iamq - can't believe it's a year already! Congratulations! We're arriving SF on the 8th! Can't wait!

To StuDudley and the other SF gurus, we are coming to SF next week and had planned to do the Alcatraz night tour on Sat 9/5. When I went to the site and tried to buy tix yesterday it said it was sold out. Can this be?! Where else can I get tix for that night? Could our hotel concierge get them? Help. Our itinerary is packed and Sat night is the only night we can do Alcatraz. Thanks.

thank you very much Stu for all the work you did with this fantastic post!

Next Saturday is Labor Day weekend - one of the busiest of the year. Not surprised it's sold out. Don't know how to get tickets - it's a National Park, so I don't think there are any "ins" - but I've never tried.

Stu Dudley

Thanks cpg. It has been an interesting year to be a married gay couple in California. We'll be at Boulevard on the 6th. Not sure where we'll eat on the 5th. The plan is to wander around Embarcadero/Coit Tower and North Beach on the 5th and then do a little more wandering the next day in Noe Valley.

Anyone reading this have any experience with Pesce?

iamq - I love Boulevard too and am eating there on the 11th! I will be leaving w/ your recs for Palo Alto. If you guys like hot chocolate, don't miss Boulette's Larder in the Ferry Bldg. Have the best celebration!

cpg, BL is on the list!

Just had to come back here to shout THANK YOU again, Stu, for all this information! I sat on the 5 hour plane ride with your 22 pages of info, a SF map, and a highlighter and mapped everything out.

We enjoyed the Vallejo garage, Chinatown from Stockton, rich houses on Broadway, Crissy Field, Ft. Point, Robin Williams house, Alamo Square, and so much more because of the time and effort you took to share this with us.

Thank you!
Sharie

You're welcome. Glad my info was useful.

Stu Dudley

Stu, We have finally made it here and are enjoying Sonoma terrifically. I had printed off tons of your advise before I left, but somehow missed the message where you tell the best way to get to the airport (SFO) coming from the north. I know it is not the 101, can you please post the info again.
Thank you! We need to return our car before out stay in SF.

Hi snshine-
I live in Sonoma County and don't know why you wouldn't use Hwy 101 to get to SFO. We do all the time.
Sounds like you're just returning a car, so as long as you avoid
the rush hours and travel to return it between 10 AM and 2 PM
you will be fine. If you want specifics post back here.

R5

Here are two options:

Take 101 south over the GG bridge. Then:

Option 1. Take the first exit past the GG Bridge toll booth (actually, it's the second exit, but you are likely to not even notice the first exit). I believe it is marked 19th Ave/GG Park. Keep following the cars in front of you through Golden Gate Park & on to 19th ave, then onto Hwy 280. 10 miles or so later, take hwy 380 (airport signs are clearly marked) to 101, then to the SFO exit.

Option 2. Past the GG Bridge toll booth, take the Lombard Street exit. Head east on Lombard to Gough. Turn right on Gough. Keep heading south on Gough, and pretty soon Gough will be a fast one-way street. When you get to Hayes St, work your way right to the second most right lane, and turn right on Fell St (1st street past Hayes). Take the first left, which is Octavia. This is a very major street. Keep heading south on Octavia and soon you will cross Market St & find yourself on the freeway. Keep to the right, and merge onto 101 which will take you to SFO.

If you take 101 all the way to SFO from the GG Bridge, you will travel south on Van Ness, which is much slower than Gough and the freeway entrance will be more complicated.

Option 1 is easier
Option 2 is more "city" scenic (some nice Victorian houses along the way), but will involve more inner-city driving.

Stu Dudley

Thanks Stu, we'll do option 1. RD, we took the 101 from the airport, just remembered there being another option. We leave this morning and can't wait to explore the City! Celebrating our 35th.
Cheers

Yeah ! Stu saves the day, LOL!

Yes-Option 1 is the way.
Congrats on your 35th !

R5

"Dudley Stu-right" to the rescue!

((Y))((Y))

very helpful. thank you so much for the hard work Stu.

was in SF 2 years ago, and loved the city tour of the victorian houses. (as well as other things). Was only sorry that we did not do more of the city tours with the Library.

Stu - you are quoted all over the place in Fodor's SF. Can't wait to try out your recommendations. It's been years since I've spent any time in SF and we live relatively close -- Southern California! We have a trip planned for mid April. Definitely looking forward to it! All your suggestions are wonderful!

Thanks, annetti, Diane, & naughty. (there is a City Guides tour called "Bawdy & Naughty".
http://www.sfcityguides.org/desc.html?tour=6

Stu Dudley

What a delight it was to find this posting! I'll definitely be pouring over your posts before my trip.


Are you familiar with any tours with photography specifically in mind? I've seen them offered in other cities but I generally find them too late to benefit. I'd like something other than the generic tour since photographers tend to think about lighting, angles and such.

Many, many thanks for your hard work! :)

>>Are you familiar with any tours with photography specifically in mind? <<

Nope - sorry

Stu Dudley

topping for anyone going to San Francisco - with flowers in your hair !!!

Stu Dudley

Found this treasure trove of SF suggestions. Thank you, Stu Dudley

WOW!! I just finished packing for our trip on Monday and I will now take out the heavy San Francisco guidebook from the suitcase. Thank you so much for all your info and advice- it is a bit overwhelming but I plan to sift through and highlite the places we think we'll have time for in the three days we have in SF. FYI-- I stopped printing at page 15- but I think we have enough. Thanks so much again for the time you took to compile so much helpful information.

Bookmarking... what a fabulous thread! Thank you

Great thread Stu!

