A San Francisco Wander
Your tour guide: JP Collins.
This drive was designed for the Bay Area 02 1999 rally otherwise known as "The not the 49 mile scenic drive tour."
We started at 10 a.m. on a Saturday to take advantage of the lack of traffic (that is a relative term).
The drive starts at the historic city-owned Beach Challet at 1000 Great Highway at the furthest west end of Golden Gate Park, just across the street from the Pacific Ocean.
There is a restaurant on the top floor that serves breakfast call for times 415-386-8439. If not breakfast, at least walk into the lobby on the ground floor to check out the WPA-era frescoes inside. You might want to use the restroom; you have an hour-and-a-half drive in front of you.
Exit the Beach Challet parking lot by turning right at the stop sign onto the Great Highway.
Turn right into Golden Gate Park - JFK Drive.
Follow JFK Drive. At first stop sign, veer to the left. Continue on JFK Drive (there won't be a street sign)
Follow road along and turn left at next stop sign. Follow curvy road (look for "North Lake" on your left). Exit park at 43rd Avenue and Fulton. Turn right onto Fulton.
Follow Fulton Street. until the end. (around 4 miles)
Turn left on Franklin.
Turn right on McAllister. Cross VanNess and continue to Larkin.
Turn right on Larkin.
Turn right at next light. (Grove Street.)
(near this corner is a self cleaning pay public toilet. $.25)
Drive to Gough Street and turn left. (Gough is a one way street)
After you pass Fell, merge to right side of Gough.
Turn right on Market Street
After you pass the Valencia Street turn lane on the left, merge over to the left lane. Pass under freeway and look for Guerrero Street. Turn left onto Gurerro.
Follow Gurerro to end (around 3-4 miles) until it merges with San Jose Avenue Continue on San Jose and turn left at 30th Street
Turn right on Mission.
Turn left onto Courtland.
Follow Courtland about 1.5 miles to the end.
Turn left at Bayshore Boulevard
Follow Bayshore. (Shell Station on right at Oakdale)
After passing Oakdale, merge to the right.
OK, now don't panic! Just before the freeway on ramp, turn right on Marin Street (THIS IS ON THE FAR RIGHT OF BAYSHORE)
(If you end up on the freeway, get off at next exit (Vermont) and drive to 16th. Turn right and then turn right again on Kansas-skip ahead a bit in the directions and continue)
Follow Cesar Chavez (Army) to Third Street turn left on 3rd.
Drive on Third, and make a left onto 16th (yes, they intersect!)
Drive on 16th for a few blocks, and turn left on Kansas.
Turn right on 18th.
Turn left onto Vermont.
Follow Vermont to 22nd, wheeee!
Drive up the hill on 22nd, and turn left onto Rhode Island. Take Rhode Island to 18th, and turn right.
Follow 18th to Mississippi and turn left.
Cross 16th Street where Mississippi becomes 7th Street
(careful, this corner is a three way stop, the traffic to your right has no stop.)
Take 7th to Townsend, and turn right.
Turn right at 4th (at Cal Train Station)
Merge to the right and cross the 4th Street Bridge.
After crossing the bridge, turn right on the first street after the bridge (Channel Street)
(take a good look at the house boats on the right, they may be an endangered species)
Follow Channel to the end, turn left onto 6th at the driving range.
Turn right at Owens. Follow Owens to 16th Street and turn left.
Follow 16th and cross 3rd. Turn right on Illinois.
Look for concrete factory on right and make a hard left onto Terry A Francois (China Basin). You're done!
Eat lunch at Kelly's Mission Rock, and enjoy the view.
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