Empty Days in San Fransisco
 

My wife will be attending a conference in San Fransisco the week before Thanksgiving and I will be going along with her.

Here's the problem...Neither of us have ever been to San Fran so we both want to see the "must-dos" (i.e....Golden Gate, Alcatraz, Fishermans Wharf, etc) so we will be saving those activities for when she's not in the conference.

What can I do for the 6-8 hour periods that she is in the conference? They need to be neat and interesting things to do, but not necessarily things that are on the must do list for San Fran that she would feel cheated if she didn't get to participate in.

Also if you have any advice on San Fran at all, it would be appreciated.

I've traveled to San Francisco often with my husband (while he was on business).

Among my favorite activities (while he was at work) were a trip to Coit Tower and a walk down those steps (quite the thrill) nearby (there are signs to the path from the tower).

Also fun is a day or several day MUNI pass and just riding the cable cars over and over again! The California line is almost as thrilling and not as crowded as the Powell/Hyde.

The walking tours given (no charge) by the Public Library are terrific. All the ones I've taken have been very interesting, led by knowledgable and enthusiastic guides. Especially enjoyed Haight/Ashbury.

Just wandering about Chinatown is fascinating.

I think all of djk's recommendations are great. The web site for the walking tours through the library is www.sfcityguides.org - we did the Chinatown tour and it was a lot of fun.

You might also enjoy going out to Angel Island.

Walk! Lots of interesting neighborhoods to explore. How about the Barbary Coast Walking tour? Rent a bike and ride along the Embarcadero or even over the bridge. If you want to get out of the City, take BART to Berkeley and walk around the campus.

If you like books, a visit to City Lights Bookstore in North Beach is a real trip. While you're in the neighborhood, have a beer at Visuvio's next door.

If you like museums, and your wife won't mind, the SF MOMA is a must-see, as is the new Asian Museum.

G'hop is right on the nose with that suggie.

One of my fave routes in SF when staying near the Fin Dist or UnSq is walk down to Market to the Ferry Building then up to FishWharf along the Embarcdero then hop a cable car at the Buena Vista and take it back to Un Sq. and then walk over to Chinatown and maybe thru NoBeach. If you don't want a cable car ride w/o the better half, walk back up Columbus then over to Grant so you can hit NoBeach and Chinatown.
((P))((P))((P))

If you're in shape, try to take on California, Powell, Lombard or on of the many hills available.

Ahhhh...8 more days until the Calamari Special at The Original US Restaurant in NoBeach.((Y))
Kal

If you're an exercise freak (like me), WALK up to Coit Tower (the views AND the walk are fantastic). Rent a bike at Pier 39 and ride it across the Golden Gate to Sausalito and Tiburon, take a ferry to Angel's Island and ride some more, then take a ferry back to SF.

(well...that's what *I* did when I was in SF on business, and all my coworkers had to attend a conference except me - woo hoo!)

With regard to bike rides, you can do short (Sausalito), medium (Tiburon) or long (Larkspur). All three allow you to take a ferry back. A great way to spend the day and earn dinner calories!

A lot depends on your interests (and whether you have a car). Some non-car things to do: Fort Point - old civil war era fort beneath GG bridge, spend some time in golden gate park, take BART over to Berkely and browse bookstores and galleries, visit maritime museum. Going a bit farther afield: Drive up to Muir woods and Point Reyes, head up to Napa or Sonoma, Blackhawk auto museum in Danville, head down to Half-Moon bay on Hwy 1 and watch the surfers at Mavericks, go to San Jose (your wife won't feel cheated by missing out on that one :) )

The bike ride from Pier 39 to Tiburon sounds fun.Is there a website that would have a map for this route?

All the hints so far have been great. Especially taking BART somewhere like Berkeley and wandering around.

My favorite though would be (but be prepared for a disappointed wife) - take the ferry to Tiburon and then another very short ferry ride from Tiburon over to Angel Island.

Angel Island can fill a couple of hours or a full day. The most amazing views of the Bay and San Francisco, Civil War barracks, deer and other wildlife, a few victorian bldgs but mostly open land with a trail completely around the island. You could do it on foot - or take a rental bike on the ferry.

