Hi all, we only have 3 nights in San Francisco - and would love to know where would be a central place to stay - so we can get around and see all the sights and enjoy everything we can - we will be there on a weekend - so was thinking that maybe the financial district would be OK but not sure - is it easy to get around once we are there - what are the main things to see and do -
thanks so much

what are the main things to see and do

get a guidebook

On the first day take the trolley. The guide will show you most of the interesting sites so you can,according to your taste, visit some of them in depth the other days.This way you wont lose any of your precious time.Paul

I stayed at the Westin on Market, which is really on Third Street for $104 on a travelzoo spevial and was very happy with the hotel and the location. Close to the Powell Street Station, public transportation was very accessible and parking was only $25 per night (without in and out) which is completely doable.

Look Stududleys San Francisco thread for all things to do. You dont say what your interests or what time of year you are coming. If you five more specific information you will get a lot more suggestions.

I like to go to a San Francisco Giants game, take the ferry to Sausalito for a day, go to Golden Gate Park to the DeYoung Museum and the Science Museum, see Chinatown, walk or drive down Lombard Street, read some early SF History in the lobby of the Flood Building, see Grace Cathedral and attend a service if possible,drink Irish Coffee if its cold and foggy, walk the Golden Gate Bridge, shop on Union Street, see Coit Tower, drive around the coast and see the Presidio... the list is endless.

Good luck planning!

Welcome, I see you are new here. What time of year is your trip? What do you like to see and do? What is your budget for hotel? Are you driving to San Francisco or flying in?

I personally like staying in Union Square area; very convenient and easy to use as a base of travel.

For things to see and do, try the search box - type in San Francisco and see some threads.

Also-

read this:
http://www.fodors.com/world/north-am...san-francisco/

and:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...alifornia.html

We LOVE using the FREE San Francisco City Guides walking tours:
http://www.sfcityguides.org/

Here is a trip report I did earlier this year:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...-francisco.cfm

There is a great thread here with excellent info, but be warned - it is very long!

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Be sure to get a three day MUNI PASSPORT which is available at the Market St/Spear BART station. It is downstairs and sold at a magazine kiosk and is $20 per person. It will save you a fortune in fares as it is good for unlimited cable car, trolley and bus rides. Otherwise you will pay $5.00 one way on the cable cars and around $2.50 on a bus or trolley.The Market/Spear station is on Market across from the Embarcadero.

I agree with the others - for a 3-night trip, I would choose to stay in the Union Square/Market Street area, although the Embarcadero is also very nice and very convenient.

What is your hotel budget (Union Square/Market St. has more choices of hotels in various $$ categories -- most of the Embarcadero Hotels are on the higher end....however, San Francisco is a good candidate for Priceline or Hotwire users).

As for what to see and do, if you'll be here on a Saturday, don't miss the Ferry Bldg. farmers' market (actually, go to the Ferry Bldg. regardless of the day, but Saturday morning is the best time). And have that Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista Cafe at the corner of Hyde and Beach (Fisherman's Wharf) -- that's where it was invented, or at least perfected (by Stan Delaplane, the late newspaper columnist). FWIW, they make very good Irish Coffees at AT&T Park, in case you're at a Giants game and it's cold!

Thanks everyone, - we are there in June - so guess it will be getting warm by then - we want to do the main things - Fishermans Whart - cable car - the Bridge - we wont have a car so the MUNI passport sounds the go - we dont want to pay high accomm as we hopefully will only sleep in the room and spend the rest of our time exploring San Fran - so the less we spend on hotel the more we can spend on the town - there will be 10 of us (all adults) and a 10mt baby -
thanks for all the suggestions I will now be able to research a lot easier - would love to see a giants game but guess we will be out of season - any other suggestions for a great sport to watch while we are in America - (only June)
thanks
G

Giants will be playing in June and hopefully well into October--the issue will be whether it is a home game or not.

Totally agree with sf on Union Square..
We usually stay at the Westin St. Francis and though it looks all fancy pants, we seem to get great rates on expedia.com for around $100 a night..
Do take in a Giants game..its a great ballpark and the food and drink are equally good.
Tadich Grill, Boulevard, Slanted Door, Buena Vista are some of my favorites for dining.
Have a great time!

I agree with using Priceline. We got the four star Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf for a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for a bid of $65. This was in February and June may be higher but it is still a great savings over booking with a hotel directly.

You mentioned doing the bridge. A Muni bus will drop you at the park at the San Francisco end of the bridge and you can walk across which is a thrill or you can rent a bike.Also, don't forget the self guided tour of Alcatraz.

...we are there in June - so guess it will be getting warm by then
No, not exactly.
The average June high temperature will be 65-70 degrees farenheit.
The average June low temperature will be 50 - 55 degrees
farenheit.

There is also a very likely chance of fog on any given day,
sometime in the AM, sometimes around 4 PM, and sometimes all
day. Dress in layers. Probably not shorts.
If you go to a Giants game at night in June dress for
winter weather.
I'm not kidding.


R5

As a local, I was going to say what razzledazzle (also a local) said. She's not kidding, and neither am I. Really warm temperatures in San Francisco happen, but they are not the norm, and you never know when they're going to occur.

i agree. june is not warm in s.f. although there may be an occasional warm spell.
but, it will not last long and the cold fog with envelop the city.
dressing in layers would be the thing to do.

you can always spot the tourists in s.f. because they are the only ones wearing shorts and "i heart s.f." sweatshirts bought out of desperation.


"The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco."
- mark twain

>>"The coldest winter I ever saw was the summer I spent in San Francisco."
- mark twain

>>"abranz - you know it wasn't Mark Twain who said that"

I've lived in the SF Bay Area for most of my life. I agree, June can be chilly. And when tha evening fog comes in, it's not on little cat feet, it's BLOWN in on chilly wind. In mid-day it will be pleasant if the fog has burned off.

A walk along the Embarcadero from the Ferry Building north, as far as you want to go, is a beautiful walk for the views.

I think Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf are awful tourist traps. Go to Golden Gate Park and wander around. Take the ferry to Sausalito and walk around.

>>

Actually, these days (i.e. since redevelopment), the walk along the Embarcadero all the way from AT&T Park (which is about 1-1/4 miles south of the Ferry Building) is a really nice walk.

The entire Embarcadero from Pier 39 to AT&T Park is a nice walk. And to think that before the '89 quake, I (and many other locals) opposed tearing down the ugly Embarcadero Freeway - which eventually "opened up" the area for the lovely venue that's there today.

Now, I'll go out of my way just to drive along the Embarcadero, instead of taking 3rd st/Kearny off 101 to get to the financial district or to North Beach..

Stu Dudley

stu, you are right. i should have said it is attributed to mark twain. i guess we don't really know who said it.

we took some australian friends to 'than long' and we totally indulged on the garlic noodles and crab.
now that you have reminded me, i am craving it all over again. yum!