I am traveling to the Bay Area from San Diego this weekend. I have an appointment in San Jose on Monday, but I'm staying in San Francisco for the weekend. What's the best way to get from SF to SJ? I'm staying near the Embarcadero. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I'm not very familiar with SJ. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for fun things going on in SF this weekend, please feel free to include them. I'm interested in art exhibits, theatre and restaurants. I've been to SF twice for short trips so I'm semi-familiar with the city.

>>if anyone has any suggestions for fun things going on in SF this weekend,<<

If you like Victorian architecture and want to know a little more about it, and also why there are so many in SF, take the "Victorian San Francisco" free walking tour offered by SF City Guides. City Guides is sponsored by the Public Library. My wife will be the guide this Sunday. Meet at the southwest corner of Bush & Octavia at 2:00 for a 2 hr walk. Directly across the street is Quince, one of our more popular restaurants (not sure they're open Sunday for dinner). Browse the Fillmore St shopping area (between Jackson to the north & Walgreens to the south) before or after the walk, choose a restaurant, and have dinner there Sunday night if Quince is closed.

AND/OR, you could go to Whole Foods grocery on Franklin & California, buy a Dungeness crab, have them crack/clean it, get some sauce of your liking, forks/napkins from the deli, and enjoy the crab at one of the picnic tables in Lafayette park for lunch before the tour. Lafayette park is 2 blocks from Whole Foods & 2 blocks from the start of the tour. Pick up some wine too - just don't get rowdy with my wife - I'll be there to pick her up afterwards.

Stu Dudley

Check SFgate, enterntainment, sort by date.

There is a free exhibit at Ft Mason, including some Chagall, Matisse, Picasso.

At the Yerba Buena Art Center they have now the Pirates of Penzance, hopefully the 1/2 price booth will have tickets.

Either 101 or 280 will get you there in about one hour...plus, depending on traffic. Try sfgate.com for things to see & do. If it's a nice day ferry over to Tiburon and enjoy lunch outdoors at Sam's with a great view of the City.

Here is the list:

http://www.sfgate.com/listings/searc...l8,cat0,bydate

Where in SJ are you going? That will determine whether 101 or 280 is a better choice.

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions. Stu, I might take you up on the tour your wife is guiding. Many, many thanks!
My meeting is at a business on Park Avenue.
I wasn't planning on renting a car. I was hoping mass transit could get me there or just have a cab or car take me. Maybe it would be cheaper for me to just rent a car and drive myself.

Caltrain goes to San Jose from SF. Don't rent a car. Hopefully someone more familiar with SJ will know how close the station is to your destination. Trains leave about every 15 mins or so during commute hours. SF station is at Fourth St & King St.

Stu Dudley

Whether or not to rent a car will depend on where in SJ you are going to. SJ is a wide spread geographic area. If your appt is downtown, or near one of the CalTrain stops, then CalTrain is definitely the way to go, but if it's not, you will be better off renting a car for the day.

He is staying in SF at the Embarcadero, and it is very easy and scenic walk to Caltrain. In San Jose he can take a taxi to/from his appointment on Park Ave. Just tell the driver the address of your meeting. I wouldn't rent a car enless you enjoy traffic jams.

The web site for Caltrain is:
www.caltrain.com
Tens of thousands of commuters use it daily on weekdays.

Stu Dudley

Park is very close to the Diridon Caltrain station. So depending on where your appointment is on Park, you may be able to walk there from the station. Otherwise it wont be more than a short cab ride away.

Thanks so much. I love mass transit from my days in NYC and since SD is sorely lacking in that category, I'll opt for Caltrain.
BTW, doodlebugg is a woman.

Or, if you are not in a walking mood, go to BART/MUNI Embarcadero station and take MUNI line N, most of the route to Caltrain is on the surface along the bay.