Advice on San Francisco itinerary please!
Aug 27th, 2015, 04:14 AM
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Advice on San Francisco itinerary please!
Hoping for some advice on how to squeeze everything in! We have four nights, three full days in San Francisco. I have already realised it's not long to be long enough!! Trying to do things in a logical manner rather than criss-crossing haphazardly across town. So, my question is, how does this rough itinerary look?
Sunday – arrive in from UK at 14 35. We're staying at Pine Street (at the Artists Inn between Fillmore Street and Webster Street). We have ordered a transfer via SuperShuttle. Not sure who we'll be sharing with and what the route to Pine Street will be, so, taking that into account, and queuing for immigration etc… realistically I don’t think we'll get there until 5 30/6.00pm. So check in, unpack some essentials and probably just try and stay awake while hitting the nearest bar/restaurant!. Just generally suss out our local area. At some stage we will want to pick up a 3-day Muni pass so if we found somewhere locally that sells this can we buy it on Sunday to start on a Monday?
Monday – there is a City Walk scheduled for this morning, "Earthquake and Fire", which looks interesting so are planning to join that. Starts at 10am so will give ourselves an hour to walk down to the start point for this (Market Street Plaza) (don't really want to trust public transport on a Monday rush hour). Now, not sure whether this will be a circular walk or where it will end but am putting Union Square/Westfield shopping mall on the list after this. (Swerving into a shopping mall on the first day sounds a bit sad but want to pop into Body & Bath Works for excellent room sprays which we can't get in the UK). From there, onto Chinatown (including Stockton Street). Early supper here or maybe back to Pine Street area. Could we squeeze something else in after Chinatown?
Tuesday – In the morning, off to the Farmers Market at Ferry Building, walk along to Pier 39 and Fishermans Wharf (yes, I know its very touristy but then I am a tourist…). We are booked into a tour of Alcatraz at 2 30pm. When we get back from that, have a look round the North Beach area and find a nice scrummy Italian place for dinner.
Wednesday – Morning - Cable car to Lombard Street, Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower. Then in the afternoon – Public transport to Haight Ashbury, Alamo Square ( which I believe has some good examples of Victorian houses), 16th Avenue for the mosaic stairway. Pine Street area for dinner.
Thursday morning – we check out and head off to Union Square area to pick up a hire car – Pacific Coast Highway here we come!
So – is that itinerary doable? Of course there are two glaring omissions – Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. I would love to see Golden Gate Park but I really don’t think we will have time to do it justice. But what about the Bridge? We'll see that from the top of Coit Tower I should think (unless foggy), and also while walking along to Pier 39. But could we squeeze in a walk part of the way along it at any time do you think? Also no time for museums or art galleries etc… So bearing in mind two things that can't be changed – the City Walk on Monday at 10am, and our Alcatraz tour on Tuesday at 2 30pm, does that all look do-able?
All advice and comments gratefully received!!
Sunday – arrive in from UK at 14 35. We're staying at Pine Street (at the Artists Inn between Fillmore Street and Webster Street). We have ordered a transfer via SuperShuttle. Not sure who we'll be sharing with and what the route to Pine Street will be, so, taking that into account, and queuing for immigration etc… realistically I don’t think we'll get there until 5 30/6.00pm. So check in, unpack some essentials and probably just try and stay awake while hitting the nearest bar/restaurant!. Just generally suss out our local area. At some stage we will want to pick up a 3-day Muni pass so if we found somewhere locally that sells this can we buy it on Sunday to start on a Monday?
Monday – there is a City Walk scheduled for this morning, "Earthquake and Fire", which looks interesting so are planning to join that. Starts at 10am so will give ourselves an hour to walk down to the start point for this (Market Street Plaza) (don't really want to trust public transport on a Monday rush hour). Now, not sure whether this will be a circular walk or where it will end but am putting Union Square/Westfield shopping mall on the list after this. (Swerving into a shopping mall on the first day sounds a bit sad but want to pop into Body & Bath Works for excellent room sprays which we can't get in the UK). From there, onto Chinatown (including Stockton Street). Early supper here or maybe back to Pine Street area. Could we squeeze something else in after Chinatown?
Tuesday – In the morning, off to the Farmers Market at Ferry Building, walk along to Pier 39 and Fishermans Wharf (yes, I know its very touristy but then I am a tourist…). We are booked into a tour of Alcatraz at 2 30pm. When we get back from that, have a look round the North Beach area and find a nice scrummy Italian place for dinner.
