San Francisco Advice???

[WannabeAriel]

I know this isn't very "Disney" related - but does anyone have any advice on places to stay and things to see in San Francisco? We are leaving Disneyland and will be staying in San Fran for 6 nights.

I have no clue where to look for a hotel! I don't even know what area of town is good for tourists to stay!!!

Any tips would be appreciated!!!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Someone just posted their SF pics in the Podcast forum you might want to go look at.

Alcatraz tour, walk across the GG bridge, Angel Island, Pier 39, are just a few things in SF.

In San Jose to the south is the Winchester Mystery House and the San Jose Tech Museum. In Half Moon Bay you can visit the beach, ride horses on the beach or walk along the path there.

To the north about 40 min up 101 is Sonoma County where I live. Redwoods in Armstrong Woods (there is also Muir Woods closer to SF), Jack London State Park where you can see his house and museum and hike, wine tasting.
Of of 80 in Fairfield is the Jelly Belly factory where you can take a tour and get free samples and buy stuff. In Bodega Bay you can see the building they used for the school in the movie The Birds and visit the beach.

That's a few things anyway. As for hotels, I couldn't say because I don't stay in SF. It is a day trip for me. You may want to move around the Bay Area and not stay in one spot the entire time.

 

[Brady's Mom]

There is the new aquarium at the Museum of Natural History, Exploratorium - a hands on science museum (which even my 20 yr. old loves), Palace of Fine Arts - I think that's where the Japanese Tea Garden is, Golden Gate Park, Cable Car Museum, Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and the Marina Green where you can watch the boats and kite flyers or Ocean Beach off of Highway 1 (it will be COLD there).

 

[CPT Tripss]

Bike across Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and take the ferry back to SF. It isn't as difficult as it sounds, I'm 60 and overweight . . . made it just fine. One rental outfit, of several, is "Blazing Saddles" - http://www.blazingsaddles.com/bicycle_rental_rates.html

We stayed at Columbus Motor Inn . . . free parking, walkable to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiardelli Square (and for good walkers, a lot more). Near a cable car terminus and on bus routes. (check tripadvisor.com for any hotel in SF, some are sketchy). http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...umbus_Motor_Inn-San_Francisco_California.html
http://www.columbusmotorinn.com/

Also, the SF library offers FREE walking tours . . . unfortunately, I do not have their website or the schedule. There were several different ones each day. They did ask for a donation to the library - guides do not take "tips."

Here are some web sites we used for planning:
http://www.nps.gov/alca/planyourvisit/feesandreservations.htm
http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g...fornia:Union.Square.Vs.Fisherman.S.Wharf.html
http://www.citypass.com/city/sanfrancisco.html?id=i4ZtygTu

Have fun!

 

[mamacatnv]

I like the Handlery Hotel in Union Sq.

 

[AmericanItGirl]

If you're into food, then both the food court at the Emporium (the big mall across the street from the Market/Post cable car turn-around) and the Ferry Building are great places to poke around. Best place to catch the cable car is near the Ferry Building (never a line like at the Fisherman's Wharf area/Market and Post area), and that line (which terminates on Van Ness) will take you to the top of Nob Hill where Grace Cathedral is (gorgeous building). I recommend getting a hotel near/on either the Embarcadero or Market, because it'll be easier to get around (fewer hills). The Presidio is great for hiking (there's even a bus service from downtown directly to the Presidio called Presidi-go) and is the future home of the Disney Family museum.

 

[PinkBudgie]

There is the new aquarium at the Museum of Natural History, Exploratorium - a hands on science museum (which even my 20 yr. old loves), Palace of Fine Arts - I think that's where the Japanese Tea Garden is, Golden Gate Park, Cable Car Museum, Fortune Cookie Factory in Chinatown, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and the Marina Green where you can watch the boats and kite flyers or Ocean Beach off of Highway 1 (it will be COLD there).

I used to love the Exploratorium when I was younger, however in recent years it seems to have gone downhill. Some of the exhibits are just left not working and it feels kind of run down. It needs a good fixing up because it is very cool. I liked the San Jose Tech museum better.

 

[marvel]

Everything the above posters mentioned is great to do in SF. WE prefer staying at the WHarf and stayed at the Marriott which was nice and very convenient. However can get a bit pricey.

