Visiting Tucson And San Francisco

[+JetMonkey]

Hello all,

 

This June I expect to be traveling to both Tucson and San Francisco and I have questions regarding both.

 

First stop…Tucson. Work has sent me to Tucson over a dozen times in the last 10 years so I know my way around town reasonably well for someone who lives in Ohio but this will be my first visit there since I began geocaching. I’ll be in town for a week but during the day I’ll be in training, my geocaching time will pretty much be limited to all day Sunday prior to my week of training then in the late afternoon/evenings during the week. I’ll be staying in the NE corner of town but I’ll be training at the airport (Tucson International not the AFB). Anyway, I’m looking for “must do” type of cache recommendations that I can do in the time limitations that I’ll have. Of coarse I plan to hit as many as I can but I’m curious if there are any stand out as a must do type of cache while I’m there.

 

Now onto San Francisco, my family and I are planning a vacation to San Fran during the last two weeks in June. Do my wife’s boss being a (insert bad word of choice here), she’s not able to take 2 full weeks but 8 days total not including the weekend. So our plan at the moment is that my son who is 10 and I will probably fly out on a Saturday then my wife will fly out to join us on the following Tuesday for our family vacation, not ideal but thanks to my wife’s boss this is about the best we can do for now. The intent is that in the days that my son and I are there alone we plan to do some caching so that once my wife arrives we can head off to hit the sites together. Since this is the arrangement for now, I plan on using some hotel points that I have to save some money until my wife shows up, right now my choices are to stay on Cedar Blvd in Newark (about 30 miles away south east of San Fran from what I can tell) or we can stay in Novato which looks to be about 20 miles north of San Fran. Not ideal I know, but once my wife shows up we plan on hitting Yosemite then coming back to San Fran where we’ll stay in town.

I’ve never been to San Fran so I’d like to know if there is any reason that one of these two locations to stay is better than the other. Also, if I were to commute into San Fran to geocache, are there any concerns about things like parking (paying to park at each cache location could really add up!) and also the bridge tolls, do you have to pay when crossing each way or does the toll you pay in the morning cover your return later in the day? Last one, does San Francisco have any “must do” type caches that I should really try to get in while there?

 

Thanks a bunch for any help you guys can provide!

 

Steve

[vagabond]

You might try

 

here

 

and

 

here

Edited February 13, 2006 by vagabond

[+JetMonkey]

Thanks Vagabond for the site links!

 

Steve

[+Cow Spots]

Here's a bookmark list I put together for Tucson a while back that includes some good local caches. No puzzles are included in this list.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/bookmarks/view.a...a5-d4c758740733

[+jusb]

I was in San Francisco last September. One day I rented a bike from Blazing Saddles and rode the ferry to Angel Island. I rode my bike all over the island and searched for over 20 caches. I had a total blast and would love to do it again to search for new ones and those that I missed.

 

Also, I was in Tucson earlier this month and visited Picacho Peak State Park. There is a cache on top of the peak that requires a strenuous two mile hike. I couldn't find it, but the coordinates have since been updated.

 

Actually, since you are going to Tucson in June, you might want to skip that one. I can't imagine hiking up that trail in 100 degree weather.

[+Badgerdawg]

Hi JetMonkey!

 

I lived in SF for a few years. Just stay out of the Tenderloin District! There is a $5.00 toll coming south on the I-5 crossing the Golden Gate into the city. There is a $3.00 toll going west across the Bay Bridge. Most caches in the city are micros, there are very few ammo boxes! Parking anywhere is nightmare, meters are about .25 for 7 minutes, and you have to beware of rat traps and homeless. Between Newark and Novato, I'd stay in Novato. It's pretty up there. You can go into Tiburon, Sausalito and the Marin Headlands, and you won't have to cross the bridge. I would bike Angel Island for sure, IF the weather is nice! ALWAYS BRING A JACKET!!! You won't be far from Napa and Sonoma, if you want to hit some wineries. Good luck and have fun!

[+Cow Spots]

Actually, since you are going to Tucson in June, you might want to skip that one. I can't imagine hiking up that trail in 100 degree weather.

 

Heck, I did that one in the morning in March and the heat almost killed me.

[+JetMonkey]

Thanks everyone for the help!!!

 

I'm still working on my travel plans, Tucson is a definite for the week of June 5th, my California plans have changed slightly, I'm only going to have a week of vacation that I'll be able to add to my Tucson trip and since work will be flying me in and out of Phoenix (I prefer to drive from Phoenix to Tucson) I wont be able to do a San Francisco trip this time. I want to take my famility to San Fran, north to Napa Valley and even to Yosemite, one week including drive time to and from Phoenix wont do the San Fran area justice so it looks like after my training in Tucson we'll drive over to San Diego (about a 6 hour drive from what I can see so far) and spend the time in San Diego this time. I'm planning on doing two weeks hopefully next year in the San Fran area with my family as a true vacation and not coupled to any training so I'll get there eventually!!! I think that will give us a better San Fran trip.

 

I appreciate everyone's help, I'd still like to here people's tips if you have them!

 

Thanks again,

 

Steve (JetMonkey)