LAbor day weekend in San francisco
 

My partner and I are going to San fran this weekend for 3 days and I need help.
We are gay..just thought I'd put that out there. Not that we only want to go to gay restaraunts. We need suggestions for reasonabaly priced places to eat......good atmosphere..those little kind of whole in the wall places that most tourists might overlook. All we have planned is alcatraz..any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
also..are there any great shows worth seeing that might be playing sunday or labor day?

clif - did you already book Alcatraz - as was pointed out to me it does sell out and sure enough - we were there on Sat and it was sold out until Monday. Bring a jacket/sweater on the boat - even in the 95 degree weather it got chilly I can see it being very cold if it was not warm out.

We dined at A16 - there were reasonably priced items on the menu - it was great.

hey Momdd,

was Alcatraz worth seeing

I think so. I just wrote about it in my trip report. It brings you down to the Pier area - go to Pier 39 and see the meca of seals that live there - and head over to Pier 33. The ferry ride over across the bay is really nice - great views of the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge. I think it is one of those things that is great to do one time. I have gone twice only because I wanted to bring my 16 year old on the weekend trip we just did. The audio tour is one of the best I have heard. It is included in your tickets. I think you and your partner would enjoy it -as I said a good one time deal. :)

If you have not seen Wicked - it is really worth seeing...

Just FYI - maybe it doesn't matter in your particular case: The bay bridge will be closed to all traffic Friday through the end of Monday. Yulk, huh?

Just a followup - the Bay Bridge will actually close at 8 p.m. Thursday and won't reopen (unless it opens early, which it did last time) at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

Here are our favorite restaurants that have a mixture of gays & straights - all in the Noe Valley (take J-Church from downtown)

Pomello on Church St - eclectic - very inexpensive. I love the red smapper tacos as an appetizer & the Cabo san Lucas as a main It's my wife's favorite restaurant. They don't take reservations - get there by 7:15 on Sat.

Firefly on 24th st - reserve ahead. Written up in Gourmet, etc. In a residential stretch of 24th st. Get their seafood potstickers as an appetizer. Good menu.

Bacco - Diamond just south of 24th st. Italian.

Stu Dudley

Follow-up

Those are our favorite "inexpensive" restaurants.

Stu Dudley

thanks stu..keep them coming!!!!1

Okay Stu..sounds like you know what you are talking about....so let me pick your brain a bit. We are flying from LA to SF this sunday...arriving about noon. Staying at the Monaco hotel in Union Square. The only thing we have planned is ALCATRAZ monday morning. WE leave tuesday night....just a short 2 1/2 day visit. We were there 5 years ago and did most touristy things. Not quite sure how to plan theses three days?

By the way..Bacco sounds great..although the reviews didn't sound inexpensive. Don't get me wrong...we are looking for dirt cheap...just reasoanble hiddem gems. I am a waiter so I enjoy food..but not paying crazy prices

The Mime Troupe in Dolores Park might be a fun afternoon.

Did you see my long post about things to do???
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35129049

I don't know what your interests are, but here are some ideas that are kinda middle of the road,

Sunday afternoon - explore a "neighborhood", which is usually more active on weekends. The Castro and/or the Noe Valley would be my choices. If you can get to the Castro by 1:00, there is a free SF City Guides walking tour of the Castro ( www.SFCityGuides.org ). Then take the 24 Divisadero bus from the Castro to the Noe Valley (24th st) and explore the Noe Valley. See my other post for a description of a walking tour. Have dinner at Pomello on Church St. Take the J-Church back to your hotel after dinner (stop directly in front of Pomello) - sit on the right (east) side of the car for a good view of downtwon as you enter Dolores Park.

Monday - Alcatraz tour. City Guides tour of Chinatown at 1:30. After Chinatown, wander around North Beach a bit.

Tuesday - start the day at the Farmers Market at the Ferry Building. If you missed the City Guides tour of the Castro, there is one at 11:00 today. Take an historic F-Market street Car to the Castro. There is another City Guides tour of the Palace Hotel at 10:00 - which is one of my favorite tours.

If you visited the Castro today, then take the 24 Divisadero north & get off at Haight St & walk west on Haight to the entrance of Golden Gate Park & explore the park. If you can rent bikes, that's a great way to see the park.

If you did the Palace Hotel tour, or chose not to do any City Guides tours today, I would walk west along the Embarcadero after the Farmers market, quickly past Pier 39 & Fisherman's wharf (neither recommended by me), then follow a walking path on the Bay Side of Fort Mason, then walk along the Marina Green to Crissy Field, and follow the walking path to Ft Point - which is at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. If you have any legs left, walk as far across the GG Bridge as you feel like doing.

I did not include a wander around Union Square. You are staying there, so just go out & explore when you have the time.

Stu Dudley

The Mime Troupe starts at 1:30 each day of Labor Day weekend. It is the radical theatre troupe's 50th anniversary. This should provide excellent people watching and cultural flashbacks. http://www.sfmt.org/index.php

If you are in the neighborhood, you may want to go by Mission Dolores http://www.missiondolores.org/. You can experience the Mission neighborhood (cheap & delicious burritos, Ti Couz restaurant on 16th http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...iew-44682.html).

I like the Pirate Store http://www.826valencia.org/store/, which is Dave Eggar's writing workshop & pirate supply shop, and the Balmy Alley murals. http://www.balmyalley.com/

Also in the neighborhood, is Creativity Explored, an astonishing visual arts center and gallery for artists with developmental disabilities. http://www.creativityexplored.org

These are all things that represent SF's unique spirit, in addition to the great museums, views, baseball, architecture, theater and restaurants. So, be sure to leave a lot of time for just exploring.

FYI--Almost all restaurants in SF are gay-friendly--we are everywhere, really applies to SF--so don't feel that you have to limit yourselves to the Castro.

In case you can't find all the other posts where you asked for suggestion, clifbob, simply click on your name. You had asked for lot of info and got some very good replies. All of your previous posts with questions and answers will come up for you to look at with ease.

Deb

Hey sab..I see you live there..maybe you can offer suggestions as well. I do want to get a taste of the castro area.. any thoughts of where to go

Let me add this to some already great suggestions:
in terms of shows, how about Beach Blanket Babylon? Hilarious musical revue, singing, dancing, huge creative and clever hats, pokes fun at many celebrities/public figures. Eat a plain but filling inexpensive dinner at nearby Capp's Corner and maybe your hostess will be a former SF Madame.

Wicked at the Orpheum was terrific, too. King Tut exhibit at the DeYoung and I think, Georgia O'Keefe and Ansel Adams at the Museum of Modern Art. Include a hot fudge sundae at the Ghiradelli Factory at the end of Fisherman's Wharf on your visit. Go up the Marriot hotel to the bar near Mission and 4th for a dizzying view of The City.

Have a wonderful time in our OZ!