Day 2

Highlights: Road Trip to Las Vegas, Peggy Sue's Diner, Eddie's World, Baker's Thermometer, Seven Magic Mountain, Las Vegas South Premium Outlet

Day 3

Highlights - Twilight Zone Mini Golf, Circus Circus Midway Games, Las Vegas North Premium Outlet

Day 4

Highlights - Grand Canyon Day Trip

The tour started early, at 7 am. Our first stop was a photo op at the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign. It was a short stop but good enough to take photos to prove we were in Vegas.

Attraction: Hoover Dam

Address: Nevada 89005, USA

Hoover Dam

Our itinerary included a stop at Hover Dam. We did not get to explore the Dam, but it was impressive.

Attraction: Historic Route 66
Address: Seligman, Arizona 86337, USA

Historic Route 66

For road trips to the US, one must visit Route 66. Although most of Route 66 has disappeared, certain parts retain its charms.

Cars

Our trip included a stopover at Route 66 in Seligman, Arizona. This is a little town, but it is lined with quirky little shops that have existed since Route 66 was built. It was part of the original Route 66. Today, you can still experience what life looks like in the old days.

Route 66

There was a cool shop there that had everything Route 66 related merchandise.

The King

You can also see old American classic cars in their original state there. Worth a stop for those Instagram photos.

Take a ride

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Back to the past

Attraction: Grand Canyon South Rim
Address: Rim Trail, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023,USA

Look out - Bright Angel Point

If you are heading to Grand Canyon, the South Rim would be the best place to go to experience the beauty of nature. The South Rim is billed as the True Grand Canyon. The West Rim may be nearer to Las Vegas and boast a glass sky bridge. It is not a part of Grand Canyon Nation Park.

Another alternative to the South Rim would be the Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend located at Grand Canyon East. It is a highly Instagram-able place, but due to the terrains and hikes needed to reach there, it is not the ideal destination for kids.

Book here for Grand Canyon South Rim Bus Day Tour from Las Vegas

Bright Angel Lodge - Spot the Lookout studio

Almost all tours will include a longer stop at Bright Angel Lodge. You can walk along the trails from the Bright Angel Lodge to the lookout studio.

Bright Angel Point

The fact that most official pictures of the Grand Canyon come from the South Rim is a testimonial to its significance.

Postcard

If you are lucky, you mean even spot some wildlife there.

Spot the deer

Our tour included additional stops at Duck on the Rock and other locations.

Duck on a Rock

The best part of the tour was the secret location. We cannot tell you where it is, but the view was spectacular!

For complete travel options to Grand Canyon, we recommend visiting the Klook website. From the basic South Rim Day bus to Helicopter rides, you have plenty of choices.

Book here for Grand Canyon South Rim Bus Day Tour from Las Vegas

Click here for full Grand Canyon options, including South Rim tours, West Rim tours, Helicopter tours. 

Attraction: Las Vegas Strip

Las Vegas strip

We were back in Vegas by about 7pm. The night was still young, so we decided to head to the strip for a walk. Since we stayed at Luxor, there are a few attractions suitable for families within walking distance.

M & M World

We made stops at M & M world to check out the wall of M & M

M & M Chocolate

Naturally, we could not resist grabbing some for ourselves.

Take your pick

Our chocolate craving did not stop. Since Hershey's Chocolate World is directly opposite M & M at New York New York Casino, we decided to make a trip there too.

Hershey Chocolate Liberty

You can purchase the world's largest Hershey's bar there. We were forbidden from doing it as Dad felt it was too much of a sugar rush for us.

World Largest Hershey's bar

That did not stop us from getting a Hershey S'more (marshmallow and chocolate melted between two crackers). Very sinful but worth it!

S'mores

Las Vegas looked alive at night with its bright neon lights. A walk in the evening is recommended to soak in the atmosphere.

Tip: At certain parts, it may get rowdy. For safety, walk only on the main strip where bright lights and plenty of people are around.

Viva Las Vegas

Attraction: Circus Circus Midway Games
Address: 2880 Las Vegas Blvd S, Circus Circus Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA

Life's a circus

It's back to Circus Circus to watch the free circus act and have another go at the carnival.

Free Circus Act

Attraction: Mystere
Address: Treasure Island. 3300 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109, USA

Mystere

After that, we caught the original Cirque Du Soleil show Mystere at Treasure Island. This was our first Cirque Du Soleil show, and it did not disappoint.

Mystere

We had great front-row seats in the house and were impressed with the set and performance. This was probably the best circus act we have seen to date.

Tip:  We got a great deal from Klook compared to the official site. Kids tickets were only available from Klook. We do not have to pay any extra admin fee compared to the official website. ( Savings of about 30%)

Get your discounted Mystere Tickets from Klook here

Mystere

After the show, we ended the day by exploring Fashion Mall next to Treasure Island for some Black Friday deals.

