The Powell/Mason cable car line drops you off in
North Beach, a quick walk to
San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf.
At the end of this line you can walk along Columbus Avenue and get your fill
of Italian food while you walk around
North Beach.
If you're hungry when you step off the cable car then head
over to Kennedy's Irish Pub and Curry House, a curious mixture of an Irish
bar, a game arcade, and unbelievably delicious Indian
food. Across the street from
Kennedy's is Bimbo's 365 (at Columbus and Taylor), a music venue that is home
to "Super Diamond," a Neil Diamond cover-band.
The last San Francisco
cable car line is the
California/Van Ness line. This is the most enjoyable ride because the
admission lines aren't nearly as long as they are at Powell Street and there
are a bunch of cool things to do along California Street. At Mason and
California is
San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, home to a great tiki-bar called The Tonga
Room.
Make sure to check out Grace Cathederal (at California and
Taylor) if you like beautiful gothic architecture. Need a drink and want to
play foosball? No problem, the Nob Hill Tavern is close by at California and
Hyde Streets. You can also take in a movie at the Lumiere Theater (at Polk
Street) or just walk around Polk and do some shopping.
Now that you're armed with insider knowledge, your
San Francisco cable car experience
will put others to shame, enjoy the ride!
The San Francisco Cable Car system is the last working
system of its kind in the world. The cable cars move by gripping an
underground cable that is in constant motion, powered by an engine located in
a central powerhouse. The "grip man" on board the cable car is responsible for
operating the grip and ringing the bell, say hi but give your fare to the
other person, the "conductor." Local legend has it that Andrew Hallidie was
inspired to build the cable car system when he witnessed some wagon horses
fall to their deaths due to the steepness of Jackson Street.
These days there are only three cable car lines that
operate in San Francisco, a far cry from the twenty-two lines that used to
carry the bulk of commuters around. The Powell/Hyde and Powell/Mason lines
start at a huge turntable located just off Union Square where Powell Street
meets Market Street. The cable cars must be turned around because they only
have one grip end with which to grab the cable. The line you have to wait in
looks very long and troublesome but it goes quickly because the cable cars can
hold about sixty-five passengers.
Both of these lines head to Fisherman's
Wharf - the Powell/Hyde line stops at the west end of Fisherman's Wharf near
Ghiradelli Square while the Powell/Mason line stops outside of North Beach
toward the eastern edge of
Fisherman's Wharf. The Hyde line also goes past
Lombard Street, the Crookedest Street in
America, so if you have a day pass for the cable cars you should get off
and check it out. There are also stops for both Chinatown and North Beach on
these lines.
Cable Cars Advice - San Francisco
By: Drew McKinney /
Copyright SFTRAVEL LLC
