Pacific NW Road Trip Travels

by Grace Hegland — Mon 02 September 2024

1. Introductionnn

Hey! My name is Grace, and this documents my road trip in the Pacific NW with my boyfriend Alec. This will highlight our favorite hikes, camp sites, activities, and food stops along our journey.

2. Washington

2.1. North Cascades National Park

2.1.1. Thunder Knobb Trail

We started our journey by flying into Seattle, renting a campervan, and driving up to the North Cascades.

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Figure 1: Arriving in the North Cascades!

We spent our first night at North Colonial Creek Campground, which is a beautiful camp on the water. In the morning we hiked the Thunder Knobb Trail, which left directly from our campsite. The hike took around 1.5 hours. First, we climbed up to an outlook of a snowy tipped mountain.

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Figure 2: Thunder Knobb Trail Outlook 1

Then, we kept going up to end the hike at a beautiful view of the very light blue Diablo Lake.

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Figure 3: Reaching the Diablo Lake Outlook

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Figure 4: Diablo Lake Outlook

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Figure 5: Another Scenic Shot of Diablo Lake

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Figure 6: One Last Shot of Diablo Lake

This hike was short and sweet with great views! We loved the convenience of it leaving from our campsite, and it was a great way to start the morning off.

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Figure 7: Photo from North Colonial Creek Campground

2.1.2. Blue Lakes Trail

We hiked the Blue Lakes Trail in mid-June. The trail was beautiful, but it was still quite snow covered. If you don't have snow gear, I would recommend holding off on this trail until July or August. This trail is a steady climb to a beautiful blue lake with reflected views of the mountains. However, right before we reached the final viewpoint of the trail, we saw a mountain goat on the trail. He started to follow us, so we turned back before reaching the final viewpoint to avoid any potential issues with the mountain goat. We learned from other hikers on our return that this mountain goat is friendly and frequents the trail often because people have been feeding him. We quite enjoyed this trail and the opportunity to see a mountain goat. We would love to return to this trail in July or August for a less snowy hike and for a chance to make it to the final viewpoint.

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Figure 8: The Mountain Goat on the Blue Lakes Trail

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Figure 9: Scenic Shot on the Hike Up

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Figure 10: Hiking Up the Trail

2.1.3. North Cascades Scenic Highway

To finish up our time in the North Cascades, we drove the North Cascades Scenic Highway for some great views. We then followed the highway out of the park and to our next stop.

2.1.4. Winthrop

Winthrop is a super cute old fashioned style town just outside of the North Cascades. We stopped here to walk around, check out the outdoors store, stop in the candy store, and grab a bite to eat. We had lunch at Oliver's Artisan Kitchen, which had great sandwiches, crepes, and hot chocolate (which was especially needed after our snowy hike on the Blue Lake Trail).

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Figure 11: Photo with the Winthrop Cowboy

Winthrop was our last stop in the North Cascades. The North Cascades was our favorite National Park in Washington, and we would love to come back and do more of the hikes it has to offer.

2.2. Olympic National Park

2.2.1. Lake Quinault

Olympic National Park is a very large and diverse national park. We used the GuideAlong app to help navigate our time in Olympic. We started our trip at Lake Quinault where we did a short rainforest nature walk and then drove a scenic loop around Lake Quinault. Our rainforest walk was called the Rainforest Nature Trail, and we would say it's definitely worth a stop. The scenic drive around the Lake was nice, and we did pop out for a scenic waterfall stop. However, the road around the lake had a lot of potholes, which was a bit hard on our campervan, so we do not plan to return to this drive.

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Figure 12: Rainforest Nature Walk

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Figure 13: Scenic Stop by a Waterfall on the Lake Quinault Scenic Loop

2.2.2. Tree of Life

After Lake Quinault, we drove toward the shore and made a stop at Kalaloch Beach to see the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life had all the soil beneath it blown out by a big storm, so it appears to be suspended in mid-air. We thought this was a fun stop to make.

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Figure 14: The Tree of Life

2.2.3. Ruby Beach

We continued along the coast until we hit Ruby Beach, which was a nice lunch stop. We stopped at an overlook before walking down to the beach and appreciating the cool rock formations by the shore.

