The iconic and beloved San Francisco cable car system, in service since 1873, has remained in operation more for nostalgic purpose than practicality since the 1950s; just 17 miles of track remain in the beloved City by the Bay. The hum of the haulage cables and distinct ringing of different bells as the cars run up and down city streets is as much a part of the San Francisco soundscape as the colorful cable cars and drivers are of the landscape; locals continue to utilize the service as a convenient means of getting to work and around the hilly city and a cable car ride is on just about every visitor’s agenda! If your travel group has a full itinerary and waiting in line or hiking blocks for a ride doesn’t work for everyone, a stop in at the Cable Car Museum is a must during your San Francisco holiday. This free museum in the Nob Hill neighborhood is part of the complex that houses the power house and car depot and allows visitors to experience the impressive mechanics behind the ride; established in 1974, it’s open year-round and showcases historical and explanatory exhibits on the San Francisco Cable Car System-which is, itself, a fine working museum! A fascinating collection of vintage cars and memorabilia to peruse at your own pace provide a real sense of bygone days; a wonderful gift shop, car-seat photo op and old fashioned penny machine offer perfect mementos of your foray into the very heart of this historical means of transportation; why not buy your own bells and have a group ringing challenge?

Exploring America > U.S. Cities > San Francisco Tours

Back in the 1960s, the remaining  19th century Ghirardelli chocolate factory building was vacant and slated for imminent destruction when the chocolate manufacturing business transferred out of town; a group of concerned San Franciscans stepped up, rescuing the grand old complex and creating within the factory walls a unique collection of over 40 exclusive, of-the-day shops and fine restaurants; their project opened officially to the public in 1964. Today, visitors to the fabled Fisherman’s Wharf area in the City by the Bay can still partake of a bit of that restored Old World ambiance with a stop at the lovingly restored landmark; all are treated to delightful squares of  Ghirardelli chocolate as they enter this beloved attraction where the intoxicatingly nostalgic perfume of warm waffle cone fills the air! Browse fabulously eclectic boutiques and upscale shops;  grab a twirly, red vinyl stool and  burger, shake and fries or treat yourselves to a classic local repast of expertly-prepared fresh seafood; a fantastic variety of choices offer tantalizing treats and first rate, locally-sourced fare. Absolutely convinced nothing but a huge, ooey –gooey whipped cream, cherry and colored sprinkle-topped hot fudge sundae served up in a tall, frosty old-fashioned parfait glass will do? This is the place-savvy travelers flock to the factory for the old-fashioned ice cream, alone. If ice cream isn’t on your menu, why not select a yummy bakery treat-or two- from the ice cream shop to nosh while you sip your choice of any of their famously delicious specialty drinks and enjoy breathtaking views of Alcatraz and the iconic Golden Gate Bridge? While you’re there, be sure to snap up an assortment of chocolates to stash for later!

What’s not to love about a simple, relatively quick yet comprehensive, self-guided fun tour…of a Potato Chip Factory offering delicious free sample bags? Over 250,000 visitors a year visit The Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory to learn the salty history and witness firsthand the step-by-step creation of these *Ridiculously Good Potato Chips!* The Chip Factory’s journey to potato chip fame and fortune had its humble beginnings back in 1980 when the dream of two small Cape Cod business owners turned into reality once they opened shop in a small storefront in Hyannis to sell the fantastic homestyle chips they’d cooked in their kitchen for years. The hearty crunch of the fabulous snacks cooked in small batches in real custom kettles soon became a mad crave amongst the locals and visitors alike-news spread like wildfire as tourists returned home with bags of the delightfully tasty and naturally noisy treats to share with family and friends. It wasn’t long before the chip business outgrew the cozy storefront, and a world-wide love affair with Cape Cod Potato Chips began! The Chip Factory Tour is now one of the area’s top attractions and details, from farm field to table, how these out of this world chips are made! Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, tours are FREE…and if complimentary sample bags aren’t enough, the gift shop and store offers visitors the opportunity to broadcast their chip love with tees, beach totes or chairs, mugs, fun buckets, coolers and tons of other must-have CCPC branded merchandise- as well as as many additional bags of chips as you can carry!

