Favorite Things: Fisherman's Wharf/Alcatraz

Since our housing drama is over (we sign the papers tonight!) I decided to do a new series of blogs about my favorite things to do around SF. For those of you coming out to visit, you can use it as a planning guide. For those of you who do not have plane tickets purchased yet, maybe it will whet your appitite to come visit. Did I mention that our place will have a guest room? We would be happy cook you some meals, take you around, and wine tastings as well! I will also include some pictures from our honeymoon as well as current pictures. Please let me know what else you want to see in the blog or if you have any questions!

Fisherman's Wharf (www.fishermanswharf.org) and Alcatraz (www.alcatrazcruises.com)are two of my favorite places in the SF area. Fisherman's Wharf is the northern most part of San Francisco proper. On a quick drive through it may seem like a tourist trap with cheap shops filled with trinkets and tacky t-shirts. However, it also has the oldest sourdough bakery in the city (www.boudinbakery.com) complete with museum and bakery tour, Maritime National Park which is the only floating park in the country (www.nps.gov/safr), and Ghirardelli Square (www.ghirardellisq.com) ... need I say more? You can also see sea lions on Pier 39!

Since watching Escape from Alcatraz with my dad as a kid, I wanted to visit the infamous Rock. Marc and I took the tour while we were out on our honeymoon. (How romantic!) I will admit that at times it is a little eerie, but above all, the views are second to none. You have a breathtaking view of the Golden Gate Bridge on one side and the San Francisco skyline on the other, and the Bay Bridge on the other. Alcatraz cruises take off from Pier 33 which is just a short walk from the heart of Fisherman's Wharf. It is a short ride over to the island where you can watch a movie about its history and take a self-guided audio tour. The audio tour guides are actual prisoners and guards who spent their time on the rock.