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Figure 15: Ruby Beach Overlook

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Figure 16: Rock Arch at Ruby Beach

2.2.4. Hoh Rainforest

We started our time in the Hoh Rainforest at the Hall of Mosses. This was a short loop that was very popular, but it was a great way to see lots of large trees that were dramatically draped in moss.

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Figure 17: Trail to the Hall of Mosses

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Figure 18: Traveling Through the Hall of Mosses

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Figure 19: Final Viewpoint in the Hall of Mosses

Next, we started along the Hoh River Trail. This trail is 17.3 miles long and is intended for a short backpacking trip to Glacier Meadows. The trail was very muddy, so make sure to bring waterproof shoes if you make this journey. We hiked just a bit into the trail, but we would love to come back and do this one as a backpacking trip.

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Figure 20: Cool Tree Along the Way

2.2.5. Olympic Adventure Campgrounds

After Traveling up from Lake Quinault to the Hoh Rainforest, we spent the night at Olympic Adventure Campgrounds, which we booked through HipCamp. The campsite had a cute center where you could buy firewood and souvenirs. The campsites were surrounded by trees, and the campsite offered hot showers for five dollars.

2.2.6. Rialto Beach

The next morning we drove just 20 minutes to Rialto Beach, and then, we walked along the shore. We loved seeing the cool rock formations along the beach.

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Figure 21: Rock Formations at Rialto Beach

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Figure 22: Walking Along the Shore

2.2.7. Forks, Washington

After Rialto Beach, we went into Forks to check out the Twilight Collection. However, the Twilight Collection does not open till 12:00 PM in the summer, so we instead went to the Twilight themed gift store across the street.

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Figure 23: Welcome to Forks!

2.2.8. Hurricane Ridge

Next, we drove up to Hurricane Ridge. The drive was steep and foggy (from driving in the clouds!), but the view at the top of Hurricane Ridge was well worth it. We were blown away by the amazing alpine views and we loved hiking on the Meadow Trails. This was our favorite area of the park, and we would love to come back for longer to do some more of the hikes in this area.

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Figure 24: Hiking Along the Meadow Trails

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Figure 25: Viewpoint from the Meadow Trails

2.2.9. Coho Campground

Coho Campground is located in Olympic National Forest and was booked through Recreation.gov. It was a very scenic campground where you could walk to the water and were surrounded by mossy trees. Olympic National Park was a great time where we saw rainforests, beaches, and alpine views. The park is very large and the drive between stops was not as scenic. We appreciated how many different sites we were able to see while at Olympic, but if we come back to Olympic in the future, we would probably concentrate our time in a specific area of the park to reduce driving time. We especially would like to spend more time in Hurricane Ridge. We did not get a chance to visit the Sol Duc Valley, Elwha Valley, or the Dungeness Spit, so we may also add those in as stops on a future trip.

2.3. Mount Rainier National Park

2.3.1. Eatonville

We started our trip to Mount Rainier by driving into Eatonville, which is a small town with a great view of Mount Rainier. While in Eatonville, we stopped at the Double T Meats to get some delicious garlic pepperoni for our trip. We then explored the town and stopped at Cruiser Cafe for some great fried potato skins and fries with gravy.

2.3.2. Two Frog Bog

We loved camping at the Two Frog Bog. They have tents set up for you or you can stay in a decorated small cabin. There is a public kitchen, showers, hammocks, a garden, and a group fire pit. The hot water in the showers is a little finicky and showering in the morning has optimal hot water. The parking was limited, but otherwise, this was a great site with lots to offer. There is also a very friendly cat who loves pets.

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Figure 26: The Friendly Cat at Two Frog Bog

2.3.3. Summerland Trail

We originally planned to hike the Naches Peak Loop, but the trail was completely covered in snow and was hard to follow. We would love to come back to do this trail in July or August. We instead ended up doing the Summerland Trail, which climbed steadily up to great mountain views and river overlooks.

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Figure 27: Summerland Trail View 1

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Figure 28: Summerland Trail View 2

2.3.4. Enumclaw

On the way out of Mount Rainier, we stopped in Enumclaw where we found the Local Coffee House, which had amazing lattes and great donut holes. We had a great time visiting Mount Rainier, and we would love to come back to see more of the trails in July or August.

