San Francisco - help with itinerary?
 

I'm hoping someone can help me organise an itinerary for an action-packed weekend in San Francisco later this month. It's 30 years since I visited San Francisco as a tourist. At that time I stayed with friends in the Castro district for several weeks, and endlessly walked the length and breadth of the city. These days I'm not quite so sprightly, I've forgotten the lie of the land to some extent and I'm sure that San Francisco must have changed a lot, so I could do with some help and advice. <BR> <BR>We hope to check into our hotel between 3.00 and 4.00pm on a Friday (probably jet-lagged), and we'll be leaving fairly early on Monday morning. We have a choice of the following hotels (haven't decided which): Donatello - near Union Square, Milano - 5th and Mission, Hyatt Regency - Embarcadero. <BR> <BR>We'll be accompanied by two teenage daughters (their first visit to the city)who I'm sure will be attracted by Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square etc. but, we'd like to keep visits to these areas as brief as possible. They'd probably also like Yerba Buena and the Metreon, from what I've heard. And I'm sure they'd love the Sunday service at the Glide church, if we can fit it in. <BR> <BR>Over the course of the weekend my husband and I would also like to include the following, if possible: <BR> <BR>A walk around Chinatown <BR>Coit Tower <BR>Alcatraz tour (preferably in daylight) <BR>The Exploratorium <BR>A look at the Golden Gate <BR>The park, incl. Academy of Science, the conservatory and the Teahouse. <BR>SFMOMA <BR> <BR>On the Sunday we have a 5.30 pm reservation for dinner at Asia SF (couldn't get anything later). <BR> <BR>We'll have a car which we'll park at the hotel (with in and out privileges), but I'm thinking of buying the CityPass which covers public transport as well as several of the above attractions. <BR> <BR>Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. <BR> <BR>

Sue, <BR> <BR>Try doing a search with 'San Francisco' in the title. There has been lots of great advice given on this topic. Or if that doesn't work, try looking under California. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip! I am going in September and am counting the days!! <BR> <BR>Laura

Thanks, Laura. I've read quite a bit on the board about San Francisco. We're pretty clear about the things we'd like to see if we can fit them in. I'm just hoping that some kind local person might be able to advise me about the order in which we should attempt to visit the various attractions, bearing in mind the walking terrain and the limitations of public transport. <BR> <BR>I hope you have a great trip, too. My first visit to San Francisco was in September and the weather was glorious. There was a wonderful event called the Renaissance Fair back then - I don't know whether it's survived.

Sue, <BR> <BR>Havent any advice about the order, but I would comment that you have a very long list there... What with travelling between sites, even in a compact city such as SF that leaves you hardly any time to actually see and experience each site... <BR> <BR>Anyway, I am sure a SFite can tell you more. <BR> <BR>If you want any more recommendations on eating out, please search for my recent post called "Kavey Back from San Francisco and Healdsburg, Sonoma. Trip Notes." <BR> <BR>I got back from SF only 3 days ago and had a wonderful time. <BR> <BR>Kindest Rgds <BR>Kavey

Sue, the first thing that comes to my mind is why a car? Possibly valid if you want to go up to Marin or to the East Bay, but not for the city. You will find one of the things that has changed about SF is the increase in number of cars. You will find one of the things that has not changed about SF is the number of legal parking places! There is now the trolley line that goes down Market Street with all the old trolley cars and I think Muni is improved. You said in your first few sentences, that you once walked all over SF. That's still the best way to do it! Specific suggestions: I would choose the Donatello. Hotel Milano pretty much exists for business visitors using the Moscone Center and the Hyatt Regency is a huge business type hotel in the Financial District--not bad but not the feel of SF. You might want to eliminate the Metreon and Yerba Buena--Metreon is quite commercial and not of great interest for teen girls. (this the opinions of my 14, 11 and 8 y.o. neices from LA) The SFMOMA can be done as a quick visit--it's more impressive for the architecture of the building than for the actual collection unless they happen to have a wonderful exhibition running. Caffe Museo, however, is a good spot for a nice lunch. Do go to the tea ceremoney, walk the GG Bridge, if you want a wonderful tour of Chinatown, look at www.wokwiz.com. I have taken this with visitors from the UK (I assume you are from your address) and other places and it gives you a real insight into Chinese immigrant culture in the Bay area. The Castro is the Castro--very gay, but still a fun place to see if you have fond memories. Union Street and Cow Hollow would be an attractive area for teen girls. A ferry over to Sausalito or (my choice) Tiburon for views and lunch might be nice. In Tiburon is a good Mexican Guayama's--upscale Mexican food. Would they like afternoon tea at the old and very grand Palace Hotel? North Beach for little Italian restaurants and coffee houses--the old City Lights bookstore is still there. All teen girls like to hear the story of Lilly Hitchcock and then go to Coit Tower. Suggest you go to www.sfgate.com and click on travel or www.sf-visitors.org. It's been more than 30 years since my first visit to SF and now we live in the area. Some things have changed, for sure, but some things will always remain the same. Welcome back!

