CA Coast & Disneyland! Pics & Video - Update 9/18- Pg. 12 #177 - The End!

[cherokeemamma]

Hi Spartangirl,

Your trip sounds so great! I have never been out west but my family really wants to do a trip in the next year or 2.

I am excited to read your TR and see the pictures.

I know I missed saying goodbye since you have already left but here is some pixie dust for a magical time.

Have Fun
Darlene

 

[imp&pixie]

I can't wait to read all about your travels. I'm getting here too late to give you any advice so I hope everything is going really well! I've lived in California all my life - grew up in Southern California going to Disneyland every year then moved to Northern California for college and I haven't been back down south for 20 years. I really, really want to take a trip to DLR and San Diego with my kids. I can't wait to hear how you enjoy my state.

Oh, I also wanted to say that it looks like we'll be in Washington DC around the same time (see ticker ). My dad lives there so we travel to that part of the country fairly often. We have a great trip planned (though it's not Disney ).

 

[Spartangirl]

We're back and I can't wait to share our trip with all of my DIS friends! I LOVED California and had a hard time coming back to reality. In all honesty, I would have a difficult time pinpointing my favorite part of the trip.....each city was unique and fun in its own way. Get ready to experience the California Coast and Disneyland!

Spartangirl:

Sounds incredibly romantic! I've been to all of these places, usually with kids in tow. Alcatraz is really cool!, and so is the wharf (we'll be there in a couple weeks ourselves - can't wait!) I LOVED Hearst castle, great for a couple. Pebble Beach (17 mile drive) is gorgeous, as is Yosemete.

You pack it in like I do - My kids BEG me for a day of relief
Just remember the drives are alot longer than you might expect, so leave early. (might be easier with two, but torchure with a family of five, especially teens). I've had to learn to ease my days (unless I'm by myself on a business trip or something, then I really explore )

I love to plan (and dream - Disney lover you know) so each FULL day is important to me - need to make the most of my time off, never know when I'll be back again.

Have a great trip. Always love to see/hear things through the eyes of someone else!

Celebrate Life

Welcome to my trippie! I too, loved CA just like you! I'm fortunate that my DH loves a "packed schedule" as much as I do. I can understand how it might be a bit harder with a family. I hope you enjoy reading my report...

Hi Spartangirl,

Your trip sounds so great! I have never been out west but my family really wants to do a trip in the next year or 2.

I am excited to read your TR and see the pictures.

I know I missed saying goodbye since you have already left but here is some pixie dust for a magical time.

Have Fun
Darlene

Thanks for joining my report! We had such a wonderful time out west. I took over 600 pics and I'm anxious to share some of them. Maybe my trippie will give you some ideas for your future trip. I really appreciate the pixie dust...our trip was so magical! By the way, that is such a cute picture of your kids!

I can't wait to read all about your travels. I'm getting here too late to give you any advice so I hope everything is going really well! I've lived in California all my life - grew up in Southern California going to Disneyland every year then moved to Northern California for college and I haven't been back down south for 20 years. I really, really want to take a trip to DLR and San Diego with my kids. I can't wait to hear how you enjoy my state.

Oh, I also wanted to say that it looks like we'll be in Washington DC around the same time (see ticker ). My dad lives there so we travel to that part of the country fairly often. We have a great trip planned (though it's not Disney ).

I can honestly say that I LOVED my time in California. Welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy my report!

That's cool that we'll be in DC around the same time! We love that city and it's our 1st visit in about 10 years...

 

[Spartangirl]

Day 1 - The Arrival

DH and I woke up at 3:30 a.m. (eastern time). We were feeling extremely tired, but were anxious to start our trip. After getting some much needed coffee into our systems , we were ready to begin our journey to the airport. After checking our bags, we quickly boarded our Frontier Airline's plane and flew into Denver, CO. We then boarded plane #2 which would take us to our final destination of San Francisco. When we arrived, the time in San Francisco was 10 a.m., which meant that we had gained 3 hours...more time for exploring! Upon arriving in CA, we got our bags and headed outside to book a shuttle to our hotel. We decided to take Supershuttle...what a mistake! Our driver loved the brakes and the accelerator. There was no inbetween! DH and I were rather green upon exiting the shuttle. But, there is more to the story...What should have been a 30 min. ride turned into an hour and a half ride. Apparently, today was the day of the "Gay Pride Parade" and we had to detour around it. Let me tell you, it was quite the sight! We saw many feathers, colorful costumes, and lots of "skin exposure." I'll leave that to your imagination!

After having quite "an introduction" to San Francisco, we finally arrived at the Hilton Fisherman's Wharf. The Hilton was a very nice hotel with friendly workers.

