Touring San Fran by MUNI only???

[weHEARTmickey]

We will be heading to San Fran/Monterey/Yosemite soon & I have a question. How well can we tour the highlights of San Francisco by the MUNI transportation only? (We purchased the Alcatraz/City Pass for DH, DD11, DS8, & myself.)

We definitely want to walk/bike across the Golden Gate bridge, spend time in Golden Gate Park, and see all the typical "touristy" highlights of San Francisco. Are we going to have to break down & pay for a tour? We are hoping to save $$ in this area since the MUNI/cable cars are already paid for. TIA!!

 

[PDuckX]

Last Thanksgiving our family stayed in the marina district and almost only used public transportation. We used the car to go to Monterey/Carmel etc, but ot get around we used bus/trolley almost exclusively. Get a good transit map and you are good to go. It was quite fun.

 

[lilpooh108]

Depends on what you want to see, but in general, yes you can. Just map out the routes ahead of time. Don't forget to ask for "transfers" when you get on the first bus. You get a 2 hour transfer for each time you pay for the ride. Meaning, if you spend less than 2 hours going from point A to point B, you can take the 2nd Muni ride to Point C "for free" with your transfer. They will not give you a transfer unless you ask for one (on the bus). For the underground MUNI, you will get a time stamped receipt through the turnstile, the transfer time runs from the time stamp.

Here's a route I took often when I lived in SF...from Union Square area, walk to the Embarcadero. Take the F train (it's the green one) to Fisherman's Wharf. Walk along the bay to Ghiradelli's square. From the square, take the Muni up to North Beach. Eat in North Beach. From North Beach, walk down hill through Chinatown (easier then walking uphill). At the end of Chinatown you will be on Grant Street back in Union Square (near a Starbucks & Banana Republic). Nice way to spend a day, but it is alot of walking.

Good luck~

 

[PrincessInOz]

This thread was started on the Other Lands section for the Aussies. But it may give you an idea of what's possible with the MUNI. I got a 7 day pass and used it exclusively to get around the downtown area.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2451585

Hope you find it useful.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

Thank you everyone! We will be staying in the Kimpton Argonaut in Fisherman's Wharf. (Thankfully we will be near the area that I love the most-FW.) We will not pick up our rental car until we leave SF for Yosemite. After 2 days in Yosemite, we will drive to Monterey (for 5 days.)

As far as the transfers: will we need these? We have the CityPass, which was an add-on to our Alcatraz tickets. As far as I know, our MUNI transportation is paid for, for an entire week.

I'm about to head over to the Australia thread. I think I remember spending HOURS there last year, when I was planning a Monterey/SF trip for my Mom & me Thanks DIS!

 

[Zerosinthecloset]

Your MUNI pass is good for unlimited rides on cable cars, MUNI buses, F-Line trolley, and MUNI subway. No need to worry about transfers and such. The subway, not BART, can get you easily to some of the outlying areas, but I'm most familiar with the N line outbound to get to Haight/Ashbury. Stop by the Tourist and Convention store at Halide Plaza...down the escalator at the Market/Powell cable car stop...and talk to the nice people there for directions and such.

 

[wnissen]

Definitely get familiar with your smartphone, if you have one. The Google Maps application (available on Android and iPhone) will give you very good transit directions. Then you can use http://www.nextmuni.com/ to check arrival times. If your phone has GPS, that site will let you know the next buses arriving near your current location, which is very cool. You can also get bus info with texts: http://www.nextmuni.com/wirelessConfig/sms.jsp However, that requires more typing and it's not as flexible. Bay Area residents can use the 5-1-1 service, which lets you get Muni information with voice prompts, but I'm not aware of a way for visitors to use it.

Just so you're warned, especially on weekends, the F line (Embarcadero historic streetcar service) can get very crowded and slow. However, the live map showing all the streetcars is very cool: http://www.nextmuni.com/googleMap/googleMap.jsp?a=sf-muni&r=F

The only real weakness is in SF Muni from the tourist perspective is getting to the Golden Gate Bridge. Typically you'll have to take two buses.

But yes, it's relatively easy to get around on Muni. I only visit SF from the tourist perspective, and I mainly use transit.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Definitely get familiar with your smartphone, if you have one. The Google Maps application (available on Android and iPhone) will give you very good transit directions. Then you can use http://www.nextmuni.com/ to check arrival times. If your phone has GPS, that site will let you know the next buses arriving near your current location, which is very cool. You can also get bus info with texts: http://www.nextmuni.com/wirelessConfig/sms.jsp However, that requires more typing and it's not as flexible. Bay Area residents can use the 5-1-1 service, which lets you get Muni information with voice prompts, but I'm not aware of a way for visitors to use it.

Just so you're warned, especially on weekends, the F line (Embarcadero historic streetcar service) can get very crowded and slow. However, the live map showing all the streetcars is very cool: http://www.nextmuni.com/googleMap/googleMap.jsp?a=sf-muni&r=F

The only real weakness is in SF Muni from the tourist perspective is getting to the Golden Gate Bridge. Typically you'll have to take two buses.

But yes, it's relatively easy to get around on Muni. I only visit SF from the tourist perspective, and I mainly use transit.