Fashion Mall

Whatever Happens in Vegas , Stays in Vegas!

Ride to LA

It's time to end our Vegas adventure as we head back to LA. As it was the thanksgiving weekend, a regular hours drive took us 8 hours instead!

Tip: Check the calendar before planning a trip to avoid traffic. Avoid Holiday Season if possible.

No time to read; check out the video version



Hotel: Residence Inn Anaheim
Travel: Las Vegas to Residence Inn Convention Center  hours 259 miles . 4 hours

Residence Inn Anaheim

By the time we reach the Residence Inn Convention Center, night had already set in.

Big Size rooms at Residence Inn Convention center

The good thing was that we were delighted with the vast room at Residence Inn. They had a separate living and kitchen area from the bedrooms. We got a great deal at Booking.com as it was even cheaper than smaller hotels found in the vicinity. Complimentary breakfast and WiFi are included in the booking,

Book Residence Inn Convention Center here

Cheesecake Factory

The location was perfect as we could simply walk to the nearby mall for Dinner. Dinner was at the Cheesecake Factory, famous for burgers and Cheesecakes!

Tip: Choose a hotel within 1 block of Disneyland, so you do not need to drive and park at Disney.

Which way to Disney?

Attraction: Disneyland
Address: 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802, USA

Goofing with Goofy

For this leg of our LA stays, the reason why we stayed at Anaheim was pretty apparent... Disneyland Park. In fact, it was both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure that influenced our decision. Having been to Disneyland in Tokyo and Hong Kong, we were excited at the chance to visit the original Disneyland.

Tip: If you are heading to Disneyland, be there early. The queue for security would be longer than the queue for getting in.

Sleeping Beauty Castle

With a 2 Day ' 1 Park per Day ' ticket from Klook, we managed to save about 15% from getting it individually. The prices were also cheaper compared to the official rate from Disney.  The multi-park admission is also a better option as it is the same price regardless if it is regular or peak season.

Getting in was a breeze as we simply showed the printed tickets at the gate to change for official tickets.

Get your discounted Disneyland Multi Park admission here

Get your discounted Disneyland Ticket here ( 10% discount)

Matterhorn Bobsled

Disney was as magical as it was billed to be. One ride you should not miss would be the Matterhorn Bobsled, as it is only found in Disneyland, California.

Mickey

In terms of the parade, it was good. Although we still think the best Disney parade experience would be in Disneyland Tokyo,  Disneyland California came in a close second.

Walt Disney

Disneyland California is the only park where construction was overseen by Walt Disney. It was amazing how one man's vision can impact millions.

Fireworks

Do stay for the fireworks in the evening.

Tip: Stand on the right side facing the castle. The fireworks would be block from the left due to trees.

Downtown Disney

We took a quick stroll at Downtown Disney. There are restaurants and shops there. As we only left Disney at 11 pm, some of the shops are already closed.

Tip: Disney opens till VERY late on certain days, sometimes even 12pm. Check the  Disney website for updates.


Get your discounted Disneyland Multi Park admission here

Get your discounted Disneyland Ticket here

Captain Dave

Attraction: Captain Dave Dolphin and Whale Watch Safari
Address: 24440 Dana Point Harbor Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629, USA
Travel: Country Inn to Dana Point 35 miles. 36 minutes

Rather than going to theme parks on consecutive days, we decided to take a break and head to the seas.

What will we see today?

The family, the especially Mom, are fans of Whale Watching. So for this trip, we decided to arrange for her - a unique whale watching experience.

Whale Watch Family

Actually, Mom had been to Captain Dave's Dolphin & Whale watching safari a couple of times. She had always wanted to share the experience with us, so we decided to fulfil her wish.

Jump

It was an easy 35 minutes drive from our hotel. Within minutes of our departure from the docks, we were able to catch a glimpse of dolphins out in the sea. They immediately swam up to us and alongside the boat. Super cool.

School of Dolphins

Another plus was that the ship was equipped with underwater viewing pods where we could see the dolphins eye to eye!

Sei Whale

Whales are not easily spotted during December as it is not the migrating season. We were lucky enough to spot a lone Sei Whale. Sea lions also greeted us on the way back.

Sea Lions

This whale watch trip was quite different from the ones we experienced in Australia. It was more dolphins than a whale watch cruise. Swimming with dolphins was indeed an eye-opener. The opportunity to see so many different species of animals cap a wonderful day for us.

Sunset at Dana Point

Disney Pier

Attraction: Disney California Adventure
Address: 1313 Disneyland Drive, Anaheim, CA 92802, USA

It's back to the theme park. This time we will visit Disney California Adventure. We were pretty unsure what to expect as we had not read much about the place. Armed with our prepaid tickets from Klook, we are about to find out!