Note that there's a fabulous map at the MUNI website you can download and print to fold up and carry in your pocket. It's a beautiful pdf map with all the lines AND all the streets, with many sights and attractions marked as well. If you have 5.0, you can crop and enlarge the neighborhoods (be careful to have a full size one with you always - cropping cuts off the route numbers).

If you go to the Asian Art Museum and Main Library (next door) don't forget a tour of City Hall which is nearby. It's a fabulous building that was just refurbished and there are free tours. I hope you have good weather!

Take the train down to San Jose and visit the Tech Museum. right close by there is also an art museum and eateries. You can easily do it in 6-8 hours.
Nothing like the SFO bay area.

whew~for a moment I could not post! OK~for Sf glory check out the neighborhoods. I second the recommendation for North Beach midweek in November. You just might get a taste of the old neighborhood. I agree City Lights hould not be miseed. Also take a coffee at either Vesuvio or ramble up to Upper Grant and sip a latte or three at Cafe Trieste. Sit,simply sit in the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul..maybe have another coffee or lunch at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store. Sit and watch the Tai Chi groups in Washington Square. Wander across Broadway into Chinatown and try to find the original Henry's Hunan for a bowl of steaming dumplings. Keep walking and you will find yourself in the Financial District. Perhaps you would rather have a good old bowl of SF cioppino at Tadich Grill. But then, you could also head to MOMA and the Ansel Adams Gallery with lunch at Lulu(check hours), the museum cafe or journey down two or three blocks to Fringale. Try the Mission District..it is disappearing but you can still get some great food..try Chava's for their chicken soup.(Especially in November).Agree with the idea of a ferry ride to either Angel Island or,Tiburon or Sausalito. Tiburon..try lunch at Sam's..in Sausalito wander amidst it all and try Cafe Tieste again. I, frankly, don't think 8 hours is enough for Point Reyes and also think your wife might like a side trip there. Come on over to Berkeley. The UC Art Museum of Kroeber Anthro museum are good spots to hit..they are essentially across the street from each other..have lunch at Chez Panisse or grab some amzing Pizza while listening to good jazz at Cheeseboard Pizza(I swear,even if you are from New York, you gotta eat this stuff!) Check out the movies in SF...go to the Metreon for all general public releases(be forewarned it might overstimulate)..check out our art houses The Bridge, The Embarcadero, The Castro, The Clay and The Lumiere.
You will be here for crab season ...check out Swan's Oyster Depot...if your wife can join you check out Crustascean on Polk or Than Long in the Avenues...(You simply must have Dungeness Crab in November)..Head down to Chrissy Field and take the shorepath out to Fort Point..ask some more folks in SF where to eat on Chestnut Street or go to Greens in Fort Mason..also consider the Mexican Museum in Fort Mason. It's a grand city,still...the neighborhoods are the key. Oh..you might also check out the Palace of the Legion of Honor..or take a walk through the Presidio..take the 1 California to Presidio..have breakfast at Ell's..walk three blocks to the Presidio Gate and then loop around and out the Arguello Gate to California and take the #1 back to your hotel (or thereabouts) And of course..check out the F(?) streetcar which runs along the Embarcadero..try the Farmer's Market or Yank Sing for dim sum..you big lucky..it's a glorious city. One more suggestion..a steam at Kabuki Hot Springs in Japantown..noodles at Mifune..and perhaps a flick at the Kabuki Cinemas.
You are making me miss my old home intensely. Have a great time.

that's Ella's at Presidio and California..call for hours.

Oh, PamSF!

What glorious suggestions!

Think I'll cancel my next hiking trip and just come into "The City" and do ALL those things you've suggested!

Thanks so much! Latte at the Cafe Trieste - especially on a weekend early morning - wonderful! :)

WOW...Thank you all so much for some neat ideas...I deeply appreciate it.

Any other thought on food?...both quick lunch places (not Fast food) that I can use when I'm out wandering as well as dinner spots that the wife, myself, and the conf group will be with.

I am an adventurous eater...the group may not be.

Wow Pam!! I live here and you have given ME some great ideas of things to do on a weekend!!!! You put down things I would have never thought of--the people doing tai chi, great idea!! I love to sit on the bench with my coffe and cigarettes and watch them!

Highly recommend Boulevard for dinner. The aromas from the woodburning ovens/grills are intoxicating. Gorgeous place with wonderful food and service. Reservations essential.

