After driving up the coast through Big Sur and Santa Cruz we arrived in San Francisco and pulled up outside the Sir Francis Drake where we were met by a Beefeater for a valet! Having seen a snippet on the Internet about it, we also asked to see their prohibition room. This is a secret room in between the first and second floors which can only be accessed from a particular lift and only if you know how. There is a peep hole into the lobby below and apparently there used to be doors in the elevators which allowed you to move to another elevator without being seen. One of our highlights from San Francisco was our Segway tour with the Electric Tour Company. It is actually a tour of Fisherman's Wharf but the appeal is in riding the Segway's rather than learning anything about the area. It's great to ride the Segways around the steep streets of San Francisco although you do get a few surprised looks from other people. The major tourist area is Fisherman's Wharf, largely populated with shops selling the usual tourist tat. At Pier 39 is an unusual attraction though - a sea lion colony which decided to setup here in January 1990.
Another 'must do' on the tourist list is a visit to Alcatraz, the famous prison island. There is an interesting history to the island which predates...
