San Francisco Day Trip from LAS

Hello!

I'm heading out to LAS in March for 5 days, but I'd like to suprise my partner with a day trip to SFO!

There are 2 main reasons:

1. I get to visit SFO for the first time, although brief will be nice for lunch.
2. I get to fly Virgin America!

What are your thoughts on how realistic this would be?

Arrive in SFO @ 10:45 and depart at 6:15pm.

How long does it take to get from SFO airport direct to the city? Is it easy? Cheap? Plan to to have some lunch and a wonder round the city.

It's a day trip so not planning to get it all in, but a little taster for 2 weeks there in 2012.

Any thoughts would be great.

Thanks,

Luke

Takes about 30 mins to get to downtown on the BART from SFO. Cost is about $10

Get off at the Powell/Market stop and go up to the tourist office at the entrance and get a one day travel card. Next go the street level and join the queue for the cable car (you can't go to San Fran and not do the cable cars).

You could book advance tickets to alcatraz too. This is the official site.

Thanks Tonty, was just on the BART website as I read this, unsure of which stop to get off, great help!

Do you think 6 hours would be too rushed or if expectations are set that we won't see a great deal and just have a wonder, we would be ok?

Is there no flight after 6.15 pm?

On your day, x-fingers no delays, both SFO and LAS work pretty well except when there's fog at SFO ... so do check.

I'd plan a simple itinerary and not try to rush to do lots, as Tonty says, BART to Powell then perhaps cable car over the top to Fisherman's Wharf or Ghiradelli, lunch, on the return a stop of atop Nob Hill on the way back, cocktail at the Top of the Mark, walk around the cathedral (if you're a Tales of the City fan you can place a few events!) back to Union Sq and a walk around, BART to airport, job done y) .

Or perhaps the tram up to the Castro which has good and quirky restaurants and is nice for a stroll. Or even a cab to the Haight and walking up and down the streets ...

How about stay one night, book the Alcatraz evening tour, get some time to look around properly?

Slinky thanks for all the advice!

Everyone - appreciate your thoughts!

I've decided I'll have a glass of wine or 3 then get the credit card out!! ( only time will tell what the result is!!)

Luke

Wow, that's a very nice surprise.

We did San Francisco this time last year and it was wonderful.
Seeing the Golden Gate bridge for the first time was breath taking (walking it was exhausting!!!)
The cable car trips were unbelievable, and the trip over to Alcatraz was awesome.

I’d make for Fisherman’s Wharf, have lunch in one of the smashing restaurants overlooking the harbour area & Alcatraz.
You probably won’t really have time to do that trip justice, so soak in the atmosphere along the wharf (especially Pier 39)and then get the cable car back up to Union Square where you can catch the Bart back to the airport. All a bit touristy but then you are coming from Las Vegas

We flew Virgin America from SFO down to San Diego. Very enjoyable.

Wow, that's a very nice surprise.

We did San Francisco this time last year and it was wonderful.
Seeing the Golden Gate bridge for the first time was breath taking (walking it was exhausting!!!)
The cable car trips were unbelievable, and the trip over to Alcatraz was awesome.

I’d make for Fisherman’s Wharf, have lunch in one of the smashing restaurants overlooking the harbour area & Alcatraz.
You probably won’t really have time to do that trip justice, so soak in the atmosphere along the wharf (especially Pier 39)and then get the cable car back up to Union Square where you can catch the Bart back to the airport. All a bit touristy but then you are coming from Las Vegas

We flew Virgin America from SFO down to San Diego. Very enjoyable.

Thanks Hev, do are there good views of the Golden Gate bridge from Fishermans Wharf or can you recommend somewhere else to see it? The best and most easily assessable would be best.

Thanks again for your advice!

Luke

You will 'see' the GG bridge but its not a good view as its in the distance.

An option might be a boat tour (about an hour long) from fishermans wharf which will go under it.

TBH I'd save the close up of bridge until your longer trip then you can bike across it !

Luke, tonybear is right. The Bridge is right into the distance from Pier 39 but you can see it on a clear day. You can get nearer if you took a bus further along the wharfs but like the other advice - best leave it to next year & then get a bike or (your feet) walk over the Bridge and go into Sausalito. After a tour around there, you get the ferry across back into San Francisco.
The views from the ferry are awesome.Hev

That's a great day out....and with, as others have said, the added fun of a flight on VX.

and then get the cable car back up to Union Square where you can catch the Bart back to the airport. All a bit touristy but then you are coming from Las Vegas

One small point of caution. I wouldn't rely on the the cable car as a means of transport if you are time limited on the return part of your journey. Queues can be very, very long for the limited space available. They are an essential experience, but not for those in a hurry to get somewhere.

Interesting thread, we will need to get from SFO to the wharf when we go in April - is it possible to get suitcases on to the cable car or is that a bit impractical?

[honey lamb]

One small point of caution. I wouldn't rely on the the cable car as a means of transport if you are time limited on the return part of your journey. Queues can be very, very long for the limited space available. They are an essential experience, but not for those in a hurry to get somewhere.

It would however be easy enough to get a tram or bus back to Market Street.

San Francisco can be very prone to fog and you may not get to see the Golden Gate Bridge. On one of my trips I only got to see it from the air when flying in and flying out! :0

You will love San Francisco but if you go to Fisherman's Wharf, be careful not to get caught by the bush man )

You will 'see' the GG bridge but its not a good view as its in the distance.

An option might be a boat tour (about an hour long) from fishermans wharf which will go under it.

This sounds good, where might one find more information about that Tonty?

Thanks

[honey lamb]

Interesting thread, we will need to get from SFO to the wharf when we go in April - is it possible to get suitcases on to the cable car or is that a bit impractical?

It would be quicker and easier to take the BART to Embarcadero than going to Market Street and then getting on a cable car and while that it possible, it really isn't advisable as the cars can get very crowded

You will 'see' the GG bridge but its not a good view as its in the distance.

An option might be a boat tour (about an hour long) from fishermans wharf which will go under it.

This sounds good, where might one find more information about that Tonty?

Thanks

Off hand its either 'blue and gold' or 'red and white' companies that do the tour.

Luke, this might be of interest to you
http://www.gocartours.com/pages/what-is-a-gocar.html
Mr DL and I hired one a few years ago in SF and had a blast (he had to jump out on the really steep bits as he's a little "heavy" :w ) as we'd "deviated" a bit off the GPS route .
I highly recommend the Alcatraz night tour (much better than the day tour). VX are a great airline viewtopic.php?f=21&t=255973&p=255973
DL

You will 'see' the GG bridge but its not a good view as its in the distance.

An option might be a boat tour (about an hour long) from fishermans wharf which will go under it.

This sounds good, where might one find more information about that Tonty?

Thanks

Off hand its either 'blue and gold' or 'red and white' companies that do the tour.

Thanks, looks like the Red&White is the 1 hour tour - $24 per person, will check it out.

https://www.redandwhite.com/

[Darren Wheeler]

No matter what you do, I guarantee you'll not have enough time to everything you want and you'll plan another, longer trip soon after.

San Francisco is one of my favourite cities as there is always something different to do there.

Fantastic advice allround! Thanks so much, I know SF is a favourite with many of you on here from reading the TR's.

I booked my VX flight last night (no wine needed!!) after looking through the SF Lonely Planet app, taking advice from this post and talking with my friend who lives in SF and I'm all set!

Thank you again to all! I'm sure from what you have all said, I will definitely be planning my longer trip to SF in 2012 following this whistle-stop visit!

Luke