Tell me everything you'd do if you had eight days in San Fransisco. We don't like hectic. We'd also like to take two days to drive outside the city. We are on a budget. Have a place to stay.

I don't know about "everything", but two things we always do are:

(1) Walk the Coastal Trail from Cliff House to the Golden Gate Bridge. You can continue the walk all the way paast Fisherman's Wharf and back downtown, if you like to walk (we did this once; I think it was araound 11 miles). Or you can add the walk across the bridge (fantastic!) and on to Sausalito, and take the ferry back. Even if you do the ferry ride, the expense is minimal.

(2) Walk up the Filbert Steps (listening for the parrots) and continue up to Coit Tower. Go inside and admire the murals---we see something new each time. Head down the other side of Telegraph Hill to North Beach and walk back, stopping at City Lights boodkstore if you like, and/or detour through Chinatown. This walk is all free unless you stop to eat or buy something along the way.

For your two days with a car, head north up the coast.

Have you seen this?

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Don't know if you're interested but the Tut Exhibit is now open at the deYoung. Here's the url if you want to check it out: www.famsf.org

Lots of interesting things in Golden Gate Park: http://www.golden-gate-park.com/inde...ractions_index

SFgate
entertainment
events

You don't say when you are coming. What time of year? Since you have 8 days, remain flexible. You may luck out and have two or three days of nice, warm weather. If you do, drive up the coast then - Pt. Reyes or Sonoma Coast. It's pretty hard to predict the weather until you get here.