SF for beginners!

[Sandieb]

Hi
We are flying into SF early evening and then have two full days (and possibly til mid afternoon on the third day) to spend sightseeing.

Probably going to stay near Fisherman's Wharf. It will be DH DS15 and myself. Photography is a big thing for us.

Probably doing a late afternoon/early visit to Alcatraz. Other than that, how would you spend the rest of the time.

[cornishfrogboy]

The Dylan's ultimate tour will give you a cycle along the front up to the Golden Gate and down to Sausalito. At Sausalito they pick you up in a minibus and take you up to the giant redwoods of Muir Woods before returning you to Fishermens Wharf or Chinatown. All great opportunities for photographs.

In addition, the pick up point for Dylans is a short walk to Lombard St Zigzags.

A trip on the Powell Cable car is another good call (imho) along with more great photo opportunities.

Hoping this helps!

[Sandieb]

Originally Posted by cornishfrogboy

The Dylan's ultimate tour will give you a cycle along the front up to the Golden Gate and down to Sausalito. At Sausalito they pick you up in a minibus and take you up to the giant redwoods of Muir Woods before returning you to Fishermens Wharf or Chinatown. All great opportunities for photographs.

In addition, the pick up point for Dylans is a short walk to Lombard St Zigzags.

A trip on the Powell Cable car is another good call (imho) along with more great photo opportunities.

Hoping this helps!

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Thanks for the advice. The Ultimate tour - does that involve hill cycling, do you know?

[cornishfrogboy]

Originally Posted by Sandieb

Thanks for the advice. The Ultimate tour - does that involve hill cycling, do you know?

See more...

From Dylan’s you go downhill to the seafront, then it is level all the way round past Ghiradellis to underneath the bridge. It is short and ‘push the bikeable’ up to the bridge deck.
Over the bridge is level and then it is a coast downhill, back to sea level. The cycle to Sausalito has a small rise, then a drop into the town.
I am 58 and not normally a cyclist . My boys are 12 and 16 and neither fit nor otherwise. It was a pleasant, easy cycle in which we did not break sweat.

[sky13]

Dylan's also has a Famous Tour which is a bus tour - did this last November - no cycling involved! This went from Fisherman's Wharf, went around central SF a bit (couple of parks, city hall, twin peaks, a few other spots), then went across the Golden Gate bridge to Sausalito, then Muir Woods, then back to SF. It was a pretty good tour, though unfortunately it was pouring down on the day we went so a lot less fun than it should have been!

Other things I liked doing in SF over my couple of times there
- Wandering around Chinatown - wanted to find the fortune cookie place but we didn't manage to
- Walt Disney family museum was fun if you're into Disney history!
- Going up the hill to Coit tower (be warned, it's really steep!)
- Fisherman's Wharf area - we went into Boudin which has a free self-guided bakery tour (well more of being able to see the open factory), but we found this pretty cool. Pier 39 is quite fun too just to wander around though it's a bit of a tourist trap. Seeing the sea lions is cool too.
- Shopping - didn't buy much but I always find it fun to wander around and buy stuff that I can't get back home! Mainly around the Union Square area.
- Cable car was good fun, we took the line that drops off at the top of Lombard street and then walked down Lombard street.
- Alcatraz

I also wanted to see the cable car museum but we ran out of time!

[400ixl]

For photography I would visit places like
Coit Tower
view from Twin Peaks
Cat walk at Mandarin Hotel
China Town
Alcatraz
Golden Gate Bridge
Fishermans Wharf
Embarcadero
Prayitno - Palace of Fine Arts
Lombard Street
Powell Street (Tram Cars)
Bakers Beach
Castro District
Mission District street art
Haight Street
City Hall

And thats just a few areas

[Sandieb]

All sounds great, thanks. Going to book an extra night LOL!

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

I’ve taken note too! We’re off in April & I have a lot of this in my list! Hope we have enough time! I booked my Alcatraz night tickets the other day!

[joxxxxx]

I adore San Francisco - been many times and even eloped and got married in City hall there

I don't know the make up of your party but for adults I don't think you can beat going to see Beach Blanket Babylon at Club Fugazi - maybe followed by cocktails at the Top of the Mark for a 360 view of the city.

