San Francisco Itinerary - HELP!!
Mar 2nd, 2005, 10:58 AM
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San Francisco Itinerary - HELP!!
Hello all! I just planned a san francisco trip and here is a tentative itinerary. We will be there from a Friday to a Tuesday in March.
Please let me know what you think -- how are the restaurants? Anything to add? anything to drop? We just want to hit the "hot spots". Places where "you have to visit when you're in San Fran."
Thanks!
Friday: check-in by 6:30pm.
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room.
Take a walk around Union Square (where our hotel is).
Saturday: 10am-2pm - Chinatown (eat lunch)
2pm-5pm - walk around Nob Hill/Russina Hill (Lomard St) ?? any suggestions?
North Beach - grab tiramisu from Steps Of Rome
Bar?/South Of Market - dinner at LuLu
Sunday: 10am-11am - Pier 39
11am-12pm - Ghiradeli Square - Fritz for fries!
12pm-2pm - Fisherman's Wharf - lunch at Boudin Bakery
2pm-4:30pm - Alcatraz tour
5pm - Union Square/Cow Hollow - dinner at Betelnut
Monday: 8am - rent car and see Golden Gate Bridge.
10am-3pm - Napa Valley? Sonoma? - lunch at Angelo's Wine Country Deli
4pm-6pm - Golden Gate Park
6:30pm-8:30pm - dinner at Cliff House
9pm- Twin Peaks
Tuesday: pack up and go back home...
any thoughts? I am VERY open for suggestions. Neither my wife and I have ever been to San Francisco. Help Us! What do we see? Where do we eat? WHAT do we eat? Thanks!
Please let me know what you think -- how are the restaurants? Anything to add? anything to drop? We just want to hit the "hot spots". Places where "you have to visit when you're in San Fran."
Thanks!
Friday: check-in by 6:30pm.
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room.
Take a walk around Union Square (where our hotel is).
Saturday: 10am-2pm - Chinatown (eat lunch)
2pm-5pm - walk around Nob Hill/Russina Hill (Lomard St) ?? any suggestions?
North Beach - grab tiramisu from Steps Of Rome
Bar?/South Of Market - dinner at LuLu
Sunday: 10am-11am - Pier 39
11am-12pm - Ghiradeli Square - Fritz for fries!
12pm-2pm - Fisherman's Wharf - lunch at Boudin Bakery
2pm-4:30pm - Alcatraz tour
5pm - Union Square/Cow Hollow - dinner at Betelnut
Monday: 8am - rent car and see Golden Gate Bridge.
10am-3pm - Napa Valley? Sonoma? - lunch at Angelo's Wine Country Deli
4pm-6pm - Golden Gate Park
6:30pm-8:30pm - dinner at Cliff House
9pm- Twin Peaks
Tuesday: pack up and go back home...
any thoughts? I am VERY open for suggestions. Neither my wife and I have ever been to San Francisco. Help Us! What do we see? Where do we eat? WHAT do we eat? Thanks!
Mar 2nd, 2005, 11:20 AM
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I think the part where you spend time in Napa or Sonoma and then return to S.F. to explore GG Park is optimistic to say the least. But you still might make it, in terms of a drive westward through the park towards the Great Highway and the Cliff House.
If you get to the Twin Peaks summit a little earlier than planned, you would benefit from the sunset glow added to the view (assuming it's a clear day).
I like LuLu's for dinner. Make sure you try the iron-skillet mussels, very simple but the essence of marine goodness. LuLu is south of Market Street, so plan on catching a cab back to Union Square (not a long ride).
If you get to the Twin Peaks summit a little earlier than planned, you would benefit from the sunset glow added to the view (assuming it's a clear day).
I like LuLu's for dinner. Make sure you try the iron-skillet mussels, very simple but the essence of marine goodness. LuLu is south of Market Street, so plan on catching a cab back to Union Square (not a long ride).
