Dog Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Just booking a trip away to San Francisco, Los Angeles & Vegas. 9 nights for £1200 stopping for 3 nights in each resort. The total package includes flights, coach travel internally and accomodation in $30 motels. I am going mainly to visit Alcatraz prison & Hollywood. Has anyone been to these places and what else is worth visiting while I am there. I am going with a mate, so whorehouses etc may be an option. Not really bothered about Vegas tbh but it's in the package so I may just dress up as Elvis and ride some coasters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyNorthernSaints Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Went to SF last year. Great place to visit with most places easy to get to. Alcatraz tour is great. We went to the Baseball to see the Giants and also to Candlestick park to watch 49 ers v the Saints. Stayed on Lombard street (crookest street in the world). The hills can be knackering so we used the cable cars and if you stand on the outside the ticket guy doesnt always get to you for the 5 buck fare. If you are a NFL fan there is a good bar on Lombard st called the Voodoo lounge? which is the officail New Orleans Saints fans bar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Alcatraz is brillant and well worth a visit. Take the audio tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Alcatraz is brillant and well worth a visit. Take the audio tour. ditto, love SF, many great cultural places there (Exploratorium, Gold Gate Park, China town, the palace art musuem, cartoon museum, H&A, Coit tower etc) as well as the chavy pier 39section. spoilt for good food (Aqua, Canteen, Eos etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 I went a couple of times in the early 80s when I did some work for Dolby. My missus came for the first visit and spent the day doing the Bay tours whilst I was working. I think she went to Alcatraz twice, well worth a visit. We hired a car and did 1800 miles in 8 days. Over the Bridge to Muir Woods for the redwoods, 300ft high, south to the Mariposa Grove for the giant sequoias, Carmel and Pebble Beach are a must as is Yosemite, fabulous place. You can get to Reno & Carson City in Nevada. I always wanted to go to Bodie, the ghost town, but didn't have time. North to the wineries in Sonoma and Simi might be a laugh. Sausalito is very twee but it is a centre of the gay community. All this is more for touring with a loved one but I'm sure you and your mates will have a ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Oh and if its a boys tour try out the Gold Club Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanh Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 SF is great. Alcatraz is well worth it and the audio tour is the best (only) way to get the most out of it. When I visited I spent too much time downtown which is much like any other US city. To get a real idea of the place go to Haight Ashbury, China town and the Italian districts. The place is relatively small so you can walk around but it's probably best to get a city wide travel pass that you can use on the 4 different types of public transport. The sushi in Chinatown was excellent. Baseball is well worth it if you are a general sports fan. Get a seat high up facing the scoreboard - the stadium is amazing. LA is a place where you can do whatever you want. If you are into Hollywood go on the studio tours - Universal is more of a themepark, Warner Bros is a bit more authentic. The minibus tours of the Bel-Air and Beverley Hills is fun but don't expect to see much. Santa Monica is a nice beach resort to visit, as is Malibu if you have time to travel out of the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatch Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 I lived in SF for 8 months when I was 3. Can't remember sod all about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verbal Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 (edited) Alcatraz Island is run by the California Parks Service and they haven't done a good job. The place is crumbling badly, so see it while you can. The best way to walk around the island is to see it and imagine it as it was for the prisoners - those who were stuck there and those who escaped. I worked on a film there three years ago, and was allowed to follow the exact route taken out of the cell block by the 1962 escapers (the one made into the Clint Eastwood movie, Escape from Alcatraz) - up through the back of the cells, on to the multi-tiered internal cell roofs (where, amazingly, a raft and other escape equipment were assembled, undiscovered, over several months), and then up onto the roof itself. Actually one of the reasons the Parks Service is so bad is that they allow people like me to do this kind of thing. It's also quite something to travel to Angel Island and look back to Alcatraz - because it's across that stretch of water that the escapers either made it or drowned. Angel Island also has a beautiful deserted beach - and a spectacular view from it across to the city and the Golden Gate. Edited 7 January, 2011 by Verbal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thedelldays Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 going to San Francisco with a "mate" ok then.... gheyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warsash saint Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 (edited) Echo that Alcatraz is a great trip & very interesting. Edited 7 January, 2011 by warsash saint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Massimo Osti Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Book you Alcatraz trip online before you go, when we went loads were turned away trying to pay on the day as the boats were full. Also book an early boat time , the island has a better atmosphere in the fog!! You can come back on any boat once you have had enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_jas Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 Think I preferred SF over LA. Just felt LA was a bit of a dump. For Alcatraz definitely do the audio tour. Other places in SF: Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Pier 39. Pretty good pub called Jacks Cannery Bar that has around 80 beers on tap. Definite ride on the trams! Also the Fire Engine tour was very good -http://www.fireenginetours.com/default.htm For LA, Beverley Hills tour, Universal Studios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crab Lungs Posted 7 January, 2011 Share Posted 7 January, 2011 (edited) I always wanted to go to Bodie, the ghost town, but didn't have time. That place looks proper freaky FWIW, so do this: http://www.offroaders.com/album/centralia/the-story.htm Though I would like to have a snoop around these towns purely out of curiosity... OK, not sure if it warrants another thread or not as I don't want to miff the OP by going off-topic but since Whitey Grandad posted about Bodie and I subsequently Googled it, I found these pictures which gave me a bit or a chill....: http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/htme/bodie.htm Edited 7 January, 2011 by Crab Lungs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dog Posted 7 January, 2011 Author Share Posted 7 January, 2011 going to San Francisco with a "mate" ok then.... gheyer Great reply from a sailor. TVVAT!