 

[TiggerCate]

Union Square is a great area to stay in. It is central and a fun area- very alive, a cable car stops right in front, it is walking distance to Chinatown, and there is top-notch shopping, too. My company put us up in the Westin St. Francis, which is good or bad, depending on the room and your taste. It is pricey, but the location is top notch, and it is a landmark hotel. Part of the Pacific theater planning for WWII was done upstairs in the old part of the hotel. Queen Elizabeth has stayed there, too. I have had (mostly) good luck checking out tripadvisor for hotel recommends.

Chinatown is a must do. We did our best shopping there, and I enjoyed Vietnamese sandwiches on a side street. Alcatraz is worth seeing for sure. Taking a cable car, while touristy, is so much fun! The sealions at the Wharf are stinky and loud but amusing! You might want to think of heading over to Sonoma or Napa to check out wineries on a day trip. I find Sonoma prettier.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun I had in San Francisco. I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I did!

 

[Psymonds]

Living in the Bay Area, we tend not to do the touristy stuff unless people from out of town come in but here's a grouping of some of the things mentioned above, geographically.

I live here and I try not to drive in the City, so I would start by planning most of your activities around transit, but if you do plan to do the San Jose options, it's a long way, and not BARTable.

North SF:
Presidio/Golden Gate National Recreation Area - Reccomend walking along crissy field to GG bridge and across. Fort Point is nice. This is a great activity when it's warm, but can be very chilly even in summer. PP reccomended bikes, also a good option.

At the end of Fort Mason (adjacent to above) is Ghiradeli Sqare and Fisherman's wharf. every tourist trap known to man is here, along with the only In-n-Out burger in the city and some good seafood. Also where you catch the Alcatraz Ferry. you need a reservation for Alcatraz, it's very hard to show up day-of and get on a tour.

North Beach/Chinatown:
Running together, just north of downtown are the Italian district, North Beach, with many wonderful restaurants (and pushy restauranters) and Chinatown. both are great for strolling. I would reccomend Cafe Michaelangelo in North Beach. I would also go to Beach Blanket Babylon, with it's fun musical satire, current humor and big hats (21+ most nights).

Financial District/Downtown/South of Market:
I like the ferry building, for every fancy (and usually expensive) food stuff around. Taylor's refresher or slanted door are great places to eat.

Downtown is the business district, which also means it can be boring to tourists. shopping worth seeing is concentrated around union square and east. don't stray too far past union square to the west, not worth seing unless you're looking for junkies and homeless folks.

South of market has a cluster of museums, including the Museum of Modern art, and 3 or 4 lesser known museums. Also from here, you can catch the "culture bus" to many of the other museums in the city.

Elsewhere in SF:
Golden Gate park is worth a whole day, maybe two. The California Academy of sciences is newly reopened, fantastic, and $25 per person, so I haven't been yet. right across the plaza is the De Young museum, which is only a few years old, and has a great view from it's observation tower. the park also has nice botanical gardens, worth a stroll on a sunny day, a well maintained japanese tea garden (all within walking distance of the two museums). the park is huge and goes out to the ocean.

I love sonoma, especially right around the town of sonoma. Napa is nice, but Sonoma has a better wine country feel to me.

Other than that, pack a sweatshirt, whenever you're coming, and enjoy.

 

[queenarmadillo]

One of my guidebooks mentioned that the Jelly Belly factory is pretty near San Fransisco and they do tours. Does anyone know if this is an option when relying on public transport? And is it worth the trip?

 

[Psymonds]

The Jelly Belly factory is in Fairfield. It would be a pretty hefty trip. I ran it through the transit planner (511.org) and it suggested taking the capital corridor (amtrak) which you would have to catch a bus from SF to emeryville and then a bus from the amtrak station to the factory, all in all about 2.5 hours each way and almost $20 in fares.

I've been there twice and had fun. pretty stock factory tour, but good deals on belly flops (imperfect beans) I would guess the target age is around 10. It's probably not worth doing with transit, but if you rent a car for napa or sonoma, it's only about half an hour further to fairfield on highway 12.

 

[McQueenofHrts]

The Jelly Belly Factory is in Fairfield which is about 45 minutes to an hour away from SF. It is fun, but I am not sure that public transit can get you there and back. You may want to call them and ask.

Have fun planning. SF is beautiful!

 

[odc146]

My favorite thing to do is see a SF Giants game. If you are into baseball this is a great park. Fun to explore and neat things for the kids to do slides, build a bear, a mini baseball park where the kids and hit if they are small enough. We usually stay in the union square area due to the shopping, restaurants and public transportation nearby. We have stayed on nob hill before which has great views also. The great thing about San Francisco is you can leave your car parked at the hotel and take public transportation everywhere you need to go. Enjoy your trip

 

[MyMuse]

I'm heading for a 4 night stay in San Fran next month. I booked Hotel Kabuki for its proximity to The Fillmore. I'm going to a show.

