I'm sure some of you either live or have traveled through the San Francisco Bay Area of California. Just curious what there is to see and do while I'm there next month for a week long business trip. Never been west of Vegas before so I don't really know what to expect. I'll be staying in Alameda so I imagine I could get to San Francisco or Oakland without much trouble.

How reliable / easy to use is the public transportation there?

Anything in particular worth seeing?

Anything I should avoid?

I've always wanted to see the Haight-Ashbury district.

see? north beach (city lights book store), golden gate park, union square, also, the museum of modern art is superb.

do? men



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-09-09 02:41 by nikki bong.

nikki bong Wrote:
-
> do? men

Ouch! Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Edith Grove Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
- Not that there's anything wrong with that.


agreed, and hey, i love san francisco.

also, it might be best to avoid Fisherman's Wharf, (overpriced crap), and stonestod. (ornery bastard)

I will let sweet or some of the others answer this, though I could as well.

Just a couple of things to go see --

Alcatraz, dont care if some think its too touristy, its really worth it

North Beach of course

The Marina Greens - you will be right next to the bay and almost underneath the Golden Gate Bridge, we used to party there at night, but its a helluva sight during the day

Coit Tower at night - great view of the bay

UC Berkeley campus, and definitely go on the south side of campus to Telegraph Avenue where you will find a strong remnant of the 60s with the street vendors, street characters such as the "Hate Man" and great book stores such as Moe's and great record stores such as Rasputin's and Amoeba

Golden Gate Park and the panhandle area of the park where the Haight is located as in Haight Ashbury

sorry, I got carried away, i will let others have a go


plexi

If I had one day in San Francisco, I would have taken the "Vertigo"-journey - without any doubt.

I drove a cab out there from 1990-1996. Since I've been there, I'm sure the night life has changed, but the scenic areas, I'm sure are the same. What I always enjoyed doing was driving north over the Golden Gate bridge and going to Muir Woods...it has beautiful enormous redwood trees and several hiking paths.

Then you can continue north and head to Napa and Sonama valley for some great wine tasting.

In the city, I like walking through the Haight Ashbury, into Golden Gate park, and walk through all the way to the ocean...about a two mile walk or so?

Some eating tips...for a good burrito and Mexican foos...head to The Mission district and go to 18thor 19th and Mission, there's a place called Cancun or something close to that...great burritos.

For Thai food, go out on Geary, in the inner Richmond and eat at the Thai Cafe...it's right next to Mels Diner.

In Chinatown, go to House of Nanking on Columbus...just down the road from Citylights Bookstore and Vesuvios bar...across from Vesuvios is a great kind of Beatnick bar called Specs[/url

Walk furthur up Columbus and just across Broadway and veer right on Grant and go to Cafe Trieste maybe you'll have espresso with Paul Kantner from the Jefferson Airplane? He frequents there, as well as Lawrence Ferlinghetti...also, that's where Francis Ford Coppalla wrote The Godfather.

BEWARE......Hookers west of Hyde street are Transvestites...east of Hyde are Females. Just a word to the wise

Dolores street in The Mission is nice, it's lined with nice low Palm trees.


That's off the top of my head...I'm sure others will add more.

in sf, i strongly recommend the sutro bath ruins - the area just north of the "cliff house" - the beach just adjacent to golden gate park. very cool at night. there's a really long, dark tunnel and at the other end are huge rocks where the waves crash in front of you.

also very cool at night: the palace of fine arts. you can climb around the palace and no one will disturb you.

also, when in marin county on highway 101, and about to head over the golden gate bridge into SF, take the road to the right that shoots up the hill (follow signs for military forts - ruins - and youth hostel). this road affords amazing views of the bridge and bay (famous postcard shots taken there) - the road appears to deadend at the top but it doesn't - take it down and around along the beach and through the ruins. there's a marine mammal rescue center there too.

when in marin, go to muir woods - a fabulous redwood forest.

Bingo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
--- BEWARE......Hookers west of Hyde street are
> Transvestites...east of Hyde are Females. Just a
> word to the wise
---

I thank thee for those words.

napa and sonoma are great, but too many people these days.

i would still recommend them and in the napa valley definitely go to the Robert Mondavi Winery, the best in the valley and one of the best in the world.

If you can get into Schramsberg Champagne place, do so, a very small, high quality operation with champagne made the old way, by le methode champenoise (spelling?)

But try going to the Alexander Valley, Stone Creek valley and others near by for a much smaller, less crowded, and intimate experience, a lot of excellent wineries there

plexi

little queenie wrote:

there's a marine mammal rescue center there too.


How very Berkeley and how very little queenie!!


plexi

If you like to play Bocce, The Landmark Winery in Sonoma has a Bocce court in the back, grab a bottle or two of wine and have fun!!

My wife, who is of Italian decent, kicks my ass every time. LOL





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2007-09-09 03:21 by Bingo.

San Francisco is noted for fine food.

