View Full Version : San Francisco travel advice needed
San Francisco has been on my to-do list for years.
DD2 and DSiL have invited me to go with them for a week sometime in late January, 2018 which should be fun.
We are interested in learning about the options for touring around SF, must-see's, transit, day-tours to the surrounding area. I love history, gardens, classical music and art, etc. They are game for more adventure they can drive to as well as some of my interests.
We are thinking that a home base with two bedrooms and kitchenette would be ideal. I could do some of my adventures and they could do some of theirs as desired as well as joint activities. Where would be a good area to look?
Any and all advice would be much appreciated.
catherine
7-29-17, 11:06am
I've been to SF several times--mostly on business. When I was a "young" business traveler I took time to rent a car and drive up north, across the Golden Gate to Sausalito, and on up to Napa Valley. That's a "must do" during your week. I've missed the chance a couple of times to do Muir Woods, so that's still on my bucket list.. please get there for me!!
In SF, walking around or taking the famous trolleys are also a "must-do"--check out the typical sights like Lombard Street, Fisherman's Wharf, Embarcadero (which is where I had a dozen oysters before realizing they don't agree with my stomach and I consequently spent 5 hours from SFO to EWR in the plane's bathroom. Not joking. The entire trip. But the oysters were great!)
I've been to the SF Opera House which is amazing. Saw The Flying Dutchman there. Maybe there will be something going on when you go.
It's a great city. I'll check with my friend who lived there for years to see if there are any "off the beaten path" places you should see.
Irish coffee at the Buena Vista!
iris lilies
7-29-17, 11:44am
I love SF, its the city I would live in if I had a bezillion dollars.
When Ive been there, I wander around the neighborhoods looking at houses. Pacific Heights, Knob Hill, etc. Those hills! I got my workout.I stayed downtown (the last time in Chinatown) and walked everywhere.
you are going at the right time of year for theatrical productions, so I will bet there is lots to choose from.
I remember walking to some kind of art institute that was high on a hill and there was hardly anyone in it but I don't remember the name of it. Then there is that famous bookstore, City Lights bookstore.
Teacher Terry
7-29-17, 3:38pm
We only live 4 hours away so have been there many times. All the suggestions you received are great. WE also took a boat to Angel Island where you can hike etc and then we also took the tour of Alcatrez which was really interesting. YOu can do both things with 1 ticket.
OMG where to start. My favorite 4d weekend is SF. Definitely rent a place in the city. Use the cable cars or bus to get to places you don't want to walk to......I've literally walked every street from VanNess/Market to the water all the way along the Embarcadero.
Walk up and down Lombard. I think it's more fun than driving it. Spend some time in Golden Gate Park, The Exploratorium, Grace Cathedral is amazing architecture, The Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf, the Marina district, there's a great theatre on Taylor/Market (saw the King and I with Marie Osmond in the lead role), must have lunch or dinner at the Cliff House, wander through Haight Ashbury, Coit Tower is great history, Take the ferry over to Sausalito and Tiburon, brave walking across the Golden Gate Bridge? (haven't done that)
That list would either not be complete or be a very exhausting whirlwind 7 days!
I like going south more than going north (we don't drink wine). We've rented a car and gone down to Big Sur (must have a burger at Nepenthe'), wandered around Monterey and Carmel...great history, missions to visit, aquarium is awesome, beaches are fabulous, rent a cabin at Pfeiffer for some awesome quiet in the woods
That's another 3 days.
Oh I am so jealous. We did all these trips in the early 2000s. Feels like forever ago.
Have a fabulous fabulous time!
Definitely do Alcatraz. If you like wine make a day trip up to Sonoma. Way less crowded and less commercial than Napa. Muir woods is great and will be a lot less crowded during the week. Ride the cable cars. Walk or bike the golden gate bridge. Go to the San Francisco Symphony. Have a drink at City Scape on the 46th floor of the hilton. (ok, that one is a gratuitous plug for SO's hotel, but seriously, the view is insane. Go on a day when it's not foggy, get there a little before sunset so you can enjoy both the day and night views.) If you're into hardcore walking get this book: https://www.amazon.com/Stairway-Walks-San-Francisco-Exploring/dp/0899977499/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501365062&sr=8-1&keywords=stairway+walks+in+san+francisco And of course go to Alamo Park to see the Painted Ladies.
iris lilies
7-29-17, 6:23pm
Definitely do Alcatraz. If you like wine make a day trip up to Sonoma. Way less crowded and less commercial than Napa. Muir woods is great and will be a lot less crowded during the week. Ride the cable cars. Walk or bike the golden gate bridge. Go to the San Francisco Symphony. Have a drink at City Scape on the 46th floor of the hilton. (ok, that one is a gratuitous plug for SO's hotel, but seriously, the view is insane. Go on a day when it's not foggy, get there a little before sunset so you can enjoy both the day and night views.) If you're into hardcore walking get this book: https://www.amazon.com/Stairway-Walks-San-Francisco-Exploring/dp/0899977499/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1501365062&sr=8-1&keywords=stairway+walks+in+san+francisco And of course go to Alamo Park to see the Painted Ladies.