Holiday mood

Learning from our experiences at Disneyland, we arrived 30 minutes before opening. There was already some queue in front of us. The entrance to the park may be separated, but it is the same entrance for security screening.

Disney California Adventure is very much different from Disneyland. Disneyland is well known for child-friendly rides and shows. Disney California Adventure is leaning more towards rides for older kids.

*Bookmark our website, we will be bringing you a comparison in our future post.

Let's Swing!

The ride itself was fantastic. The must-ride include Radiator Springs Racer, Incredicoaster, soaring around the world and Guardians of the Galaxy. Note that queues are pretty long, so you would have to get a fast pass to sit all of them. On a busy day, you might not sit on all rides. We went during the off-peak period and managed to sit on 90% of the rides we wanted. Not too bad, we reckon.

Tip: Get a fast pass to a popular ride the FIRST thing you head to the park!

Frozen

There was also a FULL musical - Frozen. This musical lasted one hour. Still, it was a must-see for fans as Frozen comes alive with an incredible set and cast. There are also other street performances but at a smaller scale compared to Disney.

Performance

There were also carnival games at Pixel Pier. When there is a carnival game, you are sure The Wackies will make a go for it.

Carnival Games

We stayed there till dark. Disney Adventure Park closes much earlier than Disneyland. There is so much to do there that we think a one-day pass was not enough!

Disney Pier @ night

Get your discounted Disneyland Multi Park admission here

Get your discounted Disney California  Adventure Park Tickets here

Spot the Hollywood sign

Attraction: Hollywood Hills
Address: Lake Hollywood Park 3160 Canyon Lake Dr
Travel: Anaheim to Hollywood Hills 37 miles, 1 hour

Hollywood

Today, we will switch hotels. We will be moving into Hollywood for the next three days. Our first stop was at Lake Hollywood Park to closely examine the iconic Hollywood sign. It was an exciting drive as we had to get off the tourist route and drive up residence on a hill to reach here. Furthermore, some roads were restricted to residents only,

Lake Hollywood Park

Tip: Google Lake Hollywood Park instead of Hollywood Sign. The latter would probably bring you to Griffen Observatory or residential areas that may be restricted to residents only.

Attraction: Hollywood Walk of Fame
Address: N Highland Ave & Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028

Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Before checking in to our hotel, we head to the nearby Hollywood Walk of Fame to check out landmarks such as Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Hollywood stars.

Tip: Park your car at Hollywood & Highlands. You can validate your tickets if you purchase an item from a shop for a lower parking fee.

Found: Harry Potter

We found a Harry Potter hand mould. Given there is a big Potterhead ( he is into the books) in the family, we were glad to have spotted it.

Hollywood

At Hollywood & Highland, we headed to  Dave and Buster, an arcade center, for a quick break.

Dave and Buster

Given that we had time to kill before checking in, we decided to head in for a quick game. Ultimately, we walked out with a good haul after spending $20 there.

Win @ Dave and Buster

Not everything was fine and dandy. When in Hollywood, we were almost hustled by a guy trying to give his own 'free' CD to the kids. After signing it, he demanded a tip of US $20 for it. Spotting a hustle, we quickly walk away. Thankfully, there was some security there and the man left us alone thereafter.

Hustle

Tip: When travelling with kids, do stay on the safe side and not be enticed by unsolicited offers.

Hotel: Sheraton Universal Hollywood
Address: 333 Universal Hollywood Dr, Universal City, CA 91608, USA

Sheraton Universal Hollywood

Our hotel for the next 2 days will be Sheraton Universal Hollywood. As it was located near Universal Studios with a free regular shuttle there, we thought it was the best place to be for visits to Universal Studios Hollywood.  It may be slightly more expensive, but we save on parking fees at Universal Studios. Parking fees were from USD 25 to USD 60 for preferred parking!

Book your stay at Sheraton Universal Hollywood here

Universal Citywalk

With the free shuttle, we took a ride to Universal Citywalk for dinner.

Seeing Double

Dinner was at Johnny Rockets. It was burgers and fries, but it cost twice as much as Mcdonald's!

Tip: Food is expensive in the USA; remember to budget more for it, especially in tourist areas.

Johnny Rockets

Our parents did save a pretty penny with shopping in Abercombie & Fitch. With sales going on, they managed to snag a few choice items retailing at a 70% discount off the already discounted price ( 50% off ) in Singapore.

Mind Boggling... If one thing is 'cheap' in the States, it will be clothing from popular brands originating from the US.

