Activities & Tours

One could spend weeks in San Francisco and not run out of things to see and do. Since we have just a few days to enjoy this wonderful city and its environs, we’ve compiled a short list of the “must see” tours and activities and offer each President’s Club member a choice of two. Our sponsored selections include biking across iconic Golden Gate Bridge, sailing scenic San Francisco Bay, a visit to the infamous Alcatraz prison, a fascinating tour of the city’s unique neighborhoods, a walk among the redwood trees of Muir Woods followed by time to explore the quaint waterfront city of Sausalito, and a visit to the world-renowned Wine Country for vineyard tours, tastings and a picnic lunch. Here are the detailed descriptions:

Biking the Golden Gate Bridge
The fulfillment of a dream and a vision had by one man, the Golden Gate Bridge was thought to be the “bridge that couldn’t be built.” Today, this suspension bridge stands proudly in the hearts of San Franciscans – the realization of a dream, a symbol of their beautiful City by the Bay. The most recognizable landmark in San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge has been declared one of the Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. And it just celebrated its 80th anniversary.

Here’s an opportunity for the moderately athletic or the thrill seeker among you to bike across the 1.7 mile long icon and into the town of Sausalito on the other side of the Golden Gate Channel. This adventure begins with a short coach ride to bicycle headquarters where the staff will fit you with a bike and helmet (mandatory). You will be introduced to your expert local guides who will lead the expedition across the bridge.

You begin the ride in the city near Fisherman’s Wharf. Then ride along the tranquil (and flat) bike path through Fort Mason, the Marina, past the lovely and tranquil Palace of Fine Arts and Presidio National Park to the Golden Gate Bridge. Along the way your guide will make frequent stops to check your equipment and enlighten you with stories of San Francisco. Once at the base of the bridge, the ride becomes strenuous for about 5 to 7 minutes. Some may need to walk their bikes up the hill from the bay to the bike lane on the bridge. Once on the bridge, you begin the mile long crossing of the span, your guide will advise you of the best places to stop to admire the views. A word of caution: The ride across the span is not physically difficult, but the bridge is crowded with bikers and pedestrians. Furthermore, while you are slowly cruising and enjoying some truly spectacular views, some San Franciscans are commuting, riding much faster than you are. Please be careful when stopping and starting.

Once across the bridge get ready for about a 10 minute downhill ride into the very scenic bay town of Sausalito with its charming shops, restaurants, houses, and wonderful views of the San Francisco skyline, Angel Island and Alcatraz. In Sausalito you will leave your bike and helmet with the staff and have some free time to browse and maybe have a bite to eat. Your return to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco will be by public ferry. Your guide will give you a ticket and the exact time to be at the ferry. The ferry ride will take about 30 minutes. Back at Fisherman’s Wharf you have the choice of returning to the hotel by motorcoach, or remaining in the wharf area. If you choose to remain at the wharf, transportation back to the hotel is a personal expense. Taxis, Uber and Lyft are readily available and there’s a cable car stop nearby.

Dress in layers. You can be riding in fog, rain and sunshine all on the same bike ride. A couple of the hills are strenuous, but much of the ride is easy. Because of the traffic – vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian, this is no time or place to learn to ride a bicycle. While crossing the bridge, you will be 746 feet above the Pacific, so if you have a fear of heights, you will want to choose a different activity. Wear appropriate athletic shoes. Bottled water will be provided on the coach. You’ll be on the bike for about 90 minutes, covering a distance of 8 miles, and you’ll have another 90 minutes of free time in Sausalito. Allow 5 hours door-to-door for this activity.

A Day in Wine Country
Northern California has a long history of viticulture, its climate, geography and wildly diverse soil providing the ideal conditions for cultivating grapes. Although people have been making wine here since the mid-1800s, on a world stage dominated by French wines, California wasn’t even noticed. All that changed in 1976.

A group of California wineries were invited to Paris that year to participate in a blind tasting event against the best wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. The California wines shocked the world by sweeping the competition in both the red and white wine categories. Suddenly, everyone wanted California wine. And California obliged. Prior to The Judgement of Paris, there were around 300 wineries in all of California. Today, there are more than 4,000. Around 60% of these wineries are located in Northern California.

Sonoma Valley and adjacent Napa are the center of Northern California wine production. Leaving the hotel, the drive to Wine Country will take you across the Golden Gate Bridge. Once on the other side, we will make a photo stop for breathtaking views of the bridge, Alcatraz, the bay and the city skyline. From here it’s about an hour to Sonoma. You will be greeted by picturesque vistas of rolling hills and grape vines, which at this time of year should be heavy with fruit.

