Hey guys, I'm off to San Fran next thursday with the gf, and was just wondering if anyone had any tips for stuff that I wouldn't want to miss while over there. We're already planning on taking a tour of Alcatraz and going across the Golden Gate Bridge to the park on the other side as there's a Giant Redwood sanctuary there I believe. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Cheers.
The tram ride is quite good, as a visit to Fihermans Wharf.
lucky you aint posting on the offal.You could be taken as Martins back's partner. Right i'm off to Brighton.
Was there 8 years ago with the family. We stayed at Fishermans Wharf, which is a great area. Use the cable cars to travel between there and downtown. When you do Alcatraz get the audio tour - well worth it.
Plenty to do in a great city - obviously depends upon your interests but there's more than enough to suit all tastes. It's a city we'll certainly go back to.
Have a great time.
Nevzter and MisfitKid are the experts so hopefully they'll see this thread. Dim Sum in Chinatown, Little Italy has some great restaurants and Coit Tower is close to there. The boat that you can take from Fisherman's Wharf that goes to the Golden Gate Bridge and back around Alcatraz (doesn't stop there) has some amazing photo ops. Get the all transportation pass that includes the cable cars, trolleys, and buses, it pays for itself real quick (I'm sure you can get the info on how to get the pass on line).
Take a trip down Lombard Street.
Oh, and AVOID the Tenderloin at all costs.
Chinatown is also fun, look for where the Chinese eat and you'll have a top meal.
Fisherman's Wharf, cable car rides, Alcatraz is a must (although they've shut parts now that were open when I visited),do the Coit Tower, brilliant views (think you have to pay to use the lift now) then walk down Telegraph stairs (loads of them), and you've just got to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.
I loved it when I was there...even had an earthquake (5.5) but I slept through it.
You'll love it...
PM me. I was born there, and lived in or near the city for most of my life. Nevzter and Misfitkid as has been mentioned can help as well.
Cheers for the tips guys, boat trip sounds good, and def gonna walk over Golden Gate. Thanks Ridge, expect a PM at some point the next few days.
The redwood sanctuary you referred to is Muir Woods, which is well worth the visit. If you've you've never been to California, these will be the tallest trees you've ever seen. Muir Woods is in Marin County; the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge is the south end of Marin County. If you have a car, cross the Golden Gate Bridge and continue on the highway (101) for about 5 miles and there will be signs to Muir Woods. I assume there are also tours that would take you there, but I don't know about those.
Ghirardelli Square and I think it is Pier 39
The Garlic restaurant. the entertainment by pier 39, a guy had a card around his neck saying "its for booze, why lie" i found it funny so i gave him $50 and i got a smile lol.
Quote from: Blingo on October 13, 2011, 09:00:10 PM
the entertainment by pier 39, a guy had a card around his neck saying "its for booze, why lie" i found it funny so i gave him $50 and i got a smile lol.
LOL, that is awesome! 082.gif :beer: :wine:
I agree with many of the previous suggestions - north beach (little Italy) and Coit Tower are prime spots and they're both adjacent to Chinatown (R&G Lounge and/or City View and/or Yank Sing for dim sum). Stop into Vesuvio in north beach for a cocktail and visit City Lights Bookstore located next to it. http://www.vesuvio.com/ (http://www.vesuvio.com/)
If you're even remotely a fan of Mexican / Latin American food, take a stroll down Mission / Guerrero streets. Haight / Ashbury is a walk that can be hit or miss depending on the number of bums on the street. Union Square is a commercial / shopping hub and visit the Ferry Building for lunch on the water front / embarcadero. you can also walk along the water front near the Marina district and see the Palace of Fine Arts (the Academy of Sciences and/or Legion of Honor are also nice museums / exploratorium type of places that are quite fun).
If you happen to have a non-foggy day, visit the beaches on the Pacific Ocean located on the west side of the city - if it's sunny, these are great, but more than likely it'll be foggy in that section of the city. Grace Cathedral is nice at the top of Pacific Heights section. Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions.