Tip: For more mileage on shopping, time your holidays to coincide with Black Friday Week. Sales are ongoing for the WHOLE week instead of just Black Friday

Shop at A & F

Universal Studios

Attraction: Universal Studios Hollywood
Address: 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608, USA

Our last theme stop for the trip would be at Universal Studios Hollywood. After having an incredible time at Universal Studios Osaka, our hopes were high for this theme park. Our tickets were pre-booked from Klook, and the entrance was hassle-free. As per our experiences from Klook, Universal Studios Tickets are usually cheaper than the official site.

Get your discounted Universal Studios Hollywood tickets from Klook here.

The crowd was pleasantly light since it was a weekday and past Thanksgiving week. The queues were relatively short for the characters, so we took the opportunity to take some photos with them.

Hogwarts Express

It took us less than 15 minutes to wait for The Flight of Hippogriff AND Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey compared to 90 minutes EACH in Osaka.  We managed to take ALL the rides we wanted for Universal Studios Hollywood without the Express pass.

The Wizardry World of Harry Potter Universal Hollywood

The Express Pass might be necessary for specific dates depending on when you are heading there. You can check the crowd calendar here. If it shows that 'It is packed' or 'Forget about it, we think getting the Express Pass would make more sense.

 Get your Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass here

Hollywood Studio Tour

The main highlight of Universal Studios Hollywood is not the rides but the Studio Tour. It was an excellent tour featuring a tour around the studios, special effects location and 2 incredible virtual reality screenings of King Kong and Fast and Furious. One of the more dramatic props is a real aircraft that is still burning built specially for a scene in War of the Worlds!

Studio Tour: Plane Wreck

 Krustyland was another one of our favourite locations.

Krustyland

It was the carnival games that got us excited. We even won some games here.

Tip: Games cost $5 a pop. However, if you double that, they would usually give you more chances to win. Instead of playing every game, focus on the ones that you use skills instead of luck.

Carnival Win

One of the must eat at Universal Studios Hollywood would be the gigantic doughnut. One is enough to feed 4 for lunch!

Big Donut

We stayed till late to watch The Wizarding World of Harry Potter come alive with Christmas lights and snow. Year-end visits to theme parks are usually great as they would be decked up in Christmas colours.

Hogwarts Castle

Universal Studios shut its doors relatively early compared to Disneyland. However, with the lesser crowd, we covered almost all the attractions in a day.

Universal Globe

Attraction: Universal Citywalk

As the night was still young, we head to the nearby Universal CityWalk for dinner and more shopping.

Universal CityWalk

There are a couple of shops you should visit at Universal CityWalk. The first is It's Sugar - a shop selling everything related to Sugar. A nightmare for parents as children get sugar high while they are there.

IT's Sugar

The nightmare continues with the world's scariest doughnuts - Voodoo Donuts.

Voodoo Donuts

Can you say RIP, Donut?

Sugar overload

Universal CityWalk was a fun place to visit. There were plenty of food options such as Tony Romas, Bubble Gump Shrimp Company, Johnny Rockets and Hard Rock Cafe. Spending the night with kids was also relatively safer compared to the nearby Hollywood. Even Santa was having a great time there.

Dancing Santa

We strongly recommend Sheraton or Hilton Universal as your hotels if you are heading there. The location is perfect for a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood.

Book your stay at Sheraton Universal Hotel here

Book your stay at Hilton Universal Hotel here

Only 238 miles to go!

372 miles (600 km), 6 hours drive.

Source: Google Map

This was probably the longest drive we have taken on a road trip. In context, Singapore is only  50 miles from East to West. A drive from LA to San Francisco would be the equivalent of driving end to end in Singapore close to 8 times!

The Fog

The route we chose was the shortest via I-5. There were other 2 routes. US 101(400 miles) and Highway 1(434 miles). The different routes could take 10-12 hours to complete with stops. As we were there after the devastating California Fire, parts of the highway may have a diversion. Not wanting to take a risk, we decided the shortest way would be our route.

Aircraft Tyres?

Honestly, the I-5 does not have much of a view as you drive through miles and miles of barren land. The exciting thing we saw was a fog that threatened to cover the roads and a truck delivering plane tires. That said, it will make an easy drive to San Francisco from LA within a day compared to Highway 101 or Highway 1. The last trips are recommended for at least a 2-day drive with stopovers.

Attraction: Harris Ranch
Address: 24505 W Dorris Ave, Coalinga, CA 93210, USA
Travel: Sheraton Universal to Harris Ranch - 189 miles. 2 Hours 45 mins

Harris Ranch

Based on our research, taking a break at Harris Ranch Inn for food and toilets was recommended. We made a stop for the facilities but skipped the food as the restaurant was not open. There was a Mcdonald's close by, and we decided that it would make a better option as we could pack and eat on the road. For those driving on the i-5, there are plenty of stops for petrol and fast food along the way. You would probably need to make at least one stop for petrol, so do plan ahead for a break.

