reply to post by ukmicky1980
San Francisco.
Totally avoid" Pier 39" . It is NOTHING but an overpriced tourist trap. Cross it off any list.
In the city:
Lombard st. The crookedest street in the world. Must drive to.
Golden Gate Park. Huge city park with museums, animals and greenways. Drive to.
Chinatown, commercialized now but still charming, reach by foot or cable car from downtown.
Fishermans Wharf. At the end of a cable car ride from downtown. Very commercialized but still nice if you don't mind that.
Out of town: day trips
Drive north to and over the Golden Gate Bridge. You can park south of the bridge and walk across or just out onto it.
Over the bridge is Marin County and Mt. Tamalpias. Drive to the top for a great view of the whole Bay Area.
Drive south of SF for about an hour along the coast, stopping for a vist to Half Moon Bay. Quaint little tourist trap but nice. Then continue south to
Pescadero. You will pass some very nice beaches and gorgeous scenic views.
Very small farming town. Almost no tourism. Head east along the only road to Loma Mar. One gas station/store/sandwich shop/post office. About half an
hour from the ocean which you left at Pescadero you will come to San Mateo Memorial Park. Here you will be in a wonderful redwood park (I can smell
them now). As far as I know, redwoods grow only in the northwestern part of the continent. They are the worlds tallest trees.
You can also find redwoods in Marin County in Muir Woods, just not as nice I don't think. Or you might go way north to Garberville but that's a
two day trip.
If you want an amusement park, roller coasters and rides you have three choices.
North by car about an hour. "Six Flags Discovery Kingdom" with whales and animals and many rides.
South by car about an hour. "Great America". Just rides
South by car about two hours. "Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk". Last of the old amusement parks. On the ocean. Not big like the others. It can be a
nice day.