You will visit two wineries for private tours and tastings. A picnic lunch with a glass of wine or a soft drink will be served at the first winery. The specific wineries we will visit cannot be determined as of this writing, as that will depend upon how many guests choose this tour. Rest assured, all are well-known and top notch. To give you some idea, you will likely visit two of the following: Benziger, Kunde, Chateau St. Jean, Imagery Estate, Landmark, Artesa, Domaine Carneros, and Bundlach Gundschu.

In an effort to further avoid overcrowding, transportation will be by 20-something seater mini coach. Bottled water will be provided on the coach. Please allow 6 ½ hours door-to-door for this tour.

Escape From Alcatraz
Once among the world’s most infamous prisons, Alcatraz served as a federal penitentiary for nearly three decades, closing its steel doors in 1963. Ten years later, Alcatraz opened as a tourist attraction, and continues to draw large numbers of curious visitors to this day.

One look at Alcatraz and you’ll understand why it is nicknamed “The Rock”. Located on a small rocky island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, the structure is at once imposing and menacing, especially on days when the skies are grey. Its isolation is eerie. It’s not hard to imagine that once a prisoner was locked up on The Rock, escape would seem impossible.

Some of America’s most notorious criminals served time on Alcatraz, among them Al “Scarface” Capone, Robert “The Birdman” Stroud, George “Machine Gun Kelly” Barnes, and, early on in his criminal career, one James “Whitey” Bulger. Over the years Alcatraz held 1,576 convicts, but never more than 250 at a time.

A 10 minute motor coach ride will take you from the hotel’s main entrance to the Alcatraz ferry embarkation area at Pier 33 on the Embarcadero. Alcatraz Island is under the protection of the National Park Service, whose rangers will make some important safety announcements before the ferry sets off on the 15 minute ride across the bay to the island. Once there, you will receive another briefing before taking the ¼ mile uphill walk to the prison (not particularly strenuous for most, but due to the 130 foot elevation change, essentially the equivalent of climbing a 13 story building). There are a couple of ways to go, one being more scenic, more rustic and slightly longer due to the stops you will want to make en route to take in the magnificent views. Note: There is a shuttle for those who are unable to make the walk.

When you enter the prison, you will receive a headset and take the compelling audio tour of the cell house, narrated by voices of the prison’s actual prisoners and wardens. The audio tour takes 90 minutes, but you can pause and rewind any time you like, so you are touring at your own pace. This award-wining audio tour gives a real sense of what day to day life was like for those living on The Rock. You will hear about attempted escapes and an actual escape. (Note: The latter is a riveting telling of how the day unfolded, but can be upsetting to some.)

At the conclusion of the tour, you may explore on your own, browse the interesting and well-stocked gift shop, or walk down the hill and take the ferry back to “civilization”. A ferry departs the island every 30 minutes.

When you return to the ferry landing, you may take our coach back to the hotel or take the less than 10 minute walk to Fisherman’s Wharf for some free time there. We will have a later coach returning from the wharf. Should you miss that coach or want to stay even longer, there’s a taxi stand at Fisherman’s Wharf, there’s a cable car stop nearby, and, of course, there’s Lyft and Uber everywhere.

Some housekeeping notes: The weather can be quite unpredictable and change with rather stunning frequency, so be sure to dress in layers. Comfortable walking shoes or sneakers are a must. Bottled water will be provided on the coach. Food is not allowed beyond the ferry landing on Alcatraz, but water is OK. There is a snack bar on the ferry. There are toilet facilities on the island. Please do not bring any bag larger than a standard backpack, as you will not be allowed to take it on the ferry.

Allow 4 hours door-to-door if taking the return coach ride to the hotel; longer if staying on at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Muir Woods & Sausalito
Back in the days before the logging industry came to California, there were an estimated two million acres of old-growth forest containing redwood and sequoia trees. By the 20th century, most of the forests had been cut down. Only one valley, just north of San Francisco Bay, remained uncut, thanks mainly to its inaccessibility. A U.S. Congressman, William Kent, and his wife purchased more than 600 acres of this valley with the goal of protecting the majestic redwoods. The Kents would eventually donate half this land to the federal government, and in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared the land a National Monument. The land was to be named after the donors, but the Kents insisted that it be named for naturalist John Muir, whose environmental campaigns helped establish the National Park system.

And so one of the last remaining old-growth coastal redwood forests in California became Muir Woods. Located in southwestern Marin County, its proximity to the Pacific means the forest is often shrouded in a thin marine fog, which helps create the prefect damp conditions for rapid plant growth. Hard to believe, as you look up and ponder, that these redwoods started from seeds the size of tomato seeds. The trees here are giants. Many stand more than 250 tall. And they are old. The tallest tree here is deemed to be 777 years old.