Attraction: San Francisco Factory Outlet
Address: 2774 Livermore Outlets Dr, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Travel: Harris Ranch to San Francisco Factory Outlet. 146 miles 2 hr

To break the monotony of the drive, we made a stop at San Francisco Factory Outlet. This outlet has most of the brands in Las Vegas outlets and malls. It probably would be the mecca for shoppers looking for a good deal.
We found a couple and picked up a few gifts for Christmas here.

Source: Google Map

On the last leg to San Francisco via the i-80, there was a toll of USD 5 per vehicle to cross the bridge into San Francisco. We had not read about it online, so do prepare spare change for this. The end of the drive to San Francisco was beautiful as we crossed a tunnel and emerged on the other side of a bridge towards the city.

Hotel: Pier 2620
Address: 2620 Jones St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Travel: San Francisco Premier outlet to Pier 2620 - 40 miles, 1 hour

Pier 2620

Our hotel for San Francisco was Pier 2620, Fisherman's Wharf. We chose this hotel because it was a block from Fisherman's Wharf. If you are into the industrial decor, this hotel will suit you to a tee.

Book your stay at Pier 2620 here

Need more hotel options in San Francisco?
Click on the map to see more
Booking.com


We had to say goodbye to our trusty ride today. Parking in San Francisco can cost a bomb. Overnight parking in our hotel was at US 50 ++. Add parking charges in other locations for sightseeing, and the expenses for parking itself will be shocking.

Tip: As we arrived during weekends, the Hertz outlet was close by the time we arrived. We made the mistake of parking at the hotel instead of the car park at Anchorage Square. We ended up paying overnight parking for that. If you are in a similar situation, park at Anchorage Square ( it has other car rentals there, too) instead of the hotel to save on parking charges.

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Check out our video here. Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for more!

The Crepe Cafe

We used our other 'Kar' ( Hokkien slang for leg power) to get around town without a car. Thankfully, Pier 2620 was in a great location in Fisherman's Wharf. Most of the attractions we visited in the vicinity take less than 15 mins to get to on foot. Our first stop was The Crepe Cafe at Anchorage Square for crepes and Clam Chowder.

Clam Chowder

Tip: Clam Chowder is a 'must-try' food in Fisherman's Wharf. You can even see how it was made at Boudin Bakery with a tour on-site.

Boudin Bakery

Attraction: Krispy Kreme
Address:  353 Jefferson St, San Franciso, CA 94133, USA

Krispy Kreme

We were still feeling hungry so we made a stop at US largest Krispy Kreme Stores.

Lots of doughnuts to choose

Being fans of Krispy Kreme, it was hard to resist a bite.

Tip: Get 3,6  or 12 doughnuts at a go. The doughnuts will be price cheaper with this combination,

Not included in the menu.

Attraction: Madame Tussauds San Francisco (Go San Francisco Card)
Address: 145 Jefferson St #600, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Our first attraction in San Francisco was Madame Tussaud's at Fishermen's Wharf. Before the trip, we purchased the 2 day Go-San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass from Klook. The pass allowed us to visit up to 28 attractions on this trip. At Fishermen's Wharf itself, there are about 11 things you can do with the card, including a Hop on Hop off bus that would bring you around San Francisco.  It was the best decision for San Francisco as we saved more than 50% in fees compared to purchasing directly from the attractions. To utilize the pass, just show the printout from Klook for the entrance.

Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Cable Car

Madame Tussaud's was a blast. Plenty of localised themes made it different from other past Madame Tussaud's we visited. We were taken on a little history lesson in San Francisco with a glimpse of the Hippie age and Alcatraz.

Hippies

Even if you had been to other Madam Tussaud's, we reckon the one in Fisherman's Wharf is still worth a visit.

Arrested for being Wacky

Next, we took the Big Bug Hop on Hop off the bus to our next destination. Our Go San Francisco card allows us to take this ride for 2 consecutive days.

Big Bus Tour

We took the Big Bus to get to Pier 15 for the Exploratorium. The bus stopped at the Ferry building, and it was an easy 10-minute walk to the Exploratorium.

Pier 1

You probably have heard travel tales about homeless San Francisco. During the day, walking in Fishermen's Wharf is relatively safe. However, there were still sights of the homeless around. They tend to leave you alone, but there were a few with unsound minds, so stay alert.

Homeless in San Francisco

Tip: Some areas in San Francisco would be dangerous to venture to. The Tenderloin would be one such area. It would be best to stay around the tourist area, especially at night.

Attraction: Exploratorium (Go San Francisco Card)
Address: Pier 15, The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94111, USA
Travel: Big Bus Hop On Hop Off Stop 5

Exploratorium

The Exploratorium was more than just a museum. It was an interactive world that allowed visitors to explore the world of science, art and human perception.

