Use your Go San Francisco Card to take the Alcatraz Island Tour for an additional $13* for an adult ticket (regularly $26) and an additional $8* for a child (regularly $16). To get these rates, present your valid Go San Francisco Card at the Alcatraz Landing Ticket Booth to redeem this offer (subject to availability).

The Alcatraz Island Tour includes round-trip ferry to Alcatraz Island and a 45 minute self guided cell house audio tour. No one can tell the Alcatraz tale like the men and women who actually lived it and the award-winning Alcatraz Cellhouse Audio Tour brings history alive through the actual voices of the correctional officers and inmates who served time and worked on the island.

The tour is available in English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Dutch, and Mandarin. Allow approximately 2 1/2 hours for the full tour experience and dress appropriately.

In addition to getting you the above rate on the Alcatraz ferry and tour, the Go San Francisco card gets you into 50 San Francisco area attractions for FREE as the full cost of those admissions are covered by the price of the card.  That’s something no coupon or travel deal can top. See the full list of all the museums, tours, and attractions that accept the Go San Francisco Card.

Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., romantics will enjoy the “Sweet Valentine Cruise” featuring a lavish appetizer buffet by Boudin and Champagne toast as the cruise sails under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge.  Priced at only $58 per person, Valentines will enjoy spectacular bay and landmark views as Red and White sets the “stage” for a truly romantic respite in a relaxed atmosphere. For more information and reservations click here.

Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 9, a two-hour cruise of the San Francisco Bay, families will enjoy appetizers and a complimentary beverage, as they sail under the majestic Golden Gate, past the lush hillsides of the Marin Headlands and Angel Island State Park and around Alcatraz.  The cruise will depart at 2:00 p.m. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults. For more information and reservations click here.

Kaboom, KFOG Radio’s concert and fireworks event features headline entertainment as well as a spectacular pyrotechnic show over the bay.  Red And White Fleet will offer special cruises for those that want to view the explosive show from the bay. Guests will enjoy feel-good music from the 70’s to today, a hearty appetizer buffet by Boudin and one complimentary beverage (beer, wine or soda) during this fun evening cruise for all ages. This cruise will last for about two hours. Scheduled for Saturday, May 22*, cruises will depart at 7:45 and 8:15 p.m. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults.  *date is tentative at the present time. For more information and reservations click here.

Independence Day on Sunday, July 4th once again brings back a bayside fireworks display and Red And White Fleet is at the helm with a brief sail along San Francisco’s stunning evening skyline, before the cruise stops for viewing of the fireworks show from amidst the bay. While onboard, guests will share a complimentary beverage with friends and family while they watch the city lights glimmer in the distance. Additional snacks and beverages will be available on-board for purchase. Cost is $65 per person. For more information and reservations click here.

Fleet Week takes over San Francisco with a series of Navy-inspired events, entertainment and the legendary Blue Angels air show.  From Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10, Fisherman’s Wharf will be center stage and Red And White Fleet will be offering the best views of the festivities.  Cruise price includes appetizers and one complimentary beverage. Additional snacks and beverages will be available on-board for purchase. Cost is $58 per adult (18+); $36 for youth (5-17); and $52 per person for groups of 15+ adults. For more information and reservations click here.

Canopic Stopper of Tutankhamun, Dynasty 18, Reign of Tutankhamun, 1332–1322 BCE

June 27, 2009 — March 28, 2010 at the de Young Museum.

More than 3,000 years after his reign, and 30 years after the original exhibition opened in San Francisco, Tutankhamun, ancient Egypt’s celebrated “boy king,” returns to the de Young Museum. In the summer of 2009 the de Young presents Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, a glorious exhibition of over 130 outstanding works from the tomb of Tutankhamun, as well as those of his royal predecessors, his family, and court officials.

Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs includes many new and exciting elements not seen in previous versions of the exhibition, including a revised version of the catalogue, a new audio tour, and additional artifacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb.

September is California Wine Month. And even if it wasn’t, September is always a great month to visit the California Wine Country!

The California Trade and Tourism Commission has rallied some 75 wineries, hotels, and restaurants across the state to put together special offers for people who want to make the most of Wine Month. Our favorite is the Wine Country Explorer Pass, which in addition to the usual savings it provides those looking to get a taste of Napa and Sonoma, has a special offer with Summit Lake Winery.

Summit Lake Vineyards & Wineryis a wonderful family owned winery, and in September it is offering Wine Country Explorer Pass customers a special 15% off purchases of their new releases and 20% off the remaining bottles of the 2003 vintage.

The CTTC has a portion of their site dedicated to all the various offers available in September. You can see the complete list by clicking here. It is a long list, but they have broken it up by region to help you find the specials relevant to your plans.

“California is the leading destination for wine and food travel in the U.S.,” said Caroline Beteta, president & CEO of the CTTC and chair of the U.S. Travel Association. “We produce 90 percent of American wine and 350 different crops, making us a playground for the culinary arts, which translates to a gourmet paradise for foodies yearning for a deeper connection with California’s great wine and fresh produce. California Wine Month is the ultimate time wine connoisseurs can enjoy the Golden State, and these special offers make it even more appealing.”

Cheers to that!

California Academy of Sciences is now part of the Go San Francisco Card. Holders of San Francisco’s best attraction pass now get free entry to the Academy along with 50 more of the Bay Area’s best things to see and do.

After nine years of planning, four years of construction and $488 million, the new California Academy of Sciences recently opened its doors to the world. The new Platinum LEED certified museum is the only place on the planet to combine an aquarium, natural history museum, the world’s largest all-digital planetarium, and a rain forest dome under a 2.5-acre living roof.

