San Francisco

[Jax]

I'm going to a conference in San Francisco next week. We leave on Sunday morning fairly early, so we'll have the afternoon to explore the city, and then monday and tuesday after 5 (when the conference is over). Our hotel is near the San Francisco airport which kind of sucks, but that's where the conference is and Rice is paying so I can't complain. And it's supposed to be near the BART with free shuttles, so I'll definitely use it while I am there.

I was just wondering if anybody has any recommendations of what to see/do, where to go, etc. while I am there. If I take the BART from the airport area, does anybody know what the best station to get off is if I want to walk around and explore downtown, and some of the inner city neighborhoods?

[Vertigo58]

If you are into history, you have hit a gold mine!

The trolleys take you just about everywhere. Get one that takes you to Union Square check out the area. This is as cosmopolitan as it gets, serious. Go inside the St Francis Hotel and anything that survived the 1906 Quake. Go to Fisherman's Wharf, there is a movie house that is called the 1906 and 1989 earthquake experience, cool! Go to City Hall area all historic and then go to main part of Downtown and see how a real city is. The crowds are alive! Be sure to visit Golden Gate Park, you wont be disappointed. This like the Central Park of SFO. Van Ness and Valencia boast some of the most original turn of the century Victorian's youve ever seen. Fires of 1906 did not reach there. Nob Hill is high on top go inside Grace Cathedral (major cool) in fact most churches and cathedrals in SFO are out of this world cool.

Just grab a brochure or 2, I basically mentioned some of the highlights if without a car. I would rent one and just get lost. That's your best teacher, thats what I did and learned it fast. The city itself has numerous big signs that point you in the direction of the places of interest. SOMA or south of market is ok but there are just too many places to say, Sunset District, Presidio, Castro, Haight-Ashbury, Mission District dude, its all so cool! Dont forget about the other side of Golden Gate bridge like Novato, Mendecino. You won't want to come back to Houston. You will leave your heart in SFO!

Enjoy and take plenty of film so we can worship your pics when you come back!

[Jax]

Thanks for all of the info. I'll definitely bring my digital camera and a laptop to download photos each day, so I will have lots!

So what is a good BART stop to get off at so I can explore the city by foot/trolley? I know there are probably lots, but what is a good central place? It looks like "Embarcadero" or "Civic Center", or somewhere in between might be a good place to start. What do you think? I'd also like to see Chinatown.

Unfortunately, I only really have Sunday after 12 pm, and Monday/Tuesday after 5 to explore, so I probably won't get to do everything I want to do. I'll be on a tight budget, so I'd like to get a good feeling for the city without paying for too many tourist things.

[millennica]

I'm going to a conference in San Francisco next week. We leave on Sunday morning fairly early, so we'll have the afternoon to explore the city, and then monday and tuesday after 5 (when the conference is over). Our hotel is near the San Francisco airport which kind of sucks, but that's where the conference is and Rice is paying so I can't complain. And it's supposed to be near the BART with free shuttles, so I'll definitely use it while I am there.

I was just wondering if anybody has any recommendations of what to see/do, where to go, etc. while I am there. If I take the BART from the airport area, does anybody know what the best station to get off is if I want to walk around and explore downtown, and some of the inner city neighborhoods?

BART goes into the airport, so you can easily get the BART if the hotel has shuttles to the airport. If you want to explore downtown, you can get off at Embarcadero Station which will put you down by the bay at the base of downtown. You can also get off at Montgomery Station which will put you near the SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art), or you can get off at Powell Station which will get you close to Union Square where many of the department stores, large hotels, and boutique hotels are located as well put you close to the Tenderloin neighborhood. Once downtown, you can take the Third Street Streetcar part of the SF Muni System that runs along Third Street and Bayshore Boulevard will take you out to some urban neighborhoods, specifically Visitacion Valley, Bayview/Hunters Point, Dogpatch, and Mission Bay neighborhoods. Send me a PM if you'd like more information or suggestions.

[millennica]

Thanks for all of the info. I'll definitely bring my digital camera and a laptop to download photos each day, so I will have lots!

So what is a good BART stop to get off at so I can explore the city by foot/trolley? I know there are probably lots, but what is a good central place? It looks like "Embarcadero" or "Civic Center", or somewhere in between might be a good place to start. What do you think? I'd also like to see Chinatown.

Unfortunately, I only really have Sunday after 12 pm, and Monday/Tuesday after 5 to explore, so I probably won't get to do everything I want to do. I'll be on a tight budget, so I'd like to get a good feeling for the city without paying for too many tourist things.

