Next month, I'll be in SF on business, with 2 free days to explore the city. Usual tourist itinerary of Fisherman's Wharf etc, Alcatraz (already booked in advance) and such like. I have two questions unresolved just now, if anyone can help....?

First - I plan to pick up a bike from Embarcadero (close to the hotel, and weather permitting) and bike across the GG bridge to the viewpoints at Battery Spencer and the fishing pier at Vista Point to grab some photos. However, I'd also like to bike down Lombard Street.... Any advice on the best way from Embarcadero to the junction with Hyde Street? I'm assuming the bike paths from the Bay Trail up Broadway and Polk St, but wondered if there was a better way? Plan then was to pick up the Columbus St bike path back to the Bay Trail via North Point Street.

Second, I need to meet a colleague at T3, SFO during the trip. Can anyone kindly confirm if the Starbucks there is accessible to non-flyers/in the arrivals hall or if it's post security? Or suggest an alternate meet-up point?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Yes, the Starbucks in T3 is outside security in the arrivals hall. There is also a Subway restaurant outside security, though it's upstairs. Another idea for a meeting place would be the food court in the international terminal. It's outside security. There is an indoors walkway between T3 and International.

On your bike route, I'd avoid Broadway, as it will send you through the Broadway tunnel, which is not a great route for a bike. I'd hug the northernmost streets closest to the bay, to avoid Nob and Russian hills. You'll have to figure out a way around or through Fort Mason - this might help:

https://www.sfbike.org/wp-content/up...Guide_2014.pdf

Going down Lombard will require you to head up to the top of Russian Hill. Any route to do that will likely be packed with cars and very steep, so you might plan on walking it up the steepest sections.

Thanks for the helpful bike map Rjque; the color coded grades are really helpful. This'll be getting printed up Ledger size/A3 and coming along with me...!

I guess an alternate route along North Point and up Polk looks reasonable, then just walk up the two steep blocks up to the top of Lombard.

For the Broadway tunnel, I was going to head up the side of the tunnel (Route 210) instead of going thru the tunnel itself and onto Hyde, which looked a little flatter?

Darthbimmer: thanks also for the clarification on T3 meeting places...

The Broadway tunnel goes through a very big hill (Russian Hill), so you'd be going over the hill. I would go further north to get around it.

Good point...! This is all really useful.


Thinking about this from another angle, I'm beginning to wonder whether this would make more sense to fit everything in:

- Take the cable car across town to Fisherman's Wharf
- Collect a bike and head for the bridge, via the Bay Trail and a stop at Fort Point
- Over the bridge and take in the viewpoints at Battery Spencer, then drop down past Vista Point to the fishing pier.
- Back up to the bridge, cross the bay and, after looking at the maps, take a quick trip to Baker Beach for an alternate view of the bridge.
- Carry on down Lincoln Blvd and then head across to Lombard St.Get the obligatory photo of a cablecar running down the hill with Alcatraz in the background.
- Drop down Lombard St and drop the bike back to the Wharf
- Cable car back to Union Square area.

Saves about 6 miles overall and saves a few ups and downs...and gets in a return trip on the cable cars. Unsure of best routing yet from Baker Beach to Lombard Street, however...

Depending on day of week and time of day, the lines at the ends of the cable car line can be long. Just something to keep in mind when you plan.

If it's just one person, and you're willing to stand, go one stop after the beginning of the line. I used to date a guy on a cable car line, and it was always impossible to get on at Market and Powell. But I could always get on the first car that arrived at Market and O'Farrell.

This probably won't work with a family of six, but it works well for one person.

Riding along the Embarcadero and a few streets in is pretty flat and easy, so I wouldn't make big changes just to avoid that. I wouldn't ride cable cars unless you really just want to ride cable cars. They are slow and not terribly useful for getting from point A to point B.

I think that's a reasonable plan. As mentioned above, you might board the cable car at O'Farrell if the line is long. I agree with rjque that the cable cars are usually a bit slow, but it seems like you're not in any hurry with this.

BTW, I'm an avid cyclist and I've lived out here for 24 years. Fire away with any other questions you may have. First tip: be extra cautious riding on the Golden Gate Bridge. It's a narrow sidewalk, and many tourists are not paying the proper attention to cyclists. Slow way down and be ready for people to walk right in your path. Keep in mind that the cyclist-only west sidewalk is open on weekend days and weekdays after 3:30 pm. http://goldengatebridge.org/bikesbridge/bikes.php

Not in too much of a hurry; I suspect that I'll take up most of the day with this. My plan was to hop a cable car (likely from Powell/Sutter, near the hotel) across to pick up a bike when the hire store opens at 9am (which I appreciate means the cable cars will be busy, as this will likely be on a Monday morning) then take it from there. I have to be away from the hotel at 5pm Monday, so quite a leisurely ride, albeit with a few hills. [EDIT: doing it this way, I can even get an In-n-Out as well...! Rather a treat for us from the other side of the Atlantic...]

If the weather is better, I could do this on Sunday instead. This makes the west sidewalk on the bridge an option for at least one trip across but then I would need to be back at Embarcadero for a pre-booked Alcatraz trip around 3pm. Still leaves 6 hours for ca 18 miles, so plenty of time including photo stops. For this, I'd revert to collecting/dropping the bike off at the Ferry Terminal building. The final decision will rest on which day has better forecast weather. What should I expect weather-wise in mid Feb? And how many tourists are on the bridge this time of year?

Lastly for now, does anyone know if Fort Point has bike parking racks? Be nice to stop off and get some up-close photos of the bridge from the roof of the fort if so...

Thanks for all the great advice so far... ^^

Expect temps in mid Feb to be highs around 60 F and lows around 45F. The less predictable part concerns rain or no rain. About five days out the forecasts start to get reliable.

Every day during the day there are hundreds of tourists and some locals on the bridge. The numbers pick up in the summer, but they're always there.

I don't know if there is a bike rack at Fort Point, but there should be something you can lock up to. Be aware that S.F. is bike theft ground central. I've had three bikes stolen in the city over the years. I'd never lock up a high-end bike outside.

Back from SF and wanted to say a quick thanks for all the input. I'll not bore with photos and videos of the trip(!), but everything worked out well. In case it's helpful for anyone elser itinerary ideas fo:

- Arrived into the centre of town and hopped on the no 10 bus to the Toll Plaza for great sunsets over bridge
- Did Fort Point on the Sunday as it's shut Monday. Cable cars very quiet at 8am but very busy 30 mins later after breakfast at Mel's drive-in on Market. Then grabbed a bus toward Fort Point. There are indeed bike racks there. Strolled all the way back via Fisherman's Wharf and up the Filbert St steps to the Coit Tower for great views. Then onto the day/night Alcatraz cruise which is highly recommended
- Bike ride on Monday was quite tough but well worth it. As suggested, collected a bike from the Ferry Building, gentle ride to the bridge and across. Holiday weekend meant the western bike-only path was open for use on the Monday. Steep climb up to the fort, rolled down to Vista Point and again a stiff climb back up to the bridge. Back across the Golden Gate and over Lincoln to Baker Beach. Then a reasonably steady ride along Lake, Clay and Pacific to Hyde and up to Lombard Street. Down Lombard and Columbus to the Wharf and an easy roll back to drop the bike. 24 miles, 1900ft climbed!

Very enjoyable two days and fantastic weather; thanks again for the planning help and thoughtful comments which helped get the most out of the limited time I had around the bay.