With the addition of the California Academy of Sciences, the Go San Francisco Card’s convenience, cost savings and flexibility for visitors to the city is now that much better. Customers choose one, two, three, five or seven day cards at a low, pre-paid price. Customers have the ability to use the card to gain access to an unlimited number of attractions each day from 9:00am to 5:30pm and the Card also provides discounts at popular restaurants and shops and the ability to skip the lines at many attractions. Each Go Card also comes with a color-printed, pocket-sized guidebook full of maps, travel tips and itineraries for San Francisco.

“The ‘do more, see more’ vacation mantra is still valid, but it’s getting rounded out with ‘and do it for less,’” said Cecilia Dahl, Founder and President of Smart Destinations. “By adding the California Academy of Sciences to our roster of San Francisco attractions, we’re proud to offer our customers the ability to visit a museum that is so rich in history and knowledge – a real ‘must-see’ in San Francisco.”

“Officially the greenest museum in the world, we’re thrilled to be able to welcome additional visitors to experience all that the Academy has to offer under its mission to ‘explore, explain and protect the natural world,’” said Richard Peterson, Director of Travel Industry Sales at the California Academy of Sciences.

It really is a one-of-a-kind place: you can peer in on an albino alligator living in a swamp,  get close to a colony of penguins or watch sharks and rays slither through their tank.  Then you can walk through the four-story rain forest where you wind your way through Borneo’s Bat caves, see chameleons of Madagascar, climb into the tree-tops of Costa Rica and descend by elevator into an Amazonian flooded forest.  

Throughout the week there are daily programs and activities at the exhibits including Coral Reef Dives, Penguin Feedings, and a Swamp Talk about the inhabitants native to swamps in the southeastern United States. 

So if you are visiting the Bay Area, be sure to check out this amazing new attraction.

First, the site has been folded in under a new top navigation bar that allows customers see all of the Go Cards and Explorer Passes offered by Smart Destinations. Previously, each Card had its own separate site which meant most customers were not even aware they could get Cards in other destinations.

Second, more information has been placed at customers’ finger tips. They can learn how the card works, where it is accepted, read reviews by other customers, and see all the VIP extras on the same page.

Images and descriptions have been upgraded, navigation streamlined and improved, and other changes have also been made to the site to help customers plan their trip and get the right Card.

Smart Destinations reports that demand for the company’s attraction passes has not only been strong, but actually accelerating in 2009 as more and more people are looking to travel smarter. The fact that Go Cards and Explorer Passes let people into the top museums, tours, and attractions for a single money saving price makes sense in any economy. The expectation is the new site will further contribute to strong growth.

Think you know all about the art and design of the Nordic countries? Forget IKEA and ABBA and make sure you check out the exhibit running at the Yerba Buena Center from January 23rd to April 12th. “Irreverent: Contemporary Nordic Craft Art” is showing the latest and greatest from the Nordic Countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden) with an emphasis on young stars and up and coming talent. Use your Go San Francisco Card to get in to the Yerba Buena Center and enjoy all this amazing museum has to offer.

Looking for something to fun to do in San Francisco? The San Francisco International Film Festival runs now through May 8 and features close to 200 films and live events with more than 100 filmmakers in attendance.  The longest-running film festival in the Americas, the San Francisco International Film Festival attracts more than 80,000 film patrons annually.

This year’s lineup of films include works by Japanese director Hitoshi Matsumoto, Norwegian director Bård Breien, Spanish director Ventura Pons, and dozens of other film luminaries from around the globe. Screenings are at the Sundance Cinemas Kabuki, Castro Theatre (pictured above), the Pacific Film Archive Theater, and Landmark’s Clay Theatre. In addition, satellite venues are set up at the California Culinary Academy, Mezzanine, and Kanbar Hall.

For more information, check out the San Francisco International Film Festival’s official website.

Coming up on Saturday, May 17, the USS Hornet will welcome Troopfest 2008 to its decks. Proceeds from the event will go towards packages to support United States troops overseas. Highlights of the event include a give hour classic rock concert played on the hangar deck. The concert will feature Greg Kihn Band, Midlife Vices, Cocktail Monkeys, Evolution: A tribute to Journey, Chris Jackson of 98.5 KFOX, and Grammy-winning musician Tony Lindsay.

In addition to musical performances, the event also includes tours of the USS Hornet (which is permanently moored at Pier 3), exhibit and sponsorship tables, and a raffle. Grand prize in the raffle is a 12-day cruise for two from Holland America Line.

Advance tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth (5-17). A special military ticket is available for $15 with valid military I.D. Tickets are $5 more if purchased at the door. The adult ticket also includes a raffle ticket, and additional raffle tickets may be purchased for $15 each, or eight for $100. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 510-521-8448 x282. Free parking is available.

No visit to Northern California would be complete without tasting wine from a local vineyard. Napa and Sonoma Valleys produce some of the country’s best wine. Here, just north of San Francisco, you can tour a vineyard, taste some local wines, and relax at one of several spas.

If you’re in Napa Valley on a Saturday morning, then you’re in luck. Starting in June and running through October, Goosecross Cellars is offered a one hour Wine Basics Class from 10:30-11:30 am. Set against a gorgeous rose garden surrounded by vineyards and rolling hills, the class teaches the basics of wine tasting in a welcoming and fun environment. You’ll learn about wine storage, proper tasting techniques, and other facets of wine. Please call 800-276-9210 or make a reservation online, as classes fill up quickly!

Of course, with a Go San Francisco Card you can also experience one of Goosecross Cellars’ “classic wine tastings and get 10% off wine purchases. The card includes tastings at several other local vineyards, including Franciscan, Simi Winery, and Taste Downtown Napa. Bottoms up!