If you want to see Chinatown, get off at Montgomery and walk up the hill through the archway that marks Chinatown. The Civic Center stop is where you'll find City Hall, but this stop is beyond what could might be considered downtown SF. If you get off at Embarcadero, you will be by the bay and cal walk along the promenade all the way to Fisherman's Wharf, which unless you are interested in a tourist trap, you should avoid. However, walking along the promenade you'll be able to see across the Bay to Treasure Island, the Bay Bridge and the ferries that travel between the other counties--Alameda, Marin and Solano--to SF.

[Vertigo58]

I just thought of you Millenica and Western gulf (I think he is still in the bay area) and to avoid the numerous tourist traps. Jax can always play with the seals at the wharf and of course theres Coit Tower for photos. Your right the museum areas are tops. You can really feast on some decilious Chinese food in these areas. I am not sure if Jax is into the dance club scene but there are some really awesome places to go to. Being a dude I would probably not stray to Castro unless thats your cup of tee. I would love to go to the historic Castro Theater for the Silent Screen Festivals viewings that are there often.

http://www.silentfilm.org/home.htm

Mr San Francisco has always been a sort of cool site:

http://www.mistersf.com/

For lovers of Classic Victorian architecture Just can't get enough!

http://www.victorianwalk.com/

[Jax]

I think Fisherman's Warf is on the list of places to see (the girl wants to see the seals that live there). How far is it from Embarcadero? Is it an easy walk? I should be able to see the bay from my hotel, but it will be nice to see the harbor area of San Francisco too. Hopefully there will be some good views and photo opportunities.

Are there any good spots for taking photos of the skyline? We're going by foot and on a budget and with limited time, so taking a boat ride might be out of the question.

Thanks for all of the help!

[musicman]

Are there any good spots for taking photos of the skyline? We're going by foot and on a budget and with limited time, so taking a boat ride might be out of the question.

Thanks for all of the help!

Twin peaks has wonderful views but without a car and limited time, i think you'll miss out on that one.

[memebag]

The ferry to Sausalito was cheap the last time I took it. Sausalito is a great place, with great views of the skyline if it isn't too foggy.

In SF, you can get around by bus, and rail for very cheap.

I recommend Alcatraz if you have time. If you're a Kerouac fan, check out City Lights and Vesuvio in North Beach. Golden Gate park is beautiful. Chinatown is a blast. I love the Japantown mall.

Basically, there's way too much to see in SF no matter how long you visit.

[Vertigo58]

Check out the fog!

http://www.sfgate.com/liveviews/

Be sure to note the layout of the city. I mean the wide boulevards, large public squares, numerous neighborhood parks (high atop hills), big public water fountains with statues, The bright lit neon kiosks, the fast pace of the people and the hundreds of restaraunts on story above another. Open windows all over the place (no need for ac).

Buy your girl a bouquet of flowers at the open florist booths. Ride the FREE outdoor elevator to the top of The St. Francis for birds-eye views/camera. North Beach or little Italy is neat, St Peter/Paul Cathedral where M. Monroe & Joe Dimaggio were married is great, very historical. The cable car museum is too cool.

I think I just gave a visual tour! Now I gotta go!

[millennica]

I think Fisherman's Warf is on the list of places to see (the girl wants to see the seals that live there). How far is it from Embarcadero? Is it an easy walk? I should be able to see the bay from my hotel, but it will be nice to see the harbor area of San Francisco too. Hopefully there will be some good views and photo opportunities.

Are there any good spots for taking photos of the skyline? We're going by foot and on a budget and with limited time, so taking a boat ride might be out of the question.

Thanks for all of the help!

As I wrote in an earlier post, when you get off at Embarcadero, you can walk to the promenade and walk down to Fisherman's Wharf. If you prefer not to walk, you can catch a trolley that runs down the Embarcadero that will bring you directly to Fisherman's Wharf. When you are down by the promenade, it is an easy walk to the stairway that you can climb to get to Coit Tower. There are lovely houses tucked along both sides of the hill that you can see as you walk up the stairway to Coit Tower. Coit Tower charges an admission fee, but even if you decide you don't want to pay money to go into the Tower, you can walk around the property and from this vantage point you will have a spectacular views of the Bay including Alcatraz Island. If you're lucky, the Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill may be flying around. You can take a different route to descend from Coit Tower and this route will provide you with excellent views of Treasure Island, Oakland, and Berkeley across the Bay. Some of the views you will see are included among the pictures I have posted in My Albums on HAIF. Since the ferries depart from the piers along the Embarcadero, you could easily catch a ferry either to Sausalito or Tiburon (my preference).

