Was able to book the Yosemite Lodge for 9/19, 9/20. Thinking maybe to fly to San Francisco on 9/16 and back to sf on 21th. Looking for suggestion for what do, where to stay in SF and other places to visit. I have read the SF street thread . I have also read and benefited from other travel posts and appreciated any help!
If I understand you correctly it looks like you will really have two full days in SF, 9/17 and 9/18. The good news is September is often the best weather month of the year so it’s a great time to get outside and do some urban hiking if that appeals to you. The walk from Land’s End on the Pacific up through the Presidio and over to Crissy Field in the Marina is spectacular on a pretty day. A good strategy is to leave the car at Land’s End and Uber/Lyft back at the end of the walk.
If you let us know what your general interests are we can likely give you more specific suggestions.
Renting a bike to explore Golden Gate Park from Haight Ashbury to the Pacific is a nice day. You could eat lunch at the restaurant that overlooks the ocean - I forget the name but it is the only one.
Renting a car and going to Muir Woods is a nice day trip but go early and be the first ones there. You want to be on your way out when the hordes of tour buses arrive.
When you go to Yosemite, leave early. Traffic can be horrible. I would leave at 5AM and get to Yosemite in the morning. You can’t check in to the hotel, but you can spend the day exploring and basically give yourself an extra day in the park. If you leave later, you might be spending the day in traffic. When you return to SF, plan the timing so that you are not hitting rush hour (meaning daylight!).
FYI - Muir Woods implemented a new parking system.
Agreed on the traffic @WISdad23. I would try to get back to the greater Bay Area (Tracy for instance) by around 11 as the only non-rush hour period is about 10 am - 2:00 pm…and remember the Waze app is your friend.
I am pretty sure the restaurant that is mentioned at the west end of Golden Gate Park is The Beach Chalet.
Restaurant also could be Cliff House.
We have stayed at Days Inn on Grove Street in the Hayes Valley area near the SF symphony and opera house. It’s convenient to lots of nice restaurants and includes onsite parking. Rates vary and they have AAA and AARP discounts.
My sister preferred Hilton near Union Square. Parking is very pricey there but if you don’t have a car and like being near Union Square it’s there.
It is a longish drive SF to Yosemite and back. If you can go when traffic is lighter (weekday non-rush hour), it’s much more pleasant.
Instead of staying another night in San Francisco, you might consider checking out of your hotel on the 18th. Spend that day doing whatever you had planned in the Bay Area. Have a nice dinner and get on the road at about 8 pm. Stay overnight in a Central Valley town along highway 99 (Modesto, Turlock, and Merced are all fine). That way you don’t have to get up at 4 am to lessen your exposure to traffic, and you are already more than halfway to Yosemite. Extra bonus - you’ll likely save a few bucks on your hotel cost for that night.
Instead of staying another night in San Francisco, you might consider checking out of your hotel on the 18th. Spend that day doing whatever you had planned in the Bay Area. Have a nice dinner and get on the road at about 8 pm. Stay overnight in a Central Valley town along highway 99 (Modesto, Turlock, and Merced are all fine). That way you don’t have to get up at 4 am to lessen your exposure to traffic, and you are already more than halfway to Yosemite. Extra bonus - you’ll likely save a few bucks on your hotel cost for that night.
Or consider staying in Mariposa, a cute little town nearer Yosemite. You’ll beat the sometimes maddening LINE of traffic to enter the park.
In September, Yosemite Falls is likely to be dry but Nevada and Vernal Falls always run. The hike up to the top of Nevada Falls is strenuous but the view of the water going over the falls is amazing. The trip to Vernal Falls is much easier.
In SF, the Alcatraz tour and Golden Gate park are both great. In Yosemite, visit the Ahwahnee hotel and have lunch in the fabulous dining room. The Vernal/Nevada falls trail is a great hike. One of my biggest regrets is not taking my kids camping in Yosemite like we used to do every year when I was a kid.
The Ahwanhnee hotel has a different name but I’d the fanciest place in Yosemite and yes, is nice for a meal. They have some guided tours from there.
In SF I like to get an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista, visit the Ferry Building and catch a baseball game at AT&T Park. If you want to take an Alcatraz tour you need to book in advance. The ferry to Sausalito is fun.
Yosemite is wonderful. Once you get there you don’t need your car because the bus goes everywhere. The Mist Trail is a nice hike. The Ahwahnee Hotel is now called the Magestic Yosemite Hotel because of some sort of copyright dispute. It is gorgeous.
^^^Yes, due to a trademark dispute with a previous concessionaire, the Ahwahnee is now the Majestic Yosemite Hotel. The dining room and the giant fireplaces on the ground floor are worth seeing.
Many thanks to all! Will definitely visit Alcatraz and Muir Woods. Alsoi like the idea of biking in Golden Gate Park.
although I realized it was a long trip to Yosemite, I never considered the traffic! Planning now to follow the suggestion to leave late evening!
Walking over the Golden Gate bridge is fun. We went to Lands End and hiked down to a beach there. Beautiful! Always fun to have dim sum in Chinatown. Golden Gate Park is lovely, Japanese Tea Garden is very nice and the museums, depending on what shows are on. The modern art museum is interesting.
Book Alcatraz well in advance. It sells out 4-8 weeks ahead in the summer. You can easily spend most of the day there with the walk up the hill and the cell block tour (take a picnic lunch).
Go into Yosemite via Hwy 120 (you really shouldn’t miss going to Tuolumne Meadows but it will take most of the day) and out via Hwy 41 (with a detour to Glacier Point - climb Sentinel Dome which is only 30 mins from the car for the best view) or vice versa. Hwy 140 is tedious in comparison.
I agree with getting close to Yosemite the night before, Groveland is a cute town on Hwy 120, much nicer than Mariposa IMO. Tenaya Lodge is probably the best option on Hwy 41.
Muir Woods may not be worth it if you are visiting Yosemite and will see the sequoias there. I’d consider the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands more interesting than Muir Woods. Walk down to the lighthouse at Point Bonita if it’s fog free (decent chance of that in September).
You will love it! Take the ferry to Sausalito. Just being out on the Bay is my favorite tourist thing to do. While in Yosemite I highly recommend eating dinner at the “mountain room” at Yosemite lodge and going to the Ahwahnee for breakfast at least once. Best views + food that way.
The Mariposa grove area of giant sequoias has just reopened after an extensive renovation of visitor areas. It’s near the southern entrance to the park, ~ hour drive from the valley. The trail in and around the sequoias is beautiful. Just outside the southern park entrance is Tenaya Lodge, better dining options than inside the park and not a bad place to stay if you want to extend your trip near the park.
In SF you can buy a multi-day transit pass at the tourist office in the Ferry Building. Ride the old street cars, busses, underground metro trains & even the cable cars with the pass. Enjoy!
The evening ranger-led walk was excellent, as we an evening presentation of a guy who channeled John Muir at Yosemite. We did both.
We were there in October and my BIL who goes to Yosemite annually was pleasantly surprised how nice the park was with fewer people. He usually goes in the summer when it’s hot and very crowded with other visitors.