Now for a dose of reality. Because Muir Woods National Monument is so well-known and well- loved by anyone who appreciates the wonder of nature, this place sees as many as 6000 visitors each day. Not to say it’s not worth a visit, but we want to be sure you’re not expecting solitude. You will spend one hour at Muir Woods. There are restrooms, a snack bar and a trading post, but no WiFi or cell service. The drive time from the hotel to Muir Woods is 45 minutes. By the way, if you are prone to car sickness, note that about the last 15 minutes of the drive is on rather winding roads.

Leaving Muir Woods, we’re off to the charming town of Sausalito, where you will have 90 minutes on your own to stroll along Bridgeway, browsing the art galleries and local shops or getting a bite to eat. The day will end with a wonderful scenic 35 minute ferry ride across the San Francisco Bay to Fisherman’s Wharf. Once here, you will have the option of taking our coach back to the hotel or staying on your own. If you decide to stay, there is a taxi stand at Fisherman’s Wharf, a cable car stop nearby, and Uber and Lyft everywhere. The ride is a personal expense.

Dress in layers, keeping in mind that the microclimates between San Francisco, Muir woods and Sausalito can vary in temperature by as much as 15-20°F. Wear flat comfortable walking shoes or sneakers and don’t forget your camera. Bottled water will be provided on the mini-coach ride to Muir Woods. Allow 6 hours door-to-door for this tour.

Sailing the Bay
The maritime fans among you are invited to enjoy one of the city’s quintessential activities – sailing picturesque San Francisco Bay. A 10 minute motor coach ride delivers you to the heart of Pier 39 and historic Fisherman’s Wharf, where you will board Adventure Cat, a motorized 55-foot catamaran. Relax on board as you leave the bustling city behind and take in views of the beautiful Embarcadero, the famous swimming clubs of Aquatic Park, the historic vessels at Hyde Street Pier, the San Francisco Maritime National Park, Alcatraz Island, Golden Gate Bridge and more.

In addition to the city’s famed skyline you will likely catch a glimpse of sea lions, pelicans and other marine wildlife. We can’t predict what the weather will do, but the waters should be relatively calm, as you will stay within the bay. Adventure Cat goes out rain or shine, except in the case of a torrential downpour, which is very unlikely in August. In case it gets chilly, or better yet, if you need to get out of the sun for a while, there’s plenty of inside room to take cover.

A buffet lunch will be served and soft drinks will be available throughout the three-hour sail. Dress in layers, bring a hat or visor, and don’t forget the sunscreen and your camera. Rubber-soled shoes or sandals recommended.

Allow 4 hours door-to-door for this activity.

San Francisco City Tour
In spite of the natural beauty afforded by its enviable Pacific Ocean location, its iconic landmarks, its atmosphere of innovation and inclusion…San Francisco is, first and foremost, a city of neighborhoods. From Nob Hill to North Beach, from Haight-Ashbury to Fisherman’s Wharf and Union Square, the list of recognizable names goes on and on. And each neighborhood boasts its own distinct vibe and personality, population, points of interest, history.

Our San Francisco City Tour is the perfect introduction to these vibrant neighborhoods, highly recommended for the first time visitor and equally fun and fascinating for anyone seeking to be reacquainted with this bustling, world-class city. To provide you with a closer look at life in each diverse district, we will forego the large motor coach in favor of a 20-something passenger mini, sure to make the experience more intimate and rewarding. Your knowledgeable guide will inform, regale, educate, entertain. Speaking of entertainment, you will be amazed at how many film and TV scenes were shot all around the city’s neighborhoods.

It is understandable that a city of over 865 thousand people would have a bit of traffic, so in order to keep you moving, your driver will determine the order of the neighborhoods and landmarks you will see. Among them will be Golden Gate Bridge (having just observed its 80th!), Transamerica Tower, Coit Tower, North Beach, Land’s End, Presidio, Castro, Embarcadero, Chinatown, Haight-Ashbury (which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love), Valencia (the trendiest street in San Francisco), the impossibly steep and curvy Lombard Street, Pacific Heights, Twin Peaks and more. (Please note that any unforeseen construction or a road block may preclude us being able to access all the places listed above.) Along the way we will make several stops for photos and a very sweet stop for a Ghirardelli fudge ice cream sundae.

Dress for the day’s weather and don’t forget your camera. Although walking will be limited, you’ll want to wear comfortable shoes or sandals. Bottled water will be provided.

Allow 5 hours door-to-door, including time on own for lunch or shopping at Fisherman’s Wharf.