One day walking tour of San Francisco...advise?
May 4th, 2009, 10:16 AM
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One day walking tour of San Francisco...advise?
My parents (60's) and me and my husband will be in San Francisco on Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10. We have a car rented on Sunday for a visit to the Muir Woods and Sausalito, then Alcatraz night tour. So, we arrive at our Fisherman's Wharf hotel around 12noon. I'd like to have a sidewalk lunch from the steamed seafood folks in the area, and then hit the town. Things we must get in: Ghiradelli Square, Chinatown, a cablecar ride on the Powell and Hyde line from the Powell and Market turntable. A visit to the Ferry Building would be nice too, and I have NO CLUE how to piece all this together or if I'm being too ambitious.
Any and all advise is very much appreciated! Thanks!
Any and all advise is very much appreciated! Thanks!
May 4th, 2009, 11:54 AM
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Just visit Ghirardelli anytime you have a spare moment - no nead to really schedule it.
1. The lines at the Cable Car turnarounds will be long. When you arrive & check in to your hotel, immediatly send someone in your group to hold a place in line at the Hyde St/Buena Vista/Ghriardelli turnaround. Then when it's your turn to get on the car, go to the "opposite" side of the car so you sit on the east side - the side with the best views. Take the car all the way to Union Square & get off as soon as you see Union Square (don't take it to Market unless you want to see a lot of vagrants).
2. Walk around Union Sq a tad. Then walk to Calif St & Grant and enter Chinatown. Walk North on Grant to Broadway. Turn left on Broadway & walk one block west to Stockton, and then turn left & walk south on Stockton. The Grant St section of Chinatown is for the tourists, and the Stockton section is for the Chinese. Continue to walk south on Stockton to Clay St.
3. At Clay, turn left & walk east all the way past the Embarcadero Buildings, to Justin Herman Plaza. Cross the plaza to the Ferry Bldg.
4. After visiting the Ferry Bldg, I would walk back east on Clay St & almost immediatly turn right on Drumm, and then turn left & walk west on Washington St. When you hit a huge intersection with a lot of streets coming together, that's Columbus St (plus Montgomery). Take Columbus northwest, past Broadway, into North Beach (Little Italy). Continue walking up Columbus to get back to the Wharf.
If you want to see more of North Beach (I would), then do this:
After visiting Chinatown (#2), walk east on Clay, then turn left/north on Montgomery and proceed to Columbus. Walk northwest on Columbus all the way to Washington Square. Cross Columbus and walk southeast on the "other" side of Columbus St. Continue on to Clay and then visit the Ferry Bldg (#3).
After visiting the Ferry Bldg, walk north along the Embarcadero to Pier #7. This is a public pier. Walk out on the pier. Continue walking along the beautiful Embarcadero back to the Wharf.
Get a AAA map of San Francisco. Don't use the dinky hotel hand-outs.
Stu Dudley
1. The lines at the Cable Car turnarounds will be long. When you arrive & check in to your hotel, immediatly send someone in your group to hold a place in line at the Hyde St/Buena Vista/Ghriardelli turnaround. Then when it's your turn to get on the car, go to the "opposite" side of the car so you sit on the east side - the side with the best views. Take the car all the way to Union Square & get off as soon as you see Union Square (don't take it to Market unless you want to see a lot of vagrants).
2. Walk around Union Sq a tad. Then walk to Calif St & Grant and enter Chinatown. Walk North on Grant to Broadway. Turn left on Broadway & walk one block west to Stockton, and then turn left & walk south on Stockton. The Grant St section of Chinatown is for the tourists, and the Stockton section is for the Chinese. Continue to walk south on Stockton to Clay St.
3. At Clay, turn left & walk east all the way past the Embarcadero Buildings, to Justin Herman Plaza. Cross the plaza to the Ferry Bldg.
4. After visiting the Ferry Bldg, I would walk back east on Clay St & almost immediatly turn right on Drumm, and then turn left & walk west on Washington St. When you hit a huge intersection with a lot of streets coming together, that's Columbus St (plus Montgomery). Take Columbus northwest, past Broadway, into North Beach (Little Italy). Continue walking up Columbus to get back to the Wharf.
If you want to see more of North Beach (I would), then do this:
After visiting Chinatown (#2), walk east on Clay, then turn left/north on Montgomery and proceed to Columbus. Walk northwest on Columbus all the way to Washington Square. Cross Columbus and walk southeast on the "other" side of Columbus St. Continue on to Clay and then visit the Ferry Bldg (#3).
After visiting the Ferry Bldg, walk north along the Embarcadero to Pier #7. This is a public pier. Walk out on the pier. Continue walking along the beautiful Embarcadero back to the Wharf.
Get a AAA map of San Francisco. Don't use the dinky hotel hand-outs.
Stu Dudley
May 4th, 2009, 11:55 AM
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I think a decent order since you are staying in the FW area would be:
Ghiradelli Square
Cable Car ride up to Market
Chinatown
Ferry Building
F Line street car back to the FW area.
