San Francisco in 7 Days — Full California Loop

Activities

1. 08:30 Bike rental at Blazing Saddles, Fisherman's Wharf 30 min

   Day rental $35-50 includes helmet + map + lock. The most-rented bikes in SF cluster here — Blazing Saddles is the original.

   Cost: $35-50 TIP: Morning fog is normal — bring a windbreaker.
2. 09:30 Golden Gate Bridge crossing by bike (2.7 km) 2.5 hours

   Opened 1937, Art Deco suspension bridge. The east sidewalk is for pedestrians; west sidewalk is for cyclists. Battery Spencer viewpoint (Marin Headlands side) is the iconic photo spot.

   Cost: Included in rental TIP: Battery Spencer for photos. Wind is real — both hands on the bars.
3. 12:30 Sausalito waterfront lunch + walk 2 hours

   Charming bayside village with art galleries + seafood restaurants. Salt House or Scoma's are reliable picks. Sweeping SF skyline views across the bay.

   Cost: $25-50 TIP: Book a window table at Scoma's for the bay view.
4. 14:30 Sausalito → SF ferry ($18, 30 min) 1 hour

   Ferry returns to Pier 41 or Ferry Building. Best Golden Gate Bridge angles from the open deck.

   Cost: $18 TIP: Deck seats over inside seats — photos.
5. 16:00 Fisherman's Wharf + Pier 39 sea lions 2 hours

   Boudin Bakery flagship (founded 1849), Pier 39 K-dock sea lion colony (free, year-round), Aquarium of the Bay if traveling with kids.

   Cost: Free + shopping TIP: Sea lions are loudest 2-4pm.
6. 18:00 Coit Tower + Filbert Steps walk down 1.5 hours

   Art Deco tower (1933, 64 m) atop Telegraph Hill — $10 elevator ride to the top for 360° views, or skip the elevator and just enjoy the WPA murals in the lobby (free). The Filbert Steps (400 steps) wind down through wild parrots + secret gardens to the Embarcadero.

   Cost: $10 (or free for murals) TIP: Wild parrots of Telegraph Hill are famous — watch for green flocks in the trees.
7. 19:30 Dinner — Boudin Bakery (clam chowder in sourdough) or Swan Oyster Depot 2 hours

   Boudin: $18-25 for the iconic clam chowder bread bowl. Swan Oyster Depot: $25-50 for Crab Louis + oysters (1912, 18 counter seats, 1-hour queue typical, cash only).

   Cost: $18-50 TIP: Swan closes 5:30pm — go for late lunch instead if seafood is priority.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Alcatraz Island ferry (Pier 33, 15 min, $45 — book 2-3 weeks ahead) 3 hours

   Federal prison 1934-63. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Robert Stroud. The audio tour (free with ticket, available in many languages) is excellent — narrated by former guards + inmates. Allow 2.5 hours on the island.

   Cost: $45 (day) / $60 (night) TIP: Sells out 2-3 weeks ahead in peak season. Night tour atmosphere is better. cityexperiences.com.
2. 12:30 Chinatown lunch — Hang Ah Tea Room (1920, oldest US dim sum) 1.5 hours

   Tucked in Pagoda Place alley. Cart dim sum at lunch — the recipes haven't changed since 1920. $20-30 per person for a full table.

   Cost: $20-30 TIP: Cash preferred. Easy to walk past — look for the Pagoda Place alley.
3. 14:30 Chinatown walk + Stockton Street market 1.5 hours

   Established 1848 — North America's oldest + largest Chinatown. The Dragon Gate at Grant + Bush is the photo entry. Grant Avenue is touristy; Stockton Street is where locals shop (live fish, produce, herbs).

   Cost: Shopping varies TIP: Stockton Street for the real Chinatown.
4. 16:00 Cable car Powell-Hyde line ($8, the best route) 1 hour

   1873 — first cable car system in the world, designated US National Historic Landmark. Powell-Hyde line goes over Russian Hill with Alcatraz + Bay views. Other lines (Powell-Mason, California Street) are flatter.

