SF: Best City Map, Guide Books, Websites
 

Any rants or raves about maps and/or guide books and websites for planning our trip this summer?

First time visitors without a car. We are interested in history, old homes, gardens, bookstores, area walks, art, scenic views, outdoor markets, wildlife and asian food.

Would like to get an in-depth map prior to arriving in order to plot out major landmarks/walks. I've got one coming in a city welcome kit, but wonder if it will be detailed enough for area walks.

With the city of SF being as relatively small as it is (50 sq miles?), even the basic plastic foldouts that you pick up at a gas station for a few bucks show nearly if not all streets.

For public transportation nothing can beat the SF Muni map, it shows all bus lines in different color, I found this one the easiest to use.

Chat, start your visit with the Visitor information center (Market @ Powell, downstairs), they should have those historic walks pre-planned for you. I don't know if they have this info on their website.

Check also Golden Gate transit and ferry website, I recommend taking a bus to Sausalito and ferry back to SF.

Don't miss the Legion of Honor, they have Art Deco exhibit from London now. If the day is not foggy have a lunch with a view at the museum's cafe, outside seating.

While you can get a good map for free upon arrival. I personally am compulsive enough to NEED a map while planning a trip. Streetwise Map should be sufficient detail as area is not that large. I agree with getting a MUNI map upon arrival - a must. The one cab ride I recommend is out of the city over the GG bridge - then walk back over into the city. It's gorgeous!

Why I am seeing double? OK, don't answer that :)

Chat, you don't have to wait till arrival, you can order the map from SF MUNI website. Or print the maps off their website, both: city and downtown area.

Super advice - thanks for all the info and ideas. So much to see and do and so little time.

Being "compulsive" can be a very good thing, if done in moderation! I confess here and now that I do over-plan, and never get to everything, but my motto is that its better to know too much than too little.

Purchase a transit pass at the information office at Powell and Market (downstairs). And, while there, also spring for the Transit Map suggested earlier--it's invaluable for getting home on a bus after you've been wandering all day. I'm sorry to say this on the Fodor Forum, but we invariably give serious consideration to Frommer's strong opinions about hotels, restaurants, and sightseeing highlights.

ChatNoir, I think over-planning is what helped to make our trip to San Francisco so good. We didn't waste much time backtracking or wondering what to do next. (We didn't get to fit everything in either.) I hope you get to drop into the Cable Car Museum. Very interesting. You would probably enjoy walking down the steps from Coit Tower too.

Not to feel guilty about over-planning make duplicate plans: for sunny and rainy weather :)

In case you haven't been there already, the Joie de Vivre website has lots of good information.
http://www.jdvhospitality.com/thingstodo/

Here is one I printed out and took with us on our walk down the Filbert Steps. At the bottom of the steps we went thru Levi's Plaza, turned left and wound up at the Fog City Diner where we had a lovely lunch.
http://www.jdvhospitality.com/things...ng%20Tours.pdf
http://www.fogcitydiner.com/