dmlove

We had brunch at Foreign Cinema (Mission Street between 21st and 22nd) on Saturday and it was great!

starrs

topping with some websites I've found

SF Walking tours -
http://sanfrancisco.about.com/od/art...lkingtours.htm

Victorian tour -
http://www.sfcityguides.org/

Thanks, Stu!

StuDudley

My wife is the guide on this Saturday's City Guides tour of "Landmark Victorians of Alamo Square". It starts with a tour of one of the most outrageous Victorian interiors in SF.

Unfortunately, my wife broke her foot 2 months ago, and is hobbled - so I'm driving her around in the car & she'll hop out at the various spots where she gives her talk.

Stu Dudley

starrs

I saw the last name and wondered.
Will she be doing the March 8th tour?
I'd like to take it.

StuDudley

Nope - she's giving the March 16th tour of "Victorian San Francisco".

There is no Alamo Square tour on the 8th. It's given on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday, and the 1st & 3rd Saturday of the month - March 1.

Also, when the owner of the Victorian that hosts the interior tour is not available, they do not go though the home. Since my wife is hobbled and trying to walk as little as possible, she called the owner & he said he will be home this Sat to host the interor tour.

Stu Dudley

frankdaddy

Stu
Is the Victorian Tour going to be on Saturday Feb 16th? How long is it and how do you sign up? We are going to be in town that Saturday and would love to see if we can do it. Let me know. I also asked on another post about places to eat and about DAT that weekend. Also what is the best priced tour of Alcatraz? Let me know. Thanks,

StuDudley

Yep - there is a tour on Feb 16. They're the first & third Sat of the month, and the first & third Wed of the month. My wife is the guide for the tour on the 20th. No sign up - just show up at the start. See details here:
www.sfcityguides.org

DAT ended Jan 31

I have not taken the Alcatraz tour in about 10 years, so I don't know about the prices.

Stu Dudley

frankdaddy

Stu Dudley thanks for your reply. I have a few questions about my stay in San Fran. I am arriving on Friday 15th and leaving to Tahoe on Sunday afternoon with my family which is my wife and 2 boys 11 and 18. I will have a car. I want to do 3 things in that time and tell me if it is doable. I want to go to Half Moon Bay and see some of PCH. See San Francisco and see Alcatraz. I am thinking that I can see San Fran on Friday when I land at 10:00 AM and stay in San Fran all day and night. On Saturday go on the Victorian House tour and see more of San Fran. that Saturday afternoon. At about 5:00 PM drive to Half Moon Bay along the PCH and then come back into San Fran for dinner. On Sunday take the 9:30 AM Alcatraz tour have lunch and then head to Tahoe at about 2:00 PM. What restaurants do you recommend in China Town with the family. I would like to spend about $60-$70 or less for Chinese Food. How about a good budget rest. for San Fran. in a funky neighborhood like Haight Ashbury so we can walk around after dinner. Maybe a cool restaurant in Half Moon Bay for a budget family if we can fit that in. Please let me know about my itinerary and if it makes sense. Thanks

StuDudley

I'm tied up till tomorrow afternoon - I'll answer you then

Stu Dudley

frankdaddy

Thanks and look forward to the info.

Grassshopper

Frankdaddy, I'm not Stu but I have a couple of comments about your plans. You want to do the coast road at 5:00 pm. Sunset is about 5:45 so you might want to leave a little earlier (unless watching the sunset is your goal - then I'd just go out to the beach.) Secondly, the Chinese New Years 2 weeks festival will be going on. While the parade isn't until the 23rd, it is likely to be a lot more crowded and busy in Chinatown than normally. That maybe be an advantage or a disadvantage to you.

StuDudley

>> I want to do 3 things in that time and tell me if it is doable. I want to go to Half Moon Bay and see some of PCH. See San Francisco and see Alcatraz. I am thinking that I can see San Fran on Friday when I land at 10:00 AM and stay in San Fran all day and night. On Saturday go on the Victorian House tour and see more of San Fran. that Saturday afternoon. At about 5:00 PM drive to Half Moon Bay along the PCH and then come back into San Fran for dinner. On Sunday take the 9:30 AM Alcatraz tour have lunch and then head to Tahoe at about 2:00 PM.<<

That seems reasonable except for perhaps the Half Moon Bay trip. If you get on Hwy 280 reasonablly quick, It will take you about 45 mins to get to half Moon Bay. Hwy 1 (Cabrillo Highway, not PCH) doesn't get exciting till you get 10-15 mins south of Half Moon Bay. from HMB, budget about 30 mins out & 30 mins back. Then another 45 mins back to the city. If you want to walk on the beach, add 30 mins. That's a 3 hr trip, so if you depart at 5, you won't get back till 8. If you are staying at the Wharf or on Lombard St it will take you a little longer than if you're staying near Union Sq or the embarcadero.

