parking has strict rules due to the slopes. Driving SUV here is really painful so try to get a smaller car like mini or Fiat 500. Do not forget to use hand breaks if you have a manual  car!

Steep slopes: one of the many

4.       Alamo Square: This is a famous place for tourists who flock to see Victorian houses. There is a park at the square which is filled by greenery, tourists with cameras, dog owners.

Seven Sisters at Alamo Square

It has a group of 7 “similar” houses known as seven sisters also known as painted ladies.

It is right in the city and if you find a parking space it should not take you more than half hour.

Another potential tourist trap if it were a paid destination. I would not go there if I had limited time.

5.       Twins Peak: You can definitely drive here. It gives you a very nice view of SFO and its bay. It should not take you more than one hour. Do not go if its foggy!

6.       Down town: It is like any other downtown is US. Tall buildings, department stores like Bloomingdales, Macy’s. medium end shops like boss, Diesel.

If you have been to other down-towns in US, avoid going there. You can take a cable car from Lombard street to here.

Warning: Parking very limited! Don’t come here in car!

Alcatraz Island

7.       Alcatraz Tours:  It is basically speaking, tour of the famous Alcatraz Prison. There is an self-guided audio tour. Strictly it’s kind of a tourist trap.

Ferry from Pier 33

You feel people are trying to sell you things you don’t want. Why would you want to see a prison? But as has good opportunities for photography and you can see the cell of its most famous inmate Al Capone. You have to catch a ferry from Pier 33. The details are given in the link below.  

Official Link: http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

Book tours online to avoid long queues for tickets (link above).
  

                                                                                          

 Warning: On long weekends the tours can get sold off so book  early.  It can get windy and chilly so some hoody should help you to keep warm.

Around San Francisco:

Best thing about SFO is its proximity to many different “touristic” places.

1.       Muir Woods National Monument: It is one of my most favorite places in CA. Seeing the tall Sequoia trees is simply breathtaking even for a non-nature freak!                        

Giant Sequoia

  Some trees are as tall as 70 meters (compare this with average human height of 1.5 meters)! Most of the trees are older than 1000 years!


It has been really well preserved. You experience a strange quietness. A nature photographers paradise for flora, fauna and natural wonders!There are many nature trails here and I would suggest walk through at least one 1-mile trail if your trip is not crammed! 

Warning: It is a touristy place so expect lots of cars. Parking can be a headache if you are here on a long weekend. Parking is free.Park entrance is $5 which is way less than it should be. Check for fog warnings before you go. It has a visitor center with a small café.

                

Link: http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm

                

On a busy day a trip from central San Francisco should take about 4 hours. Park closes at 5pm in winters.

Napa Valley

2.       Napa Valley: Napa Valley is about 50 miles North of SFO. It is famous for its  vineyards. Miles and miles of green yards ( if you are there in right season) will make you happy.

Grapes ready to harvest

There are at least 100 wine makers with big vineyards. They offer range of services right from vine tastings to vineyard tours.

There are places where you can stay but it is expensive here. If you can make it during the harvesting season it is great! The season is during September. We visited http://www.beringer.com/ and  http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/age_gateway?destination=home

Do not forget to taste their reserve wines!It will take you one full day if you are starting from SFO.

3.       Point Bonita Light House/Fort Baker: The light house is about 10-11 miles form SFO.

         Link: http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=76

Warning: There is a 5 minute Red signal through the tunnel. Sunset would be a nice time to go but the light house closes at 3:30pm

4.       Stinson Beach: It is just 7-8 miles north of Muir woods. It’s a nice clean beach with many small picturesque cafes.

Stinson Beach overlook

5.       Mill Valley: It’s a small picturesque town close to SFO. It has small streets lined with small local shops. A nice place to go if you have time.

  
Conclusion: Its one of the best places to be in the world. Depending on the number of days you can plan your itinerary.

Viva Las Vegas!