Lots of Gadgets

There were hundreds of gadgets that we could tinker with. We spent about 2 hours there, and it was not enough.

Bluehead

The Exploratorium would be among the best of all the attractions we had been to in San Francisco. If you have time for only one museum in San Francisco with kids, this would be the one. You can purchase tickets individually or get the San Francisco Go card for more value.

Get Discounted Exploratorium admission tickets here

Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Interior

Attraction: Aquarium of the Bay (Go San Francisco Card)
Address: Pier 39, The Embarcadero & Beach St, San Fransico, CA 94133, United States

Aquarium of the Bay

A short walk from the Exploratorium was the Aquarium of the Bay located at Pier 39.

Jellyfish

It was a relatively small aquarium. Given that it was an attraction on the GO San Francisco, we decided to pop in to take a look. The aquarium was typical of most aquariums. Given its size, we breezed through the exhibit, and the tour took about 1 hour. It may not be worth it if you are visiting it on its own. However, combining it with the Go San Francisco card will be a good stop if you are in Pier 39.

Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Fish Tunnel

Attraction: Pier 39
Address: The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Pier 39

Pier 39 is a bustling Pier and the place to be when you are at Fisherman's wharf. There are plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops there. For younger kids, there is the Players Sports Frill & Arcade as well as a carousel for them to enjoy.

Pier 39 Carousel

The main star of Pier 39 would be the Sea Lions. The Sea Lions made Pier 39 their home since San Francisco 1989 earthquake and had been a permanent sight then.

Pier 39 Sea Lions

Attraction: USS Pampinito (Go San Francisco Card)
Address: 45 Sausalito - San Francisco Pier 41, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

USS Pampanito

The USS Pampanito was a US World War 2 Submarine. It is now docked at Fisherman's Wharf.

Submariners

This was our 2nd exploration of a submarine. The USS Pampanito tour comes with a free audio tour that lasts about 1 hour. For history and navy buffs, it would be an exciting insight into life in the submarine. The tour is also included in the Go San Francisco Card.

Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Gunner

Attraction: Musee Mecanique
Address: Pier 45, Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Musee Mecanique Fisherman's Wharf

Next to the USS Pampinto was the Musse Mecanique. If you are a fan of the arcade, you must visit this old-style arcade with plenty of 20th-century penny arcade games.


Attraction: Ripley's Believe it or Not ( Go San Francisco Card)
Address: 175, Jefferson St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Ripley's, believe it or not.

The last attraction for the day was Ripley's, believe it or not. We managed to cover 5 attractions from the Go San Francisco Card in one day. We saved over 50% on admission fees in one day.

Add caption

For a quirky experience, Ripley's Believe it or not would make a good stop. We were wacky enough to appreciate the oddities in the museum and learned some amazing facts about what humans are capable of.

Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Mcdonalds

Dinner was a simple meal at McDonald's. It was getting late, and we decided a quick meal would be great; else the walk back to the hotel might get daunting later in the night.

Tip: Drinks are refillable in McDonald's and some restaurants. Great way to refill fluid for the day

Krispy Kreme

We did pick up a dozen doughnuts from Krispy Kreme for Supper and breakfast for the next day.

Donuts anyone?

Hop on Hop Off, San Francisco

The itinerary of the day is a full tour around San Francisco city. The City is about 121.4 km² with a population of about 900,000. In terms of size, it is not as big as LA and getting around on the Hop on Hop off bus was the perfect way to explore the City.

Transamerica Pyramid

We took the Big Bus Hop on Hop off tour that comes with our Go San Francisco Card. There are other Hop on Hop off options, but since this came included in the Go San Francisco Card, we decided to use it as our primary vehicle for sightseeing.

Union Square

Taking a Hop Hop off bus is a great option to explore the city. There were no worries about parking and the high fees to park. Furthermore, San Francisco is well known for car robberies, so taking a bus takes that worry off.  The bus routes were interesting, taking you to popular tourist sites such as Union Square and even to the city's underbelly, such as the Tenderloin.  On your own, you probably would not even venture to these dark parts of the cities where countless homeless roam the street. It was pretty safe on the bus as you see the different extremes of what San Francisco offers.

Tenderloin

The Big Bus Hop on Hop off route has 20 stops. It brought us through the Ferry Building, Union Square, City Hall, Haight Ashbury,  Golden Gate, Palace of Fine Arts, Chinatown, Pier 2620. You could hop off at any stop to explore and subsequently hop on to the next bus that comes along. Tickets come with the Go San Francisco Card.


Get the Go - San Francisco card here

San Francisco City Hall

Attraction: California Academy of Science (Go San Francisco Card) S
Address: 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA - Stop 11 Big Bus Golden Gate Park

California Academy of Science

Our first stop was the California Academy of Science. This is one of the world's largest museums of natural history, housing over 26 million species.