Oh yes, the famous Painted Ladies victorian houses! I walked to see them, also walked down Lombard Hill.
I second the Alcatraz tour; fascinating.
I did an initial search to see prices for accommodation downtown SF for 7 days. Wow! How is the transit from some more modestly priced hotel/motel areas? Where would I look? Remember I add about 30% exchange to everything but our C$ is looking a little better these days.
BART! From Oakland or from the south. My niece/nephew that live there use it all the time to move around the bay area.
https://www.bart.gov/
I used to live in San Francisco so have not stayed in many hotels or other acccommodations there, but this hostel is in a GREAT location, gets great reviews, looks beautiful from the outside, and is much cheaper than most other accomodations. https://www.hiusa.org/hostels/california/san-francisco/fishermans-wharf I was just in SF last week and walked by it and thought again what a neat place it seems to be.
Also, Craigslist is very active in SF and you might be able to find lodging on there, in addition to airbnb, vrbo and the like.
I agree with previous posters about the trip to Alcatraz with the audio tour being very interesting and worth doing. Since you said you are interested in gardens, there is a beautiful botanical garden in Golden Gate Park that not many people seem to know about: http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/ I love just riding the cable cars from one end to the other (fyi, calling them 'trolleys' immediately IDs one as a tourist), and walking the entire waterfront from the ballpark to the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, or over the bridge itself (this can be fun on a bike too, and there are several companies that rent bikes with maps to ride over the bridge; you can then ride to Sausalito and then take the ferry back -- very fun).
Agree if you are going to leave the city and head north Sonoma is less commercial than Napa for wine tasting, and Muir Woods is gorgeous, especially if you have some extra time to hike past the main area most people go to right near the gate (but even that part is beautiful). If you go south toward the Big Sur area it would be the perfect time of year to see elephant seals and their babies, http://www.elephantseal.org/calendar.htm , and there is also Hearst Castle nearby or the aquarium in Monterey.
Have a great time!!
have you browsed through airbnb.com? I just found a 1-bedroom apt with a sofa bed in the living room in the Haight district "steps from the bus line" for $185/night (which I think is a very good price). I've used airbnb several times and have been very satisfied. There's so much to do in San Francisco, you'll have trouble narrowing it down. But if you do take a day trip out of town, I agree that south of town on the Pacific Highway (highway 1) is gorgeous, even if you don't make it all the way south to Big Sur.
do you like jazz? Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers are terrific, and there's always live music at a club called Biscuits and Blues.
Lots of great suggestions here! I lived in SF for a year and a half and worked there for three. It's a beautiful city, but also kind of smelly :) I lived in the Mission District which is awesome for authentic, tasty Mexican food and Mission Dolores, one of California's original missions. It's right next to Dolores Park, which is the most wonderful place to have a picnic on a sunny day. Get bread or sandwiches and pastries from nearby Tartine and finish up with ice cream from (also nearby) Bi-Rite Creamery, and you will have died and gone to heaven.
For shopping, check out Hayes Valley, which also has great restaurants and cute little boutiques. It's not too far from Van Ness and the theater/civic area. It's walkable from Union Square.
I know everyone says to go to Fisherman's Wharf, but it's not that great, imho -- lots of tourists, mediocre food, overpriced shops. I would recommend the Ferry Building further down the Embarcadero instead. Beautiful views, great restaurants and bars, places to get cool souvenirs like artisan olive oil, instead of a miniature plastic gewgaws.
Definitely check out the Exploratorium, and in Golden Gate Park, go to the DeYoung art museum and the California Academy of Sciences.
And of course, hit up the Castro for some out-of-this-world nightlife!
You have to tell us where you wind up going!
awakenedsoul
7-31-17, 7:57pm
I just stayed with a friend in Healdsburg, which is on the Russian River. It is absolutely gorgeous. Wonderful shops and kayaking on the river. Great restaurants, too. It's across the Golden Gate Bridge and near Santa Rosa. San Francisco is VERY expensive. My dad grew up there, so we used to stay with my aunt when we visited. Prices have soared. Carmel By the Sea is gorgeous and quaint, too. You'll have a wonderful time, but bring lots of money. I hope you find an affordable place to stay. I did see some affordable cabins for rent in Russian River. Have fun.
I am saving all this posts of advice and sharing them with DD2 and DSiL2. So thank you for any and all thoughts that have posted. I had forgotten about BART. Is there a part to avoid looking for accommodation taking the BART to get around. Most cities have some areas where it is wiser to stay clear when an unknowledgeable tourist.
Most cities have some areas where it is wiser to stay clear when an unknowledgeable tourist.
