I've been living in the San Francisco Bay Area for six years now. Sunday was only the third time that I have driven into the city. Wall-to-wall traffic. We had guests visiting so we were heading to Pier 39 as a very typical guest spot. It was a beautiful day on a holiday weekend, so all the traffic should not have surprised me, but as you can guess, I don't strongly recommend driving in the city if you don't have to. Of course seeing the Golden Gate Bridge is always lovely. We still haven't been out to Alcatraz Island, but that is considered a must-see item. On weekends, you should book the tickets in advance. There are also boat tours of the harbour that don't stop at the island.
We also took our guests to the Monterey Aquarium, which they really enjoyed. And as you probably know, some of the most beautiful coastline is between Monterey and Carmel - well worth the drive. There are several redwood forests both north of SF and then south on the way to Santa Cruz. And of course the wineries of Napa and Sonoma Counties north of SF.
We also lived in San Diego for several years. I definitely recommend a visit to the zoo, and there's also the Wild Animal Park, which is about 30 miles north of the city. The zoo is in Balboa Park, in the heart of the city itself, and Balboa Park also has a number of museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the Air & Space Museum. There's Sea World, which can be fun whether or not you have children with you. There are several ships to visit as part of the San Diego Maritime Museum, and there is also an aircraft carrier (I think it's the Midway). Other popular spots are Coronado Island and the beaches of La Jolla and Del Mar further north up the coast.
Kathy