Mar 2nd, 2005, 11:27 AM
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It actually looks great for a three full days. You don't seem to have a lot planned after dinners. You might want to catch the Market St. trolly and check out the Castro theater (it's right on the line) - one of the greatest movie houses in the country.
http://www.castrotheatresf.com
http://www.castrotheatresf.com
Mar 2nd, 2005, 12:24 PM
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Friday-Sunday look like you'll really enjoy yourselves, I like your itinerary. My favorite dish from LuLu's is the frito misto appetizer. I would change Monday though, depending on what you prefer. For sure I'd take the Cliff House off my list.
But since you have a car, why not check out great SF neigborhood food for dinner? You could do Foreign Cinema or Delfina in the Mission or Incanto in Noe Valley before returning to your hotel after your day in Sonoma.
If you are willing to forego wine country, a good 1 day overview of the Bay Area would be to drive across GG Bridge, take in Muir Woods, return to bridge via Highway 1 and Marin headlands, go into GG Park and/or Presidio and explore, catch sunset in Lincoln Park/Palace of Legion of Honor then head over to inner Sunset district. Walk around 9th & Irving and stop somewhere for a cocktail or pre-dinner respite then head to whatever local restaurant you choose before returning to the room. I did a similar tour when we had company from Chicago and they all loved it.
But since you have a car, why not check out great SF neigborhood food for dinner? You could do Foreign Cinema or Delfina in the Mission or Incanto in Noe Valley before returning to your hotel after your day in Sonoma.
If you are willing to forego wine country, a good 1 day overview of the Bay Area would be to drive across GG Bridge, take in Muir Woods, return to bridge via Highway 1 and Marin headlands, go into GG Park and/or Presidio and explore, catch sunset in Lincoln Park/Palace of Legion of Honor then head over to inner Sunset district. Walk around 9th & Irving and stop somewhere for a cocktail or pre-dinner respite then head to whatever local restaurant you choose before returning to the room. I did a similar tour when we had company from Chicago and they all loved it.
Mar 2nd, 2005, 01:35 PM
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>>Friday: check-in by 6:30pm.
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room.
Take a walk around Union Square (where our hotel is).
Saturday: 10am-2pm - Chinatown (eat lunch)<<<
I don't think Chinatown will take 4 hours. I've never eaten at a Chinese restaurant that took much longer than 1 hour - less for lunch. I would grab some carry out dim sum & eat it in Portsmith Square. Wander around North Beach on this day. Four hours in Chinatown & North Beach is just fine.
>>2pm-5pm - walk around Nob Hill/Russina Hill (Lomard St) ?? any suggestions?<<
Yes - buy a book called "Stairway Walks in San Francisco" by Adah Bakalinsky and do walk # 4 & 5 to explore the Russian Hill & Lombard St areas. Excellent walks - you will find some "hidden" places in SF. Nob Hill will not take much time if you just want to walk around.
>>North Beach - grab tiramisu from Steps Of Rome
Bar?/South Of Market - dinner at LuLu<<
You are going to have a tiramisu at 6:30 or so and then go to dinner????
Do North Beach with Chinatown on Friday. When you finish the Russian Hill/Lombard walk, go to the Union St/Fillmore St/Chestnut St area for drinks and dinner. It's a fun place to be on Sat night. Have drinks at Matrix Fillmore and then dinner at Betelnut. Or drinks at Cozmos, dinner at Betelnut, & after dinner drinks at Matrix Fillmore. I think this area will be more "happening" than the SOMA area on Sat Night.
>>>Sunday: 10am-11am - Pier 39
11am-12pm - Ghiradeli Square - Fritz for fries!
12pm-2pm - Fisherman's Wharf - lunch at Boudin Bakery
2pm-4:30pm - Alcatraz tour
There are only two reasons for going to this FW section of town.
1. Take a boat ride OUT of this area & go to Alcatraz
2. Take a cable car OUT of this area & go downtown
Tacky, tacky, tacky
Four hours there is about five hours too many. Take a SF City Guides tour of the Haight Ashbury area at 11:00 (www.SFCityGuides.org), followed by time in nearby Golden Gate Park, followed by a walk through the Castro or a stroll through the Noe Valley (24th st). These are all interesting places to be on a Sunday. If you do these things, you will see why we pay outrageous home prices so that we can live here. You won't find this if you just stay near the Wharf - what a wast of your too short visit.