Albino Crocodile

We spotted our first rare albino Crocodile there.

An Aquarium or a forest?

It had a rain forest, an aquarium and even a planetarium under one roof. Great for exploration for the young.  This attraction was also included in the Go San Francisco Card. After about 2 hours, we hop on the big bus to the next destination. If you have time, you could also explore the Japanese Tea Garden, Shakespeare Garden, de Young Museum located in the vicinity.

Big Bus Hop On Hop Off

Attraction: Golden Gate Bridge
Address: North Vista Point - Big Bus Stop 12 North Vista Point/Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Park

The next destination was the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The bus drove past the bridge and dropped us at North Vista Point.

Tip: Sit on the top deck if you want to feel the wind in your hair. Do warn that it could get pretty chilly during winter!

Golden Gate

The stop was perfect for taking Instagram photos.

Take a closer look

We had wanted to stop at the Palace of Fine Arts. Due to traffic, we had to give it a miss due to the lack of time. In hindsight, it may be better to get the 3 days all-inclusive Go San Francisco card instead of 2 so that you could spend more time exploring the city.

Palace of Fine Arts

Attraction: Chinatown
Address: Chinatown San Francisco - Big Bus Stop 17 Chinatown Gate

Chinatown

Given Fisherman's Wharf's lack of Asian food and our cravings for it, we stopped by Chinatown to have our fill. It was a good move as we found a Japanese restaurant that sold familiar food at a very reasonable price.

Enjoying Chow

Attraction: Pier 39
Address: The Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA - Big Bus Stop 20

Giant Claw Game

Our last stop for the day was back at Pier 39.

Players Arcade

We had a go at the Giant Claw Machine and the Players arcade and walked away with wades of cash... replica $100 bills to be exact.

Big win!

It was a wonderful day exploring the sights of San Francisco. We were glad to be car-free and still able to visit all the attractions safely. We highly recommend the Big Bus Tour if you are heading to San Francisco.

There are several ways to hop onto the Big Bus Tour. Here are some options.

Big Bus Tour only
Go - San Francisco card
Alcatraz Island & Hop on Hop-Off Bus Tour Combo


Attraction : Alcartaz
Address : Pier 33 Alcartaz Landing

Alcatraz

Alcatraz was one of the main reasons we visited San Francisco.  It was no surprise we dedicated at least half a day there. Heading to the island was accessible with a boat ride from Pier 33.

Latest inmates

Tickets to the Alcatraz tour usually sell out early. It would be best to prebook the tickets. You could opt for the Alcatraz tour only or a combination ticket from Klook that covers Alcatraz and one other attraction.

Book Alcatraz Island & Hop on Hop-Off Bus Tour Combo
Book Alcatraz Island & City Tour Combo
Book Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Tour Combo

Indians Welcome

Here are some fun facts about Alcatraz.

It was a lighthouse, a military garrison, a military prison, and a federal prison and was even occupied by Native Americans during its history. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986 and is now a major tourist magnet in San Francisco.

Solitary

The allure of Alcatraz would be the famous prisoners that called it home. The most notorious criminals in American history are Al Capone, Robert Franklin 'Birdman' Stroud, and George 'Machine Gun' Kelly. Alvin ' Creepy' Karpis and Rafael Cancel Miranda once walked on these grounds.

Cellphone Audio Tour

It was also well known that there were no known survivors that had escaped from Alcatraz. Hollywood had also taken notice of shows such as The Rock and Escape from Alcatraz dedicated to this Rock.

Alcartaz notorious inmates

The tour included a world-class Cellphone Audio tour. We think it was one of the best audio tours we have had to date. Alcatraz may have lost its prisoners, but a crowd will always be waiting to discover its infamous jailbreaks and riots.

Warning

Book Alcatraz Island & Hop on Hop-Off Bus Tour Combo
Book Alcatraz Island & City Tour Combo
Book Alcartaz Island, Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Tour Combo

Klook Travel Wifi

We had fun exploring and double-checking the facts of the audio tour with searches on the Internet. Thanks to Klook Pocket Wifi, the connection was a breeze. In fact, this nifty gadget served us well throughout our trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to San Francisco. Highly recommended for its reliability. It was also cheaper than its competitors, making it value for money.

Get your US Pocket Wifi from Klook here

Safeway

It was time to head back to Fisherman's Wharf after spending 5 hours in Alcatraz. On our way back stop over at Northpoint Center. There is a Safeway there that sells groceries at a reasonable price. You could get 8 fried or grilled chicken at about $10!

In addition, we found the only Chinese food option (Asian Chinese Food) in Northpoint Center; our only regret was that we had not discovered this place much earlier.