[moni]

Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet.

[Vertigo58]

Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet.

I only liked it because of old historic Mission Dolores.

One of my fave scenes from the Hitchcock film Vertigo

[Jax]

Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet.

What do you mean?

[Poppahop]

"Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet."

Some of the worst advice I have ever seen on this board, and I have seen plenty.

[moni]

What do you mean?

Lots of homeless people begging for money and they are very insistant. Lots of crime, keeps the police busy. Homeless sleep all over the sidewalks at night. Pickpockets and cons. If you do chance to go there, don't go alone. San Francisco is a beautiful city in places because of the view for one thing, but they do not even try to enforce panhandling or graffiti laws. During the day, you will be safe but I wouldn't want you to go at night alone.

[millennica]

"Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet."

Some of the worst advice I have ever seen on this board, and I have seen plenty.

I agree that the quote above is terrible advice. The explanation given later to substantiate the claim is no better and was obviously written by someone who is uncomfortable visiting cities. Ignore this person's advice, s/he knows not what s/he says.

[dalparadise]

San Francisco is a town with more aggressive panhandlers and many more and more visible homeless people in the city. It's never been an issue for me, though. I think a good dose of city sense is all that's needed, as there is a lot of pedestrian activity in most areas and street crime is pretty well contained north of Market Street. South of Market, you may run into some dicey neighborhoods, but even those are generally okay, if you look like you belong there and have your wits about you.

The Embarcadero area is not what I call San Francisco. It's pretty much like any Downtown area with office towers that empty out after 5 pm. Fisherman's Wharf is a tourist trap, but should probably be seen at least once. The place is full of street performers, restaurants, the smell of sourdough bread baking and lots of shopping for trinkets. You can board ferries to Alcatraz or other points around here, too. Ghirradeli Chocolate Factory and the adjacent shopping area are also here, as is the main cable car turnaround for the North-South lines. So, it makes for a pretty lively area. Touristy, but lively.

The nearby North Beach area is a great place to eat some great food and take in a little neo-boho atmosphere. It's pretty close to Chinatown, too -- if you don't mind climbing hills on foot. Or, you can take a trolley to the Union Square area (where many hotels and even more tourists are -- but also many good restaurants, galleries, sights, etc.), walk down to Market for some really vibrant urban street life, great architectural finds, bars, coffee shops, etc.

It's been a couple of years since I last was there, but back then there was a burgeoning neighborhood bar scene on Fillmore St. north of Geary attracting a lot of locals and offering some good bar-hopping. The Haight, just a few blocks farther west also seemed to be livelier than I remembered from past visits. Depending on your tastes, you may enjoy the Haight more during the day.

Broadway (a main East-West) sorta connects all these areas and offers sex shows, dives and hookers, if that's what you're into. Down in the Castro, you'll find the same, only gay.

Golden Gate Park, in my opinion, is even nicer than Central Park. It's something to explore when you have a little more time, though. Still, the area can provide some beautiful views for photos, if you only have a couple of hours of daylight. Don't count on much neighborhood activity once you leave the Haight, though -- in these parts, it's almost suburban, by City standards.

You might consider a BART ride across the Bay to Berkeley -- a visit to campus and a walk around its environs to get a real feel for the hippie atmosphere that still lives in this area. Or, stay on the SF side, venture into some of the nicer, Eastern areas south of Market for some cool clubbing anf great people watching. The suggested ride up to Tiburon or Sausaulito is also a great idea, though with limited time, you might feel like quaint bayside villages, art galleries and shopping take too much valuable time. Still, the scenery is spectacular and the hidden away bars and restaurants in these towns can't be beaten.

Enjoy SF. If you're like me or most people, you truly will never want to come home.

[webdude]

That is so not enough time. I love the city core, but the most unforgettable experiences for me is always driving along the pacific coast, and up north wine valley. If you don't have enough time, you should still get a car and drive along the so called 49miles scenic drive in and around San Francisco. If you only have until after five to explore, you will miss much beauty. Its been a while and I wish someone would pay me to go too. And I second the Berkeley area, its a whole other kind of fun.

[Jax]

Thanks for all of the help guys. Yeah, I totally wish I had more time. Sunday I've got a half day and the rest is just going to be after 5, and with the time change that doesn't mean too much daylight. Oh well, can't complain because it's free! I might just have to skip out of the conference early on Wednesday for some last daytime exploring before my plane leaves (afternoon).

[nativehou]

San Francisco is a town with more aggressive panhandlers and many more and more visible homeless people in the city.

