She didn’t exactly wear flowers in her hair but, somewhere in or around San Francisco Norma Rowlerson left her heart.

Of all US cities, San Francisco is the one which, despite changes to keep pace with the 21st century, still maintains its unique character.

All the landmarks remain and the great attraction is the water, spanned by that iconic Golden Gate Bridge and also the Bay Bridge.


Alcatraz

In San Francisco bay is the island prison of Alcatraz probably the most unusual of America’s National Parks. The cells at Alcatraz are open to inspection. The road up to the main buildings from the ferry is lined with huge white lilies, no doubt a great contrast to its more forbidding uses in the past.

The best known detainee held there must have been Robert Franklin Stroud. Having been convicted of murder by three successive courts, his sentence of hanging was overturned by President Woodrow Wilson after pleas by Stroud’s mother. He bred and sold birds whilst in Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas, before being transferred to Alcatraz. Whilst there he was not allowed to keep birds but he became a knowledgeable ornithologist and some of his manuscripts are now in the possession of the Audubon Society.


Another ferry trip of about half and hour will take you across the Bay to the pretty little village of Sausalito. Sitting at a cafe there in the sun enjoying Eggs Benedict takes some beating.

For those who feel energetic, why not cycle across that Golden Gate Bridge? The company ‘Blazing Saddles’ will fit you out with a bike and helmet. The bridge itself is a mile and a quarter long with a dedicated cycle/ pedestrian lane. Alternatively, rent a Sturmer bicycle, electrically powered by a small lithium battery. You could even pedal all the way to Sausalito and then take the ferry back.

A neighbourhood which is coming up in the world is Dogpatch, one of the few districts that survived the 1906 earthquake. Reached over the Third Street Bridge, it was once the home of dockers and the heavy metal industry. Cans were once made there and then taken and used in Cannery Row, Monterey, amongst other places. The various buildings and warehouses are now home to artists and other creative pursuits. For Dogpatch tours click on www.carriedawaysf.com.

A visit to ‘3 Fish Studios’ will interest the whole family: cutting designs or pictures into linoleum and turning the handle and producing prints is great fun. In between sessions, make for the corner shop of ice cream makers Mr and Mrs Miscellaneous. Their unique flavours from Candied Violet to Orange Blossom are listed daily on the net. Chocoholics should then make their way to Poco Dolce Confections to try really special chocolate - a favourite contains the crunch of sea salt crystals.

If you have a day to spare, a visit to Cannery Row in Monterey would be great. Originally salmon, superseded by sardines, were canned there, the tins all soldered by hand. Today all signs of canning have long since gone but the Aquarium, sited in the old sardine factory, voted the best in the USA, well deserves its accolade. The Kelp Forest itself is three stories high, the weeds waving in the sun, everything from sharks to shoals of sardines swimming along.

While you are in that locality, it would be a good opportunity to make for the privately owned Boardwalk at nearby Santa Cruz. Slap on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, it prides itself on creating ‘Millions of Memories.’ There are lots of rides, booths, little shops and cafes. Re-reading John Steinbeck’s book ‘Cannery Row, I had read that one of the characters breaks a leg on the giant wooden roller coaster so I decided to play safe and stick to eating an ice cream. The book should not have deterred me as the rollercoaster has celebrated a hundred years of thrills and not many spills. But instead, I had a ride on the merry-go-round on one of its hand- carved wooden horses.

A handsome pair of original steam locomotives used by Roaring Railroads

Just outside the nearby entrance was the Roaring Railroads train which runs up to an old logging camp. With a cow-catcher at the front and an observation carriage at the back and with frequent wails from the warning hooter, we crossed a raging river. There was not time for us to stop and to fish for steelheads, members of the salmon family but the music on board, everything from ‘Over the Rainbow’ to ‘Easter Bonnet’, made up for that.


A small glimpse of the Redwood Grove Loop Trail

Soon we were amongst the enormous redwoods, some 100 metres high. A walk on The Redwood Grove Loop Trail takes just about half an hour to stroll along and is suitable for everybody. You would need to take eight or nine friends with you if you wanted to encircle the largest tree with a giant hug, whilst one, with its naturally hollow core, is even capacious enough to be called the Honeymoon tree.

Then it was time to head back to San Francisco airport for my flight home. On the Virgin flight home I realised that somewhere there I had left my heart.

Visit www.virginatlanic.com for flights.