My husband and I will be driving from Vancouver Canada to SF this summer. We would like to do a short term rental for 7-10 days but are confused about which neighbourhood. We would like to be close to public transit, easy freeway access for day trips, and, as we will a vehicle, parking is essential. We have been considering Sausalito, Mission, Noe Valley, Pacific Heights and ther is also an interesting property in Cow Hollow. Do you have any suggestions as to a preferred location?

If your planned day-trips are north across the Golden Gate Bridge, Cow Hollow or Pacific Heights would be great neighborhoods. Just don't get too far south in Pacific Heights. As I've stated many times, Noe Valley is my favorite neighborhood - but it's a little too far south for quick access to the GG bridge, but closer to Carmel, Half Moon Bay, the San Mateo Coast, and points south.

I would not stay in the Mission, unless you enjoy a little "scrufy/Bohemian" atmosphere. Sausalito won't give you the "city feel" that the other locations would.

If you are unsure about specific addresses, start another post and ask something like "what is the the Church St/28th street neighborhood like"

Stu Dudley

Ah, flowers in your hair. Saw your line Stu. In 1969 I was pregnant, young, poor, married to a Coastie, living in Alameda of all places, BUT whenever I could afford the .50 bridge toll came over (and actually PARKED right outside wherever I wanted to), and got my San Francisco fix.

Now, if ONLY, you could do for travelers to Scotland what you have for the lavender seekers in Provence, and the travelers to San Francisco!

Thank you, many times over, for being here!

>>if ONLY, you could do for travelers to Scotland <<

Been to Scotland several times - Castle hopping. I'm even 1/4 Scottish - Lindsay Clan (which is also my middle name). Pretty country.

Stu Dudley

Thanks, Stu DH first name is Scott--suspect it came from a 'last' name somewhere.

Late Spring, Summer and Fall travellers,
***Do Note***
A road closure happening now in the GGNRA will make this drive unavailable....

<I>With a car...
...16. GGNRA north of GG bridge. This is probably the BEST view of SF. You can look through the bridge & then above the bridge to SF and all the way south down the San Mateo County Coast on a clear day. Do this late in the day. Take the first exit past the lookout (#15) off the GG Bridge going North (marked Alexander Ave). Turn left the first chance you have, & go under 101. Follow the sign back to SF, but just before getting on 101, make a right turn up the road & follow this road. It’s easier to find than this description might indicate (get a AAA map & <B>take a road called Conzelman).</B> Old WWII bunkers & gun turrets along the way. DON’T MISS.</I>

This is a terrific idea, however Upper Conzelman Road is closed now thru the end of October.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...MNDI1C63EN.DTL

Perhaps Stu can grace us with his presence here and
write a detour edit for this section.

R5

No good detours - the best section is closed.

Stu Dudley

Stu: Thanks very much. I ran out of time, not ideas, thanks to your thread. Annetti

We are visiting SF in June, and I can't wait to read all of this info. Thanks!

I will have lots of reading to do. We have decided to take the kids (17B, 14G, 12G) to SF to see the west coast and are more slow travel than "see it all" people. Can't wait to read more of what you have put together. My son is an avid photographer and has a great eye. Sounds like he will have a lot to work with on this trip. My 14 year old enjoys the sites, but likes the shops too! and the 12 year NEVER runs out of energy. Can't wait for this trip. Thanks for the effort you put in here. Fodors is such a wonderful resource. - Laura

Mr. Dudley,

As a person who grew up in the Bay Area and someone who loves the City, thank you for such a wonderful detailed post. I am in a wheelchair so it would be interesting to learn what of your routes in the walking tours would be appropriate. I admit it made me a bit misty eyed reading about all that is familiar. Do you suppose a Muni carman would lift a manual chair onto a CC? I want to go have an irish at the Buena Vista. Cheers and thanks again Mr Bill

>>lift a manual chair onto a CC? I want to go have an irish at the Buena Vista. Cheers and thanks again Mr Bill<<

All of San Francisco is very wheelchair friendly - I don't think you would have a problem.

There are lots of hills on the walks. Perhaps some flatter routes would be:

-Palace Hotel - there are stairs but you could take an elevator
-Ferry Bldg - there is probably an elevator there also
Embarcadero
-Cow Hollow (Union St area) this route may be pretty flat if it stays north of Union St (I can't remember the specific route)
-Downtown Deco
-Embarcadero South
-Fisherman's Wharf
-Golden Gate park - 2 walks
-Gold Rush City
-Historic Market St
-Noe Valley - may be a few mild hills
-Rising steel
-South of Market Architecture
-Theater in SF

If you are serioiusly interested in any of these - e-mail me at [email protected] & I'll contact the tour coordinator & verify that the specific walk is good for wheelchairs. We'll be out of town during most of September.

Stu Dudley

The cable cars are not wheelchair accessible--I believe they got an historic exemption from the ADA--but all other forms of public transportation are, including the F streetcar, which stops about 2 blocks from the Buena Vista.

<i>Mr. Dudley</i> :-?

If you hang here long enuff you can just call him <i>"Thee</i>" :-D

I could use some advice. We are traveling from PA to CA in late September, but our flight brings us in after 11 pm. What makes sense? To take a cab to our lodging (which we haven't decided on yet)? Is there safe public transportation from the airport at that time of night? We'll need to pick up a rental care either that night or the next day (I'm hoping we don't have to go back to the airport to get the car). We'll spend a night or two in SF then drive up the coast. We're not used to big cities so figuring this out is a little daunting. Thanks for advice.