But it really isn't a bad bike ride, except for the hill up to the bridge. Also, you can get the ferry back to the city if you go all the way around to Sausalito . . . some great views.

 

[Gisele]

Almost the entirety of San Francisco is accessible by MUNI. And if you are sharing a cab, the fares are not so bad.
When I visit SF, which I love to do often, I like to walk as much as possible, for it is great exercise, and you can see far more that way, in comparison to sitting on a bus for sightseeing. Not that sightseeing tours by bus, are a bad thing, I just would not personally waste any money on them.
One needs to get out and enjoy all that (Well as much as one can during their visit )the city has to offer, which is a great deal. When you and your family visit the GGB, do also visit what is almost directly below, on the city side, being Fort Point, it is a Civil War Fort. The admission is free, so is the parking. The fort has informative displays, and a book store too. As well as park rangers that are more than happy to answer any of your questions. It is also believed that the fort may be haunted, although personally for all of my visits over time, I have not witnessed any thing at all of a paranormal nature. Oh well.... maybe next time?
Some of my other fav things to do is to visit GGP, which is highly accessible by MUNI. Unless I drive, that is how I arrive there. I also love to visit the California Palace of the Legion of Honor. It is a beautiful Museum, where Joan of Arc and the Thinker will greet you upon your initial entrance. Also MUNI will take you right to that location. Then moving on to China Town, where there are wonderful shops and dining. There are walking tours offered as well for this area, as well as other districts in the City. You will enjoy the visit to Alcatraz, I always do. Just make sure that you wear the right clothing for that trip. For some tourists do not, believe me.... Then for another day, do visit the Haight Ashbury district, I love that area. And if you travel all the way up the Haight, you will arrive before Golden Gate Park. Mind you depending upon where you might begin your visit in the Haight, that it will be a long walk, but between MUNI and cabs, or a very good constitution, you can handle the walk, I am sure. Some times when I visit the area, I drive, and will be listening to The Doors. That adds wonderfully to the atmospheric, hippy peace and love psychedelic historically rich infused district. There is more to see and do, but I am getting writers cramp. So please feel free to ask any questions regarding SF, as I would love to assist you as best as I can in your travels to the City. Oh and while visiting Pier 39, do stop by K Dock, as that is where many a sea lion likes to congregate. It is said, they are all males that are bored, and wish to sun bath upon K Dock (When the sun wishes to show itself)


Peace out!


http://legionofhonor.famsf.org/

http://www.nps.gov/fopo/historyculture/index.htm

http://www.extranomical.com/HTML_PAGES/HAIGHT_ASHBURY.htm

http://www.buysanfranciscotours.com/tour_categories.html?category=106&page=1&mode=4

http://www.pier39.com/Information/webcamnew.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pier_39#History_of_Pier_39_Sea_Lions

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Great info! We're going on the Pacific Coast DCL cruise next October, with 2 days in SF. This is really useful ino!

 

[pixarmom]

Thank you everyone! We will be staying in the Kimpton Argonaut in Fisherman's Wharf. (Thankfully we will be near the area that I love the most-FW.) We will not pick up our rental car until we leave SF for Yosemite. After 2 days in Yosemite, we will drive to Monterey (for 5 days.)

I'm about to head over to the Australia thread. I think I remember spending HOURS there last year, when I was planning a Monterey/SF trip for my Mom & me Thanks DIS!

Please report back after your trip!!! We're staying at the Argonaut in February before heading down the coast to Monterey, Santa Barbara and Newport Beach. We'll look forward to hearing about your visit!

 

[weHEARTmickey]

I don't have time to report about EVERYTHING, but I wanted to hop over here to tell you how wonderful our trip was!! Thank you for all of the suggestions. The Argonaut was beautiful & perfectly located. We went to Ghiradelli each morning for lattes & each afternoon for desserts (oops!)

I'm so thankful we toured only by MUNI, BART, & on foot. When we arrived at SFO airport, we did rent a car for 1 day. We drove it over GG Bridge to Muir Woods, then Sausalito. We were able to take many sunset pictures of GG Bridge. Then we drove back to the airport to return the car & rode the BART to the Argonaut.

I will say, when we were touring on our "tour day" the MUNI took FOREVER in the Castro district. We had to go that way to get to Twin Peaks. There were 2 nude men who kept trying to get in our childrens' line of vision We just made them hold their heads down & keep their eyes closed while we waited. It was very frustrating & rude! That was my one concern about going to Twin Peaks through the Castro district, but at least we spotted them before the kiddos did.

It's getting late, so I must go. I will try to update another time & maybe even post some pics. Have a great trip!

 

[Gisele]

Ah..... how I do love the City.... for it is fascinating, exciting, interesting, intriguing, inviting, smelly, fun, funny, a little creepy, sexy, beguiling, tasteful, tasty, weird, lively, lovely, beautiful, infamous, famous, bewitching, perplexing, artsy, musical, historically rich, odd, colorful, wild, quiet, fast, leisurely, and yes, sometimes nude.


Good night, Irene...

~~ I love you Phil, and you will forever be with me! Forever my very best and most special friend! I love you to no end. ~~
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