My basic to do list:

Ride the Cable Cars (try all three lines)
Alcatraz - the night tour is particularly atmospheric plus you get the bonus of additional Ranger led programmes, get to go in the hospital wing and see the city all lit up on the ride back.
Golden Gate Bridge
Angel Island - the Ellis Island of the West Coast and great hiking/views
Ferry to Sausilito
Visit Muir Woods - stunning place but get there early
Ferry Building - awesome places to eat, quirky shops and a fantastic farmers market on a Saturday.
We always walk across the bridge and down into Sausilito and then get the ferry back
Bay cruise

Wander round all the different neighborhoods:
North Beach - great bars, shops and restaurants
Chinatown
Japantown
Pacific heights -
Union Street
Marina - walk to the end of the pier and listen to the wave organ
Fishermans Wharf - I personally dislike the Wharf area/Pier 39, San Francisco has got so much more to offer- however the sea lions are cool (if they are in residence) and the Boudin Bakery is good - love the choc chip and raisin bread
Height Ashbury
Union Square
Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower - look out for the wild parrots
City Hall - fantastic building and where I got married
Nob Hill and Grace Cathedral - walk the contemplation maze
The Embarcado
The Mission
The Castro
Alamo square and the Painted Ladies
Presidio - disney museum and Lucas Arts
Ghiradelli Square
Fort Point
Crissy Field
Hayes Valley
Golden Gate Park


Visit the beaches- Ocean Beach, Baker Beach (has a nude section if you are keen/not keen oh that sort of thing), Marin Headlands
Golden Gate Park - you can easily spend most of the day here
Palace of Fine Arts

Loads of Museums/galleries - SFMOMA, Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium (great for kids), Palace of the Legion of Honor, Cartoon Art Museum, the Vibrator Museum (yes there is one), Musee Mechanique - old time fairground/carnival machines

Loads of waking tours - there are loads of free ones run by volunteers which cover different areas, arcitechture, historical events such as the gold rush, the 1906 earthquake etc and other commercial ones such as Ghost Tours, Gay history Tours, Vampire Tours, Movie Locations.

THere are also loads of food and drink related tours - some explore different areas such as Hayes Valley and some different cuisines such as Wok Whizz for Chinese and some focus on chocolate, beer etc.

You can go on tours on a Segway, a Fire Engine, helicopters, sea planes etc.

Walk the Stairway Streets

Have cocktails at the Top of the Mark and watch the sunset over the GGB

Go for a sunset sail on the bay or a whale watching trip

Go and see the sea lions on the bay.

San Francisco has tonnes of festivals and events throughout the year - there will be something on.

If you like music you must go to Amoeba Records - they often have bands playing for free including some big names so check the website

If you like ships the Maritime Museum and the USS Pampanito and across the by in Almeda the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

Visit the fortune cookie factory

Cable Car Museum

Go for Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista cafe - even better have a couple of Irish Coffees get a little tiddly and then ride the cable car!

Get the Bart to Berkley and look round the campus, feed the squirrels and go up the bell tower for stunning views. The rest of Berkley esp down Telegraph Avenue seems to have gone a bit seedy so wouldn't reccomend that for first timers.

World class theatre, opera, symphony and ballet.
If it is just adults try and get tickets for Beach Blanket Babylon - it is quintessential San Francisco.

Improv comedy at Fort Mason

Ferry to Larkspur to visit the Larkspur Brewing Company - the ride takes you right past San Quentin which is interesting to see!

Take a seaplane and take off and land in the bay.

Shopping as well as all the big stores there are loads of excellent boutique stores in North Beach and Union Street along with loads of great places to eat/drink.
I also like Fillmore Street which has some excellent thrift stores as all the very rich ladies in Pacific Heights donate their stuff here.

Also Haight Street has loads of interesting shops including Bettie Page if you are into vintage style clothing and a Fluevog store for fab shoes, but the big draw is Amoeba Records.

If you like craft beer there are loads of excellent bars - we love the Church Key and Rogue Ales in North Beach but the Thirsty Bear and the 21st Amendment are both good.

San Francisco has every cuisine known to man and everything from food carts to Michelin star restaurants.

Some of my personal favourites include:
Anywhere in the Ferry Building especially The Slanted Door for upper class Vietnamese, Miette for cakes and The Blue Bottle Coffee co.

In North Beach, Mamas and Moes for breakfast, Sodinis and Franchinos for old school Italian, Sotto Mare for seafood and the Liguria Bakery for focaccia.

Swensons on Russian hill for ice-cream.
Bobs on Polk Street for doughnuts
Hunan Homes in Chinatown for Chinese
Mifune in Japantown
The Cheesecake Factory in Union Square is always reliable and has excellent views from the Terrace
My go to special occasion meal is always Gary Danko in North Point
Heard good things about Flour and Water in the Mission

This just scratches the surface of the food options!