3. Oregon

3.1. Stopping for Donuts in Portland

Portland is famous for its donuts, and we stopped at two spots to see if the donuts lived up to the hype. First, we stopped at Pip's Donuts and Chai. Pip's had many flavors of mini donuts; we especially liked their seasonal strawberry rhubarb mini donut. We also tried the chocolate chai, which was filled with sweet chai and chocolate flavors. Next, we headed to Blue Star Donuts, which is known for making delicious brioche donuts in unique flavors. We tried the Old-Fashioned Buttermilk, the O.G., and the Chocolate Bergamon Old-Fashioned. We thought that all the flavors were great! My favorite was the Chocolate Bergamon Old-Fashioned, and Alec's favorite was the Old-Fashioned Buttermilk.

3.2. The Fruit Loop

On the way to the Fruit Loop, we saw signs for Multnomah falls. They were sold out of passes for the day we were driving through, but we would like to add this as a stop another time. The Fruit Loop is a loop of 32 fruit stands, wineries, cideries, and farms situated between beautiful mountains. First, we stopped at Pearl's Place Fruit Stand where we bought some Mount Rainier cherries and apples. We especially loved the cherries! We also stopped at the White House where we enjoyed a White House Burger for lunch, and we did U-pick for blueberries and raspberries. We also stopped at Fox Tail Cider and Distillery where Alec got a flight of ciders to try. Then, we continued on to Packer Orchards, which had a beautiful outdoor seating area with a view. Packer Orchards also had a big table with tons of samples of their jams, sauces, honeys, and canned vegetables. Then, we walked through the store to see their baked goods and other treats. We bought a bottle of their non-alcoholic Pear Cider, and it was amazing. Our last stop on the Fruit Loop was Draper Girls Country Farm where we bought some peaches. Then, we admired the stunning view and cute swing in their outdoor seating area.

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Figure 29: View Along the Fruit Loop

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Figure 30: U-pick at the White House

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Figure 31: U-pick at the White House

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Figure 32: View at the White House

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Figure 33: Alec's Flight of Ciders

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Figure 34: View from Draper Girls Country Farm

3.3. Mount Hood National Forest

3.3.1. Camp Creek

We then spent the night in Mount Hood National Forest at Camp Creek, which was just 10 minutes from our hike for tomorrow. The Camp Creek Campground was very scenic, and there was a creek trail that leaves straight from the camp. However, it should be noted that the amenities at Camp Creek are very sparse. Be sure to bring plenty of potable water when camping here.

3.3.2. Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain Trail

This was one of our favorite hikes of the trip! First, the trail takes you to the lovely Mirror Lake. Then, you can continue up toward the Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountains. There were some good views along the climb up, but the final view of Mount Hood at the end of the hike really took our breath away.

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Figure 35: View on the Hike Up

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Figure 36: Final Viewpoint

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Figure 37: Final Viewpoint

3.4. The Last Blockbuster

Next, we drove through Bend, Oregon to see the last Blockbuster open. This was a very nostalgic stop for Alec, and it was a great place to get some candy, look through movies, and buy some Blockbuster merchandise.

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Figure 38: The Last Blockbuster

3.5. Diamond Lake

We camped at Diamond Lake, which is quite close to Crater Lake. The lake and mountain were very striking, and the campsite had many marmots out and about. This was also the only Recreation.gov campsite we stayed in that provided showers.

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Figure 39: Marmot at Diamond Lake

3.6. Crater Lake National Park

The majority of Crater Lake was closed in June. However, we were able to drive up to Rim Village where we walked along the Rim and stopped to take scenic photos. Then, we were able to drive to Discovery Point where we did a short 2.2 mile hike to a nice view of the lake. We thought that the lake was stunning and enjoyed being able to take in the views. If we come back to Crater Lake, we would like to come in July or August when more of the park is open, and we would like to hike down to the lake.

