PCH Road Trip 2022- Day 5

On our last day we started with a tour of Alcatraz!  Lydia had written another report about Alcatraz in fourth grade and everyone wanted to see it.  This was the only stop requiring face masks on our trip.

On the ferry

 

View of San Fransisco from the ferry

Alcatraz Island

The climb up the island was the equivalent to a 13 story building...Robbie was kind enough to help Catherine along.

We took the audio tour through the prison.

working lighthouse on the island

view of the city

The guard house has deteriorated, so they are making it into a garden house.  It was beautiful!

Golden Gate Bridge- it was mostly covered in fog all day.

After we got back to SF, we headed to Pier 39.

We ate pizza at Lorenzo's at the end of the pier.  We were all starving and it tasted so good!

We stopped by Boudin bakery and picked up a bear-shaped loaf of sourdough bread.

 

Then we headed to Ghiradelli Square for some chocolate sundaes--Yummy!

We headed back to the car after walking almost 5 miles around Alcatraz and the city.  We headed over the Bay Bridge to Oakland.

We stopped at the Oakland Temple Visitor's Center.

 

and toured the grounds of the Oakland temple- including the rooftop gardens

Then we headed back to the hotel and Brian took the kids swimming.  In the morning we drove all the way home.  It was an amazing trip full of memories!

PCH Road Trip 2022- Day 4

On Thursday, we drove up to Santa Cruz.  Lydia did her 4th grade mission report on the Santa Cruz Mission so we definitely wanted to visit.

The only original part left are some of the living quarters.  It was interesting to see the changes over the years.

This chapel was reconstructed from paintings of the original. The original was destroyed in a fire.

Next we found a grove of Redwood trees at Henry Cowell Stake Park.  We walked a 1 mile loop around the grove.

This is the Fremont tree.  The inside was burned in a fire (see the hole just left of Brian).

We got to crawl inside and all were able to stand up in the tree!

When we came out we spotted this Stellar's Jay.

roots from a tree that fell

another burned area on a tree

 

These trees were so tall and resilient.  It was inspiring to be around them!

 

Then we drove up to Redwood City and checked into our next hotel.  We then headed up into San Fransisco for the evening.  We stopped at Chase Center where the Warriors play!

The NBA shop was open so the boys picked up a few souvenirs.  Robbie has rooted for Steph Curry for many years now.  It was fun to see where he plays and be there just after they won their 4th championship last week.

After the Chase Center, we headed over to the Currran theater to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child play. 

Robbie & Lydia have read all the books and Lydia is still a huge fan!  The special effects to show magic were incredible!

 

The theater itself is from the 1920s and is so gorgeous!

Catherine slept through the scariest scene but then woke up for the ending..perfect timing.  The play ended late and we got back to the hotel at about midnight.