We quickly got our room and were pleased with what we saw.

After unpacking a few of our belongings, we set out for the pier to walk around. We enjoyed our pleasant walk and found that it took less than 10 minutes to reach the pier.

We decided to stop for a bite to eat since it had been about 10 hours since we had last eaten. Many people had recommended trying soup in a sourdough breadbowl (right at the pier)...so, that is what we did! I had clam chowder and DH had chili. It was quite tasty!

We found that we were extremely full after our meal, but happy and ready to explore. So, we set out to look around Pier 39 and took in the sights at the wharf.

The pier was quite whimsical with many cute shops, restaurants, and sights.

We particularly loved watching the lazy sea lions on the dock.

Up Next: A Visit to Alcatraz Island Post #31

 

[daisy_77]

I just found your TR and I am enjoying your first installment!
Your hotel bed looks so cozy! The Wharf is fun...been there a few times myself. Lots of great shopping and people watching.

I look forward to reading more!

 

[Hound 109]

Spartangirl is back!

Nothing better after a "90 min. Gay Pride Parade Detour".....than a big ol' sour dough roll filled with clam chowder.

Looking forward to the trippie to the mountains, the trippie down the coast and the trippie to see the mouse.

hound

 

[serendipity]

Hi Spartangirl!!!

You're first installment was WONDERFUL! Sorry I haven't checked up on it recently, life has gotten in the way of my Dis-ing. However, I'm back!

I can only imagine the Pride parade, when here in NY life pretty much gets shut down, and I can imagine it only being more flamboyant there!

San Fransisco looks exactly how you described it-whimsical. I honestly never had any interest in the city till just looking at your pictures and now I'm totally hooked on it. The sea lions were adorable! I had no idea that they migrated to San Fran, or were they part of an exhibit?

 

[Spartangirl]

I just found your TR and I am enjoying your first installment!
Your hotel bed looks so cozy! The Wharf is fun...been there a few times myself. Lots of great shopping and people watching.

I look forward to reading more!

Welcome and thanks for jumping on board! I'm glad you are enjoying my TR. We loved the wharf.....the shopping was great, and the people watching is definitely a "can't miss" activity.

Spartangirl is back!

Nothing better after a "90 min. Gay Pride Parade Detour".....than a big ol' sour dough roll filled with clam chowder.

Looking forward to the trippie to the mountains, the trippie down the coast and the trippie to see the mouse.

hound

Hi Hound! The Gay Pride Parade was only the beginning...I have tons more to share!

Hi Spartangirl!!!

You're first installment was WONDERFUL! Sorry I haven't checked up on it recently, life has gotten in the way of my Dis-ing. However, I'm back!

I can only imagine the Pride parade, when here in NY life pretty much gets shut down, and I can imagine it only being more flamboyant there!

San Fransisco looks exactly how you described it-whimsical. I honestly never had any interest in the city till just looking at your pictures and now I'm totally hooked on it. The sea lions were adorable! I had no idea that they migrated to San Fran, or were they part of an exhibit?

Hi Serendipity! Welcome back and thank you for the nice compliments about my 1st installment. The Pride parade truly was a sight to see. It was quite crazy! I too, was unsure of San Francisco before we went. However, I LOVED it and wish we would have had more time there. 2 1/2 days was just not enough time. The sea lions were just lounging at a dock in the bay. My DH was playing around on Google Earth and found Pier 39......there were TONS of sea lions viewable at the same dock that we saw them at....I'm assuming it's a "regular hangout."

 

[disneywld2002]

The People Watching is one of my favourite parts of a vacation. Your hotel looks amazing I can't wait for more pictures.

sherry

 

[Spartangirl]

The People Watching is one of my favourite parts of a vacation. Your hotel looks amazing I can't wait for more pictures.

sherry

Thanks for joining my trippie! The Hilton was very nice and we enjoyed our stay. More pics will be up shortly. I'm going to work on my report right now!

 

[Spartangirl]

Alcatraz Island

After exploring Pier 39 for awhile, we decided to head over to Pier 33 where we would board the boat to take us to Alcatraz. It was a quick walk...maybe 5 minutes tops!

On a side note ~ Before heading to San Francisco I had purchased my tickets for Alcatraz online. This ended up working out for the best because all of the tickets were sold out for the day. In addition, one of the dock employees informed me that they often sell out up to a week in advance. So, if you are going to visit San Francisco with a trip to Alcatraz...plan ahead!

Our tour at Alcatraz was listed for 2:20 p.m. However, they had us board the boat at around 1:50 p.m. Since I happen to fret over many things, particularly reservations, I made sure that we were at Pier 33 around 1:30 p.m. This drives my DH absolutely crazy, but we're always on time!