>>5pm - Union Square/Cow Hollow - dinner at Betelnut<<
You might mean Union St, not Sq. Do this on Saturday when it is more alive. Eat in North Beach at North Beach Restaurant (many other SF restaurants will be closed on Sunday)
>>Monday: 8am - rent car and see Golden Gate Bridge<<<
Click on my name & try to find a post I did a month ago about the best way to view the bridge from the GGNRA on the Marin side (best views in Bay Area, IMHO). I also described a 2 day drive through the wine country, which you could easily shorten to fit into 1 day. The post started with "SF - North along th coast & into the Wine Country" On that same day, I made another post where I described a drive around Lincoln Park, Seacliff, Presidio which is very scenic.
>>>10am-3pm - Napa Valley? Sonoma? - lunch at Angelo's Wine Country Deli
4pm-6pm - Golden Gate Park
Do GG park on Sunday with Haight Ashbury so you can spend this entire day in the Wine Country. Have dinner at LuLus tonight (if they are open on Mondays)
>>6:30pm-8:30pm - dinner at Cliff House<<
Best for lunch when it's daytime. It will be dark at 7:00, so all you will see is darkness - not too exciting.
>>9pm- Twin Peaks<<
How had you planned to get there???
Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room.
Take a walk around Union Square (where our hotel is).
Saturday: 10am-2pm - Chinatown (eat lunch)<<<
I don't think Chinatown will take 4 hours. I've never eaten at a Chinese restaurant that took much longer than 1 hour - less for lunch. I would grab some carry out dim sum & eat it in Portsmith Square. Wander around North Beach on this day. Four hours in Chinatown & North Beach is just fine.
>>2pm-5pm - walk around Nob Hill/Russina Hill (Lomard St) ?? any suggestions?<<
Yes - buy a book called "Stairway Walks in San Francisco" by Adah Bakalinsky and do walk # 4 & 5 to explore the Russian Hill & Lombard St areas. Excellent walks - you will find some "hidden" places in SF. Nob Hill will not take much time if you just want to walk around.
>>North Beach - grab tiramisu from Steps Of Rome
Bar?/South Of Market - dinner at LuLu<<
You are going to have a tiramisu at 6:30 or so and then go to dinner????
Do North Beach with Chinatown on Friday. When you finish the Russian Hill/Lombard walk, go to the Union St/Fillmore St/Chestnut St area for drinks and dinner. It's a fun place to be on Sat night. Have drinks at Matrix Fillmore and then dinner at Betelnut. Or drinks at Cozmos, dinner at Betelnut, & after dinner drinks at Matrix Fillmore. I think this area will be more "happening" than the SOMA area on Sat Night.
>>>Sunday: 10am-11am - Pier 39
11am-12pm - Ghiradeli Square - Fritz for fries!
12pm-2pm - Fisherman's Wharf - lunch at Boudin Bakery
2pm-4:30pm - Alcatraz tour
There are only two reasons for going to this FW section of town.
1. Take a boat ride OUT of this area & go to Alcatraz
2. Take a cable car OUT of this area & go downtown
Tacky, tacky, tacky
Four hours there is about five hours too many. Take a SF City Guides tour of the Haight Ashbury area at 11:00 (www.SFCityGuides.org), followed by time in nearby Golden Gate Park, followed by a walk through the Castro or a stroll through the Noe Valley (24th st). These are all interesting places to be on a Sunday. If you do these things, you will see why we pay outrageous home prices so that we can live here. You won't find this if you just stay near the Wharf - what a wast of your too short visit.
>>5pm - Union Square/Cow Hollow - dinner at Betelnut<<
You might mean Union St, not Sq. Do this on Saturday when it is more alive. Eat in North Beach at North Beach Restaurant (many other SF restaurants will be closed on Sunday)
>>Monday: 8am - rent car and see Golden Gate Bridge<<<
Click on my name & try to find a post I did a month ago about the best way to view the bridge from the GGNRA on the Marin side (best views in Bay Area, IMHO). I also described a 2 day drive through the wine country, which you could easily shorten to fit into 1 day. The post started with "SF - North along th coast & into the Wine Country" On that same day, I made another post where I described a drive around Lincoln Park, Seacliff, Presidio which is very scenic.