Las Vegas: is a place out of nowhere. Could call it the best.....and the worst place in the world! 

Viva Las Vegas

It is the entertainment capital of the world but sadly it lacks historical character of other  mid-sized cities like New Orleans, SF or Seattle.
It lies right in the heart of Mojave Desert.Many people wrongly believe that it is the capital on Nevada but it is not!  I had a rather bad experience flying there ( LA traffic and legendarily Poor customer service from Spirit Airlines). McCarran International Airport is decent.It is not world-class despite having an international terminal. I was amused to see slot machines right inside airport, may be it is the way to say "Welcome to Vegas!"

Transportation:  Transportation is decent. We need not go far,  as "The strip" where most of the casinos lie, is very close to the airport. It is also touches the Interstate 15 if you choose to come by road. We can rent cars form McCarran Airport Rentals. If you prefer to travel Pimpin' you can always rent costliest cars you can imagine - from classy Rolls Royce - Ghosts to sporty Lamborghini s.There are also City Bus services and Shuttles to the Strip for the down trodden like me and of-course.... the rude middle-eastern taxi drivers are always available if needed.

The Bellagio

Staying: You will be amazed to know how many staying options are available. From the cheapest to
the costliest to the average ones. Staying is all a personal decision, plus you would not be staying in

The Venetian

the room anyways. I would prefer to stay on "The Strip" where majority of the good casinos are located. Costliest ones are Wynn, The Bellagio  and The Venetian.  The prices are from any where around $150 to $300+ per night. The holiday weekends increase the rates. There are many added taxes like entertainment tax, resort fees etc so be aware of that so you will end-up spending more than what is marked. This is totally normal in US so don't frown! The Mirage is a good option as it is located near-heart of the strip. Other options include the Westin, Holiday Inn

Paris , Las Vega

etc. Rates would be around $100-$200 depending on the season. Lower end would be way off the strip - Candle wood suits, extended stay etc ($50+). You can obviously stay cheaper and in more horrible places. I missed my flight and had to stay overnight in a spooky place - Terrible's Casino (...and, I have not miss-spelled it. I stayed there for only $33. Rooms were decent but place was run-down. The people staying above me continuously made some noises all night - from  moving furniture to fornication.
Casino below was full of old wreaked people sitting on slot machines). One more option is to sleep on the slot machines, roulette table or black jack table...your choice.

Things to Do: This totally depends to whom you go with. If you are group of young male adults with raging hormones or young lip-locking honeymoon couple or just a loner with 2 hands. Vegas has lots and lots of options right from adult entertainment to food to gambling.

Following would be my top 5 picks:
1. Gambling - World capital
2. Food - Vegas has world class restaurants
3. Entertainment Shows - an expensive endevour
4. Adult Entertainment - Well, this place is famous for sleaziness
5. Places to look around - Hoover Dam , Nuclear Testing sites, and The Grand canyon.

Gambling: I am not an expert in gambling.Well... No one is...unless you have lady-luck on your side. Everybody comes to LV in the hope of making it big! Mortals like me think they aren't mortals and

Roulette in Planet Hollywood

loose lot of money! But there is always a joy that is left over after loosing money...isn't there? You will see lot of people shouting and screaming with joy of winning! Don't worry they are soon going to loose it all! Most people get envious of Casinos after they see how much money the casinos are making!

If you see a super hot chick with an old, fat ugly guy don't be surprised! You will see many. You too can be that old, fat, ugly guy if you can buy "her" the bling bling! or else simply buy "her".... Then there also old bimbo waitresses wearing tights and serving you drinks. I really felt sorry for the make-up that they are made to wear.

