First trip to SF... how many days?
 

I am planning our first trip to San Fransisco for 2010. What is a recommended number of days for us to spend in the city for our trip to see most of the major sites, etc? We will also be taking a 1 day tour to Napa... thanks

Four to five nights would be great, but you can see a good deal in two to three nights.

When we go, is there a lot closed on Sundays? If so, maybe go Tuesday - Saturday?

Are you driving? Flying? I love arriving there on Sunday because it is so much less traffic, and if taking BART in from the Airport it is so much quieter.

flying in...

I agree, Take Bart in from the airport. Don't miss the Market area on Saturday. If you can be gone longer, I would go longer as a drive up North to Muir Woods and Point Reyes was very nice on our trip. Of course, a drive south on Hwy 1 would be nice also.

<<<Don't miss the Market area on Saturday>>>

Just to clarify, I think spirobulldog means the Ferry Bldg Marketplace and NOT Market Street!

I don't think Sunday should be a problem - I've never noticed things being closed. Sunday closures aren't that common in CA.

Yeah, Ferry Building Market

Really, almost nothing is closed on Sundays here.

We are going on our 3rd trip in 3 years to SF in Jan 2010. We will spend a week there this trip. The majority of our trip will constitute of going on at least 1 per day, some days 2, free San Francisco City Library walking tours.

http://www.sfcityguides.org/

Really, there is so much to see and do, it is really a matter of what interests you and how much time you have. I could spend a month and not see all I want to see and do.

Deb

So to your original question. My suggestion would be 3 or 4 days for San Francisco. Another day for Napa. Then another 2 days if you went north or south on HWY 1. Finally, a lot of people throw in a trip to Yosemite. It is only 3 hours away and I would allow 3 days for it.

So, 3 or 4 days in the city itself, and then however many days extra you can allow for various trips outside the city. 3 or 4 days you can cover the major sites. We did a segway tour on our first day and enjoyed that.

spirobulldog, where do they do Segway tours here (just wondering because of all the major hills)? (I assume on the Embarcadero somewhere?)

sf they do the Segway tours in the Wharf--I suppose it would be fun if you wanted to ride a Segway, but you don't see much of SF other than the Wharf (ugh!!!!) BTW I get to say ugh because not only do I live in SF and know that the Wharf is not the City, but my office is in the Wharf area so I get the dubious pleasure of being here all the time.

SAB, I also work in SF (and lived in the city for years), so I understand....but I'm luckier -- my office is directly across the street from the Ferry Bldg.!

Actually, they offer a variety of tour including the hills.

http://www.sfelectrictour.com/

This is the company that we used and it seems the largest and most organized. I do believe that their is a couple of other companys that rent as well.

Most people that visit cities like to do the "touristy" things. Most of the advice I recieved from "the locals" on fodors, I didn't like. I didn't want to see the "off the beaten path" stuff. I wanted to see the wharf, cable cars, chinatown, golden gate, coit tower, etc. There is a reason why some places are popular. I do sometimes like to go to other areas, but I like to first see the major areas. The OP stated this as well. I did enjoy my segway tour, so pardon me for saying that I did.

No one was knocking your choice spiro. And many people do want advice from "the locals" because you can easily get info about the "touristy" choices from guidebooks.

Ugh, as you put it. Its the locals in San Fran all seem to say the same thing about the tourist area. Most of the locals all frown upon Fishermans Wharf, ghiradelli square, those type of places. Sorry, you don't like where you work.

>>Ugh, as you put it. Its the locals in San Fran all seem to say the same thing about the tourist area.<<

Speaking only for myself - the Wharf is the only "tourist" area that I don't like at all. Ghirardelli Square and the Cannery are nice architecturally, and I enjoy looking at them if I can avoid seeing the T-shirt stops. Pier 39 leaves me cold, but watching the seals can be amusing.

Stu Dudley

Stu Dudley