Tip: If you are in Fisherman's Wharf, head to Safeway to top up water and snacks. Most hotels do not provide bottles of water for consumption.

Fisherman at Night

After a rest at the hotel, it was a trip to Fisherman's Wharf's iHop for a meal.

ihop

We snagged a great deal with kids under 12 eating free. Compared to Denny's, where we ate a few days ago, the food was much better and cost half the price of Denny's.

Steak

Spot Alcatraz

Today marked the last day in USA. Since our flight was in the evening, we decided to spend the day exploring the areas near Fisherman's Wharf.

Attraction: Lombard Street

Lombard Street

After hearing about Lombard Street and catching a glimpse of it on Antman and The Wasp, we simply have to look at ourselves. Lombard Street is located about 15 minutes from our hotel at Pier 2620. Be prepared to hike uphill for this view.

Down the winding road

This street has 8 hairpin turns and was designed this way to reduce the speed of traffic heading down the steep slope of Lombard. Residential areas lined both sides of the street with a fantastic view of the City from afar. After this trip, we can now proclaim that we had been on the most crooked road in the world!

Lombard Street

It's a downhill journey back to Fisherman's Wharf for breakfast.

Fisherman's Wharf

Throughout the trip, Dad wanted to try the famous California In-N-Out burger.

In -N- Out

He finally got this wish on the last day. The selection of burgers. There were only 3 kinds of burgers at IN-N-Out. Hamburger, Cheeseburgers and Double-Double. The menu may be basic, but the burgers were simply good. The best burgers eaten for the trip are chunky meat on toasted buns.

Delicious Burgers from In-N-out

Attraction :  Fisherman's Wharf Powell Street / Market Street Cable Car Turnaround.

Fisherman's Wharf cable car

After a hearty meal, we head off to the Fisherman's Wharf Powell Street / Market Street Cable Car Turnaround. We were lucky enough to catch a cable car making a turnaround. The turnaround was done manually by hand rather than electronically.

Cable Car

With that , it marked the end of essential things to see in San Francisco. We may not been to all the attractions there, but we think the essentials were covered during this trip.

Ride to the top

It was time to say Goodbye to San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf.

Goodbye Fisherman's Wharf

Since we had no car, we had initially wanted to uber our way to the airport. However, we managed to arrange a ride with the concierge. Talking to the driver, we noted that uber drivers are not tested for marijuana (Marijuana is legal in San Francisco).  There was a possibility that the Uber driver might be on drugs and driving at the same time. In hindsight, it was wise to take the offer from the concierge for the airport transfer.

Tip:  If you want a safe ride, ask the hotel concierge to arrange one. Chances are the drivers recommended are repeated drivers working with the hotel. They would be more reliable than Uber.

Time to go home

It's time to head home. This time, we would be taking the nonstop flight back to Singapore. At 17 hours 30 minutes, it will be a new record for us in the air!

Nonstop flight to Singapore

We hope you enjoyed the post and found the itinerary useful. Activities in this itinerary (or similar) were mainly sourced from Klook and booked pre-trip. We have attached a list of activities for easy reference.

If you are heading to LA-Las Vegas - San Francisco and found this review useful. Do support us by clicking on the links to purchase your needed activities. It will not cost you a penny more, but it would help us to keep the lights on.

Enjoy your trip in the USA!




Las Vegas

Book here for Grand Canyon South Rim Bus Day Tour from Las Vegas
Get your discounted Mystere Tickets from Klook here

Los Angelas
Disneyland
Get your discounted Disneyland Multi Park admission here
Get your discounted Disneyland Tickets here

Disney Adventure Park
Get your discounted Disneyland Multi Park admission here
Get your discounted Disney California Adventure Park Tickets here


Universal Studios Hollywood
Get your discounted Universal Studios Hollywood tickets from Klook here
Get your Universal Studios Hollywood Express Pass here
San Francisco
San Francisco Go Card
Get the Go - San Francisco card here

Alcatraz Tour
Book Alcatraz Island & Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour Combo
Book Alcatraz Island & City Tour Combo
Book Alcatraz Island, Muir Woods & Sausalito Day Tour Combo

Big Bus Tour
Book Big Bus Tour here 

US Pocket Wifi
Get your US Pocket Wifi from Klook here



Hotels featured in this itinerary
Los Angeles
Country Inn and Suites Anaheim
Residence Inn Convention Center by Marriott
Sheraton Universal Hollywood

Las Vegas
Luxor Resort & Casino

San Francisco
Pier 2620

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Disclosure
The post contains affiliated links. If you made a purchase through the links, you won't pay a penny more, but we will get a small commission, which helps keep the lights on. Do support us if you like this review. This review was done on our own expenses with the following exception - Themeparks sponsorship and Wifi provided by Klook.