An alternative would be to just stay in San Francisco to enjoy the ocean. You can go to Ocean Beach south of the cliff house to watch waves. If you want to see some dramatic ocean coastline, take a portion of the Coastal Trail from the Cliff House or just admire the Golden Gate (entrance to the bay - not the bridge) from a lookout. Find the intersection Pt Lobos ave & El Camino del Mar on a good map (AAA)> note thet there is a walking trail hear there called the Calif Coastal Trail. If you walk out onthat tril for 15 mins, you will be rearded with some spectacular views. There are also several lookouts on the road (I think El camino del Mar) There is construction going on right now (we were there yesterday) so just try to get as close to the ocean as you can north of Point Lobos Ave.

>>What restaurants do you recommend in China Town with the family. I would like to spend about $60-$70 or less for Chinese Food.<<

I'm not the expert on Chinatown restaurants - ask someone else.

>>How about a good budget rest. for San Fran. in a funky neighborhood like Haight Ashbury so we can walk around after dinner<<

That's not an area we dine at often, for some reason. See if others have some ideas.

>>Maybe a cool restaurant in Half Moon Bay for a budget family if we can fit that in<<


OK - Sam's Chowder House just a tad north of Half Moon Bay - past a beach & a trailor/RV park. Fantastic views, but remember that the sun will be in your face if you go there for sunset

Stu Dudley

LucieV

Haight-Ashbury hasn't been "funky" in decades.

If you want "funky," try the Clement Street area...which abounds with great budget restaurants, at least two on every block. Vietnamese, Thai, Peruvian, Korean, Burmese, Chinese, Argentinian, Russian, Indian, you-name-it. Cool bars, too.

cfntmpn

How long (time not distance) does it take to walk from Union Square to Fishermans Wharf?

LucieV

Half hour - 45 minutes. More or less. Depending upon how fast you walk, how many times you stop to ooh and aah at everything on the way!

frankdaddy

Thanks the info. really helps. My wife wants to drive down to Pebble Beach.I don't think we will have enough time How long do you think that will take? In the short amount of time we will have, is that a doable trip there and back in say 5 hours? If we were going to attempt that trip does it make sense to do it on Friday when we arrive or Saturday if we leave real early in the morning. I am thinking we would take the PCH down and then jump on the major highwy. back. Thanks again for all your help.

StuDudley

Early Saturday morning with no commute traffic, on the fastest route possible (101, etc), it's 2 1/4 hrs to Pebble Beach. That's 4 1/2 hrs total travel time. You may hit more traffic returning, so plan on 5 hrs for the trip.

On Friday (get-away day), the round trip would be about 6 hours.

Again - it's not PCH - that's only in Southern California. It's the Cabrillo Highway up here.

Stu Dudley

frankdaddy

Thanks Stu looking forward to the trip.

frankdaddy

Did not want to overlook the information that Grasshopper and LucieV gave as well. Thank you both. I am going to look up Clement Street for the funky area and maybe catch some Asian cuisine in the Clement Street area

StuDudley

I don't know what your definition of "funky" is - but if I use mine, I would stay that the Hayes Valley and Upper & Lower Haight would be the "funkiest". In the Haight/Ashbury, it wold be fun for your entire family to get matching tatoos or piercings. Really - I think your 11 & 18 YOs would get a kick out of the Haight Ashbury if you/they don't mind seeing a weird character or two, or someone they might think is a street person that's a little high on something. They might like to spend an hour in Amoeba records. See if you can rattle SAB & get a recommendation of a burger or other similar place - she lives in the Cole Valley which is close by. Start a new thread titled "Casual/funky restaurant recommendation in the Haight Ashbury" and explain what you are seeking for your family.

I would not call Clement funky.

Stu Dudley