San Francisco - A Day in Muir Woods

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

San Francisco is one of our favorite cities so having an overnight stay was a positive in our minds. That is until the docking scheduled changed. Initially our ship was to dock at Pier 27 which is fairly close to Fisherman's Wharf and other popular sites. But...the schedule changed and the Zaandam was assigned to Pier 30/32 instead. At first I thought Piers 27 and 30 must be fairly close together but then learned that odd numbered piers are north of the Ferry Building and even numbers are south of the building. Checking Google Maps I discovered that the two piers were a little over 2 miles apart. And to get from Pier 30/32 to Fisherman's Wharf was even further yet...way beyond what my knee could handle.

For the most part, Jon and Michelle were happy to let me plan our port day activities but when Jon mentioned he would really like to go to Muir Woods I eagerly let him take over the planning. But before I cover our time at the national park, lets first back up to the beginning of the day.

The bow of the ship was open by 6 am to provide a place for scenic viewing as the Zaandam sailed into the bay at San Francisco. Or at least that is what the daily newsletter stated. I can't vouch for that since I was still sound asleep! Bob and I both woke up around 6:30 and when he peaked out of our aft window he stated...we just sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge!! He was quick (and also somewhat presentable) so he ran out the door to the aft deck and snapped a few photos. 

Since our ship was docking so far from everything, I had looked into the possibility of taking an Uber to Muir Woods which is located 11 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Getting there wouldn't have been a problem, but the National Park website cautioned that there is NO cell service at Muir Woods so using any ride share apps to get a return car back to San Francisco wouldn't work. Jon took on the task of renting a car and assured me he had found an agency fairly close.

Well fairly close ended up being at Fisherman's Wharf, 😏 so after breakfast Jon and Bob grabbed an Uber and went to get the car. Michelle and I took our time leaving the ship and walked to the end of the pier where they picked us up.

Because of the crowding in national parks, Muir Woods has instituted a parking reservation system. Jon went online weeks earlier and paid nearly $10 for our reserved arrival time of 9:30 - 10:00 am. But traffic in San Francisco was horrendous that morning and by the time the guys got the car, picked us up and we drove back towards the Golden Gate Bridge, the chances of us getting to Muir Woods on time were slim. 

The homeless population was evident in San Francisco.

Once we crossed over the bridge, the roads became narrow, curvy and VERY hilly. Trying to get there on time, Jon was driving like a maniac and the other three of us were in fear of going over the edge of a cliff at high speeds. Bob finally announced if Jon didn't slow down he was going to throw up all over the car. That worked.

It wasn't too long after 10 am that we arrived at the park and although there weren't any parking places at the small lot adjacent to the visitor center, the guys dropped Michelle and I off and parked at the next closest lot. Although we were only guaranteed parking if we arrived during our 30 minute reservation window, we were free to spend as much time as we wanted.

Bob and I had visited Muir Woods on a city tour the first time we were in San Francisco in 2016 on a day when it was pouring rain. I was so happy that the weather (in my mind) was perfect for our second visit...a little chilly, but no precipitation. 

Our first visit to Muir Woods in 2016.
It rained so hard some of the paths had to be closed due to flooding!

Bob has an America the Beautiful National Park pass that got all four of us into the park for no charge. We walked along the main paved path in awe of the tall trees. Most of the mature trees in Muir Woods are between 500 to 800 years old and some may be over 1,000 years old! 

The path follows along a creek in Muir Woods.
And yes...I am still wearing the same pink jacket that I had in 2016! 

Michelle holding up a small cone...the beginning of these massive redwoods!

Shamrocks(?) growing along the path.

The four of us walked the trail as far as Cathedral Grove. From the NPS website: Cathedral Grove is a silent preserve and home to the tallest, oldest redwoods at Muir Woods. Consider quiet contemplation as you make your way through this part of the woods.

As the guys went on further, Michelle and I sat on a bench taking in the views until we started to get chilled. We crossed over Bridge #3 and walked back on the opposite side of the creek until we reached the cafe and gift shop. Michelle bought a couple of souvenirs and then we both enjoyed a coffee on the outdoor patio. 

Bob and Jon made it to the end of the paved path and then took the more rugged Hillside Trail on their return. 

The growth on the tree is a "burl".
A burl is a mass of dormant buds that grows on redwoods. When a tree is injured, the burl may sprout. The sprouting gives redwoods advantage over other trees that can only reproduce by seeds.

Jon remembered going to Muir Beach on a previous visit and had been impressed enough that he wanted to return. We couldn't rely on Google for directions (no cell service) so he just started driving, hoping we could find our way. Instead we ended up at Stinson Beach which we decided was pretty awesome also. It was cold and windy, but we walked along the sand watching as the waves came crashing into the shore. On the short walk to the beach we passed by several different types of flowers.

We had just seen this same flower in Hawaii!

Stinson Beach

On the way back to the city, we made a quick stop at a Target in Marin City and then crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge. I have many photos of the bridge from when we biked over the bridge in 2017, but all were taken from the eastern side and I wanted to get a shot from the western side. I have seen this view of the bridge in many pictures so while we had a car, Jon tried to find the perfect location for my photo. I wasn't able to scramble down the hill with my bad knee, but Bob captured the view I was looking for!

There was no rush to get back since the Zaandam was docked overnight but we all agreed we would like to go back to the ship to have dinner. The guys dropped Michelle and I off and then went to return the car. Jon said they were going to rent Lime electric scooters to get back to the ship and I mistakenly assumed he was joking. He wasn't. I kept tracking Bob's iPhone and couldn't figure out why it was taking them so long. At one point this is where the iPhone showed Bob’s location:

I know the iPhone tracking isn't always accurate, but it wouldn't have surprised me to learn Jon talked Bob into going to Alcatraz! (He didn't.) 

Bob ended up getting a scooter with a bad battery and had to ride it "manual style" until they reached the next place to swap it out. When you are paying by the minute that ride was not only difficult, but expensive! 

The evening entertainment was comedian, Jose Sarduy, whom Bob and I had seen a couple of times on the Koningsdam in February. Everyone was tired from our full day in the outdoors so we skipped the show and called it an early night. Before going to bed I walked out on the back deck and snapped some photos of the Bay Bridge and the San Francisco skyline. Beautiful!!