There are innumerable games in casinos black-jack, Poker, Roulette. Initially you will feel bit awkward if you don't understand a game ...be shameless..and ask the dealer.....remember everybody is pathetic as you! Slot machines are one of the most horrendous games...it will rarely give you "Highs"...and over that they make a simple game confusing by giving it a stupid theme..."Arabian Nights", "Roman Days"..... Probabilities of winning is what makes roulette very interesting but some how Casinos seem to Win...or do they....? (Note: Financial Statement)   

Chocolate Truffle Cake - The Cravings

Food: Vegas has world class restaurants...undoubtedly.... especially if you are a sea food lover. There are may buffets that one surely has to try. Best out of them was The Buffet in Bellagio. It is one of the highest rated restaurants. You get to try Italian, Japanese, Chinese and the dreaded American food (Indian food would have made it better...)! I tried

Sushi Table - The Buffet

at-least 15 types of sweets..and no sweats, restroom is always open for you. $30 per Head for dinner is cheap considering the expensive sea food you are getting. Other restaurants I tried were Cravings in The Mirage (I would rate it the best) and Red-Rock Buffet (The cheapest!). Vegans have few options here. There are very few Indian restaurants  around the strip. Tamba is one of the decent ones near MGM Grand (Their website is a good example of extreme bad designing. Gaudy colors, stupid loud song playing in the background. They are the only restaurant I have seen to add 20% gratuity for a party of 2.Its so dark there you will most likely eat with your nose)


Entertainment Shows: Vegas is all about entertainment baby..as dirrty as you like it! There are levels
 of entertainment.There is simple harmless, beautiful, free entertainment like the fountains of Bellagio or

The Cirque De Soliel: Mystere

stupid volcano of Mirage or the scantily claded chicks of Treasure Island. There are expensive entertainment shows like the troupes from Quebec  The cirque du soliel  (There are many versions. The 'O' in Bellagio, sensual Zumanity, Elvis and Mystere)  I paid $130 for Mystere which frankly speaking was over-rated. Well its just a high class circus...what else will you see except a very well choreographed acrobats...I see that on TV everyday! The 'O' is even more expensive $250 per ticket! Then there are stand-up comedy shows which are decent enough. Then weirdo shows like Bluemans group, David Copperfield Magic..... Its a personal choice how you waste your money in Vegas...Nearly all the casinos have their permanent shows. Then there are totally different shows like The Crazy Horse. Its a play on your eyes with different light effects on different bodies. Interestingly, nobody wears a shirt in the show...hmmm

Adult Entertainment:It is really hard to escape sex in Vegas. As you walk across the strip you will see tiny Mexican men and woman distributing flyers for strip shows. They don't spare anyone...even kids. It is their right to give those!  And all you need to do is to call her...or him or it...whatever... Thats why its the Sin City! . There are Ad-Vans on the

The Venetian Shopping

road advertising strip shows right at your room. Then as I had mentioned the hot chick (with old guys) in tightest of dress is most likely an escort...sort of hooker....they will add charm to you...make other guys jealous of you..while she spends you money playing poker..... But remember prostitution is illegal. LV is also full of hi-class clubs where you can drink all night and dance all day! Tao and Lavo are the famous ones. There are plenty of options to shop..isn't that Adult entertainment? (I never had a credit-card when I was a kid). The Venetian (Best of the breed with azure fake sky), Planet Hollywood, The cosmopolitan are excellent places to shop. Remember never let loose your girlfriend/wife/boyfriend with your credit-card! You will find all the haute brands of the world...including Gucci, Prada, Fendi , Cartier, LV, YSL...and the list goes on ...(not that I can afford $1000 wallet) but then also there is also... Aeropostal, Hollister!



