First order of business was to take a group tour of San Francisco. A van leaves daily to take visitors to the highlights of San Francisco. We were very happy to have an introduction to the city with someone else at the wheel! The tour guide did a great job of narrating the drive over as well as explaining the highlights of famous landmarks. The weather was wonderful - slightly warm for S.F., but very little fog. The first stop was the Golden Gate Bridge, of course!
We were able to get out and walk along the bridge for a short distance to feel the vibrations from the traffic and see the views of the bay and Pacific. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic crowded the walkway. The first glimpses of the bay water showed tremendous turbulence. Being accustomed to the calms of Corpus Christi bay, we were amazed at the contrast and vastness of the body of water. 
With the nice weather, the guide took us to a parking area via the Presidio to get yet another look at the bridge and the Pacific. We appreciated her willingness to customize the tour for the conditions.
We continued through the city to the Golden Gate Park. The guide enlightened us to appreciate that nothing in the park is native - to the area nor California in many cases. The area began as barren dunes.
This conservatory provides one example of the spectacular landscaping in many areas that are mixed with more 'natural' plantings in unstructured arrangements. We then stopped near the de Young museum. The tour didn't allow time for entry to the museum, but adjacent to it was a tower to get some great views of the city and the nearby Academy of Sciences. 
Next was a trip to ride one-way on one of the infamous cable cars down California St. The guide provided a detailed explanation of how the cable cars worked and took the time to show us the cable running under the pavement and a heads up on what to watch for from the operator.
The ride took us through Chinatown and the Financial District. The van picked us up near the waterfront and we saw the ferry landing and the pier where cruises frequently board. One of the Princess cruise lines was in port and traffic was busy as passengers were unloading their luggage and boarding. The tour provided a couple of hours on our own at Fisherman's Wharf. We chose Bubba Gump's for lunch and were fortunate to be seated at a waterfront table overlooking the bay. 
A sea lion was playing or hunting in perfect view, leaping in and out of the water like a dolphin. The boys had crepes for dessert at a nearby French bakery on the wharf or a bag of miniature freshly prepared doughnuts.We drove through several downtown areas to see the closely perched homes (including the famous 'painted ladies' pictured below) and were briefed regarding the impacts of major earthquakes in 1906 and 1989.
Chinatown was another stop and we had about 30 minutes to look around in the shops and observe some gatherings of the community for games of chance at an old square. We only window shopped and were quite full from lunch, so no food purchases either.On the way back to the Golden Gate, we travelled through the Presidio that no longer functions as a military facility, but is now residential and business rental property. Lovely area, but pricey (even for San Francisco standards) due to the prime location along the bay.
Another stop on the opposite end of the Golden Gate bridge provided a last look at the bay, Alcatraz and the departing Princess cruise ship.
What a long and busy day - but it provided just what we needed to choose our activities on another day in San Francisco on our own.
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