vivi

I will be tagging along on my husband's business trip and will have a car on Friday-Saturday-Sunday. Would like to know of a beach within an hour's drive that I can walk on! Does Pacifica have a nice, long walkable beach?

There is an area called "the panhandle" wehre I am meeting a friend for lunch. I think this is near Golden Gate PArk. Any recommendations on a restaurant that would fancy salads and sandwiches, funky OK.

Also, in Mill Valley....can anybody recommend a nice place for lunch. I would like to retrieve my old neighbor from his new retirement community and take him out for a nice meal.

Supercilious

There are walkable beaches right in San Francisco but you'll find lots of people there on a nice day.

Better to drive north to Pt. Reyes where there are very long beaches with beautiful scenery and lots less people. It's about an hour and a half though from SF.

Closer in is the Palomarin Trailhead in Bolinas. There's a long deserted beach here.

Also, just off Hwy 1 in Mill Valley is the turnoff to Tennessee Cove. There's a nice hike here down to the Ocean and a beautiful long deserted beach. Just before the turnoff to the Cove on Hwy 1 is Buckhorn Restaurant, a great place for lunch. There's also the Dipsea Cafe right there as well.

Just south of Pacifica, on Hwy 1 on the other side of Devil's Slide is a state beach called Gray Whale Cove. There's a beautiful beach here but it's frequented by aging nudists.

Supercilious

Oops! Little bf there. It's the Buckeye Roadhouse, not the Buckhorn in Mill Valley. It's right next to 101.

nancy1652

The Panhandle is very close to Haight-Ashbury, where there are many good restaurants with all kinds of food. Just walk up to Haight street and take your pick.

trippinkpj

We like Piazza D'Angelo for brunch and lunch in Mill Valley: http://www.piazzadangelo.com/menus.html

vivi

Thanks so much for the info. Sounds like I can combine a lunch in Mill Valley with a trip down to the beach.

Also appreciate the Haight-Ashbury idea--I have made plans to meet my friend right in that fabled corner and we'll proceed from there!

jennybean

I went to San Francisco three years ago and we asked our cab driver to take us to a good restaurant. He brought us to Cha Cha Cha's on Haight street and I'm still raving about it to anyone who visits the area. I don't think it had much of a salad and sandwich selection as it is Caribbean tapas. The good thing with tapas is that you can try a bunch of different foods (the plantains were excellent) and they had fantastic sangrias that we had at the bar waiting for our table. Very funky atmosphere with cool music. If I ever make it back to San Fransisco, Cha Cha Cha's is definitely on my list of places to go.

dovima

Dear vivi,

The Panhandle is the eastern extension of Golden Gate Park, about 8 or so blocks long. It's a about a city block wide and is bounded by Oak Street on one side and Fell Street on the other. A lot of people run, walk their dogs, etc. there. I like walking in the area because of all the beautiful Victorians and Edwardians along the stretch.

Pacifica doesn't have the greatest beach, but it does have a pier from which the view is spectacular. You'll see a lot of people with lines out for crab and fish on the far end of the Pier.

If I were having lunch with a friend in Mill Valley and wanted to walk on the beach after, I'd head towards Muir Beach - an easy, pretty drive, especially on week days.

Of all the lovely beaches in Point Reyes, I like Limantour the best. It stretches for miles and you cross a neat little marsh on the way to the beach.

dovima

Whoops, see now that you will be here Fri-Sat-Sun. Cross Muir Beach off your list - the parking lot gets crowded early and often. Head for Point Reyes or Stinson Beach.

Barbara_1947

Vivi,
I know you didn't love Cinque Terre but I was hoping that you will be able to give me information about the 2 bedroom apartment you rented in Vernazza. We will be there mid week in October so hopefully it won't be so crowded. We are getting desperate to find a nice place to stay. We are two couples and would like a wonderful place with a fantastic view. I know you are a great traveler and hope you have some advise for me. Thank you so much, Barbara in Wine Country California [email protected]

vivi

Barbara- see my email.

Thanks for all the great SF suggestions!

Yes, the parking to Muir Woods was full on Saturday. I did see the Buckhorn Restaurant in Mill Valley it was jammed but it looked really cute.

I went walking along the beach along the Great Highway south of the Cliff House. It was completely socked in with fog but memorable! Ditto the Golden Gate Bridge, it was so foggy I could not even tell I was on a bridge.

We did go all over Haight Ashbury and ate at Cha Cha Cha and The Pork Store! Both very funky and fun. We had some addresses so we ogled the old crash pads of Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. We also went into the Conservatory of Flowers at GGP.

Also ate at some French restaurant at the Ferry Building which was very good and at The Grubstake on Pine and Polk, another very funky spot! Plus an upscale Vietnamese seafood place for dinner, cannot recall the name.

Bought a 3 day Muni pass ($18) which paid for itself the first night. I cannot believe it is 5 bucks to ride a cable car!! I rode about 8 times and also on the streetcars and buses. I only drove our car once, early Saturday to the beach and Mill Valley, no problems but I wouldnt want to do it in weekday rush hour.

I just LOVED the new Matisse exhibit at the SFMOMA. We have seen many of those "visiting" paintings in the Baltimore Museum of Art (the best Matisse collection IMO.)

Walked around Fisherman's Wharf (ick) but did get a kick out of seeing hundreds of late night roller bladers. Made several forays thru Chinatown, one dash thru Union Square, and also the Ferry Bldg.

It was sunny nad warm then freezing and foggy, the weather changed hourly!

Supercilious

Visitors Beware!

July may be the least dependable month of the year for good weather. No, it never rains but the sun does not shine either. And, it's extremely crowded.

trippinkpj

There was actually measurable rain in San Francisco earlier this week. Very unusual, and broke a record!