I'd avoid everything between west oakland and Bay Fair. Any of the three berkeley stops would probably be fine. Anything from Rockridge on out to Pittsburg/Bay Point would be fine but look at train travel times because the stations get far apart so it'll be a longer trip into San Francisco. Going south down the peninsula anything from Glen Park on out to Millbrae is probably fine. Before you commit to something that's described as being close to Bart I'd google map the walking instructions to the station. Unlike a system like the NY Subway Bart expects most people to drive to the stations, so closeness to Bart is a relative concept.
You might also look into the Ocean Park Motel in San Francisco. I'll preface this by saying I've never stayed there or been inside. But the outside looks nice. It's at the end of the Muni Metro light rail line that I take every day to work. The trains run at least every 10-12 minutes all day and if you buy a weekly pass it would include this, plus all your other travel around town, including cable cars, which otherwise cost $5/ride. The train ride from the motel (stop right across the street) to Embarcadero station is probably 35-40 minutes. And the neighborhood is quiet and safe. Downsides, there's not much nearby in the way of restaurants or shopping other than a local coffee place and a pizzeria around the corner and a couple other restuarants and a bodega/liquor store 3 long blocks away. Upsides, it'd be quiet, it appears to be not insanely expensive, it's got good reviews on trip advisor, it's really close to the beach. It also looks like they have at least a couple of kitchenette suites with separate bedrooms that aren't super expensive during the off season.
My daughter and I were there earlier this month - stayed with family in San Leandro (by Oakland). If you want to tour Alcatraz, get your tickets 3-4 months in advance. They sell out quickly. The wait for the cable cars was over one hour each way - kind of lost its charm on me!
My cousin drove us to Pacifica a little south of SF. We ate at a nice restaurant called Moonraker - cousin and his wife said they had the best clam chowder they'd ever eaten. It's very nice and little spendy, but I like to splurge on vacation on at least one really good meal. The booth we sat at was a half-round and faced the ocean (the restaurant is right on the beach). We saw several whales! I would definitely go back.
Pier 39 is touristy and fun. Also had a nice lunch in China Town. Drove down Lombard Street and saw the painted ladies. DD and cousin's wife walked across the Golden Gate bridge, Cousin and I drove across and waited! The Presidio is interesting if you have time - an old military post right by the GG Bridge. SF is a great city.
To avoid, or at least reduce, wait time for the cable cars take either the powell/hyde route from the waterfront or the california street line from embarcadero. The wait at powell/market is always the longest and the second longest is the waterfront start of powell/mason line.
An alternative to get from downtown to fishermans wharf is to take the F Market and Wharves line. This line has antique streetcars from around the world which is pretty cool.
edited to add: And I just looked and the cable cars are now $7 per ride. But again, you can use a daily or weekly Muni pass for them and if you're planning to use public transit as your main means of getting around a pass is probably the best deal. Otherwise you're spending $2.75 per ride everytime you go somewhere. A 7 day visitor pass is $42.
Gardenarian
8-21-17, 2:02am
Hey, becky liz - my dh (musician) used to play at the Moonraker all the time!
A place I adore, further down the peninsula, is Filoli - an English style country house and garden.
The Santa Cruz mountains run down the peninsula south of San Francisco, and if you want to get off the beaten path, check out the little towns of Pescadero and San Gregorio (San gregorio is little more than a general store - but what a general store!) There are awesome beaches all along Hwy 1.
Further up the coast is the better-known Half moon bay - lots of boutiques and good food.
My favorite museum in SF is the Legion of Honor. Do not expect world class museums, though.
Thanks very much to all. Yesterday, I copied all the comments and suggestions for us to review when we get together to plan what we are doing.
I only had one day to spend in San Francisco three years ago (first time there) and really wanted to go over the Golden Gate Bridge. I stumbled across this in the AAA Tourbook and did it. You ride an antique fire truck around some of SF, over the bridge, around Sausalito, and back to SF. They also stop for a photo op with the bridge in the background before returning. I believe it was $40 + a tip. I had a blast! https://www.sanfranciscofireenginetours.com/
Point Reyes, in the NW part of the Marin Headlands is also a cute town. If you go to Muir Woods it would be worth stopping there after for lunch or whatever. Or go a little further up the coast and get Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Company. Or a bit further up still to Nick's Cove. They have a great restaurant right on the water or you can have appetizers and drinks out at the end of their dock.
Honestly, there's so many awesome places to go in and around the city I think you're going to need at least a month for your vacation... :~) And I'm sure all of us who've lived here or spent any amount of time here would be all too happy to give you enough suggestions to keep you busy!
I was in San Francisco only once many years ago. The thing that stands out in my mind is that even though we were there in the summer, we all had to go buy sweaters for the very chilly evenings. I don't know if it is much colder in the winter but summer evenings were cold!!
We went Muir Woods and it was lovely.
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