How to spend rainy days in San Francisco?
 

Current weather forecasts are calling for rain every day through Sunday in the San Francisco area. My preplanning had us taking walking tours, guided and self guided, through the different neighborhoods during our 4 day stay in San Francisco. With so much rain expected can you give suggestions for things to do and stay dry while in SF just in case the rain is heavy and nonstop. It appears it will be a very wet St Patrick's Day!! We are currently in the Napa Valley where the rain isn't putting a damper on our winery visits ;;). Thanks for any suggestions, Deborah

Visit the great museums (De Young in Golden Gate Park, Palace of Legion of Honor out by the Cliff House), go for Dim Sum in Chinatown, go see the surf at the Ocean, find a restaurant with a great view.......................

You can spend some time sipping Irish Coffee at Buena Vista Cafe! Just don't stay too long! :-)

LOL Deb. What - don't walk around sloshed in the sloshing rain? If the Cable Cars are running - it would be easier to find room in a little weather - and bring along a poncho.

That reminds me - you can also tour the Cable Car Museum and even though this is for kids - it also has some good other ideas. http://www.trekaroo.com/list/kid-adv...cisco-bay-area

City Guides offers a nice tour of the Palace Hotel

http://sfcityguides.org/desc.html?tour=61

Stu Dudley

Could easily spend a relaxing half day Sunday Brunch with a live jazz band at the Palace or Sunday Dim Sum at Yang Sing if you have money.

Check the 1/2 price ticket booth in Union sqaure for a Matinee
some of the best plays were 1/2 off and plays that were not big name.

If you are shoppers Apple store is amazing or you could spend an entire day in Westfield Center Shopping MAll: Nordstrom alone is multi levels. Shop 'till you drop, have lunch Nordstrom Cafe or MAll big food court then go to Nordstrom's Spa: delightful and relaxing.

For a fun lare morning go tot he San Frn waterfront Ferry MArket, walk around and see all teh Food venders in doors and tehn have lunch at teh Slanted Door with a table looking over teh spectacular stormy San Fran Bay...

You can spend an entire day at the Academy of Science in GG Park. It has a first rate aquarium, good planetarium, rain forest and many other interesting exhibits. You can have lunch there in their cafe or for table service the Moss Room. Buy your tix on line.

stu and 1jar,
That reminds me...we used City Guides for a tour of the Ferry Building and it was raining. It might have been my favorite of the tours we did with them.

Thanks for the suggestions. We'll be ready for whatever weather comes our way--even the hail predicted by one TV station ;;). Deborah

My wife is the guide tomorrow for "Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square".
http://www.sfcityguides.org/desc.html?tour=46
I'm hoping that people show up for the tour (in the rain), so I can drop her off and then go have lunch at Absinthe while she's doing the tour.

Stu Dudley

Stu, I have several of the city guide tours in mind for our time in SF. I hope that outfitted with raincoats and umbrellas the city tours will still be offered these next few days. I packed for rain but not if the sidewalks resemble rivers ;;) Deborah

Just returned from the annual Bouquets to Art exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. It runs through Saturday March 17. Wonderful. Check it out. http://deyoung.famsf.org/pressroom/p...quets-art-2012

Thanks for the helpful comments. We did arrived in a downpour, then had the 6 block trudge uphill on Powell with luggage too full of purchased wine to our hotel from the Powell Bart station. Wearing a heavy backpack and dragging a wine ladened suitcase those 6 blocks I now can say my heart has withstood the most rigorous of stress tests. I don't know why I thought after visiting wineries then sharing wine at dinner we still might want to end the day with a bottle of wine we bought at each winery---what was I thinking ;;)

We only had one evening of our 4 in the city where the rains were so hard the streets became running rivers. We took 2 city guide tours and enjoyed both. I have added San Francisco to my all-time favorite city list. Can't wait to go back. Thanks again, Deborah

>>We took 2 city guide tours and enjoyed both<<

Which tours did you take???

Stu Dudley

Sunday morning was the Mission Dolores Neighborhood with Christine and on Monday morning we toured Fisherman's Wharf's Hidden History with Moira. Both tours were small groups which might be the benefit of touring in the off season. It was hard to choose with so many possibilities each day. Thanks for mentioning the city guides on Fodors, Stu. Deborah