>>>10am-3pm - Napa Valley? Sonoma? - lunch at Angelo's Wine Country Deli
4pm-6pm - Golden Gate Park
Do GG park on Sunday with Haight Ashbury so you can spend this entire day in the Wine Country. Have dinner at LuLus tonight (if they are open on Mondays)
>>6:30pm-8:30pm - dinner at Cliff House<<
Best for lunch when it's daytime. It will be dark at 7:00, so all you will see is darkness - not too exciting.
>>9pm- Twin Peaks<<
How had you planned to get there???
Stu Dudley
San Mateo (San Francisco), Ca
Mar 2nd, 2005, 11:19 PM
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I have to differ from Stu Dudley, who usually gives impeccable advice. Do NOT, do NOT, buy something and munch on it in Pioneer Square in Chinatown - not unless you want to be considered a crazy round-eyed!
DO, on the other hand, go and have dim sum at either Asia Garden or Miriwa, both on Pacific Street. Try to arrive around 11am to get a table without a long wait.
On the day when you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, take the very first exit "Vista Point". It'll offer you a great vista back to SF.
Then exit the Vista Point and take the very next exit "Alexander Street". Take that exit and curve LEFT under the freeway. You will end up on the other side of the freeway heading BACK towards SF. However, the road will split. Take the RIGHT hand road, saying "Marin Headlands". At the top of the hill, just park along the road. Get out of the car and walk with everyone else to the battery viewpoint. That's probably the viewpoint that Stu wants you to see. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Last comment: Fisherman's Wharf and Boudin's Bakery. Well, that's OK, you get something served in a SF sour dough bread with the center taken out and whatever else is inserted in its place. For a better experience in that area, go to Ghirardelli Square. Eat at Lori's Diner, it's really inexpensive. Then get the biggest ice cream your stomach can hold almost next door at the Chocolate Factory. IMHO, much better experience than a Boudini's bread soup.
Or try the Rainforest Cafe.
Have fun! And welcome to San Francisco!
DO, on the other hand, go and have dim sum at either Asia Garden or Miriwa, both on Pacific Street. Try to arrive around 11am to get a table without a long wait.
On the day when you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, take the very first exit "Vista Point". It'll offer you a great vista back to SF.
Then exit the Vista Point and take the very next exit "Alexander Street". Take that exit and curve LEFT under the freeway. You will end up on the other side of the freeway heading BACK towards SF. However, the road will split. Take the RIGHT hand road, saying "Marin Headlands". At the top of the hill, just park along the road. Get out of the car and walk with everyone else to the battery viewpoint. That's probably the viewpoint that Stu wants you to see. It's absolutely gorgeous.
Last comment: Fisherman's Wharf and Boudin's Bakery. Well, that's OK, you get something served in a SF sour dough bread with the center taken out and whatever else is inserted in its place. For a better experience in that area, go to Ghirardelli Square. Eat at Lori's Diner, it's really inexpensive. Then get the biggest ice cream your stomach can hold almost next door at the Chocolate Factory. IMHO, much better experience than a Boudini's bread soup.
Or try the Rainforest Cafe.
Have fun! And welcome to San Francisco!
Mar 3rd, 2005, 01:15 PM
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Rainforest Cafe? There's abosolutely nothing "San Francisco" about that place.
I know everyone puts down Fisherman's Wharf - but I think it is worth about an hour for kicks. Of course we natives don't go there - but it is a touristy thing to do.
Completely agree with dropping Cliff House - very disappointing. Your other restaurants sounds great - TIP: you can make most of your reservations online with opentable.com
I know everyone puts down Fisherman's Wharf - but I think it is worth about an hour for kicks. Of course we natives don't go there - but it is a touristy thing to do.
