Trip to San Fransisco
 

Hi,
My family and I will be going to San fransisco for a vacation in July(15th-21st). I am just starting to do the research. Any suggesstions for a family with twin 14 yr old girls(they love to shop, their dad and I don't but we can compromise!)
Thanks,
rbhm

rbhm,
I would plan on a trip to the Nordstrom store, let the girls shop and have lunch in the Grill. Both your tastes will be satisfied! The Ferry Building also affords a cacaphony of shops and is a wonderful place to appease your palate. Not to far away is Yank Sing if you're into superb Deem Sum. Save me some!

There have been a ton of posts on travel to SF the last couple of months. Put it in the search box and stuff will pop up and come back with questions.

I agree that a search will help you a ton. But when you do a search, note that it's spelled "francisco" rather than "fransisco". I'm not nitpicking. Just want you to get good search results. :)

Thanks for the info. I will definetely do a search and this time I will spell it correctly. Is my face red! Thanks for the correction , really otherwise I would not get good search results.
rbhm

I will re-post something I posted a while ago about shopping districts.

- Downtown, around Union Sq and Market & Powell. This is the only place tourists are likely to find the big department stores - Macy's, Nordstrom's, Casual Corner, Nieman Marcus, Saks Fifth Ave, Levi Strauss, Virgin Records, etc. There are many small boutiques also. Not to be missed.

- Fillmore between Jackson & Bush. This is the Pacific Heights neighborhood with lots of boutiques, restaurants, places for a Sunday brunch, etc. One of my wife’s favorites.

- Union St between Gough & Steiner. This is a little more touristy, but perhaps the most popular & picturesque shopping street. Many Victorian houses, & perhaps 15 or so restaurants.

- Chestnut St between Fillmore & Broderick. This area is where a lot of younger people live, & has many chain stores (Gap, etc), but lots of restaurants, bars, and it's really a "scene" on Sat night & Sunday morning. Every chain coffee shop (Starbucks, Peet’s, etc) in the US has a store here. There is a restaurant for every taste & budget.

- Fillmore street between Chestnut & Union. Chestnut & Union are only 4 blocks apart, and the usual shopping stroll is: up & back on Union, north on Fillmore, and up & back on Chestnut. In case you think that you can walk to the Fillmore section between Jackson & Bush (mentioned above) - that is a VERY steep hill - Lance Armstrong even complained about biking up the hill on the '01 Tour de SF bike race.

- Noe Valley on 24th St between Chatanooga & Diamond St. This is perhaps my wife's favorite district (we used to live there also). No chain stores, but lots of very interesting shops. It's kind of half way between Haight/Ashbury district & Union St style wise.

- Hayes St between Gough & Fillmore - lots of interesting stores. No chains at all. Very unique stores. Some interesting restaurants.

- Haight between Masonic & Stanyan. You will find everything here, except chain stores. The largest record store you are likely to find anywhere, tattoo parlors, unusual clothing shops, unusual anything/everything. This is the Haight/Ashbury area.

- Sacramento between Baker & Spruce. This is a very upscale area, and I doubt if a teenager would find anything interesting. Lots of high end designer shops & antique stores.

Stu Dudley

Hey Stu....2, 14yr old gals in SF shopping...dare I say the "F" word???

Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39? ;)

ooops...hit "post" too quick.

Should have been <b>F</b>isherman's Wharf/Pier 39. :-]

Disagree. The F-word in this case would be Fillmore (I don't know how to highlight :( )

&quot;F&quot; word could be <b>F</b>orty Niners after this Sat/Sun NFL Draft!

Hey wait!!! <b>F</b>aina also begins with an....oh nevermind.

BTW, Mrs Kal makes a killing on buying trinkets (bracelets/necklaces et al) for our young nieces and great nieces (and herself) at the little tables set up at Aquatic Park near Ghiradelli Sq/Buena Vista Cafe/Hyde St Cable car turn around and across the street outside the Ferry Building at FoMar (Foot of Market) and Embarcadero.

$)$)$)

Hi we just went their on spring break. My girls are 12 and almost 11. My girls loved shopping in Chinatown. They bought items unique to San Francisco's Chinatown. There are Gap's and Nordstroms everywhere. We went for the chinese shoes and fans and dresses, etc.. Besides it was affordable.

For 14year olds, I agree with Kal and Girlonthego. Also the Cannery, which is down by Aquatic park is full of shops with fun things. They might like Haight Ashbury too.

If you'd like to save a bit of money while shopping with the girl,take them to the Ross, Marshall's and Old Navy stores near the Nordstroms. They all have good selections and much better prices than Nordies.

If you are staying in Union Square, check out Chinatown. You can walk over to it from where you are.

If you like fish, I suggest Tadich's Grill. Wonderful fish! Wonderful service! Reasonably priced!

You will, of course want to take the trolley car to Fisherman's Wharf/Ghiradelli Square.

&gt;&gt;Ross, Marshall's and Old Navy stores near the Nordstroms&lt;&lt;

Doesn't &quot;Anymall&quot; USA have these stores? Why come all the way out here to find the same stuff you probably have back home. I suggest that you concentrate on thing that are unique to SF. Hayes St, Haight/Ashbury, Fillmore, Noe Valley, Union St, Union Sq., Chinatown, North Beach, etc.

Stu Dudley

Hi rbhm, I sure agree with Stu Dudley.
Spend your time in &quot;SF&quot; stores. And have a great trip!

For lunch or dinner, try the Steps of Rome Caffe (not the Trattoria) on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. Last summer the &quot;girls&quot; in the office had an extended Friday lunch there, and one of the women returned with her 14-year old daughter and daughter's friend. The reason why I'm recommending the restaurant is not only because of the food. The waiters are Italian (not Italian-American) and ham it up with the women and girls, e.g., flirting and kissing hands. The waiters have wonderful Italian accents. The 14-year olds loved it and yours might too.

Most restaurants on Columbus have sidewalk seating, which is fun for people watching. If it's a little chilly outside, the restaurants turn on the outdoor heaters. There are also several places to get pastries and espresso (and not named Starbucks). The girls could try an Italian soda.

Another great restaurant on Columbus is Michelangelo's (seafood and pasta only). My husband's favorite is the cioppino. I always order salmon if it's the fish of the day; they do a wonderful job preparing it. They start off with complimentary bowl of olives, and finish with Italian almond cookies and gummy bears. We always try to get there early (they open at 5pm) so we can get a seat along the windows. The newbies to Michelangelo's always have surprised looks on their faces when the bowl of gummy bears is plopped on their table!

Michelangelo's and some other restaurants on Columbus are cash only, but there are several banks on the street with ATMs.

I also agree with girlonthego about Chinatown. I took visiting 9 and 11 year old girls to Chinatown and they loved it, especially touristy Grant Ave.