Since we had a little time to spare, we took a look around the dock. There were many signs that had little sayings about Alcatraz. There was one in particular that caught my eye. It said, "Break the rules and you go to prison. Break the prison rules and you go to Alcatraz." It gave me the shivers and helped me to prepare for what we were about to experience.

We soon boarded the boat and we set sail. We sat on the upper deck which was a bit chilly. But I had gotten many helpful hints (from the DIS!) about what to wear in CA, so I was prepared with my fleece. The views were beautiful as we cruised along. Here is a shot that I snapped of the city of San Francisco.

Here is "The Rock!" It was quite incredible to see, seeing as though we had only had a glimpse of it from the pier and it had looked so tiny.

These are a few more pictures that I took as we approached the island.

As we stepped off the boat and onto the island, we came upon a sign for "The Rock" and were greeted by a couple of employees. They gathered us round and explained the rules of Alcatraz. In addition, they told us what types of activites we could see and do for our visit today.

DH and I set off with our 1st stop at the "Alcatraz Theater." We saw a brief film focusing on the history of the island. DH is a history buff, so this was right up his alley. I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed it too. We continued by walking around the rest of the island. We saw many ruins which included the social hall, family quarters, and the Warden's house. I can only imagine what the grounds looked like back in the day...

To be continued... Post #33

 

[tiggerwannabe]

Thanks for joining my trippie! The Hilton was very nice and we enjoyed our stay. More pics will be up shortly. I'm going to work on my report right now!

Great start! Beautiful shots!

btw~The seal/sea lion area is a marine rescue area...

Looks like you had a beautiful sunny day to start your trip :

Keep em comin~

 

[Spartangirl]

Alcatraz Island Continued...

The employees of Alcatraz informed us that the island is now a breeding ground for the seagulls. And these weren't just any seagulls....they were enormous! My picture probably won't do it justice, but take my word, these were the BIGGEST seagulls that we ever saw...probably twice the size of the seagulls in Michigan, maybe more. I tried to get DH to stand next to one so that we would have a size reference...but, it just wasn't working. Every time he would approach one, it would scream and run a few steps away. I don't blame him for not wanting to get any closer...I didn't want to pose with one either.

After feeling satisfied with what we saw around the island, we headed inside to do the "cell-block" tour. We stood in line to get our own headsets and then we were off. What an amazing tour! As we listened to the audio, we were given instuctions on where to walk within the cell blocks from the former guards of Alcatraz. DH and I can say hands-down that it was the best audio tour that either one of us has experienced. We loved it!

Here are a few photos that I snapped as we took our cell-block tour.

Al Capone's Cell!

We happily finished our tour and decided that we were ready to hop on the boat to head back. However, we had a surprise in store for us. One of the former children who grew up on the island was in the gift shop doing a book signing. When we saw that she wasn't busy, we walked up to her and talked to her for about 10 minutes. She was very kind and shared her story about her experiences growing up on Alcatraz Island, complete with pics. What a great way to end our day on "The Rock."

Up Next: We cross the Golden Gate Bridge and head into wine country! Post #42

 

[Spartangirl]

Great start! Beautiful shots!

btw~The seal/sea lion area is a marine rescue area...

Looks like you had a beautiful sunny day to start your trip :

Keep em comin~

Thank you for the nice compliments! I love taking photos!

Thanks for the info. about the seal/sea lion area. I didn't know it was a marine rescue area...I guess that makes sense.

We did have a beautiful sunny day! In fact, every single day was beautiful and sunny...we couldn't have asked for better weather.

 

[LJH77]

Great trip report so far, the pictures are great - can't wait to read the rest!

I was really impressed by Alcatraz aswell and recommend everyone visiting San Fran to go and experience it. I think it's really erie, especially since the audio tour is so good with the sounds of how the prison would have been when it was functioning.

Anyway, looking forward to the next installement!

 

[cherokeemamma]

Hi Spartangirl,

I really am enjoying the TR and love all the photos. Thanks for sharing.
It looks like you had great weather....blue skies and lots of sunshine.

Alcatraz looks creepy but very interesting. Thanks for the tip on pre-purchasing tickets.

Do you have any websites or tips on how to begin researching prices/tours/places to stay? I would really appreciate any help in that dept.

I am really looking forward to your next installment...wine country!

Darlene

 

[tiggerwannabe]

I am sorry to jump in here OT but O.M.G.!

Cherokeemama,

your trippie in your sig must be closed cause I can't subscribe to it...

I had to come tell you guys, I got tears in my eyes!