Completely agree with dropping Cliff House - very disappointing. Your other restaurants sounds great - TIP: you can make most of your reservations online with opentable.com
Mar 6th, 2005, 11:47 PM
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Since you're planning on spending time in North Beach, consider getting tickets to Beach Blanket Babylon--great topical music and comedy and a long-standing city tradition. The wine country is difficult in a day--rush hour traffic in the Bay Area goes from ~6-10 and ~3-7. maybe consider time in Marin county--Marin headlands, Sausalito, Point Reyes, etc--depending on your interests.
Mar 7th, 2005, 12:05 PM
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Ok guys, thanks for the suggestions. We slightly changed the itinerary. Any thoughts on this now? Places to add? drop? change?
Thursday -
Fly in to San Fran by 9:30am
Rent a car
Golden Gate Park (10:30 - 1:30 - are there any good places to eat around here?
Golden Gate Bridge (2:00 - 3:30)
Check in at the hotel - 4:00
Dinner (north beach - The stinky rose) - 5:30 - 7:30
Twin Peaks - 8:00 - 9:30
Return the car at the airport - 10:00
Take BART back to hotel. Is this the only form of transportation available? Is this recommended? I'm not sure how safe it is to take the BART at this time of night...
Friday -
China Town - 10:00 - 12:00 (any recommendations on where to eat?)
North Beach/Nob Hill/Russian Hill/Lombard Street - 1:00 - 4:00
Union St/Fillmore St/Chestnut St - Dinner at Betelnut
Saturday -
Farmer's market?
FW/Ghirardelli Square/Pier 39 (where's a good place to get clam chowder and some crab legs?)
Alcatraz Tour - (night tour)
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room - 8:00 -
Sunday -
Noe Valley/Haight Asbury (morning - early afternoon)
SOMA - Museums/Yerba Buena gardens (good place to eat lunch?)
Dinner at Lulu
Monday -
Pick up a car by 9
Drive to Sonoma
Lunch at Angelo's wine country deli
Drive back to SF by 7:00
Dinner at House of Prime Ribs (7:00 - 9:00)
Return the car and fly back to Chicago
Thursday -
Fly in to San Fran by 9:30am
Rent a car
Golden Gate Park (10:30 - 1:30 - are there any good places to eat around here?
Golden Gate Bridge (2:00 - 3:30)
Check in at the hotel - 4:00
Dinner (north beach - The stinky rose) - 5:30 - 7:30
Twin Peaks - 8:00 - 9:30
Return the car at the airport - 10:00
Take BART back to hotel. Is this the only form of transportation available? Is this recommended? I'm not sure how safe it is to take the BART at this time of night...
Friday -
China Town - 10:00 - 12:00 (any recommendations on where to eat?)
North Beach/Nob Hill/Russian Hill/Lombard Street - 1:00 - 4:00
Union St/Fillmore St/Chestnut St - Dinner at Betelnut
Saturday -
Farmer's market?
FW/Ghirardelli Square/Pier 39 (where's a good place to get clam chowder and some crab legs?)
Alcatraz Tour - (night tour)
Dinner at Harry Denton's Starlight Room - 8:00 -
Sunday -
Noe Valley/Haight Asbury (morning - early afternoon)
SOMA - Museums/Yerba Buena gardens (good place to eat lunch?)
Dinner at Lulu
Monday -
Pick up a car by 9
Drive to Sonoma
Lunch at Angelo's wine country deli
Drive back to SF by 7:00
Dinner at House of Prime Ribs (7:00 - 9:00)
Return the car and fly back to Chicago
Mar 7th, 2005, 12:45 PM
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>>Saturday -
Farmer's market?
FW/Ghirardelli Square/Pier 39 (where's a good place to get clam chowder and some crab legs?)
Alcatraz Tour - (night tour)<<
Wow!!! - almost the entire day at the Fisherman's Wharf area. We have different tastes. What attracts you to this spot.
LuLu is probably closed on Sunday.
Stu Dudley
Farmer's market?
FW/Ghirardelli Square/Pier 39 (where's a good place to get clam chowder and some crab legs?)
Alcatraz Tour - (night tour)<<
Wow!!! - almost the entire day at the Fisherman's Wharf area. We have different tastes. What attracts you to this spot.
LuLu is probably closed on Sunday.
Stu Dudley
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