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squiggly_dan Posted 8 January, 2011 Share Posted 8 January, 2011 San Francisco DO > Book a night tour of Alcatraz - limited numbers with special events not happening in the daytime. Keep a look out for volunteers with badges who often take small groups on ad-hoc tours into closed-off areas > Take a Segway tour http://citysegwaytours.com/ - you will look like a fooktard, but the only way to tour the city - they steam up the hills! > Take a food tour - http://www.localtastesofthecitytours.com/ - you actually get well fed on these! > Free tours - http://www.sfcityguides.org/ - just turn up - what more do you want? > Hire a bike and ride from Fisherman's Wharf over the bridge to Sausalito, then get the ferry back (which has plenty of room for bikes). A few good restaurants in Sausalito - just make sure you know the time of the last ferry (3hr ride otherwise)! > Ride the cable car. Surprisingly effective transportation method (you will find very few taxis!) - don't bother waiting at the turnaround stations, just hop on one block up, and make sure you stand on the footplate and hang on the outside! > Jazz club, Dim Sum, Top of the Mark, Aquarium (unless you are stopping in Monterey), Giants or Niners game. > Pack for all seasons - when the fog falls it brings a chill, even in July! DON'T > Bother with Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Chinatown, USS Pampatino, Union Square. > Stop in a tourist area - you will get harassed by panhandlers. > Call it Frisco or San Fran in front of the locals - only San Francisco will do. Los Angeles Find a decent bar and stay in it. Las Vegas DO > Use the casinos on Freemont Street (Golden Gate dancers/dealers are cute & daiquiri's are 90% proof in Mermaids - try the deep fried twinkies!) > Use the Orleans and visit the Prime Rib Loft. > Use a gun range. > Make sure you know how to get cheap drinks from the cocktail waitresses. > Get a gaming card if you are going to gamble heavily and stay in one casino - you will likely be offered dinner or a free stay next time. > Find a $5 steak and lobster dinner (probably impossible now though). > Hire a car and drive to the south rim of the Grand Canyon (not the crap part in the Indian Reservation), via the Hoover Dam. > Use Tix4Tonight booths to get big discount on shows (although the adult shows are pretty lame). > Look for coupons booklets for pretty decent savings on everything. > Play blackjack - if you are a low roller, the Sahara has $1 tables, everywhere else will be $5 and $10 on weekends. > Use Premium Outlets (between strip & downtown) or Town Square (near airport) for any shopping - visit the Yard House in the latter for a massive selection of draught beers. DON'T > Give beggars money - as informed by a local "you will be shot". > Stray off the beaten track. > Stay on the strip (....just stay away from the ultra-bright and ultra-dark places basically!) > Use the Deuce (bus) - why this follows the strip I do not know - usually faster to walk. > Bother wasting your time touring the different casinos - I found most of the attractions and casino features to be tacky and boring, including The Venetian Gondolas, Paris, Caesar's Palace, Bellagio fountains, Treasure Island boat, MGM lions, Shark Reef - all a load of ballbags. With all this taken away, they are all just giant gambling halls where it is almost impossible to sit comfortably and have a reasonably priced drink, unless you are feeding your money into machines at the same time. > Use NYNY coaster, unless you want to break your back. The only legal prostitution in the US is in brothels in certain counties of Nevada, but not Las Vegas (despite the literature being touted by the 'porn slappers' (not what you might think - this is one google search string containing 'porn' or 'slappers' that is actually mostly SFW!). You will have to head a little way into the desert if you want that type of action! You are missing so much by taking the coach option - rent a car next time and drive down Big Sur! I did two weeks between San Francisco and Vegas with a mate last year for well under £1,200 flights, car hire and accommodation. Only certain parts needed planning - we just used a roomsaver booklet every day, which gives coupons for guaranteed room rates all over California. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorski Posted 8 January, 2011 Share Posted 8 January, 2011 Hire a some bikes or a tandem, and ride over golden gate bridge to Sausalito. Nice and scenic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulSaint Posted 8 January, 2011 Share Posted 8 January, 2011 I loved SF, loved Yosemite on the way to Vegas, loved Vegas, loved Palm Springs on way to LA. I hated LA and wished I'd stayed in any of the other places longer. If you can change your plans now then do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouldy Coat Posted 8 January, 2011 Share Posted 8 January, 2011 Just booking a trip away to San Francisco, Los Angeles & Vegas. 9 nights for £1200 stopping for 3 nights in each resort. The total package includes flights, coach travel internally and accomodation in $30 motels. I am going mainly to visit Alcatraz prison & Hollywood. Has anyone been to these places and what else is worth visiting while I am there. I am going with a mate, so whorehouses etc may be an option. Not really bothered about Vegas tbh but it's in the package so I may just dress up as Elvis and ride some coasters. steam into the slags mate. Good on ya! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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