I, too, was in San Francisco reently (last Saturday). Kam gave me some great advice about the area, so I would trust her judgement. <BR>My last visit to SF & Muir Woods was in June, 1993. It seems that foot and car traffic has greatly increased since then. It was extremely crowded walking along Fisherman's Wharf Saturday and it took about 45 minutes for us to drive out of the city. There were people everywhere. <BR>P.S. Thanks to Kam, Janis, etc. for the advice. I'll do a separate post with a trip report later.

Kavey & Kam, thanks for your input. <BR> <BR>I realise that a car will be something of a millstone in San Francisco. We're collecting it when we fly into SFO. After our weekend in the city we'll be driving down the coast, and it actually proved cheaper to rent a car by the week than by the day. I had considered leaving at SFO for the weekend, but it seems as if the cost of transport to and from the city would outweigh the cost of parking at the hotel. <BR> <BR>Thanks for the hotel recommendation, Kam, and your tip about the Metreon. It's always interesting to know what other kids think. I think we'll probably make a quick trip to SFMOMA before it closes on Friday afternoon. Do you have any ideas for dinner in that area afterwards? How about Mo's Gourmet Hamburgers at Yerba Buena? Or can you recommend anywhere else on our way back to the Donatello? <BR> <BR>On Saturday we'll work our way up to Fisherman's Wharf via Chinatown and Coit Tower (I wonder if your version of the Lilly Hitchcock story is similar to the one I heard?). I'm still debating about Alcatraz. Although I'd love to see it (I missed out on this before) our girls don't seem desperately interested, so perhaps we'll give it a miss in favour of hot fudge sundaes at Ghirardelli, then head over to the bridge, and the Exploratorium if we have time. I'd like the girls to try the Tactile Dome there. I went in a similar exhibit in Florida some years ago and emerged incredibly high from the experience! There's a restaurant nearby on Union Street that I thought we might try for dinner - the Radicchio Trattoria? <BR> <BR>And I guess we'll devote Sunday entirely to the Park - there will be more than enough to keep us occupied for the day. <BR> <BR>I have very fond memories of San Francisco. I hope it will be as wonderful this time round. I do know that one of my regular breakfast spots in the 70's, Woolworth's cafeteria, is no longer in existence. How sad! I wonder what's taken it's place. However, another of my favourite eateries, The Sausage Factory on Castro, still seems to be going strong, and I'm hoping to make a return visit. <BR>

Sue, remember that you must reserve in advance for a visit to the Tactile Dome, so it's not something you can choose to do or not do on the fly, you must decide and reserve in advance.

Mo's is ok for food. It's relatively new. In the Yerba Buena/Sony meteron area there is a mall like area with different types of food. Forget Alcatraz. I walk everywhere in SF. 5th and mission is too far from most things except from the yerba buena. Not a good neighborhood at night. Stay at the Hyatt. I would opt for the Hyatt personally. I perfer the location. Friday when you arrive walk from your hotel to SFMOMA, which is across the street from Yerba Buena/Sony Meteron. That's what you do Friday. Saturday walk to China town, coit tower, pier 39 (yuk), fisherman's wharf (yuk), and Ghirdelli for the sundae's. Sunday take a bus to golden gate park and focus the day there, you can also fit in the Exploratorium. Everything but Golden gate Park will be walkable from the Hyatt. I have lived in SF my whole life and I was teenage girl at one time here.

Thanks, sfnative. It's always good to get a variety of opinions. I'm a bit torn between the Donatello and the Hyatt. Both hotels look good on the web. The Donatello would seem to be more our style (not so impersonal as a business hotel), but I'm a little concerned that the area could be noisy. Would the Embarcadero location be any quieter, do you think? As far as room rates go, the Hyatt is cheaper, but the parking there is more expensive - so they work out about the same.

Jeannie & Caitlin, thanks to you, too. The tip about the Tactile Dome is useful - I hadn't realised reservations are needed.

Sue- The Hyatt would be quieter especially over the weekend. I've never been in the Donatello, but I have walked by it. It's practically at union square. Lots of noise and craziness. I'm not into that, but you may be. The Hyatt is just in a nice location. Near the financial district. Plus you can walk everywhere from there except to golden gate park. The embaracadero also has nice shops.

