Rainy San Francisco - What to do?
 

Hi,

My wife and I are scheduled to leave tomorrow evening for 4 days in SF. Turns out, forecast is for rain every day. Questions are:

- What to do in the rain in SF? We planned to do a cheap tour (walking, cycling, taking photos, seeing the sights by foot). What else can we do in the rain without breaking the bank.

- Is the rain in SF typically like east coast beach rain (i.e. shower every day for an hour or so, and then clearing), or are we looking at a total washout?

Sorry to be so clueless on this, but we are debating whether or not to postpone the trip at the last minute.

Thanks

SF rain is more than often of the torrential downpour variety. Okay, it isn't monsoon-quality, but is more than I'd care to endure outdoors.

So what is free/cheap and indoors? Window-shopping in the ferry building or more conventional shopping at the Westfield shopping center at 5th and Market. Or brave the rain in a compact walking area like Chinatown - there are plenty off great places to stop and try some dim sum if the weather gets unbearable. How about an art museum? My favorite is the Palace of Fine Arts but depending upon your taste you could try the SFMOMA or the recently remodeled Asian Art Museum.

<<SF rain is more than often of the torrential downpour variety.>>

If you consider maybe an inch of rain in a day to be a torrential downpour...I guess you could consider that bad.

An umbrella will do you just fine.

The DeYoung Museum is quite nice since it reopened.

thereyet

Thanks for the responses. We're hoping that at least half of our time there will be somewhat dry. We were planning to walk over the GG Bridge and walk through Muir as well. Also, Alcatraz on Thursday night. Those were really the only "tourist" type things we had planned. Other than that, we really just want to see the area, wander around, and take some photos. Any good photo spots you might recommend (even in the rain)?

Thanks

This week's rain is not going to be a series of major storm systems, with the exception of maybe Saturday afternoon and evening. The forecast for this morning was light rain. It's been on and off all morning, nothing monumental.

It's maybe not the ideal weather for a bay cruise or a walk across the GG Bridge. How about the suggested trip to the DeYoung with a side jaunt to the Japanese Tea Garden? The plum blossoms should be very pretty right now.

The Asian Arts Museum just opened a show of Japanese screen paintings - I hope to catch it myself this week. The AAM has a really nice restaurant for lunches or snacks.

The Castro Theater is showing the exclusive "director's cut" of Blade Runner. Might be fun to attend, as much for the atmosphere as the film. Go to the early show and enjoy the live organ music beforehand - very kitschy and in tune with the decor.

If I had a guest in town this evening, I'd probably take him/her to the Carnelian Room on top of the BofA building for a drink to start. I love watching the rain clouds roll in through the Golden Gate as darkness falls. Then we'd go to some cozy place on Belden Lane (a block away) for dinner. Paella at B-44 or mussels at Plouf.

Hmm, who could I call tonight for dinner? You've got me started now.

Buy umbrellas & do whatever you had planned.

I'm from Seattle... we don't change plans because of rain, or we'd never get anything done!
;-)

SF Museum of MOdern Art is worth checking out as well.