Drive or walk down Lombard Street - 8 hairpin bends used in the car chase scenes for Magnum Force and What's up Doc. Or just do the 3 hour film scene tour if you are interested .
Visit nearby Monterey the setting for Cannery Row.
I don't have much to add, lots to see & do.
Be sure to wear shorts, with black socks & sandals and a big-ass camera, that way you will blend...(sic) :drums:
Be prepared to walk a lot, the "City" is very hilly in spots, bring some comfortable shoes.
You may be in California, but leave the flip-flops at home.
The weather lately has been smok'in, I checked the extended forecast and it looks like it will be sunny while you are here. :008:
The Everton match will not be shown locally... :014: Thanks to Manchester Derby & the Scum playing in another.
Nev & I will help anyway we can.
PS - Don't call it "Frisco".... :046:
I would add "El camino del mar" through Lincoln Park to return from the pacific beaches and The Exploratorium.
Also in Sausalito, for a romantic dinner watching the city, I would recommend a restaurant called The Spinnaker, good food and spectacular view
Quote from: theo on October 13, 2011, 07:01:34 PM
Hey guys, I'm off to San Fran next thursday with the gf, and was just wondering if anyone had any tips for stuff that I wouldn't want to miss while over there. We're already planning on taking a tour of Alcatraz and going across the Golden Gate Bridge to the park on the other side as there's a Giant Redwood sanctuary there I believe. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated. Cheers.
That's a good start. I think you may be taling about the Muir Woods in the part I highlighted above. If so, that's a wonderful place to go.
If you're in SF on a Saturday or Sunday that Fulham is playing, you can probably watch the match at one of several locations. I visited the Kezar Pub a few years back and watch FFC play in the company of Misfit Kid and Nevzter. If it's a 3 o'clock kickoff, mind, the match will start at 0700 in SF. Well worth it though.
I love SF; great city to visit
Alcatraz was the highlight for me when I visited. But the weather isn't great :016:
A few more selections...and I agree with the Sausalito recommendation: great views of the city from the north side of the Golden Gate bridge and plenty of waterfront hiking, drinking and dining selections.
Golden Gate Park - somebody else mentioned it I believe, but it has a ton of nooks and crannies to visit, including small lakes (Stow Lake is one), tea gardens, windmills, De Young Museum, and thousands of miles of trails for biking or walking.
The Castro - the gay hub and a funny little neighborhood.
There may be some event at Fort Mason (an old military site near the Marina district where they have concerts, festivals, oyster feeds, etc.) while you're in town, do a web search and see what comes up.
City Hall is worth a 2 second viewing and the restaurants / bars on Hayes St. (Hayes Valley) just a quick 5-10 minute walk from City Hall are fun.
Think about renting a little 2-person car/tricycle type vehicle. They are yellow and buzz all over the city, easy to park and they offer an audio guide - our friends from London rented one for an afternoon and enjoyed it - except for the fact they tend to lose power on the steeper hills throughout the city.
And, the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) in SOMA (South of Market area) usually has a good exhibit or two.
Have fun!
Also, feel free to PM me and I can recommend some quality eating establishments that are off the tourist path.
If you're energetic, rent a bike at Blazing Saddles near the Wharf, head west thru Fort Mason, along Marina, thru Crissey Field out to Fort Point, up the hill to the Golden Gate, across to Marin, exit down to Sausalito, continue north on bike route to Tiburon, lunch at Sam's, ferry back to SF wharf. Whew! Great ride. Back by car to Sausalito for dinner at Spinnaker.
WHEN YOU DO ALCATRAZ - do it at night.
They do a tour at night which is so evocative, you get a better understanding of what it must have been like to have been banged up there. There are also less tourists out there at night.