   Cost: $8 per ride TIP: Powell + Market terminus queues 30-60 min. Walk 1-2 stops uphill and board mid-route.
5. 17:30 Lombard Street + Russian Hill stroll 45 min

   The crooked block of Lombard between Hyde and Leavenworth — 8 hairpin turns built in 1922 to ease a 27% gradient. Cable car drops you at the top; walk down the brick-paved switchbacks. Free, always open.

   Cost: Free TIP: Skip the cars-driving-down photo from below — the better angle is from the top sidewalk looking down with Coit Tower in the distance.
6. 19:00 North Beach dinner — Tony's Pizza Napoletana or Sotto Mare 2 hours

   North Beach = SF's Little Italy since the 1850s. Tony's Pizza Napoletana ($20-35) holds 13 World Pizza Cup wins; the Margherita is capped at 73 per day. Sotto Mare ($30-50, cash) does the best cioppino in the neighborhood.

   Cost: $20-50 TIP: Tony's no reservations — arrive by 5:30pm or expect 90-min queue. Espresso at nearby Caffe Trieste after dinner (1956, Coppola wrote The Godfather here).

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Tartine Bakery (Mission, morning buns + country bread) 1 hour

   Chad Robertson's bakery that defined the modern American sourdough revival. The morning bun is the breakfast pastry order. $5-12 per person.

   Cost: $5-12 TIP: 30-min queue typical. Takeaway is faster than dine-in.
2. 10:00 Balmy Alley street art + Mission District walk 1.5 hours

   100+ murals in a single alley — the heart of SF's Chicano mural movement (1970s-present). Self-guided walk free; Precita Eyes guided tours $40 weekends.

   Cost: Free (tour $40) TIP: Saturday Mission Community Market for produce + people-watching.
3. 12:00 La Taqueria — Mission burrito ($15-18) 1 hour

   FiveThirtyEight's #1 burrito in America (2014). James Beard America's Classics. The signature: no rice, double-folded, plancha-crisped. Owner Miguel Jara since 1973.

   Cost: $15-18 TIP: Cash preferred. Closed Mondays. Carne asada is the order.
4. 13:30 Bi-Rite Creamery + Dolores Park 1.5 hours

   Bi-Rite ($5-8 for double scoop) — salted caramel is the signature. Cross to Dolores Park (1 block) for the iconic SF skyline view from the hill on sunny days.

   Cost: $5-8 TIP: Salted caramel or honey lavender. The hill at Dolores has the postcard view.
5. 14:30 Ferry Building Marketplace (Saturday farmers market 8am-2pm) 1 hour

   1898 Beaux-Arts ferry terminal converted into a 50-vendor food hall. Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Hog Island Oyster Co. ($25-40 for half-dozen + glass of bubbles), Acme Bread, Blue Bottle Coffee flagship. Saturday morning farmers market spills onto the plaza with the largest produce selection in the Bay Area.

   Cost: $15-40 TIP: Saturday 9-11am is the sweet spot for the farmers market without weekday crowds. Hog Island oyster + Acme baguette combo is the move.
6. 15:30 Painted Ladies + Alamo Square 45 min

   Painted Ladies = the row of Victorian houses on Steiner Street (across from Alamo Square Park, 1894). 'Full House' TV opening shot. Free photo spot.

   Cost: Free TIP: Best angle from the Alamo Square hill, not street level.
7. 16:30 Haight-Ashbury 1960s walk 1 hour

   The intersection that birthed the Summer of Love (1967). Amoeba Music (largest indie record store in the US, 250,000 titles), Bound Together Anarchist Bookstore, and vintage shops like Held Over + Wasteland. Skip the chain stores — the side streets between Haight + Page have the original Victorians where Janis Joplin + the Grateful Dead lived.

