infamous prison island
of Alcatraz (%415-981-
7625; http://www.alcatrazcruises.
com, http://www.nps.gov/alcatraz;
adult/child day $28/17, night
$35/20.50; hcall center
8am-7pm, ferries depart Pier
33 every 30min 9am-3:55pm,
plus 6:10pm & 6:45pm). In
summer, book Alcatraz
tickets online at least two
weeks ahead.
At the foot of Market
St, indulge your
inner epicure at the
Ferry Building (www.
ferrybuildingmarketplace.com;
Embarcadero; happroximately
10am-6pm) food stalls,
and stop by its farmers
market on Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
mornings year-round to
wallow in the bounty of
California-grown organic
produce and gourmet
prepared foods.
At the historic Castro
Theatre (%415-621-6120;
http://www.castrotheatre.com;
429 Castro St; adult/child
$10/7.50), the crowd goes
wild when the giant
organ rises from the
floor and pumps out
show tunes until the
movie starts, and the
sumptuous chandeliered
decor complements a
repertory of silver-screen
classics.
If you have extra time
to cavort about town, see
p58 for more ideas.54 p56
The Drive » Aim north over
the turret-topped Golden Gate
Bridge, pausing to stroll around
the Marin-side Vista Point area.
Exit at Alexander Ave and bear
left before swinging back under
the highway to ascend the
bayview ridgeline of Conzelman
Rd. It’s 2 miles to Hawk Hill,
located just before the road
becomes one-way.2 Marin Headlands
Near echoey WWII
battery tunnels, bird-
watchers should make a
mandatory stop to hike
up Hawk Hill. Thousands
of migrating birds of
prey soar here from late
summer to early fall,
straddling a windy ridge
with views of Rodeo
Lagoon all the way to
Alcatraz.
Stay west on
Conzelman Rd until it
ends in about 2 miles andthen bear left towards
the bay. The third
lighthouse built on the
West Coast, the Point
Bonita Lighthouse (www.
nps.gov/goga/pobo.htm;
h12:30-3:30pm Sat-Mon)
was completed in 1855,
but after complaints
about its performance in
fog, it was scooted down
to the promontory about
20 years later. Three
afternoons a week you
can cross through a dark
rock tunnel – carved
out with hand tools only- and traverse a steep
half-mile trail to inspect
the lighthouse beacon.
A bouncy suspension
bridge delivers you to
the Fresnel lens tower,
and harbor seals sun
themselves on the rocks
below.
The Drive » Continue
north along the oceanview
bluffs of Field Rd, joining
westbound Bunker Rd (signed
San Francisco) after passing
the Marin Headlands Visitor
Center. Pass through the timed
one-way tunnel and turn left
onto Alexander Ave towards
Sausalito.3 Sausalito
Perfectly arranged on
a secure little harbor
on the bay, Sausalito’s
pretty houses tumble
neatly down a green
hillside into a well-heeled
downtown, and much
of the town affords
uninterrupted views of
San Francisco and Angel
Island.TRIP HIGHLIGHT5
Napa Valley
From Napa,
continue further
north through Napa
Valley along Hwy
29 for destination
restaurants, a
fabulous spa town and
even more tempting
wineries.
6
Sonoma
ValleyVenture north or
south from Glen Ellen
along Hwy 12 for
low-key wine tasting
and the historic sights
clustered in downtown
Sonoma.
LINK
YOUR
TRIPNORTHERN.CALIFORNIA..2
.SAN FRANCISCO, MARIN & NAPALOOP