I was there this past February for work also. My coworker and I were walking down a side street and passed a homeless person who asked us for money. When I said I couldn't help him, he yelled loudly "Go back to Minnesota and shovel some snow!" We were kinda shocked so we laughed a little bit, which pissed him off even more and he yelled something we couldn't understand. Never had that happen to me in Houston.

You should definitely go to Golden Gate Park -- there are many, many great things there for you to photograph. Then you can walk down Haight Street and look at all the cool shops near Haight/Ashbury.

[Vertigo58]

Bet Jax didn't think this topic would linger on.

The Palace Of Fine Arts is a must for visitors. The surrounding grounds are so beautiful and the homes across the street, wow!

[WesternGulf]

Vertigo, I won't be living in San Francisco 'til after Christmas.

Jax, I do not think SF is a huge tourist destination during November but the experience I am sure will still be excellent. Like dalparadise said panhandling is agressive in areas like Upper Playground/The Haight and around Downtown in Union Square. I avoid Fisherman's Wharf everytime I stop in the Bay Area. It's like going to Galveston for Moody Gardens, too many tourist and if arcade games on the boardwalk and Hard Rock Cafe is your thing, go for it. I would recommnd stopping in the Telegraph Hill/North Beach area that is in the shadow of Coit Tower. With its proximity to downtown around rush hour in the afternoon the neighborhood is pretty busy full of afternoon joggers, people relaxing in Washington Square and people eating at cafes along the many commercial streets that lead to the park/square. Coit Tower is also in the neighborhood. The views are outstanding but pretty average for what else you can see around the city. Plus it's another tourist trap.

Some pics fromNorth Beach:

The Haight:

To get to downtown from the airport I would get off at the Embarcadero Station at Market and Powell which is only a block from the Union Square Plaza in downtown. It's pretty much San Francisco's Rue Sainte-Catherine of Montr

[RedScare]

Some pics fromNorth Beach:

OMG! Look at those power poles! What an ugly, dusgusting city! Why would anyone want to live in a place that cannot even bury its electric lines!

Have a nice trip, Jax.

[millennica]

To get to downtown from the airport I would get off at the Embarcadero Station at Market and Powell which is only a block from the Union Square Plaza in downtown. It's pretty much San Francisco's Rue Sainte-Catherine of Montr

[WesternGulf]

I live in the SF Bay Area and travel by BART to San Francisco on a regular basis. Embarcadero Station will not bring a passenger to Market and Powell. Embarcadero is the first stop after the BART emerges from the tunnel that goes under SF Bay. Embarcadero Station is down by the bay. After the Embarcadero is Montgomery Station. After Montgomery is Powell. If you want to get off at Market and Powell, which is one block from Union Square, the correct stop is Powell, not Embarcadero.

Woops. My mistake. I am speaking of the station where the pedestrian mall is and where the Powell Street trolley dead ends.

[Jax]

"Stay away from the Mission District at night unless you like a dense urban experience. You'll be glad that it hasn't reached Houston yet."

My trip was great. I'll try to post some photos on here at some point.. but a lot are already on my Flickr if you want to see.

I thought I would add that I ended up exploring the Mission district and it was very cool. Mission Dolores Park especially had an awesome view. There were lots of nice restaurants and cafes, had some really good Thai food around there. Maybe I missed the sketchy part of it, but what I saw of the Mission district was very cool. Reminded me a lot of the "Plateau" region of Montreal.

[Vertigo58]

My trip was great. I'll try to post some photos on here at some point.. but a lot are already on my Flickr if you want to see.

I thought I would add that I ended up exploring the Mission district and it was very cool. Mission Dolores Park especially had an awesome view. There were lots of nice restaurants and cafes, had some really good Thai food around there. Maybe I missed the sketchy part of it, but what I saw of the Mission district was very cool. Reminded me a lot of the "Plateau" region of Montreal.

I knew you would like The Mission District. All pics are great and have me lusting to go again.

No cathedral pictures I guess? anyway, thank you for taking us away for a moment or two Jax.

[Jax]

I am too lazy to post my photos here at HAIF, but I made an album on Flickr of some of the pics I took on my trip to SF, if anybody wants to see.

[The Great Hizzy!]

OMG! Look at those power poles! What an ugly, dusgusting city! Why would anyone want to live in a place that cannot even bury its electric lines!

Have a nice trip, Jax.

ROTFL!

Head on over to Oakland. I'm serious. Don't be put off by all the data on crime and whatnot. Jack London Square is cool by itself, but the view from Oaktown to SF is pretty sweet, too.