Wednesday – Morning - Cable car to Lombard Street, Telegraph Hill, Coit Tower. Then in the afternoon – Public transport to Haight Ashbury, Alamo Square ( which I believe has some good examples of Victorian houses), 16th Avenue for the mosaic stairway. Pine Street area for dinner.
Thursday morning – we check out and head off to Union Square area to pick up a hire car – Pacific Coast Highway here we come!
So – is that itinerary doable? Of course there are two glaring omissions – Golden Gate Bridge and Golden Gate Park. I would love to see Golden Gate Park but I really don’t think we will have time to do it justice. But what about the Bridge? We'll see that from the top of Coit Tower I should think (unless foggy), and also while walking along to Pier 39. But could we squeeze in a walk part of the way along it at any time do you think? Also no time for museums or art galleries etc… So bearing in mind two things that can't be changed – the City Walk on Monday at 10am, and our Alcatraz tour on Tuesday at 2 30pm, does that all look do-able?
All advice and comments gratefully received!!
Aug 27th, 2015, 05:08 AM
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When you are at Coit tower, find the Filbert Steps and explore this unique piece of S.F. with its gardens and flock of wild parrots.
http://www.sisterbetty.org/stairways/filbertsteps.htm
When in the Haight, take a peek in Mendels, an interesting shop that sells thousands of fabrics from all over the world, art supplies, and hardware.
http://www.mendels.com/
http://www.sisterbetty.org/stairways/filbertsteps.htm
When in the Haight, take a peek in Mendels, an interesting shop that sells thousands of fabrics from all over the world, art supplies, and hardware.
http://www.mendels.com/
Aug 27th, 2015, 07:00 AM
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>> "Earthquake and Fire", ......walk down to the start point for this (Market Street Plaza)> Fishermans Wharf (yes, I know its very touristy but then I am a tourist…> Alamo Square ( which I believe has some good examples of Victorian houses), >hire car – Pacific Coast Highway here we come!
Aug 27th, 2015, 07:15 AM
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There are many buses that run down Calif Street. Lots in the morning.
Just hop on the "1 California" bus, it will take you right to your starting point. If you do not have your Muni pass yet, you will need exact change (dollar bills work)- I think it's $.75 if you are a senior and $2.25 or $2.50 if you're not.
You'll be so close, take a walk on Fillmore Street (from Sutter to Clay is a very upscale shopping district with lots of restaurants, in the other direction you will be heading toward the less upscale "music" district (the Fillmore, the Independent, the BoomBoom Room and others).
Just hop on the "1 California" bus, it will take you right to your starting point. If you do not have your Muni pass yet, you will need exact change (dollar bills work)- I think it's $.75 if you are a senior and $2.25 or $2.50 if you're not.
You'll be so close, take a walk on Fillmore Street (from Sutter to Clay is a very upscale shopping district with lots of restaurants, in the other direction you will be heading toward the less upscale "music" district (the Fillmore, the Independent, the BoomBoom Room and others).
Aug 27th, 2015, 07:53 AM
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Thanks everyone! I note what you say about a long walk at the start of the first day. In London its often quicker to walk than to bus but will take your advice. Will try and get the muni pass sorted out on Sunday to save time.
Also noted re Fisherman's Wharf. Touristy I can live with but tacky I can live without. And I can definitely live without a visit to Hooters lol.
The advice about the walk around the Postcard Row area is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to get - instructions of where to go and not miss anything!
Also noted re Fisherman's Wharf. Touristy I can live with but tacky I can live without. And I can definitely live without a visit to Hooters lol.
The advice about the walk around the Postcard Row area is exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to get - instructions of where to go and not miss anything!
Aug 27th, 2015, 08:01 AM
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It case it hasn't been mentioned, you can purchase transit passes and a map of the transit system at the Visitor Center, 900 Market Street (near Powell Street). These are very worthwhile investments.
HTtY
HTtY
Aug 27th, 2015, 08:31 AM
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Here is a LOT more info - including up & down Hwy 1.
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm
Stu Dudley
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm
Stu Dudley
Aug 28th, 2015, 03:16 AM
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Thanks again Stu - I had read your extremely informative and lengthy thread when we were scouting for hotel locations. What a star you are. There is such a wealth of information there. Absolutely marvellous.
