[davemon]

If you're sure you want to see Alcatraz, get tickets now/very early. I called on a thursday ~noon and was told "we have plenty for the weekend, no need to buy in advance." I arrived noon on Friday to purchase some tickets and the Alcatraz only tours were sold out. I ended up having to take the longer and more expensive trip to Angel Island and Alcatraz. Angel Island is nice, but not sure it was the preferred use of my time.

Also for ~$10/plate try Osha Thai Noodle Cafe at Geary and Leavenworth. Open late and delicious.

Also consider a 3 day pass for the trolley, if you plan on riding the trolley a lot. We started out on the trolley, but ended up spending money on taxis as our time was running out too fast and we got tired of waiting around at trolley stops. (ie our time ended up being worth the extra money for cabs)