Places to look around: Out of all Casinos on the Strip, most

The Fremont Experience

beautiful is The Venetian, set in Venice. Its has a good shopping and eating districts. You can go on a gondola ride like in actual Venice with

Gandola Ride in The Venetian

people staring hungrily at the lovebirds while the gondolier sings "O Sole Mio". The Bellagio is also a high class casino with fountains after 7pm. Its really worth seeing...just once. I would advise against going beyond the ends of the strip. The strip  suddenly looks like a dump! Which LV is actually... The Downtown LV which is just around 4 miles north of the strip has the Freemont Street Experience. It has the biggest display screen in the world with length of 460 meters! It is worth visiting. It also has many eating joints and cheaper casinos. The stratosphere, which is at the edge of the strip, has many rides - The

The Hoover Dam

X scream ride is the the best!  The Hoover dam is one of the big attractions close to Vegas. It is about 23 miles from LV. The Arizona-Nevada state line divides the hoover dam into two parts. During Daylight saving time you can be in two time zones at the same time (MDT and PDT)! The Huge Hoover dam Bypass bridge is also an attraction. The Backwaters of Hoover, the Lake Mead reservoir is a good place for boating. The Grand Canyon National Park Southern rim is around 180 miles from LV. It a place worth visiting. But just one day would not do justice to its beauty.There are also helicopter rides($200+) which takes us  on a Grand Canyon tour.

With so many things to do in Vegas it surely the entertainment capital of the world. And it is not Cheap! So don't expect to spend less than $1000 here! I went to Vegas Twice before I was able to finish writing this!

Driving away from Boredom....

Last minute plans are always amusing...I felt it during this trip to Flagstaff, AZ. I did not plan much as I thought that this trip will be a short one, with in the state of Arizona. But it turned out to be a long one. I drove for almost 1000 miles(approx 1600kms) in my VW passat.

Arizona State. Tucson is just 60 miles from Mexico

Part A, B: Flagstaff: My starting point was in Tucson, a small city in South Arizona, where I stay. My journey started with my gastank full and few snacks from K-mart. I started towards Phoenix on I-10 and from there on I-17 to Flagstaff. As I moved on from an arid cactus filled desert to higher plains the weather changed dramatically. It became humid and cold. As I neared Flagstaff, it was already becoming dark ( in winters sunset is somewhere at 5:30pm).The streets looked like some picturesque village in Colorado. This was very different from what Arizona typically represents. I stayed in some hotel on historic route 66   (a culturally important route) .

Meteor Crater

Part C: Meteor Crater, Winslow, AZ: It is located about 30-40 miles East of Flagstaff on I-40. It is a meteor impact site created around 50,000 years ago. I had high expectations from this place and was grossly disappointed. It is basically as they claim, the best kept crater in the world. This site is created by a meteorite impact. It is a privately owned monument. Biggest drawback is that its $15 entry fee does not deliver up-to its expectations and is a typical tourist trap. They have a poorly managed museum and a gift shop. They also have a Subway outlet. The tour starts after every 1 hour. There is nothing much to see except for a big hole. The tour guide will tell you all the facts and figures which nobody will care for. Remember its ultimately just a crater! How much can a layman be entertained in 1hour? For a photographer like me it turned out to be a bad day as sky was cloudy! Damn! For more info visit: http://www.meteorcrater.com/

Shadows on the wall

Scenic Drive

Horse Shoe Bend

Part D: Horseshoe Bend, Page, AZ : After Meteor Crater, I headed for Horseshoe Bend. This place was really worth its efforts to drive that far. The drive is scenic. On the way you will come across the southern rim of the Grand Canyon National Park. Since I had already been there I had other places in my mind. I proceeded towards Page AZ. The landscape on the way is really breathtaking.  Roads are windy in some parts so have to be careful while driving. The roads are patched with Indians selling their handcrafts.The last part of the road near Page is really straight and steep. I drove at 120mph which is not at all recommended and is against the law. It is easy to miss the Horseshoe bend so set it on GPS before you travel. Once you reach there, there is a short hike towards the horseshoe-bend. Its not at all hectic. But be sure to carry your food stuffs as there are no shops or restrooms. Once you reach there view is breath taking. You can see the horseshoe bend clearly. Its a part of Colorado river. It takes a bit of effort to take photographs if you have an acrophobia. A wide angle lens would be great, preferably 8mm to 14mm. Best time for photography would be afternoon around noon when sun shines over both the horseshoe arms. You would be able to see the green colour of Colorado river.