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Figure 40: Taking in the Views at Crater Lake

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Figure 41: Walking by Rim Village

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Figure 42: View from Hike by Discovery Point

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Figure 43: Another View from the Hike by Discovery Point

4. California

4.1. Redwoods National Park

4.1.1. Trees of Mystery

This was a cute park where you can see some labeled redwoods, walk on an elevated canopy trail of the redwoods, take a gondola, and go on a short nature hike. We thought that it was a fun stop, and our favorite part was the elevated canopy trail. We will probably skip it if we visit the redwoods again, but it was a great one time stop.

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Figure 44: Elevated Canopy Trail

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Figure 45: Another Look at the Elevated Canopy Trail

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Figure 46: Checking out the Redwoods

4.1.2. Lady Bird Johnson Trail

This short trail was great for experiencing the redwoods and learning more about the history of the park.

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Figure 47: Redwoods at Lady Bird Johnson Trail

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Figure 48: Enjoying the Redwoods

4.1.3. Terwer RV Park

This was a great place to stay that was close to the redwoods. The host was very friendly. They had plentiful firewood, hot showers, a sink for washing dishes, and electrical hookups for charging devices.

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Figure 49: Cooking Hot Dogs at Terwer RV Park

4.2. Lassen Volcanic National Park

4.2.1. Manzanita Lake Campground

It was very nice to camp by Manzanita Lake. From the campground, you can walk to the Manzanita Lake trailhead and the Manzanita Creek trailhead. The campground had nice bathrooms, a sink for washing dishes, and was a 5 minute walk from a camp store where you can buy food, coffee, and firewood. The camp store was partially under construction, but it will soon offer showers and laundry as well.

4.2.2. Chaos Craggs Trail

This was a fantastic hike! We would highly recommend it. The terrain was moderately challenging, but the view at the end was well worth it.

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Figure 50: Approaching the Final Viewpoint

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Figure 51: Chaos Craggs Final Viewpoint

4.2.3. Manzanita Lake Trail

We did this loop at sunset and enjoyed great views of the setting sun lighting up Mount Lassen. However, this trail was very buggy!

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Figure 52: Manzanita Lake Trail at Sunset

4.2.4. Manzanita Creek Trail

This trail was longer, but the elevation gain was gradual. It had nice views of the mountains throughout. The trail got muddy toward the end and was not as well marked, so we were not quite sure what the final viewpoint of the trail was supposed to be.

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Figure 53: Mountain Views on the Manzanita Creek Trail

4.2.5. Devestated Area

There is a 0.5 mile loop around the Devastated Area where you can view the volcanic rocks and learn about Mount Lassen's last eruption. There is also a nice view of Mount Lassen from the trail.

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Figure 54: View of Mount Lassen from the Devestated Area Trail

4.2.6. King Creek Falls Trail

This is a nice hike through some burnt forestland and down to King Creek Falls. The hike back up from the falls is steep, but otherwise the trail is an easy hike.

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Figure 55: King Creek Falls

4.2.7. Lake Helen

We stopped by Lake Helen for striking views of the mountain and the frozen lake. The water was a bright light blue.

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Figure 56: Lake Helen

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Figure 57: Alec at Lake Helen

4.2.8. Sulfur Works

We then went to Sulfur Works to see bubbling mud pots and geothermal activity.

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Figure 58: Sulfur Works

We had originally planned to see more geothermal activity on the Bumpass Hell Trail, but this trail was still closed for snow. We would like to come and see this trail in July or August.

4.3. Shasta-Trinity National Forest

4.3.1. Old Shasta Coffee

This was a great coffee stop on our way into Shasta! The iced oat latte was excellent.

4.3.2. Castle Lake Trail

This was one of our favorite hikes of the trip! We hiked past Castle Lake and then past Little Castle Lake. We ended with amazing views of Mount Shasta and Castle Lake. The final viewpoint had a couch made out of rock that was a great place to have a snack and take in the view.

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Figure 59: The Rock Couch at the End of the Trail

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Figure 60: The View of Mount Shasta

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Figure 61: The View of Mount Shasta and Castle Lake

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Figure 62: The Final Viewpoint

4.3.3. Bailey Cove Campgrounds

This was a great place to camp that was right on Lake Shasta. A short trail leaves from the campsite, and the campsite is right next to a boat dock.

