Virtual Tours
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Bookplates By the Bay Congress Suggested Independent “Book Arts” Tours
1) American Bookbinders Museum
355 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 824-9754; contact@bookbindersmuseum.org
Open 10am-4pm, Wednesday-Saturday
2) Book Club of California
312 Sutter Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, California 94108
(415) 781-7532; info@bccbooks.org
3) San Francisco Center for the Book
375 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 565-0545; info@sfcb.org
Open Wednesday through Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
4) Letterform Archive
2339 Third St Floor 4R (Entrance: 2325 Third St Floor 4R), San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 802-7485; info@letterformarchive.org
5) San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco CA 94102-4733
(415) 557-4400
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Independent Tours
Plan your excursion — If you are staying for the entire week, there will be plenty of time to take these excellent tours of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Some suggested independent Tours:
1) SF City Tour: Hop on – Hop off Big Bus Tours: “Classic” 1-day pass $55.00 each; “Deluxe” 2-day pass $79.00. Tours are provided in several languages. Take the ferry from Jack London Square to the Ferry Building in San Francisco. A short walk from Pier 41 to the Big Bus stop at Pier 39.
In a city of stunning bays, bridges and hills, the San Francisco hop-on, hop-off bus tour is the perfect way to sight-see. Enjoy the flexibility as you explore the treasures of Golden Gate Bridge to Fisherman’s Wharf, Haight Ashbury to Chinatown. If you want to go shopping at Union Square simply hop-off, then hop back on. Lunch in Chinatown? Hop-off, then hop back on. Continue to Haight-Ashbury, Golden Gate Park, and the Golden Gate Bridge. You can also buy tickets for Alcatraz Tours through Big Bus, but these go quickly so reserve well in advance.
Purchase your tickets Direct: https://www.bigbustours.com/en/san-francisco/san-francisco-bus-tours
Buy your Big Bus tickets through TripAdvisor too (often discounted):
2) Tour of San Francisco’s Top Museums: https://sf.curbed.com/2020/3/27/21196781/virtual-tour-san-francisco-museums-cultural-institutions-home — Links to Virtual Museum Tours: https://sf.funcheap.com/city-guide/virtual-tour-sfs-museums
3) Alcatraz Tours: https://www.alcatraztickets.com
Here’s another option for the Alcatraz Tour. Get tickets to Alcatraz Island and cruise on the San Francisco Bay. Tour Alcatraz, the infamous and notorious former federal prison, which was home to the likes of Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelley, and Robert “The Birdman” Stroud. From: $41.01 US Dollars
*The wearing of face masks or coverings is now REQUIRED in all public places in the state of California”
4) SF Wine Country Tour (Napa) $99.00 each – Half Day – 5 hours Read more about Small Group Half Day Sonoma Wine Country Tour 2021 – San Francisco – https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Francisco/Half-Day-Wine-Country-Tour/d651-7103P3?mcid=56757
When it comes to wine country, Napa gets all the attention but it can get expensive and feel overcrowded at times. If time is of the essence then this half-day wine tour to Sonoma might be the perfect remedy. Travel by coach to some of Sonoma’s top wineries, soaking in not just the tannins and fruit-forward flavors, but also the countryside views from your seat. The first tasting fee is included. Take a half-day wine tour from San Francisco to Sonoma. Learn about Napa wines as you tour top wineries. First tasting fee is included, additional tasting at your own expense. A small group tour ensures a personalized experience.
5) Hearst Castle Tour: https://hearstcastle.org/tour-hearst-castle/daily-tours
At this writing the Hearst Castle is closed due to road construction. It should be ready in a few months. You can rent-a-car and drive the scenic 6.5 hour road trip to Hearst Castle. Reserve tickets online up to 60 days in advance to tour Hearst Castle, a museum unlike any other in the USA — and one that’s not to be missed. Tickets are $25.00 for Adults – $12.00 for Children.
2-day bus tour option: Visit two of California’s most popular attractions on a two-day tour to Yosemite and Hearst Castle. Start by driving from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Sierra Nevada mountains where Yosemite National Park is located. Tour the spectacular park by coach, taking in highlights including Bridal Veil Falls, Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, El Capitan, Half Dome and Tunnel View. Stay overnight in Fresno, en route to the coast and Hearst Castle, where you tour the legendary newspaper tycoon’s estate, which boasts a breathtaking mansion and elaborate gardens. Two-day tour to Yosemite National Park and Hearst Castle See all the top landmarks in Yosemite, including Bridal Veil Falls, El Capitan and Half Dome Stay overnight in Fresno, the largest city in the Central Valley of California Take a guided tour of stunning Hearst Castle Admire the collection of antiques, ceramics, art and furniture in Hearst Castle.
Read more about 2-Day Yosemite and Hearst Castle Tour from Oakland 2021 – https://www.viator.com/tours/Oakland/2-Day-Yosemite-and-Hearst-Castle-Tour/d22040-31365P20?mcid=56757
Tour Bus picks passengers up at 7:00 a.m. in Oakland, California: 401 9th Street, Oakland (Industrial & Commercial Bank of China). This is close to the Waterfront Hotel, but with a 7:00 a.m. departure, we recommend taking UBER or a taxi to get there on time.
Day 1 – Yosemite – Fresno Take this opportunity to see one of America’s most magnificent national parks, located 215 miles southeast of San Francisco. Travel by direct motor coach through the San Joaquin Valley. At 12:30pm the bus will enter Yosemite, at which point guests will take the comprehensive, 3-hour valley sights tour. Several of the more famous sights include Tunnel View (3000ft [910m] high), Bridal Veil Falls (620ft [180m] high], the crystal clear Merced River which winds through the valley, Yosemite Falls (the highest waterfall in North America), and Half Dome, an 8842ft peak cut by ice age glaciers (the highest mountain in Yosemite)
Spend the night at Red Roof Inn in Fresno.
Day 2 – Fresno – Hearst Castle – Bay Area Visit the residence of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in San Simeon. His vision for the castle was designed by Bay Area architect, Julia Morgan. The castle was built from 1920-1947. It sits on a 137-acre plot of land with a private Zoo and all kinds of antiques, especially the interior brick built swimming pool for guests. Hearst also had a passion for art, furniture, tapestries, porcelain and silver collecting. In 1958 California opened it for public visiting. After you are done here, you will return to the Bay area.