Glen canyon bridge

Lake Powell

Jetty

Lake Powell, Page AZ: Just around 5 miles from Horseshoe bend lies Lake Powell. Its a part of Glen Canyon National Recreational Area. The lake is the backwater of Glen Canyon Dam. This lake covers two states Utah and Arizona. I had visited the Utah part while visiting Moab , UT ( Arches National park) . This place is good for recreational sports including fishing, boating and staying. There is a fully justifiable entry fee of $15 per car. You will be able to see three Chimneys bellowing out smoke. Overall this place is worth visiting. You can also bring along your own boats.

On The way to Sedona...

Red rocks

Christmas Celebrations

Small Shops

Part E: Sedona, AZ:
A picturesque drive if you take inner roads and not Interstate. Extremely winding roads even in winters road was green and rivers flowing. It is one of the best places to hike and camp. Please check the weather predictions before you camp. Sedona is about 30-40 miles from Flagstaff. It was luckily a bright day. The Mall road had quiet a good number of small shops making it very beautiful. You can rent a Jeep for rock climbing. Overall a very good place. It was really awesome drinking hot coffee overlooking mountains. From there about five miles we have Redrock loop, a fine drive.

Californacation Part - 3 ( dont ask me where are parts 1 and 2 )

Trip Details: San Francisco

distance :

Denver- San Francisco - 950 miles/1529Kms

No of days: 3.5

Cost : $990 (Rs 44000)

Mode : Rental Car, Bus , Cable Train

Song : Cold Deserts - King of Leon

WARNING: ONLY FOR TYPICAL INDIAN TOURIST

SFO lies on the west coast of US. A little to the North.It is much cooler than LA.I spent almost 4 days in and around San Francisco (SFO). I had been there before but did not see much of it.

Weather: SFO is a windy and cloudy city ( as per many of my friends ). I was lucky all the 4 days were

sunny that too in winter!Sunny and winter is the greatest tourist combination, alwaysremember. Except mild showers the second day it was dry through out. It does not snow.Win ds...Yes it was windy a little bit.

City: City is just awesome. It has its own character. You will see lot of ethnic Chinese ( the settled here in late 1800's and were source of chea

p labor) , Mexicans ( California was a part of Mexico before the civil war) Indians ( tourists and white collared workers) ,Caucasians and general tourists. Landscape, well I think this is the most unique thing about SFO. This is a city built on the hills. Some roads cross more than 60 degrees! cycling or for that matter even walking can be a mountainous task ( ohh...It has to be mountainous rt?). Houses lining the streets are treat to your eyes. Colours will hit you. They are really beautiful. From the top of the mountains you can see the deep blue Bay. The golden gate bridge cannot escape your eyes.It has that shade of red which no one can describe ( Let me know if u know it! ). This city has a good amount of green cover. Golden Gate is a part of national Park and it is not to be missed. Link to the government website http://www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm

Transportation: I would say transportation is one of the good things here. Golden gate area is fully made for bikers liking. Though winds might just get u straight. See the weather before you venture. City buses ( BART...not a Simpson ) are equipped bike racks. You can rent the bikes from the Fisherman's Wharf. The local transport BART is known to be good.There are some weird electric buses with wires hanging. From airport there is a direct train ( or metro..a part of Bay Area Regional Transport ) link for their chick site http://www.bart.gov/. The most famous mode of transport is the Cable Car. You would wonder why is it named cable car? The cables run underground to pull the car. $5 per ride or free :).It has its areas of operation downtown to fisherman's wharf. You would need to rent car for going around the national park areas ITS CAL PPL.