4.3.4. Shasta Caverns

The Shasta Caverns were just 6 minutes down the road from Bailey Cove Campgrounds. We took a boat across Lake Shasta, and then, we took a scenic bus ride to the caverns. The tour of the caverns was very impressive. We learned a lot about different cave formations and the history of the Shasta Cave.

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Figure 63: Shasta Caverns Formations

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Figure 64: Final Room in the Shasta Caverns Tour

4.4. Livermore Wine Country

4.4.1. The Ranch at Cross Road

This was a very nice campground on a farm that was close to many vineyards. We had rolling hills in the background. There was also a nice bathroom with a shower. The shower's water pressure was a bit low, but it was an open roof shower, which was cool to try.

4.4.2. Del Valle Winery

We went to the winery for dinner and drinks on a Friday night. There was great live music. We really enjoyed the charcuterie, flatbread, and Sauvignon Blanc here.

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Figure 65: Del Valle Winery

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Figure 66: Another View of Del Valle Winery

4.5. San Francisco

4.5.1. Berkeley Rose Garden

This is a very beautiful outdoor rose garden that was nice to walk through.

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Figure 67: Roses

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Figure 68: Visiting the Rose Garden

4.5.2. Kinda Izakaya

This was a great dinner spot very close to Berkeley. We all shared a lychee soju cocktail pitcher. Grace liked the salmon and ikura bowl, and Alec enjoyed the hand rolls.

4.5.3. Caravaggio Gelato

This spot had very good gelato that was very reminiscent of Italy. Grace especially liked the affogato.

4.5.4. See's Candies

This was a very cute spot with delicious chocolate. We especially liked the California brittle.

4.5.5. Chinatown

We walked through Chinatown and stopped at Chong Qing Xiao Mian for lunch. Grace had a great wonton soup there, and Alec liked the pork belly and potstickers.

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Figure 69: Entrance to Chinatown

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Figure 70: Walking the Streets of Chinatown

4.5.6. City Lights Books

This was a very cute bookstore with tons of selection and great ambiance.

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Figure 71: City Lights Books

4.5.7. Pier 39

Pier 39 was a great spot on the water with tons of shops and food. We stopped at the Candy Barron to see their wide range of salt water taffies. We also watched the sea lions playing by the pier.

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Figure 72: Visiting Pier 39

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Figure 73: Sea Lion at Pier 39

4.5.8. Musee Mecanique

This was a super fun museum that is filled with old arcade games. It is helpful to bring cash to exchange for quarters. We spent about two hours here just exploring and playing the games.

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Figure 74: Musee Mechanique

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Figure 75: Exploring the Museum

4.5.9. Taking the Ferry

We had a great time and had nice views taking the ferry into the Ferry Station. At the ferry station, we ate at A16 for lunch. They had great pizza and Italian style sandwiches.

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Figure 76: View from the Ferry

4.5.10. Taking the Trolley

We found it a lot of fun to take one of the historic trolleys around town. To avoid the crowds, try to not take the trolley when going to a particularly touristy place.

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Figure 77: On the Trolley!

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Figure 78: Heading Around Town

4.5.11. Ghirardelli Square

Ghirardelli Square is home to the first Ghirardelli store. We enjoyed visiting the store and sharing fun sundaes.

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Figure 79: Ghirardelli Sundaes

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Figure 80: In Front of the Ghirardelli Store

4.5.12. California Academy of Sciences and the Japanese Tea Garden

We walked around the California Academy of Sciences. We especially liked seeing their indoor rainforest and their aquarium. After we finished at the museum, it was a short walk to the Japanese Tea Garden where we enjoyed some tea and walked around the peaceful garden. We especially liked climbing the arched bridge.

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Figure 81: The Indoor Rainforest

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Figure 82: The Aquarium

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Figure 83: At the Tea House

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Figure 84: Japanese Tea Garden

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Figure 85: Climbing the Arched Bridge

4.5.13. Crissy Field

We enjoyed the walking path at Crissy Field. It was close to the shore and had a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a bit foggy on the day we went, but we still greatly enjoyed the walk.

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Figure 86: View from Crissy Field Walk