   Cost: Free + shopping TIP: 710 Ashbury was the Grateful Dead house; 122 Lyon was Janis Joplin's. Free pin if you ask at Bound Together.
8. 17:30 Golden Gate Park + de Young Museum OR Twin Peaks sunset 2 hours

   Golden Gate Park (20% larger than NYC's Central Park) with de Young Museum ($25 admission). OR Twin Peaks (280 m) for SF's best 360° view + sunset.

   Cost: Free-$25 TIP: Twin Peaks is the sunset pick — Uber $15 from Mission.
9. 20:00 Final dinner — Atelier Crenn (3★) or Greens (Golden Gate view) 3 hours

   Atelier Crenn $400-600 (3-Michelin, Dominique Crenn, book 6-8 weeks). Greens $45-80 (1979, first US fine-dining vegetarian, Golden Gate window view, book 1 week).

   Cost: $45-600 TIP: Greens sunset window seat is the sleeper pick at SF prices.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Muir Woods National Monument (car 30 min, or bus tour $95-150) 3.5 hours

   Old-growth coast redwoods up to 78 m tall, 1,000+ years old. The cathedral-like silence is the experience. Parking reservation required ($9 + $15 entry) — book online 7+ days ahead.

   Cost: $25-150 TIP: Parking + entry must be reserved at recreation.gov. Weekend tours via Extranomical or Tower Tours easier.
2. 12:30 Sausalito lunch + village walk 2.5 hours

   Charming bayside village. Salt House or Scoma's for seafood lunch with bay views. Art galleries on Bridgeway Street.

   Cost: $25-50 TIP: Bay-view tables at Scoma's worth the wait.
3. 15:30 Marin Headlands or Tiburon — Golden Gate views 1.5 hours

   Battery Spencer viewpoint at Marin Headlands is the iconic Golden Gate Bridge photo angle. Tiburon village (alternative) is quieter waterfront.

   Cost: Free TIP: Battery Spencer for the postcard photo.
4. 17:00 Lands End Trail + Sutro Baths ruins 1.5 hours

   3.4-mile coastal cliff trail from Sutro Baths (1896 saltwater pool ruins) to the Legion of Honor museum, with the Golden Gate Bridge framed against the Pacific the entire walk. Eagles Point Lookout is the best photo stop. Free, sunrise-sunset.

   Cost: Free TIP: Wear sturdy shoes — the cliff path has loose gravel. Cliff House lobby (closed for renovation but viewable) overlooks Seal Rocks.
5. 18:30 Sausalito → SF ferry ($18) + Golden Gate sunset 1 hour

   Deck seats with sunset over the bridge. 30-min crossing returns to Pier 41 or Ferry Building.

   Cost: $18 TIP: Sunset crossing is the day's highlight if timed right.
6. 20:00 Dinner — Saison (2★ open-fire seafood) or Cliff House area (Lands End) 2.5 hours

   Saison $300-500 (2-Michelin, fire-cooked tasting, counter seats best — book 4-6 weeks). Lands End restaurants $45-80 for sunset over the Pacific.

   Cost: $45-500 TIP: Saison counter is the experience for splurges.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Option A — Napa Valley wine tour ($180-250, 8 hours, includes pickup + 3-4 wineries + lunch) Full day

   1-hour drive to Napa. World-famous Cabernet Sauvignon + Chardonnay. Guided tour means no driving (essential — DUI laws are strict). Lunch at a winery included.

   Cost: $180-250 TIP: Designate a tour driver — DUI in California is felony-level. Book via Platypus Tours or California Wine Tours.
2. 08:00 Option B — Yosemite National Park ($150-250, full-day tour, 3-4 hour drive each way) Full day

   El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls. Long day but worth it once in a lifetime. Tours via Discover Yosemite or Extranomical.

   Cost: $150-250 TIP: Plan for 14-hour day. Pack snacks + water.
3. 20:00 Final dinner — Quince (3★) or Tadich Grill (1849 heritage) 3 hours

   Quince $300-400 (3-Michelin Italian-Californian, book 4-6 weeks). Tadich Grill $35-60 (oldest restaurant in California, cioppino prototype, no reservations).