Accessible only by air or sea, this beloved-yet-exclusive hotspot, vacation colony and host of the yearly “Jawsfest” is located just six miles off scenic Cape Cod; once your travel group steps off the steamship ferry they will have no trouble discovering many things to love about the captivatingly beautiful 100-square-mile New England island! In addition to the substantial peak-season crowd, many high profile residents and affluent East Coast families call the six fabulously unique towns of the Vineyard home; it’s not difficult to see why: a temperate year-round climate offers multi-seasonal getaway opportunities and ensures Martha’s Vineyard, the gem of the Atlantic, remains one of the most popular of New England’s destinations. In the off season, the picturesque island and its wind-swept, sandy shores and landscapes lie peacefully accessible; the droves of summer sun, sand, surf and seafood seekers are home raking leaves or busying themselves with the details of returning to school. There is no bad time to visit! Grab a bicycle or scooter, call a cab or hop a bus and explore her quaintly quintessential seaside villages full of gingerbread cottages and stately Greek revival architecture, all steeped in a rich fishing and whaling history. Lace up your comfy shoes and hike miles of gorgeous beaches and trails; explore iconic old lighthouses, wander magnificent wildlife havens or just shop to your heart’s content – fun to fancy boutiques, shops and markets abound! The Vineyard’s charming cafes, fantastic restaurants, cozy theatres, welcoming bed and breakfasts, and elegant inns all afford you and your group the opportunity for a perfect East Coast Island getaway.

It’s a lazy, salt-hazy Cape afternoon; you’ve got big plans tomorrow so tonight will be a low-key kind of evening. Your travel group has bellied up to the table at your new favorite outdoor cafe, and you’ve just emptied your huge bowl of chowder, popped the last stray oyster cracker into your mouth and talk has turned to dessert. Then it dawns on you, your favorite, cozy sweatpants for later are miles away, back home-folded but forgotten-along with that crisp, new paperback you grabbed for your trip-on your bed! You freeze, for a moment, clenching your crumpled napkin, crinkling your straw paper and flicking at a crumb: What to do? Where does one go on Cape Cod for…sweatpants? Everyone forgets things in the excitement of packing; but you are not without options! Walk off that delightfully late lunch and track down something to satisfy that sweet tooth at the Cape Cod Mall, a regional favorite of locals and visitors alike! Conveniently located in the heart of the Hyannis retail district, and just the right size to offer a little of everything you’d expect from a stop at your favorite mega-center but in a slightly downsized resort-town venue! Browse Barnes and Noble for another beach-blanket read and a little you-time; duck into the cinema for a flick and let your food settle. You’ll find plenty of your of old favorites in addition to anchor store Macy’s: Marshalls, Hot Topic, Sephora, J. Crew, Hollister, Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, Gap, Banana Republic, Pac Sun, Wet Seal, AE Outfitters-the mall is home to nearly 100 shops and eateries-all open 10 am to 9 pm Monday through Saturday and 11 am to 6 pm Sundays-plenty of fabulously familiar places to locate those sweats and a few other things you might want for your seaside adventure getaway! Careful-you could easily find yourself staying until dinnertime! No worries! Full service cafes and restaurants, in addition to a 400-seat food court will cater to all craves: Time for Thai? Missing Mexican? Prefer pizza? You’ll find it all-at Cape Cod Mall!

For the baseball fans in your travel bunch, particularly Cubs fans, they can’t pass up a major opportunity for the fabulous Wrigley Field second in age just to Boston’s Fenway Park. Remember the well known minutes of Babe Ruth’s profession, Sammy Sosa’s homer record, and even… the ski hop occasions from the press box to the home plate. Wrigley Field has seen everything. The main ballpark permitting fans to keep foul balls takes you for a look away from public view and even on the field throughout your tour incorporating the field’s almost exceptionally old presence. Complete with roof situates, a customary hand-turned scoreboard and the soul of each baseball fan in the nation transmitting from the cheap seats to the playing field, this ballpark has significantly more to encounter past The Inviting Limits when you leave the wall for lunch in Wrigleyville.