For lunch, head for Belden Place. Lined with wonderful restaurants of every cuisine. My favorite is Plouf, but one of these days, I'm going to try one place after another.

Nothing better than getting your dumplings steamed!

I'm making a copy for our 9-19 weekend trip to SF.
Had a great latte at Mario's one morning. Ditto Puccini's.

I recall the first time we went for an early morning walk in NoBeach and found the tai chi people in WashSq. Surreal with the sunrise.
Anybody seen my ((L))? I wonder where I left it?

Big Red,
If you have a car, and the weather is not pouring down rain, I'd take a few short jaunts up or down the coast.
Muir Woods and Muir Beach would be a nice combo. There is an "Olde English" style pub/B&B at the road to Muir Beach - I believe they might serve a tea or lunch menu.

Or drive out to Fort Cronkhite, in the Golden Gate headlands - there are roads throughout the area leading to lookouts and beaches.

Or - on another tack entirely - drive up Mount Diablo, in the East Bay.
If the weather is clear, you'll be able to see the Sierras. Spectacular!

I happen to think that 6 to 8 hours would be enough for a taste of Pt. Reyes - perhaps you could make a preliminary foray to the closer beaches and then come back with your wife to do more exploring.

Bravo to you for wanting to explore on your own!

Big Red- If you are into watching Gourmet cooking, you can go over to the Calif.Culinary Institute and watch the kids cook and then they will serve you lunch....Full-service, student-staffed restaurants serve both lunch and dinner

California Culinary Academy
625 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94102

Call and check on times. It was GREAT when I went when spouse was in a meeting all day...

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I will not have access to a car so getting way out of the city-proper will be nearly impossible.

I would like to rent a bike to get to some of these more remote areas. I have found a couple places on the net that show bike rentals at around 25/day. Are there anymore reasonable places?

Also, the convention is in the Moscone. Any suggestions for things close to there?

The Moscone Convention Center is only a couple of blocks southeast of Market Street between Kearney and Stockton - 3rd & 4th on the other side of Market. Nearby are SF Museum of Modern Art, Ansel Adams Center, Yerba Buena Gardens, the cable car lines, Union Square, etc.

Also nearby is the Visitor's Center, where you can pick up literature, brochures, maps. Though, I've found even better literature in the foyer of the San Fancisco Center (a huge indoor Mall on Market between Powell/5th and Stockton/4th).

Wow - what great suggestions! I'm adding them to my list for my next visit to S.F.

Here are some things we've done - and places we've eaten - on previous visits. Wander for ages through Chinatown. In addition to a great dim sum meal at Yank Sing, I love to go into any Chinese storefront eatery - the kind where nobody speaks English - and point to what I want (based on dishes eaten at Yank Sing). I take my finds to the park in Chinatown for a picnic meal/snack. North Beach is also great for wandering, especially if you like cafes, for coffee or lunch!

The cable car museum was pretty fun. The walk from Coit Tower, mentioned previously, is fabulous. I think Fodor's S.F. guide describes the walk & the sights on it.

Another adventurous meal you could try is sushi - I went to a little place off Union Square (can't remember the name), but I bet the locals could suggest places to go.

There are lots and lots of great quick eats places dotting the city. They are (almost) all good for lunch...look for the longest lines...there is a reason...

Yank Sing is so over-rated. You'll wait in a long line to be seated - at which point you'll be inundated with food choices before you've even been given water or tea or have a chance to catch you breath. Ambience is zero. It's like a tourist trap.

I'd take any place in Chinatown over YS anytime.

This site has made me excited and hungry, and I'm another local! What about Mama's in Northbeach for a great breakfast!(right on the corner of the park, near St. Peter and Paul church) And, of course....House of Nan King for the best Chinese food ever! (edge of Chinatown/financial district on Kearny I think) Have to agree with Cafe Trieste...there is nothing better! As far as sightseeing...what about things like Mission Dolores, or, my personal favourite, The Palace of Fine Arts....the perfect place to have lunch and just walk around and relax! (Is there anything more gorgeous in this city?) A little house envy tour of Pacific Heights, walk up or down Lombard street (the crooked part), a walk along Baker Beach with the mouth of the bay and a view of Golden Gate Bridge, Haight Street (peace and love), or Alamo Square and the famous "Painted Ladies" (the famous view with the Victorian houses with the city skyline in the background)
(Just had my brother here on a 3 day visit, so the sightseeing is fresh in my mind!) Have a great time Mr.BigRed!!!!! It's a great city!