The Trip: Its a personal choice what to see and what not to. I am a nature freak to some extent but I wanted to see the urban landscape. We rented a car from Budget with a GPS ( must!) at SFO. SFO airport is one of the biggest and filled with Chinese ppl. Stay, I would suggest find some cheap hotel in downtown area. We stayed at The Opel hotel on Van Ness Ave. It was close to almost all the city landmarks ( except the Airport ). Hotel is ok for $50 but parking cost us $25 per night. Parking is a headache in downtown area and costly! It cost us more than $120 to park. But if u act little intelligent unlike us you will save a lot!

Day 1(was just 1/2 a day) : Pier 39 : Its ia a pier lined with shops and people performing on the road. It is a place to be at DUSK. food..is mostly sea food.I had a crab sandwich which was unexpectedly good n expected costly. There are shops filled with magnet souvenir's.,California wines. There are good restaurants but Its upto your liking of sea food.Chowder is a very popular dish. You get a good view form the pier. You can see the Alcatraz island ,the Bay bridge etc. At sunset it looks amazing. You can also have a good look at the SFO downtown. There is a maritime museum there. Worth a visit if you have lots of spare time. The pier is a crowded place bustling with colours , people and fish! Public Parking is expensive $7 per hour ( max $35 per day). You can spend upto 3-4 hrs here.

Day 2 : Was partially sunny with little rains!

Alcatraz Island (The Rock): Do we need an introduction. This was the place where Al Capone was kept. Movies were made on it..The Rock (and the famous Kamayat with Neha dhupia n ajay Devgan). Its an Indian reserve now. It was a prison uptill 70's .Now converted to a tourist spot ( these Americans know how to do it! i.e. fleece!). Its a fairly walkable small island. You can see bay bridge, GGB and the city skyline and the dropping roads! Its a part of National Park area.It has been well maintained. It has to be traversed in a boat that starts from pier 33.

As soon as u get down from the boat they will give you a brief introduction and a history. Then you can start on your own. They have a short film ( made by Discovery channel) .Then you walk to the main prison. They have an Audio tour. It is self guided and good! available in Chinese,Spanish ,French and of course English! The tour gives you brief history. quite fascinating!After the tour you can go around the island , buy souvenirs or go back! Boats take you back to 33 every 1/2 Hr. I would advise you to book online and print tickets. The rides get overbooked often .It should not cost you more than $23 from official site http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

Mill Valley: Its a small Scenic place just close to the Golden Gate .Nothing much to see but the

beauty is just astounding. Roads are clean but have to watchout for the cyclists cycling at a higher speed on the way. You ll have to cross the GGB and take highway 1. I could still see fall colours in winters.There are small caffes where you can have snacks n stuff. Worth visiting if you have some spare time.

Muir Woods: Pronounced as Mee Urr woods. Is a good place to hike, Its a part of NPS.Getting here was a bit tricky but do follow CA-1 and i guess ppl(cyclists) will be there to guide you. We can see the simply astounding tall red wood trees and Sequeras. Trees are more than 400 years are there so watch out for elefants..;). Some are older than 1000 years old. There is a $5 entry fee and you ll get a brochure with the trails map.There are different beautiful trails some short ,some looong.There are trails more than 6 miles long so bring in good shoes.Some times it rains during winters so dress accordingly.If you have visited northern India's forests then it might not amaze you after all !!

http://www.nps.gov/muwo/planyourvisit/hours.htm, All your FAQ's will get answered here. Remember! in winters park closes at 5.

Stinson Beach: It is about 10-15 miles from The Muir woods .The road is extremely scenic.

We pass through good huge woods and the beach front. The road speaks for it self. There are speed limits so watch out for the speed limits! and also the bloody cyclists ( if you are not one! ). There is a small village ( mind it! its a califonia village ! ) where you can park your car. The beach is just ad joining the parking (It closes at six in winters).The beach is huge,clean with golden sands. There is a bistro on the beach. Its not too crowded. Worth a visit. It has a rock formation at the end of the beach can walk upto that if you wish. Dont try the cold pacific ocean! There are also other beaches like Muir Beach. I would suggest follow this road till the END! which is not too far.