The other days - Winery Day (Saratoga), Tourist Day (Hard Rock, walking tours, Lombard St, City Hall tour, etc) and one day to Golden Gate Park (deYoung for King Tut exhibit?, tea garden, botanical garden, etc).

I don't know yet if I'm taking a cab or a shuttle to/fr the airport and I do have an option with my hotel to book a Goldn Gate Greeter. Does anyone has an opinion?

Thanks!

 

[mamacatnv]

I'm heading for a 4 night stay in San Fran next month. I booked Hotel Kabuki for its proximity to The Fillmore. I'm going to a show.

The other days - Winery Day (Saratoga), Tourist Day (Hard Rock, walking tours, Lombard St, City Hall tour, etc) and one day to Golden Gate Park (deYoung for King Tut exhibit?, tea garden, botanical garden, etc).

I don't know yet if I'm taking a cab or a shuttle to/fr the airport and I do have an option with my hotel to book a Goldn Gate Greeter. Does anyone has an opinion?

Thanks!

I will be driving over in July to take my DD to the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at the DeYoung (ouch I just looked at the ticket prices) along with a visit to the San Jose Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, we are very excited about that. I will be staying in San Jose with my Bro and his wife, we will drive into the city.

My rule of thumb - when visiting the N.W. area of SFO (Beach, Zoo, Bridge, Golden Gate Park and Exploratorium) we take our own vehicle. When visiting Union Sq, China Town and the wharf area we take BART/Taxi & Cable Cars.

Now I need to go find out if on top of the cost of the Tutankhamun tickets I also have to pay the admission to the museum itself. Double Ouch.........

 

[mamacatnv]

The general admission to the Museum is included with the purchase of the Tut tickets....Okay, that is not too bad

 

[MyMuse]

The general admission to the Museum is included with the purchase of the Tut tickets....Okay, that is not too bad

Is it? I thought it wasn't. That's a great relief! The King Tut was at...what? $30?

I don't have a car, so we are going to have to public transport it to GG Park or just walk. Japantown isn't that far away. I'm hiring a car only for Saratoga Day.

 

[CPT Tripss]

I don't want to put a damper on this exhibition . . . but . . .

It got very mixed reviews here in Phila. I was disappointed. Too much "Egypt in general" and not enough Tut. It was no where near as good as the 80's exhibition.

 

[mamacatnv]

Is it? I thought it wasn't. That's a great relief! The King Tut was at...what? $30?

I don't have a car, so we are going to have to public transport it to GG Park or just walk. Japantown isn't that far away. I'm hiring a car only for Saratoga Day.

From the FAQ's on the DeYoung Website:
Can I see the rest of the Museum with my King Tut ticket? Yes, general admission to the Museum (normally $10 for an adult ticket) is included in any King Tut exhibition ticket that is purchased. Hours for the King Tut exhibition will not mirror Museum hours, so plan your visit for a day and time when you can tour the Museum’s expansive permanent collection.

Will tickets be timed and dated for the exhibition? Can I purchase tickets on the day that I want to visit? All tickets to the exhibition will be timed and dated. We expect advance ticket sales to be high; the Museum strongly encourages people to purchase their tickets to King Tut in advance as the exhibition capacity is limited, and times and dates will sell out. Individual tickets for the exhibition may be available the day of your visit on-site at the Museum; however, the Museum cannot predict availability. We cannot guarantee that tickets will be available at the Museum on a same day basis.

Thru Ticket Master they are $32.50 Fri, Sat & Sun and $27.50 weekdays - kids 6-12 are $16 regardless of day. Plus the $3.75 per ticket convenience fee to buy them on line and then add $7 per person for the audio tour handsets. Ouch

I don't want to put a damper on this exhibition . . . but . . .

It got very mixed reviews here in Phila. I was disappointed. Too much "Egypt in general" and not enough Tut. It was no where near as good as the 80's exhibition.

I didn't see the Tut exhibit in the 80's and have always regretted it - I read about this exhibit in AAA Via magazine and they touted more of the Egyptology and less of the Tut. I didn't actually know until today that there was a large number of Tut pieces in the exhibit. I guess from what I was reading is that the Tut death mask is in a museum in Cairo and many people were disappointed that it was not part of this traveling exhibit. My DD and I are fascinated by Egyptology in general so I think this will be worth the $$ but thank for the heads up.