Just realized, some of the things I mentioned you might want to do with your wife......but, maybe it will give you an idea of some things NOT to miss. Hope you enjoy your trip. The great thing about SF is, it's a small city. So, you can do a lot in a small amount of time. If you like to walk, you can be downtown, Union Square, Chinatown, Northbeach, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. easily from Moscone. And, our transportation system is elaborate, so you can get around the city easily. You will have a great time. You will also find that SF people are very friendly. So, don't hesitate to ask people for ideas, they will be happy to point you in a direction or give you suggestions once you are here. Just be sure to bring comfortable shoes. You will walk a lot! Enjoy!

Thanks for all the great suggestions..we've incorporated alot of these items into our (my) plans....

We're leaving in about 2 weeks and I thought I'd re-top this to see if anyone else had any suggestions or if the previous posters had anything to add.

Leaving in a little over a week!

We really enjoyed our walk down the Filbert Steps from Coit Tower. At the bottom, we walked through Levi's Plaza, turned left, and saw the Fog City Diner across the street. (Correct me if I'm wrong with directions, San Franciscans.) We had a very enjoyable lunch there - good food at reasonable prices. Friendly staff even gave my husband a t-shirt for his birthday. Speaking of which, does anyone know of a good map showing the pathways and roads on Telegraph Hill?

You might also like to spend some time on your own at the Maritime Museum and Aquatic Park. Ghirardelli Sq. has restaurants if you get hungry. And, if you're there with your muni pass in hand, hop the cable car next to the Argonaut Hotel and ride it up the steep, steep hill (stand on back ramp of cable car for full effect), hop off at Lombard St. and walk down the crooked part. It's not that far of a walk back to the Aquatic Park area. Or you can take it further up to the Cable Car Museum where you can see the fascinating workings of the cable cars for free.

Hey BigRed,

This is the best thread I've read in AGES!!

Kudos to all of you SF fodorites!

...and the San Jose suggestions...LOL!!!

Thanks to everyone who has contributed?here is my short list?what else?
Coit Tower
The Walking Tours from the Public Library?(which is best?)
Wandering around Chinatown
Wandering around Fisherman?s Wharf
Perhaps getting bike and going over to Sausalito, riding along the Presidio, etc
City Lights Bookstore
SF MOMA
North Beach?
Angel Island?

Food Thoughts
Almost everywhere that SF Pam suggested
Fog City Diner
And is the The Stinking Rose over-rated?

The Stinking Rose is not a place that I would return to given the wide variety of places one can eat in SF, but I can't say one should never go. In my opinion there are far better places to eat but some visitors like the novelty of it , plus as I have learned in taking visitors around SF, some visitors like to go to places that others (their friends back home) have heard of and don't think their trip is complete if they haven't been to such places.

Agree with SAB about Stinking Rose..I wouldn't go back. City Guide walking tours: I have taken a few and my favorite was the Ferry Bldg. I believe it is on Sundays. They have a Chinatown tour so if you are planning on going there anyways you can do the tour then.

Grace Waldron does walking tours of North Beach. See if you can find her website through sfgate.com. If I didn't mention Swan's Oyster Depot before, the article on crab in SFin yesterday's Chronicle reminded me to do so. Have a crab Louie!

sorry one more thing: The Diane Arbus Exhibit at MOMA is not to be missed! This exhibit includes her photos and some fascinating information on her life including notebooks, family phots and correspondence.

Pammer-http://www.graceannwalden.com/

We took her "Mangia Tour" a few months ago and had a good time. Very nice lady and a total kick in the pants when she starts telling SF and Julia Childs stories.
We're going to do the Nob Hill Tour and maybe the Mission Distr. tour in '04.

Big Red-Fog City Diner is still one of my fave places. I love the good old fashioned meat loaf plate especially on a cold foggy SF day...but I also got a salmon steak or two that were "ono-liscious".

I agree with the comments about the Stinkin' Rose.
It was fun the first few times. But, if 3rd degree garlic is your choice, by all means. Just make sure you're not flying home the next day or they may ask you to take a seat out on the wing!