As above, Golden Gate Park and MOMA - the Yerba Buena Gardens, near MOMA, form a nice little square with quite a good Martin Luther King memorial. If you like books, or have any interest in Kerouac, Ginsberg and the Beats, the City Lights Book Store is a must - still very independent and quirky.
Just had a colleague tell me he's going to SF too....so jealous. My favourite American city.
We spent a few trips out there with work. You could always catch a baseball game. We saw Giants vs Dodgers. It's a different experience to football, and well worth it. The ground is like the cottage in that its on the water's edge.
Having visited a few times we did the walks around Fishermans wharf and down by the sea and the parks. Very nice, vibey city. Quite Euroepan in outlook. Check out the bars too. We found a couple that had live music. One was up around the Garlic restaurant. Recommend all of the above things. We also took a boat trip out to Sausilito, which is a quiet little arty town. Think they run every hour or two. We missed a boat coming back and found some old time hells angels types in a bar who were a great laugh.
Hi Theo, If you're hiring a car and fancy a ride out you can cross the Bay Bridge and carry on to Lake Tahoe about a hundred miles inland past Sacramento. Its a great drive and the lake is stunning with Heavenly mountain looking down on it. You can use the ski lifts to get up the mountain with fantastic views across California and Nevada. There are also casinos there if you're that way inclined. But don't miss Alcatraz, very poignant. 094.gif 094.gif
Be sure to try some of the local "flavor":
Anchor Steam (beer) - the original US micro-brewery :beer:
Double-Double - A hamburger for In-n-Out Burger, double meat & double cheese, be sure to wash down with a Neapolitan Shake (Choc, Vanilla & Strawberry), take a look at a "secret menu". :clap_hands:
http://www.in-n-out.com/default.asp (http://www.in-n-out.com/default.asp)
Garlic Fries (chips...) - At Gordon Biersh, they have great beers too 082.gif
http://www.gordonbiersch.com/ (http://www.gordonbiersch.com/)
If I think of more, I will add.
FYI - FFC_Fan - baseball season is over for the Giants, "throwball" & hockey are in season though...
Cheers again guys, loads of great tips. A shame baseball season is over cause their arena looks amazing, and the Sharks are on the road so no NHL available either, but will catch a game in Carolina the week after.
In San Francisco at the moment.
The weather has been superb. Not looking forward to getting back to blighty tomorrow...!
Hints and tips:
1. Alcatraz is great. But book online, in advance, as you are unikely to turn up and get in.
2. All around Fishermans Wharf is great. A vibrant atmosphere, great restaraunts, and my fave Burger joint (In 'n' Out).
3. Union Sq is nice but over-rated. Best shopping is Westfield and Nordstrom (Powell St).
4. Try and see the 49ers, I saw them last Sunday. Or Giants at the PacBell arena.
5. Golden Gate Bridge. "Awesome", as the locals say.
6. Chinatown, the Italian quarter, Castro, and Mission are all interesting areas to get lost in.
7. The bay area has its own micro-climate and can be foggy and a lot cooler than its surrounding areas. Have warm clothing to hand...
In terms of getting around, there are plenty of bike hire places. Alternatively a group of us went on a segway tour yesterday which exceeded my wildest expecations - it was a blast. Probably looked totally uncool but anything goes in San Francisco :)
It is the best US city in my view (although I have yet to go to NY!), so enjoy your time!
Incidenally, if you are a choc-o-holic then avoid all the crap Hershey's stuff and go for the locally made Ghirardelli stuff. Their factory is in San Leandro and there is a shop attached but to be honest its almost as cheap to buy them from any of the numerous Walgreen stores.
Where the old factory used to be is also worth a visit. Ghirardelli Square is just off Fishermans Wharf and whilst it is now home to a bunch of outlets etc. there is a Ghirardelli outlet which does the best sundaes in town.
The only problem coming to the US is that I leave the UK nice and slim and come back the size of Belgium (no offence, Mr Sipwell!).