   Cost: $35-400 TIP: Quince must be booked 4+ weeks ahead.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 07:00 Option A — Yosemite overnight tour ($300-500, El Capitan + Half Dome + Falls) Full day + overnight

   3-4 hour drive each way; overnight stay in Yosemite Valley lodge. Hike Mist Trail to Vernal Falls or Mirror Lake.

   Cost: $300-500 TIP: Yosemite Valley Lodge or Curry Village. Book 4-6 months ahead in summer.
2. 10:00 Option B — SFO → LAX flight ($60-150, 1.5 hours) + LA essentials Full day

   Hollywood Walk of Fame + Santa Monica Pier + Griffith Observatory sunset. Stay 1 night in LA.

   Cost: $60-150 + $200-400 hotel TIP: Southwest + United have hourly flights. Uber LAX to Hollywood $40-60.
3. 14:00 Option C — Pacific Coast Highway drive to Monterey + Carmel Full day

   2.5h scenic drive south on Highway 1. Stops at Half Moon Bay (artichoke fields), Pigeon Point Lighthouse (1872, second-tallest US lighthouse), Santa Cruz boardwalk (1907 amusement park, free entry). Monterey Bay Aquarium ($60, kelp forest + tuna tank) is the destination. Stay Carmel-by-the-Sea ($250-450).

   Cost: $80-150 (car) + $60 aquarium TIP: Monterey Aquarium closes 5pm; arrive by 2:30pm. Hearst Castle adds 2h further south if time allows.
4. 16:00 Glacier Point or Tunnel View sunset (if Yosemite) 2 hours

   Glacier Point (2,199 m) overlooks Half Dome + Yosemite Falls — drive 1h from Valley Lodge. Tunnel View is the classic Ansel Adams composition (El Capitan left, Bridalveil Fall right, Half Dome center) — 25 min from the Lodge. Both free.

   Cost: Free TIP: Glacier Point Road closes Nov-May (snow). Off-season pivot to Tunnel View only.
5. 20:00 Final dinner — open by route 3 hours

   Yosemite: lodge dinner ($35-65, Mountain Room Restaurant has Half Dome window views). LA: In-N-Out (West Coast burger institution, $8-15 Double-Double Animal Style) or Bestia (downtown LA Italian, $80-120, book 4+ weeks). Carmel: La Bicyclette (French bistro, $50-90).

   Cost: $15-300 TIP: Pace based on day's drive/flight fatigue. Lodge restaurants close early (9pm last seating).

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:00 Ferry Building Saturday farmers market (8am-2pm) — souvenir picks 2 hours

   Largest farmers market in the Bay Area. Cowgirl Creamery cheese, Cap'n Mike's smoked salmon, McEvoy olive oil for gifts.

   Cost: Shopping varies TIP: Saturday only for the big market.
2. 11:30 SFMOMA or Yerba Buena Gardens 1.5 hours

   SFMOMA ($30, second-largest modern art museum in the US after MoMA NYC) — 7 floors, Diego Rivera + Frida Kahlo + Warhol + Rothko, Snøhetta-designed white facade. Allow 2 hours minimum. Yerba Buena Gardens (free) is the quieter outdoor alternative — MLK memorial waterfall + Children's Creativity Museum.

   Cost: $0-30 TIP: SFMOMA free first Thursday evening 5-9pm. The Living Wall (12,000 plants) on the 3rd-floor terrace is the photo spot.
3. 13:00 Ghirardelli Square + final lunch 1.5 hours

   Ghirardelli Chocolate (founded 1852 in SF) flagship — chocolate sundae or hot fudge $10-15. Tourist district but worth one pass.

   Cost: $15-30 TIP: Ghirardelli ice cream sundae is the order.
4. 14:30 Airport transfer — SFO BART ($10, 30 min) + departure Transit

   BART from Powell Station to SFO terminal — direct, no transfer. Allow 3 hours pre-flight for international.

   Cost: $10 TIP: BART is faster + cheaper than Uber ($50-80). Last-minute Ghirardelli bars at SFO duty-free.

Meal Recommendations