I think you've sold me on the Hyatt, sfnative. We live in a very quiet corner of East Anglia, having moved out of London because I hated the bustle and din, and I'm now super-sensitive to traffic noise. I'm sure, though, that San Francisco will work its charm on me again, and that I'll enjoy a weekend of city living for a change. <BR> <BR>Thanks to you all for your comments and suggestions. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sue, go to www.exploratorium.edu and click on "visit the museum." Then click on the Tactile Dome link on the left. There you'll find complete info about schedules and reservations. Admittedly, it's been about 20 years, but I thought it was a great experience (and I was an adolescent then).

Sue, My husband's office is in Embarcadero II and all the clients stay at the Hyatt without fail. It will be very quiet because that section of the city will be fairly deserted on a weekend since it's the business office section. Even some of the restaurants in the area close on weekends. But, the flip side of the coin is that it's very easy to get onto the California St. cable car! And if you do stay at the Hyatt, take your girls to the wonderful Farmers Market at the Ferry Bldg. on Saturday morning to graze and listen to music. Buy some great fruit for your room. I'm sure the Donatello has A/C and so there's no reason to worry about the noise. You can easily park underground at Union Square. I just can't urge you strongly enough to stay near Union Square and not in the Financial Dist.but, as always, this is just one person's opinion! If you have any doubts about quiet, call the Donatello directly. For a site for the story of Lilly Hitchcock Coit go to www.sfmuseum.org/hist1/h-coit.html--that's the official party line, but many like to embellish it! I'm sure you've heard all the other versions! I'm lazy so if Caitlin didn't give you the number for Tactile dome, it's (415) 561-0362. We took an 11 year old nephew to Alcatraz and a Giants game at Pac Bell Park a couple weeks ago. While he thought both were "way cool", you know your girls better than I and I don't think my nieces would particularly like it. You could just do the Blue and Gold cruise that goes past Alcatraz, under the GG and back around under the Bay bridge--lasts about an hour. The hot fudge sundae is a sure winner for kids of all ages and I'm sure your girls will enjoy looking at the t-shirts and silver jewelry of the street vendors across from Ghirardelli--they are all licensed by the city and allowed to be there. There's also a museum and earring shop on Beach near Hyde.Fun for that age. If there's a dog or cat in your life, don't miss Beastro By the Bay in Ghirardelli. Have a great trip. While you are here in my neck of the woods, I will be in yours--in northern England and Edinburgh. Can't wait.

Kam, thanks so much for all the info about San Francisco. I posted another message today about an appropriate stopover on the drive down Highway One. Which do you think the girls would like more, Arroyo Grande ( for Pismo Beach?)or Solvang? <BR> <BR>I hope you have a wonderful vacation. I grew up in the North of England, and my husband is from Scotland. Although we now live in the South, he commutes to Edinburgh fairly frequently for work. It's a wonderful city! Our girls love it there, and are considering going to Edinburgh University in due course.

Sue-I did the exploratorium tactile dome on a school field trip when I was 11 or 12. I really hated it. I am somewhat claustrophobic. Make sure you worn your daughters. Some of my classmates freaked out. Some loved it. I will never do that again. I went to the Guggenheim in Bilbao this May and there is a triangle maze with a warning not to go in if you are claustrophobic. of course I went in with my mom and I freaked out. My mom is a senior and walks slow. She made me stay with her and I wanted to just run through the triangle and get out, but I couldn't. I believe the tactile dome has a warning. I remember that tactile dome so well, because I disliked the experience so much. The best part was sliding down the slide and falling into the birdseeds and seeing daylight. Have a great time in sf. The Hyatt really isn't too business travelor focused on the weekends. We had a salesmeeting there from Thursday -Sunday and it was fine. Several families with kids were staying there. Some restaurants in the Embarcadero you may like include Splendido's, I take my clients there and friends and they like it. Chevy's (more for your daughters), it's a mexican food chain. I believe it's noisy, Pizzeria Uno, some people like it, some don't. One Market, may be too pricey for a family of four. Also, I must note there are two Hyatts. One is at Embarcadero one and the other is Embarcadero 5. They are both fine, just about four blocks from each other. The farmers market on Saturday, which was posted by Kam is on the way to the coit tower stairs. You can eat breakfast at the farmers market, buy some fruit and head off to the 500 stairs to climb to get to coit tower. There are the filbert stairs and the greenwich or union stairs. If not in shape they are tiring, but it's worth seeing the beautiful gardens of Telegraph hill.

Sue, your girls might like the Mel's Drive In on Lombard Street. It's a Fifties-style diner (menu includes burgers, veggie burgers, and outstanding milkshakes) with jukeboxes on the tables.