Fort Barry: I went there alone at night. Was quite an experience. It is very close to GGB about 5-6 miles i guess. In the night no body is present, winds are cold and all you can hear is swish of flowing winds and lashing waves. Its a place to visit! But safety I donno! you could get mugged alone .I went there against everyone alone to take fotographs in night mode! but the winds ruined them. it was a full moons day.You can see the whole of SFO in night. What a view! I again went there at day time. I guess the day ended there ;)

Day 3: Was Sunny!

The Crooked Street: The crooked street aka the Lombard street is supposed to be the crookedest street in the world. Its is a really pricey piece of real estate which I would not like to buy as people flock there day and night and continously take fotographs with little room for privacy. Plus Parking is really a headache at wierd angles! You get a good view of the blue bay from the top of this street. Neat houses are lined on the side of this street. This street seems to be purposefully made crooked but the angles are for real. Anyways it wont take you more than 15-20 mins to see it! Just park you car 2-3 blocks around the street and take a cable car to the downtown or fishermas wharf.you will save a lot of money in parking plus you get to ride the world famous cable train. The cable train has a one way ticket of $5 or 2-way of $11 quite wierd! People hang from the sides of the train unsafely like in India so gives you a homely feeling. If you get down in between you can forget to pay ! :P ! 3-4 peope operate the cable train ! I know the last man is a brakeman and pulls the brake when the roads r too steep!

The Downtown : The Downtown is awesome like most of the downtown's. It has huge

boulevards and the cable trains operate there to the fisherman's wharf. There is very less of parking space so forget taking your car there! It is lined with shops with famous brands like victoria's secret ( she might just reveal it one day.I am waiting for long! ),Gucci, Prada, Diesel etc. It is a good place to roam around .It also has a huge Macy's store. I have these brands going, everywhere you go!

The Golden Gate Bridge (GGB): This is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of SFO. It has that weird color of road which in background of blue coloured bay looks very striking! You have to take the highway 101 and cross the bridge to the Vista point exit. The Vista point is very crowded! always! and you ll be lucky to find the parking! We were ! The bridge is very beautiful .you can walk only at one side of the bridge the other is strictly for cycles. It is very windy there but it was a good sunny day .You can see Alcatraz island! Walk till the end of the bridge, till other end its about 1.7 miles (4.3Kms).Do Walk! dont commit the mistakes that I did ! View is very good from the centre of the bridge. If your light weight (highly unlike Americans who suffer from gigantassism) do hold the rails! There are other points from where you can clearly see the whole bridge. We have to go to the road for Fort Barry to see the whole bridge! I would suggest get a bike from fisherman's wharf and cycle to the GGB! IT IS A MUST!!!!! if you are fit ! Haan It has a $6 oneway toll so kep change ready!

Day 4: Sunny Again!

San José (Pron. Span. San Hozee ) : It is the silicon valley of the world. Costly place ! It is in south of SFO about 50 miles from it. You ll find tech biggies like Google, Yahoo, Oracle etc and lots and lots of Indians
Mystery spot: We went there in the morning. It is about 20-30 miles from San Jose. It is famous for the weird gravitational anomaly. Some weird stuff. Worth visiting once! For more information visit http://www.mysteryspot.com/. There is a hut at at angle and you feel a bit dizzy due to intense gravitational effect! Illusion of vision is also some stuff. Entry fee $5 parking $5

Santa Cruz: Again a small Cal Village! Amazing beach and a pier. lined with palm trees. The beach is clean and you ll find people dancing and playing ball ! The pier is huge and had is lined with shops and restaurants. You can see Sea Lions down the pier!

Conclusion: This city certainly has something unexplainable! It is the most colorful city in US that I have seen. Clean and good transportation Every thing is seen from everywhere! From Lombard street I could See GGB and alcatraz .From Alcatraz , the streets and GGB . From GGB the streets and Alcatraz!