sumreknot

Okay fellow Fodorites...we are flying from Michigan into SF with 10 whole days to indulge in the pleasures of the area. I have read travel guides and Fodor notes (and printed many to take along) until I am on serious overload! Any last minute advice? We are staying in SF for 3 days, then renting a car and sightseeing on our own...back to SF on the 20th to fly out on the 21. We have a tour scheduled in SF which includes Alcatraz...We are so excited...my first year of retirement as a special ed teacher in Michigan. Any and all advice would be very much appreciated!

seetheworld

All I can say is bring along and wear comfortable shoes/sneakers for all of the hill climbing you'll be doing in San Francisco! It's the only sensible thing to wear, IMO.

Also, congratulations on your retirement and thanks for your contribution to the education of America's children

dovima

Where are you driving to for your sightseeing?

sumreknot

We plan to drive down the coast to Big Sur, staying along the way, wherever we find ourselves...Carmel etc...then we want to see Sonoma/Napa...

NorCal_Jo

How far are you planning to tour outside of SF? In any case, the weather here has been really nice so hopefully it will hold for you! Here goes a braindump of thoughts in no particular order - many you probably already know about. My favorites to take visiting family (and myself) in the Bay Area and beyond are: John Muir Redwoods if you like a bit of hiking; Presidio area just for great views of Golden Gate Bridge and beauty; the recently restored Ferry Building for drinks/dinner/lunch/buying yummy local cheeses/produce; Restaurants - too many to list but a few are Yank Sing for dim sum at lunch; Shangahi 1930 for upscale chinese in a very cool setting (downstairs near the embarcadero; lots of good cheap chinese places of course in chinatown area; Acqua($$$) for seafood; gotta eat a crab/shrimp sandwich at fisherman's wharf since I'm sure you'll go there. (Natives may laugh but I still like to go into that madness once in a while for cracked crab or a sandwich!). Other SF things -having a drink at the Top of the Mark bar on Nob hill for great SF views; go to Tiberon and shop and/or take the 15 min. ferry to Angel Island and do the walk part way or all the way around the island - easy and great views of the bridges, SF Skyline plus interesting history of the different uses of Angel island as there are old buildings to visit, etc. Take the ferry back to Tiberon and have a drink at Sam's or visit the swedish (i think) sweet shop for a pastry; Beach Blanket Babylon in North Beach is a classic SF show and lots of fun if you can get tickets; Outside of SF - Yosemite Nat'l park is awesome if you go outside the area - about 3-4 hours drive and worth it. If you go to the yosemitepark.com website, I think you can even find available lodging in the Valley floor area (curry camp tent cabins are fun and cheap if you are low maintenance travelers) or Wawona lodge outside of valley floor is peaceful and pretty. Ahwahnee lodge might be available on weeknight but is pricey; Napa and Sonoma are great areas- I prefer Sonoma area for touring and winetasting as it is more peaceful than Napa but both are great. In Sonoma, Healdsburg is a great little town with some hotels as well. Hope this helps and have a great time.

bettina

It's hard to know what you'll like. Please don't think it's not cold here. SF weather is very changable so be prepared with coats and jackets for night and maybe day. It may be sunny or not.

The Ferry Plaze building is a nice few hours with premier produce, cheese, chocolates, wine bar and some resto's for the foodie crowd (count me in). The acutal Farmer's Market action is good to see, it's Saturday morning and a small one on Tuesday. On the water too. It's terribly pricy though you will usually get the best. The Slanted Door Vietnamese restaurant there is extremely popular, so go at an off hour. I had a memorable meal recently. There are Ferries to Sausalito, worth it for the ride and a short walk then return.

Not sure what you're looking for. Most of the better, moderate to upscale resto's are in the neighborhoods. There are too many to mention. A recent hit was Pesce, on Upper Polk Street toward the Bay, for Italian style tapas 'chichitti'. Also on Polk is Swan's Oyster Depo for the best clam chowder in town. also cracked crab, smoked salmon --always a line. I too love Yank Sing--It's a don't miss for Dim Sum brunch.

coccinelle

sumreknot, have a fab time. My children are grateful for their good teachers.

TripleSecDelay

Something simple while driving in SF is to remember that some streets are one-way for a short span, and then two-way & vice-versa.
Parking is expensive everywhere in SF. If you go to the Fisherman's Wharf area and see a parking lot with an unusually low price, it is a discount offered only to SF residents with SF address on their drivers' licenses.
Oh, one last thing : you don't have to make "a Michigan left turn" while driving in CA.

Cheers!

LoveItaly

TripleSecDelay, what is a "Michigan left turn"? Just curious. Thanks

ltt

is the hotel strike still on???
my sister just returned tuesday and was VERY relieved that they did not stay downtown. too many picketers. they were happy at something called (or something like) the inn at opery hotel.

JJ5

LoveItaly, in case you are still interested: A Michigan left turn is this. You can not make a left turn at the intersection- you proceed through the intersection and then onward in the left hand lane until you get to a "turnaround" that lets you make a U turn to reverse direction where there is no intersection at all. There are tons of these in Detroit where left turns at intersections are illegal. Not so sure how many other places in Michigan use them. There are none in the Central and Southern part of the state that I frequent.

gail

Bring warm clothes - we nearly froze to death after dark in July a few years ago. We stupidly assumed California was warm.

Marilyn

Yeah, but not the "warm clothes" you would wear in a Michigan winter! More likely something snug for foggy, chilly evenings. You don't need a winter coat, but a sweater plus jacket. Think layers. Warm during the day, always cool at night.

Even though the weather has been fine, I wouldn't visit after Oct 1 without bringing a raincoat.

J_Correa

gail - lots of places in CA are quite warm in the summertime. SF just happens to not be one of them

traveler24

Weather--
Today 86 /52 (plus "bad Air' due to fires north and east of Napa)
Weekend cooler--78/50 & 72/48
Next Monday ot Tues. maybe rain !! After that it is anybodies guess???
USUALLY late Oct. is 68 to 72 and cooler nights 44 to 50
Good luck...

LoveItaly

JJ5 , thanks for the explanation, I have never encountered that. Think I understand?
Marilyn, when I stay overnight in SF from Nov until warmer weather I always need a coat. Think because of the "ocean dampness".
But right in this moment I would not for sure.