[LOU LOU DISNEY]

Originally Posted by joxxxxx

I adore San Francisco - been many times and even eloped and got married in City hall there

I don't know the make up of your party but for adults I don't think you can beat going to see Beach Blanket Babylon at Club Fugazi - maybe followed by cocktails at the Top of the Mark for a 360 view of the city.

My basic to do list:

Ride the Cable Cars (try all three lines)
Alcatraz - the night tour is particularly atmospheric plus you get the bonus of additional Ranger led programmes, get to go in the hospital wing and see the city all lit up on the ride back.
Golden Gate Bridge
Angel Island - the Ellis Island of the West Coast and great hiking/views
Ferry to Sausilito
Visit Muir Woods - stunning place but get there early
Ferry Building - awesome places to eat, quirky shops and a fantastic farmers market on a Saturday.
We always walk across the bridge and down into Sausilito and then get the ferry back
Bay cruise

Wander round all the different neighborhoods:
North Beach - great bars, shops and restaurants
Chinatown
Japantown
Pacific heights -
Union Street
Marina - walk to the end of the pier and listen to the wave organ
Fishermans Wharf - I personally dislike the Wharf area/Pier 39, San Francisco has got so much more to offer- however the sea lions are cool (if they are in residence) and the Boudin Bakery is good - love the choc chip and raisin bread
Height Ashbury
Union Square
Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower - look out for the wild parrots
City Hall - fantastic building and where I got married
Nob Hill and Grace Cathedral - walk the contemplation maze
The Embarcado
The Mission
The Castro
Alamo square and the Painted Ladies
Presidio - disney museum and Lucas Arts
Ghiradelli Square
Fort Point
Crissy Field
Hayes Valley
Golden Gate Park


Visit the beaches- Ocean Beach, Baker Beach (has a nude section if you are keen/not keen oh that sort of thing), Marin Headlands
Golden Gate Park - you can easily spend most of the day here
Palace of Fine Arts

Loads of Museums/galleries - SFMOMA, Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium (great for kids), Palace of the Legion of Honor, Cartoon Art Museum, the Vibrator Museum (yes there is one), Musee Mechanique - old time fairground/carnival machines

Loads of waking tours - there are loads of free ones run by volunteers which cover different areas, arcitechture, historical events such as the gold rush, the 1906 earthquake etc and other commercial ones such as Ghost Tours, Gay history Tours, Vampire Tours, Movie Locations.

THere are also loads of food and drink related tours - some explore different areas such as Hayes Valley and some different cuisines such as Wok Whizz for Chinese and some focus on chocolate, beer etc.

You can go on tours on a Segway, a Fire Engine, helicopters, sea planes etc.

Walk the Stairway Streets

Have cocktails at the Top of the Mark and watch the sunset over the GGB

Go for a sunset sail on the bay or a whale watching trip

Go and see the sea lions on the bay.

San Francisco has tonnes of festivals and events throughout the year - there will be something on.

If you like music you must go to Amoeba Records - they often have bands playing for free including some big names so check the website

If you like ships the Maritime Museum and the USS Pampanito and across the by in Almeda the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

Visit the fortune cookie factory

Cable Car Museum

Go for Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista cafe - even better have a couple of Irish Coffees get a little tiddly and then ride the cable car!

Get the Bart to Berkley and look round the campus, feed the squirrels and go up the bell tower for stunning views. The rest of Berkley esp down Telegraph Avenue seems to have gone a bit seedy so wouldn't reccomend that for first timers.

World class theatre, opera, symphony and ballet.
If it is just adults try and get tickets for Beach Blanket Babylon - it is quintessential San Francisco.

Improv comedy at Fort Mason

Ferry to Larkspur to visit the Larkspur Brewing Company - the ride takes you right past San Quentin which is interesting to see!

Take a seaplane and take off and land in the bay.

Shopping as well as all the big stores there are loads of excellent boutique stores in North Beach and Union Street along with loads of great places to eat/drink.
I also like Fillmore Street which has some excellent thrift stores as all the very rich ladies in Pacific Heights donate their stuff here.

Also Haight Street has loads of interesting shops including Bettie Page if you are into vintage style clothing and a Fluevog store for fab shoes, but the big draw is Amoeba Records.

If you like craft beer there are loads of excellent bars - we love the Church Key and Rogue Ales in North Beach but the Thirsty Bear and the 21st Amendment are both good.

San Francisco has every cuisine known to man and everything from food carts to Michelin star restaurants.

Some of my personal favourites include:
Anywhere in the Ferry Building especially The Slanted Door for upper class Vietnamese, Miette for cakes and The Blue Bottle Coffee co.

In North Beach, Mamas and Moes for breakfast, Sodinis and Franchinos for old school Italian, