Has anyone driven to San Francisco?

[LUDELVR]

I'm looking at doing this drive after the Stampede. What is a good route to take there and back? Any recommendations while there? Also, I'm looking at the Alcatraz tour but was told I wouldn't be able to get tickets the day of and had to book ahead. Any tips and insights would be sweet!

[86max]

I'm driving there at the end of july, will actually be going a little further to Santa Barbara. I've got a rough route figured out, but once you hit the coast it looks pretty straight forward. I'll be heading south through the Crowsnest Pass, down to Spokane, then west through the Columbia Valley, past Portland, then I'll hit the coast near Tillamook. Return trip will mostly be on the I5 IIRC.

They recommend you book alcatraz at least a week in advance, and make sure you book with the right company because only one is allowed to actually stop at the island.

Here's a good iphone app that has pacfic coast maps, reviews of hotels, fun things to do etc.
http://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/pacif...448849263?mt=8

I'll try and take a picture of my map and post it for you later today.

[Mibz]

I'm sure you'll get plenty of tips while you're down there.

[D'z Nutz]

Originally posted by Mibz
I'm sure you'll get plenty of tips while you're down there.

Watch out for those back seat drivers.

[cam_wmh]

I have. If you have a fun, agile vehicle, I suggest taking the route I did.

Drove to Spokane Washington from Calgary after a work day. (8 hours)

Then spent the next day driving to Crescent City California. (14 hours)

Then, the real fun. I drove the Pacific Coast Highway; State Route 1 to San Francisco.

It is incomparable to any other road out there. Hairpins that slow you down to 10 km/hour. I have a big brake kit, and alot of horsepower. The brakes and swaybars were essential to the fun. Hopefully you have a great co-pilot as between myself driving, and my pal taking pictures & recording video, it was a work-out. I could see sissy girls not liking it.

I've been meaning to post up the pics, and video but that's with my friend at the moment.

As far as San Francisco itself? I stayed with a friend in the Financial district. We ate great food, and partied alot, but I unfortunately can't recall any of the club names.

I will say ignore the Warf. It's just a tricket filled, fat-tourist mecca.

Go to the parks, and enjoy the real culture. Great shopping too.

Love that city, although if I were to live there I'd need paddles instead of a stick. (soo hilly)

[Jason Lange]

Take the 101 south the whole way, awesome drive.

[taemo]

here's the route we did

Calgary to Cranbrook
388KM - hwy3/95

Cranbrook to Spokane
303KM - hwy3/95 to I90

Spokane to Kennewick
225KM - I90 to H395

Kennewick to Bend
389KM - H395/I82 to I84/H30 to H97

Bend to Weed
334KM - H97

Weed to San Francisco
458KM - I5 to I505 to I80 to I780

basically we left Calgary at 1AM and we drove non-stop until we were in Weed, CA after about 20 hours on the road.
Then we called it a night and we were still 5 hours away from SF.
We didn't drive back the same way as we decided to stop by LA and Vegas

Originally posted by Jason Lange
Take the 101 south the whole way, awesome drive.

its one thing I regret not doing, so maybe later this year we might do the PCH drive

[spacerz]

Originally posted by cam_wmh

Then, the real fun. I drove the Pacific Coast Highway; State Route 1 to San Francisco.

+1 for the Pacific Coast Highway. It is awesome, especially the part that goes through the redwood forest. The scenery there is phenomenal.

[86max]

Everyone seems to agree that going from north-to-south on the PCH is the best way, mostly because your driving lane is right on the edge.

[LUDELVR]

Looking good lads! Cheers for the info!

I was looking around for Alcatraz tours and came across this one. Is this the one that you mentioned about going onto the island?

Alcatraz tours

[taemo]

^this one here is the one we booked and got to tour the rock
http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

[86max]

Originally posted by taemo
link

Yea that one, probably cheaper to go direct.

How long are you taking to do the round trip?

[TC2002]

Originally posted by LUDELVR
Looking good lads! Cheers for the info!

I was looking around for Alcatraz tours and came across this one. Is this the one that you mentioned about going onto the island?

Alcatraz tours

I just bought mine from http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

My husband and I are going right after Stampede as well. The earliest tickets were were able to get (for AM tours) were for Sunday, July 29th. Everything else was pretty well sold out already.

[Cos]

.

[LUDELVR]

Originally posted by taemo
^this one here is the one we booked and got to tour the rock
http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

Yeah, I just booked from that website. 28 bux each was cheaper than the other site that I found so all's good!

Originally posted by 86max


Yea that one, probably cheaper to go direct.

How long are you taking to do the round trip?

I'm looking at going for about 2 weeks. Our schedule is pretty flexible. Looking to camp when possible and then hotel/motel when necessary.

Originally posted by TC2002


I just bought mine from http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

My husband and I are going right after Stampede as well. The earliest tickets were were able to get (for AM tours) were for Sunday, July 29th. Everything else was pretty well sold out already.

Yup, I'm leaving pretty much on the 16th and heading out for the two weeks. I ended up getting my tickets for July 24th on the Tuesday. That should give us enough time to make it down there from Calgary leaving on the 16th yeah?

Originally posted by Cos
You HAVE to by pre for Alcatraz. I think when we went in August they were selling tickets for 6 days out.

Never drove sorry. Parking is going to be expensive and a bitch so be prepared for that.

Yeah, I'm already expecting parking to be a bitch! As for the tickets, one less thing I don't have to worry about and yeah, tickets were pretty scarce around the days I was looking. Lucked out with these ones I reckon!!

[ga16i]

Good job on getting the Alcatraz tickets early. Back when I went, I lucked out and came across a Japanese tour group who had extras to sell. Luckily, they were legit and we got to go. The box office was selling for next week.

As for recommendations:
If you need cheap shopping, Gilroy and Vacaville are the two outlets to hit.

If you're doing touristy stuff, don't forget the Haight and Ashbury area, and Castro. The two things San Francisco is known for: gays and hippies.

If you're still into the ferry thing, Angel Island might be interesting. It was like the West coast version of Ellis Island mainly for Asians.

If you're looking for JDM stuff. Japantown is a neat place to check out. Not too many cities have a Japantown that I know of. Their JDM stuff is likely actually JDM not like the things you find in Chinatown.

If you only do one special crazy dinner while there, there is CIA Culinary Institute of America in Napa.

If you REALLY like prisons, I think San Quentin (by Richmond) still houses Charles Manson and once held Richard Ramirez the Night Stalker. Pelican Bay (near Oregon) is a supermax prison for the worst of the worst. I saw a program on it once and it's like the University of gang leaders where they get their MBA's and become CEO's.

EDIT: If you happen to be Chinese. You might get a kick out of having a picture taken at Polk Street.

[Xtrema]

Alcatraz is overrated. But probably because when I was there, it was after the movie The Rock which hyped it up so much.

It's been awhile, need to drag my ass down there.

[shutterbug_art8]

Yeah, I'm already expecting parking to be a bitch! As for the tickets, one less thing I don't have to worry about and yeah, tickets were pretty scarce around the days I was looking. Lucked out with these ones I reckon!! [/B]

No, it's not that bad. Just park 1-2 blocks from the Wharf.
Should be some parkade parking on North Point and Beach ST for about $10-15/day.

[Jlude]

I've done the trip almost a dozen times. If you're looking to have fun, there's a nice detour through the mountains and a sketchy reservation in northern Montana that has roads that you'll think were designed by a race car driver.... just keep an eye out for the wild horses running around and don't stop in the reserve.