Tour of San Francisco

Prior to my trip, I had researched numerous touring companies and found one that used shuttles (rather than the big buses) and would pick me up at my hotel in SoMa. Constantine picked me up first and started to immediately give me historical facts and point out different buildings on our way to picking up the other 16 tourists who would eventually join us.

We drove through many neighborhoods on the five hour tour and made three stops where we were given about 20 minutes to walk around, take pictures, and enjoy the view. Some of the places we drove through/by were Chinatown, Little Italy, The Castro, The Presidio, Ocean Beach, Union Square, Golden Gate Park/Museums, and Pacific Heights. He pointed out interesting spots, like the comedy club where Robin Williams got his start (he actually started as a street performer in SF), Galileo Academy (OJ Simpson's high school), and the apartment where Jimi Hendrix lived.

Please enjoy my tour of San Francisco:

View of the city from the Bay Trail

Alcatraz

Famous mural of Hendrix, Joplin, and Garcia in Haight-Ashbury

One of the many psychedelic store fronts in Haight-Ashbury

Tie dye shirts sold here!

A Row of Painted Ladies

View of the City from Twin Peaks (not just a TV show!)

Another view from Twin Peaks

 

This was my favorite stop of the tour - Land's End, where you are standing on cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Here are the Sutra Baths, ruins of a saltwater bathhouse of the rich in the early 20th century.

 

The Cliff House, a historical restaurant, rebuilt a few times.

Beautiful cypress trees at Land's End

After being dropped off at the hotel, I had about five minutes to change clothes and meet my husband and some associates for dinner at Roy's (Yamaguchi, for you foodies) Restaurant, which was within walking distance from our hotel.  Went to bed around midnight, so with the time difference, it was about a 24 hour day for me. Tired, but happy!