San Francisco trip

[38Chevy454]

Originally Posted by alvo

August is summer for San Francisco and often has the hottest weather of the year. Alcatraz tours will be sold out well in advance, so make sure you book early if you want to go there. Skip Pier 39. It's all tourists and gift shops. The exception is the Musee Mechanique (Welcome to the Musee Mecanique - The Mechanical Musuem) with free admission. If you have kids (and maybe even of you don't) The Exploratorium (The Museum of Science, Art and Human Perception | Exploratorium) on Pier 15 is worth considering.

Also, remember that cable cars are not trolleys (those are streetcars). That's one way we can tell who is a tourist and who lives here.

Actually Aug is not the hottest month. Remember that Mark Twain line "My coldest winter was a summer spent in SF". Aug tends to be overcast a lot with the marine layer. Sept and early Oct is the warmest in SF with better chance of sun and higher temps than Aug. Although SF rarely gets into the 80's even.

No better suggestions for places to stay, but when you go to SF, spend some time just walking around the city. The best way to see it and experience is on foot. The cable cars are long lines and way crowded, OK to do once to say you did it, but they are not the best way around town. The cable car museum is nice to visit and see the history and operations.

[DrDaveMA]

Stay away from Pacifica! They are on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean which sounds terrific, HOWEVER over the last 20 years they have had multiple incidences of that beautiful cliff sliding down the hill. But you don't have to worry, if you go over so will your neighbor as he is only inches from your rig. If he sneezes (or something worst) you will hear and maybe smell it. The "campground" is a parking lot, with normal space between slots (supermarket size) don't open you door too fast, you will ding you neighbors rig, and don't look for grass, there is none unless it is coming up between the cracks in the asphalt.

If you don't mind taking BART an alternative would be the Alameda County fairgrounds in Pleasanton. It is under an hour ride via BART to downtown SF. When we lived in Pleasanton we stored our rig at the fairgrounds. They let us use the dump and water when we were departing or returning from a trip. The RV park is small and if there is anything going on at the FG, it will be packed, but if you can get in it is nice, inexpensive and only a short ride to the BART station.

Most anything in Marin county is nice, or go a little further to Napa Valley. If you want a truly great park go south to Monterey. Just north is the small village of Moss Landing. The park is now a KOA Express, but don't let that fool you, it is right on the harbor, a working harbor, you hear the sea lions barking at night and there is almost always a cool breeze blowing. If you go, cross the bridge and eat at Phil's, Phil beat Bobby Flay with his Cioppino! If you miss it you will regret it the rest of your life! Then there is always the Monterey Aquarium.