Mother/Daughter San Francisco Trip
 

Hi all,

I recently graduated from college and my mom and I are planning a four day trip to San Francisco June 11-15 to celebrate my new job and graduation. We are from Chicago and it will be our first time to San Francisco.

We are coming in at 9am on Saturday morning, and leaving at 5pm on Tuesday, staying at the Hotel Monaco.

Any suggestions for things to do? We like shopping in boutique areas, not chain stores, and are looking for some good restaurants around the area. We like to splurge but we also love to find a good deal!

As for sightseeing, any recommendations for tours that would help us see the city? I saw Mr. Toad's...any suggestions on that?

Thank you so much! Can't wait to get to San Francisco!

Molly

Congrats on your graduation and getting a job so quickly.
I'm sure StuDudley will chime in with loads of things for you to see and do and eat.
My favorite trip out of SF would have to be Muir Woods (cross the GG bridge). With your very limited time, you will have to stick close to the city. If you had more time, Monterey, Carmel, Yosemite and Napa Valley would be within reach.

I'm not sure Stu would know where a 21-22 year old woman would want to shop. there's excellent boutique shopping in the city in the Marina ( Chestnut St), Cow Hollow (Union St), Hayes Valley ( Hayes St), in the Union Square area itself ( all the designer names), Noe Valley (24th St) and lower Pacific Hts (Fillmore St). Everyone of those areas also has excellent restaurants.

So great! Thank you so much tomfuller and sf!

Congratulations from me also, mschau, on your graduation and obtaining a job. You are off to a good start in life!

I agree with our sf7307's suggestions regarding shopping.

Now about restaurants, and San Francisco has so many wonderful restaurants. What types of food do you and your mother like? And about what will you two want to spend per person less tip and any drinks for your meals?

I just spent two nights in the city near Union Square. If hotel Monaco is near there, and you like to get out and walk you could walk through China town, stop for dimsum, then end up in North Beach with has fun shops and restaurants. If you like shows go to Beach Banket Babylon, it's a great San francisco tradition, variety and comedy. Then you could have dinner at Capps which is right next door.

www.belden-place.com is an alleyway of restaurants in the financial district that is very fun.

I think the traditional street car ride is not to be missed. Catch is at the beginning at Market St and ride down to Fisherman's Wharf.

"Mocca", on Maiden Lane just off Union Square is a great spot for lunch.

Assuming that the "street car" is the "cable car", pick it up on Powell just a few yards north of Market street. Make sure that you get on the Hyde St line and not the Mason/Taylor line. Sit/stand on the east/right side of the car for the best views. Get there early in the morning or later in the evening to avoid huge lines. Perhaps take an evening ride and get off at Green St and have dinner at Frascati www.frascatisf.com - one of our favorites. Browse on Hyde, a few blocks north & south of Frascati and have an ice cream at Swensons for dessert.

Here are my ideas of things to do & see
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

Best happy hour deal is at the very upscale Farallon (sp?) restaurant in Union Square. My DD and I spent her birthday shopping in Union Square, and dining at Farallon. Dinners are good, but very pricey.

Their happy hour menu is called something like "Six for Seven", because all appetizers and drinks on the menu are just $7 apiece. You can easily make a meal of two apps apiece. If you get there to snag a window table for two, it is as nice as anywhere to eat. They will bring bread to the table, too. We had dinner reservations there, but I was wishing we were just staying put in the front bar area instead.

It is offered every day of the week. Best deal I have seen in a long time.

Thanks for the correction StuDudley. Yes of course I mean the cable car ride. I didn't know it was not proper to call it a streetcar.

I looked on the Farallon site. It is called "Six Until Seven", meaning $6 each until 7pm everyday. Check out the delicious daily menu.

Suze, the reason it's not "proper" to call it a streetcar is that we have streetcars, too, and they're not the same thing!

You may both enjoy is the Spa at Nordstroms...this is Nordtrom's Flagship store and Customer Service is 5 *****

Union STREET (not Union Square) is a wonderful place of unique shops several blocks long with nice cafes...

For "Foodie" shopping highly rec
http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/
lunch at Slanted Door almost unequaled and don't forget "true to Paris" real macaroons at http://www.miette.com/

One of the best things to do is Theatre: there is a 1/2 off ticket both in Union Square: you really can;t go wrong...

Finally ask the conciege to set up a limo tour at dusk to drive over the Golden Gate Bridge, tour Marin headlands at dark with SF city all lit up and then drop you off at a theatre or restaurant of your choice back in the city.

Wow. Thank you all for the great suggestions!

As for restaurants, we're willing to spend around $20-25 a person, at the most without drinks for a good dinner :)

I'll be looking into all of these!

Suze, I thought you meant the F Line that does have the street cars that are historic street cars. The F Line runs from the Castro district and down Market and turns north in front of the Ferry Building and goes to Fisherman's Wharf.

>>As for restaurants, we're willing to spend around $20-25 a person, at the most without drinks for a good dinner<,

Does that include 25-30% for tip, tax, and "healthy SF" charge????

Stu Dudley

If you want to do Alcatraz buy tix in advance. Take a long stroll up coit tower great view.

Beach Blanket Babylon is a great show to go see!

Our first time we took a tour to do he vineyards - a wine tasting trip to Napa. It was awesome.

Your first trip will not be your last. You will fall in love. So much to see!

:)

If you are interested in Alcatraz, I would suggest buying tickets now. We are doing a night tour and made reservations 10 days in advance and the 6:10 PM tour was already sold out. I think the day time tours are easier to get into though.

I have been to SF twice, and I absolutely love it there. I have three recommendations for places to eat, in order of my preference:
1. Za Pizza - http://www.zapizzasf.com/ - best pizza I have ever had, and it is right on the Hyde Street cable car line.
2. Ike's Place - http://ilikeikesplace.com/ - fantastic sandwiches.
3. Cliff House - http://www.cliffhouse.com/ - more expensive (dinner for two with wine ran us about $100), but you can request a table with an ocean view, and it is remarkably beautiful.

Things to do:
1. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
2. Rent a bike, ride from Fisherman's Wharf to the GGB and across to Sausalito, take the ferry back to Fisherman's Wharf to drop the bikes off.

Just one more suggestion I would make - the Muni passports are absolutely a good idea. http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfares/passports.htm. They are $27 per person for a 7 day passport, which gets you unlimited rides on all public transportation in the city, including the cable cars, which are $5 per person per ride one way without it. The cable cars are by far the funnest way to get around, so it easily becomes worth the cost of the passport.

Have fun!