It will be a full afternoon, but doable as long as you aren't planning to spend a ton of time at each place.
Ghiradelli Square
Cable Car ride up to Market
Chinatown
Ferry Building
F Line street car back to the FW area.
It will be a full afternoon, but doable as long as you aren't planning to spend a ton of time at each place.
May 5th, 2009, 03:57 AM
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YOu guys are the best! I got the ol' map out last night and also concluded that the turnaround nearest Ghiradelli is definitely better for us. We are planning to dine in North Beach area for dinner (recommendations?) that night. I figured we could buy the daily pass and use the F line to get back to the Wharf area from the Ferry Building.
May 5th, 2009, 06:13 AM
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A thought to keep in mind -- how will your parents do with all of this walking? Will the hills be a problem?
For dinner, E Tutto Qua is excellent
http://etuttoqua.com/
Deb
For dinner, E Tutto Qua is excellent
http://etuttoqua.com/
Deb
May 5th, 2009, 06:35 AM
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Yes, walking will be a big consideration. They are both able and relatively fit, but my dad isn't one to just stroll for the sake of strolling. That's why I figured we could use the f-line to get back to the Wharf rather than walk back from the Ferry Building.
Will there be much activity later in the afternoon at the Ferry Building, or should I consider crossing that from our list?
Will there be much activity later in the afternoon at the Ferry Building, or should I consider crossing that from our list?
May 5th, 2009, 07:07 AM
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The walk back from the Ferry Bldg t the Wharf is delightful. Many places to stop & rest along the ay. If someone crashes before then, put them on the street car & you walk back to the Wharf. I'm over 60 & would have no trouble at all with all that walking.
The Ferry Bldg Farmer's Market is in the AM, but all the inside shops will be open in the afternoon too.
If you want to shorten my suggested walk, from the Union Sq area walk north on Grant to Sacramento, turn left on Sacramento, then right on Stockton & walk down the "real" center of Chinatown to about Broadway. Then decide if you have the legs to go over to the Ferry Bldg. If not, cross Broadway & walk down 1 side of Columbus back to the Wharf. When you return for dinner, walk down the other side of Columbus.
If you are concerned about time, I would skip the lunch at the Wharf (very touristy), and get a sandwich & eat it while standing in line at the Cable Car turnaround. The weather is not real warm here now, but it's expected to improve a little for this weekend - but it still won't be warm. I sure wouldn't spend more than about 10 mins at the Warf - I'de prefer to explore the "real" San Francisco instead.
Stu Dudley
The Ferry Bldg Farmer's Market is in the AM, but all the inside shops will be open in the afternoon too.
If you want to shorten my suggested walk, from the Union Sq area walk north on Grant to Sacramento, turn left on Sacramento, then right on Stockton & walk down the "real" center of Chinatown to about Broadway. Then decide if you have the legs to go over to the Ferry Bldg. If not, cross Broadway & walk down 1 side of Columbus back to the Wharf. When you return for dinner, walk down the other side of Columbus.
If you are concerned about time, I would skip the lunch at the Wharf (very touristy), and get a sandwich & eat it while standing in line at the Cable Car turnaround. The weather is not real warm here now, but it's expected to improve a little for this weekend - but it still won't be warm. I sure wouldn't spend more than about 10 mins at the Warf - I'de prefer to explore the "real" San Francisco instead.
Stu Dudley
May 5th, 2009, 07:47 AM
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Stu--you are awesome! I'm definitely printing your walking suggestions. And, yes, the only plan in the Wharf area is the sea lions and the seafood cocktail of sorts.
I'm now deciding on where to dine in the North Beach area. I like the menu of the suggested E Tutto Qua. Some have suggested The Stinking Rose, but it does seem a littl touristy--not a bad thing if the food and atmosphere is good.
I'm now deciding on where to dine in the North Beach area. I like the menu of the suggested E Tutto Qua. Some have suggested The Stinking Rose, but it does seem a littl touristy--not a bad thing if the food and atmosphere is good.
May 5th, 2009, 09:17 AM
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Stinking Rose is mainly inhabited by tourists looking for "gimmicks". We've never dined there, and most locals I know consider it a joke. We had a very nice meal (better than I expected) at E Tutto Qua. Other Fodors locals have enjoyed the Mona Lisa. If you want to go a little more uscale, consider Rose Pistola - but if you are looking for the typical red-sauce Italian, then it's probably not for you.
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
May 5th, 2009, 11:40 AM
#11
Actually I liked the Stinking Rose quite a bit. We had a great meal there, sitting on a lovely patio (with heat lamps). We each picked from the fixed price menu and had a big carafe of wine along with. I'm picky about restauants but thought it was more than OK for what it is. I don't care if it is a "joke" among locals, I thought it was nice. And the perfect end for our day doing a very similar itinerary to what is being proposed here.
May 5th, 2009, 11:41 AM
#12
But if you want to try my favorite restaurants in SF, take a look at www.belden-place.com
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