A variety of places you might like to check out...Zuni Cafe for lunch, Postrio for a pricey breakfast but well worth it for the delightful menu, service and decor....Imperial Palace for Chinese food.

I'm sure there will be more suggestions coming up here...

And perhaps someone will let you know the address of the spot where many of the most famous psychedelic posters are on are display. SF Art Exchange currently has an exhibition of primo rock photography of the greats.

While in the Haight, stop at Amoeba Music (1855 Haight St.).

San Francisco is a great city for walking around with no particular place to go. The people are extremely friendly, and they wear their eccentricity with pride.

I'm from L.A. Many of the people here (not all) are mean, insulated from reality and obsessed with their image. Visits up to the Bay area are so refreshing.

I think that little stinkin' fish town is much overrated - you don't see nothing because of the fog, the next girl shows you her nob^^

open-g Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think that little stinkin' fish town is much
> overrated - you don't see nothing because of the
> fog, the next girl shows you her nob^^

sorry open g. We are friends, but you are dead wrong here. They call it "the city that knows how" or simply, to those of us from Northern California, "The City."

Yes, there can be a lot of fog, but have you ever been there in October or November -- best weather of the year. I have seen many a Stones show in an outdoors stadium in the fall and while there have been threats of rain, it does not happen. In Nov 05, Mick made a comment like "another balmy fall evening in San Francisco." I wore a t shirt to those shows.

It has so much, from the bay with its landmark bridges and islands to the wharf to North Beach to the Marina to Chinatown to the Haight to Golden Gate Park to legendary hills to the historical cable cars to .... god, I could go on. Restaurants of all types and tastes. Great theater and a musical history that any city could envy. The Bay Area (SF and Berkeley) is where the (hippie) counterculture began and where the Free Speech and anti (Vietnam) war movement began or at least really became a national force.

no sir, don't tell me that San Francisco and the Bay Area is not a great place today and historically.

Gee (or should I say g?), can you tell that you touched a Plexiglass nerve??!!

Peace, my friend.

Plexi

North Beach Restaurant, GREAT Italian Food!!!
Have an Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista

Well,the subject seems to have been covered quite nicely so far. I can only agree with most of what's been said so far. The Golden Gate Bridge is a must. Alcatraz as well. As well as Golden Gate park. Yes Fisherman's wharf is touristy and overpriced. I have'nt been down that way in years. If you go downtown in SF. The Embarcadero center is nice. Many fine bars and reastaurants. A bit pricey,but one of my hangouts is The Holding Co. in Embarcadero #2. Many fine restaurants. Some of my favorites,Ceasar's for italian food in north beach. If your a meat lover. Their's the House Of Prime Rib and Harris's steak house on Van Ness. Music wise,their are many choices also. If you like blues,thier's the Boom Boom Room,or Biscuit's & Blues. Also nice venues in the city are The Warfield or The Fillmore. If your staying in Alameda,keep an eye on shows at The Paramount Theatre in Oakland. Otherwise,you don't want to visit Oakland if you don't have to.

Have a double latte at the Depo downtown Mill Valley....

Go see T&A(Stonestod's bud) . he's a regular riot(not). Actually, Stonestod is cool, T&A rides his coattails.

Yeah we try to keep StonesTod and all his aliases north of the Golden Gate Bridge as much as possible.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

Stonesfan70....email me privately and I will help you out with everything you want/need to know.....pstupar@aol.com peter

sarahunwin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Have a double latte at the Depo downtown Mill
> Valley....


sarah

e mail me again at tim_bernardis@hotmail.com

plexi

I was three weeks ago for a buseniss trip in SF as well, and had enough time to spend in the city. It is really nice around there (Fisherman's Warfe, Golden Gate, Chinatown etc). If you have enough time you could think of visiting Yosemite National Park. It is about 4 hour drive but really worth the visit as well if you have time. It was my first visit to SF and the Westcoast.

sjouke

[sjouke66.googlepages.com]

Dont forget the flowers!!

My recommendation would be to rent a pushbike from Blazing Saddles and cycle across the Golden Gate, carry on down to Sausalito, have lunch there and then come back across the bay on the ferry - a great SFO experience!

October is prime time in SF - the fog goes away, and the rain hasn't started. If you can rent a car, and decide to check out the Sonoma County wineries, be sure to head west to Bodega Bay and see the pacific coast. Drive Hwy 1, stop often, comb the beaches, and have clam chowder or fresh dungeness crab and french bread at Lucas Wharf or The Tides.

While in The City, it's ok to be a tourist - it gives us locals something to do. Ride the cable cars, visit Grace Cathedral, have an espresso in North Beach. But most of all, have a great time!

Anastasia, born and raised in San Francisco

p.s. are there any specific things you like to do? We can probably advise better based upon stuff you enjoy doing...

why not just screw SF altogether and come up to Portland, america's BEER and COFFEE (not necessarily together) capital?