Off-the-Rails Adventure

If you're an avid inline skater or want a different way to experience the hilly streets of San Francisco, you should join the Midnight Rollers' "Friday Night Skate." A group of about 75 to 200 inline skaters and roller skaters takes to the streets for a night of freewheeling antics along a 12-mile route. Sponsored by the California Outdoor Rollerskating Association, the group skate starts at the Ferry Building at 8 p.m. and winds through various neighborhoods, including Fisherman's Wharf, the Financial District, the Marina, North Beach, Union Square, and South-of-Market. Highlights include speeding through the Broadway Tunnel and tackling the downs—and ups—of San Fran's famously steep hills. This skating parade wraps up around midnight with a social gathering at the Ferry Building. For those who aren't up to the task, Golden Gate Park is the perfect alternative for beginner skaters. Kennedy Drive is closed to car traffic on Sundays, offering skaters a safe place to test their wheels before they join the Friday night mayhem.

Rail Info
(www.amtrak.com/holiday.html for full details)

ROUTE: Truckee, CA to San Francisco, CA
LINE: California Zephyr
DURATION: 7 hours (departs 11 a.m. daily)
PRICE: $45 to $93 (bus from Emeryville to SF, 30 minutes, included in price)
SCENERY: Farmland, desert, and the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains
ARRIVAL TRANSPORTATION: Walk from the Amtrak drop-off to the Ferry Terminal

Activity Info

OUTFITTER: Midnight Rollers: www.sanfrancisco.com/tour/rollerbladers.html
WHAT TO BRING: Inline skates or roller-skates, helmet, safety lights, water
DURATION: 4 hours
PRICE: Free
DIFFICULTY RATING: Intermediate
WHEN TO GO: Summer, spring, or fall