...and I am only on the third post~

Spartangirl, Lucky you having had sunny weather!

In our 11 days in May, we had two.

Can't wait to see more pics...

in the meantime, I am off to read more of Cherokeemama's report...

 

[Disney-Kim]

Its fun to see the Pier 39 area again...reminds me of all the trips my DH and I took there when were first dating. We haven't been to SF in about 14 yrs.

Fun trippie !!!

 

[cherokeemamma]

We temporarily interrupt your regularly scheduled TR with Spartangirl:

Hi Tiggerwannabe,
Glad you found my TR and I hope you are enjoying it. We had a great time. It is in the finished thread so you can't post or subscribe to it anymore. Thank you for taking the time to read. Let me know what you think.
TTFN,
Darlene

Now back to you scheduled Trip Report.

Spartangirl,
Sorry to hijack.
Darlene

 

[Spartangirl]

Great trip report so far, the pictures are great - can't wait to read the rest!

I was really impressed by Alcatraz aswell and recommend everyone visiting San Fran to go and experience it. I think it's really erie, especially since the audio tour is so good with the sounds of how the prison would have been when it was functioning.

Anyway, looking forward to the next installement!

Thanks again for reading and thanks for the compliment about my pics! We too, were really impressed by Alcatraz. I rate it as a "can't miss." I'll have the next installment up soon...

Hi Spartangirl,

I really am enjoying the TR and love all the photos. Thanks for sharing.
It looks like you had great weather....blue skies and lots of sunshine.

Alcatraz looks creepy but very interesting. Thanks for the tip on pre-purchasing tickets.

Do you have any websites or tips on how to begin researching prices/tours/places to stay? I would really appreciate any help in that dept.

I am really looking forward to your next installment...wine country!

Darlene

Hi Darlene! I'm so glad you're enjoying my TR! It makes it so much more fun to write when I have people following along! Alcatraz is DEFINITELY worth seeing if you are in San Francisco. If you take a trip and plan on booking "The Rock," definitely go through www.alcatrazcruises.com (the official website). You're not able to book your tickets until about a month ahead of time, but you'll get the best rates for your visit. All of the other sites I checked out charged an additional fee.

As for other tips...When Chris and I first began looking into our CA trip, we paid a visit to our local Barnes and Noble. We grabbed a stack of "CA Coast" books, a Starbuck's Coffee, and curled up in the comfy chairs to start reading (dorky, I know, but we learned a lot! ) We then began listing the cities we wanted to visit along our journey and noted particular things that we wanted to explore. So before going onto the web, I actually had some specific cities that I was looking into, rather than being so vague. I then picked 5 cities that we planned on staying in and looked at all the big travel sites to start pricing hotels (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.). I frequently visited Tripadvisor.com to read reviews on the hotels that I was looking at. I know that you have to take reviews with a grain of salt, but I wanted to get an idea about the places that I was looking into. One tip that I will certainly give you is to go DIRECTLY to the hotel's website when looking into booking. Sometimes (not always) you can get a discount by going directly through the hotel. In addition, I made phone calls to many of the places that we were interested in staying at. I asked about special rates, AAA, etc., to get the best deal possible. I felt pretty good about all the rates we had for our hotels. As for tours, I simply typed the city name with activities or tours (i.e. San Francisco Tours) into a search engine and explored my options that way. There are SO MANY tours out there and I'm sure you'll find tons that meet your needs and interests!

I hope some of this info. was helpful to you! Let me know if you have any more questions!

Lynne

I am sorry to jump in here OT but O.M.G.!

Spartangirl, Lucky you having had sunny weather!

In our 11 days in May, we had two.

Can't wait to see more pics...

in the meantime, I am off to read more of Cherokeemama's report...

Oh no! I can't believe you only had two sunny days! We were told that we might experience "June Gloom," but we were so fortunate to have sunny skies each and every day.

I'll have more pics up shortly!

Its fun to see the Pier 39 area again...reminds me of all the trips my DH and I took there when were first dating. We haven't been to SF in about 14 yrs.

Fun trippie !!!

and thanks for joining my TR! We LOVED Pier 39 and all of San Francisco. What a cool city! I'm glad you're enjoying my report!

We temporarily interrupt your regularly scheduled TR with Spartangirl:

Hi Tiggerwannabe,
Glad you found my TR and I hope you are enjoying it. We had a great time. It is in the finished thread so you can't post or subscribe to it anymore. Thank you for taking the time to read. Let me know what you think.
TTFN,
Darlene

Now back to you scheduled Trip Report.

Spartangirl,
Sorry to hijack.
Darlene

I love it! By the way, I LOVED your trippie! It was very fun and well written!