THE 8 BEST EXCURSIONS FROM SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco is undoubtedly one of the most attractive cities in the United States. If you are taking a little trip along the West Coast of this great country, or you are simply going to spend a few days in the city of eternal spring, it is worth spending a couple of days to explore the surroundings. Because San Francisco has lots of things to see and do, but it is surrounded by wonderful landscapes and places to visit on a day trip. Giant tree forests, fishing villages with a special charm, valleys with vineyards and wineries where to try one (or more) wines ... There are options for all tastes and budgets. Next we tell you what they are the best excursions from San Francisco.

You won't even have to leave the city to take the first excursion from San Francisco. Just go to Pier 33 and board a ferry towards Alcatraz Island. On this small islet, in the middle of the San Francisco Bay, is one of the most mythical prisons of all time: Alcatraz Jail. It was operational only from 1934 to 1963, but it earned the reputation of being an unbreakable place, from where to escape was a chimera. However, he starred in one of the strangest and most impossible leaks in the history of the United States. In this post we tell you how was our visit to Alcatraz and here you have a few curiosities about this site (you will freak out with more than one).

advice: Book your ticket in advance, it is one of the most visited attractions in San Francisco and there may be no availability when you want to visit it. The cheapest place to do it is the official website. If you want to make a spanish tour Check out this, which includes a visit to Alcatraz and the main tourist sites of San Francisco.

For many, Yosemite is one of the Prettiest National Parks in the United States. And we totally agree: it is full of waterfalls, corners that seem taken from a postcard, incredible viewpoints and dozens of hiking trails to be in full contact with nature. Here we tell you our visit to Yosemite National Park.

How to visit: It is about 3 hours drive from San Francisco and for us the ideal is to make a trip for free, renting a car and spend one or two nights in the park. You can also visit the nearby Sequoia National Park, famous for its lovely trees. But if you don't drive or don't have too much time, there are day tours They leave from San Francisco, like this one.

We present the largest trees on the planet: redwoods! California is famous, among other things, for having several forests of these giants, where you will feel like a dwarf creature of nature at your side. In these two parks, next to each other, there are several mythical trees, such as the General Grant (from 1700 years!) or the General Sherman (the tree with more wood in the world), in addition to a breathtaking viewpoint: the Moor Rock. Here we tell you our visit to the Kings Canyon and Sequoia parks.

How to visit: Considering that to get to the parks of Kings Canyon or Sequoia you will have to drive more than 4 hours one way (and many others back, of course), we do not think it is worth doing a day trip from San Francisco. So in this case our advice, if you travel for free, is that you spend a couple of days to tour Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia, before continuing to Death Valley and Las Vegas.

If you cannot reach the Sequoia National Park there is a much closer alternative: only 10 km from the Golden Gate of San Francisco is the Muir forest, where a few giant redwoods await you. It is not as impressive as the previous ones or the Red Wood National Park, but it is a close and very easy escape, perfect for those who do not have much time and want to know these living beings, the highest on the planet.

How to visit: The simplest and most flexible is to go by car, but keep in mind that it is not very cheap: you will have to pay the toll to cross the Golden Gate and parking at Miur Woodd. So, if you want to go free, there is the option to go in public transport. Maaaalo is that there is NO direct bus from San Francisco and you will have to travel to Sausalito and catch a shuttle bus from there. Here you have more info about schedules / prices. There are several tours, but this one, which is done in Spanish and also includes a visit to Sausalito, seems most interesting to us.

It is one of the simplest and almost mandatory excursions from San Francisco. Sausalito is a nice little town on the other side of the Golden Gate, where you can enjoy a beautiful morning. In the beginning, it was a little town where fishermen lived... but today it is a rather good place, with houseboats and bars and restaurants specialized in fish and seafood.

How to visit: our advice is that you DO NOT go by car since, between traffic and the price of the bridge toll, they are not worth it. The ideal would be rent a bike , cross the Golden Gate on two wheels (super exciting) and enjoy some quiet hours there. And to finish off the plan, return to San Francisco by ferry. There are quite interesting online offers, some also include the ferry ticket, check out Groupon. But if you prefer go by ferry i / v It is also not a bad option, you can buy the ticket in advance here.

More than excursion, we also recommend doing this famous stretch of coast road to all those traveling by car between Los Angeles and San Francisco (or vice versa). Along approximately 100 km you will pass through cliffs, bridges, beaches, landscapes and charming villages, such as Monterrey.

How to visit: in this case we believe that rent a car and crossing this stretch of coast is the best option: only then can you stop and take all the photos you want and enjoy the corners that you like the most. There is also this tour in Spanish that runs along this mythical road, with very interesting stops.

Do you have a geek soul? We all have it 😉 and being so close to Silicon Valley are you going to stay with the desire to walk where all the great ideas come from? NO WAY! You can also go for free or on organized tours, and who knows ?, the same stroll through there and breathe the same air that these brains gives you an inspiration to create your own start up. There are waiting for you headquarters of large technology companies, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, etc.

How to visit: you can ride your auto tour or sign up for one of the many that, every time, are more popular among those who travel to San Francisco. Here you have a good option.

This excursion from San Francisco is intended for those who enjoy rural tourism, especially if the plan includes toast with one or several glasses of wine. If this is your case, you have to visit the Napa Valley, an hour away from the road, and see yourself surrounded by fields, wineries and vineyards. A must tasting, but only for those who do not drive! Remember to take a document with you, in the USA. It is required to buy and consume alcohol (over 21 years old).

How to visit: It is one of the visits we recommend doing with tours, so everyone in the group can drink a little wine without thinking about the consequences. In addition there are many organized tours, this is one of the best (although it is only in English). If you want it in Spanish, this is something more expensive.

These are, for us, the best excursions from San Francisco. We do not see the time to return and do what we need! And, after New York, San Francisco is our second favorite city in the United States, and we hope you also enjoy your trip to this Californian enclave.