Tipbob

Too bad about Mr. Toads Tours. It was great. Just got back from SF yesterday where we took kids to Alcatraz. Great tour! My 4th (and probably last) time, but still entertaining and informative. Hard to get tickets because it fills up. Run by Park Service so no private tours can stop on island, only circle enviously. Book ahead! Also I've heard walking/eating tour of Chinatown is fun. Or get $14 all-day pass for cable cars which are good on buses and trolley cars too and see it all, Fisherman's Wharf, cable car barn museum, to downtown. Check out the Neiman Marcus building. Beautiful glass ceiling. Palace Hotel, ditto. Ferry Building. Or a tour to Muir Woods in Marin County. Closer than wine tasting with redwoods.

I lived in Sonoma County for 30 years and never want to see another winery in my life. However, San Francisco is another matter. If this is your only day in SF, I'd stay in town. October is the best month in the city. Usually warm and sunny. Just gorgeous. Take Mr. Toad's Tours. Old fashioned open cars with great guides. Small groups. Or a walking/eating tour of Chinatown. I've lived in northern California my whole life and still look at SF as a great place for a weekend getaway. Wine? You can sample that anywhere. And a 5-hour tour is mostly driving. Or Alcatraz! Great fun audio tour. In fact, my husband and I are taking our 13-year-old granddaughters to SF this weekend for our annual getaway. SF is a great place to spend time. Swan's Oyster Depot for Dungeness crab. Hole in the wall, crowded and busy just off California line cable car on Polk. Take the F line down Embarcadero where the ship will probably be to Ferry building. Nice shops. Catch cable car up California to Polk. there's a lot to do and see in SF.

Thanks for the great pictures. We are cruising from Vancouver to Anchorage and back in August. My husband's first cruise. He's not sure cruising is for him, bur he's hopeful. He doesn't want to dress up too much. I told him on formal nights we can eat elsewhere. He is bringing a tie and nice shirts though. How formal does formal night get? You captured our favorite city, San Francisco, beautifully.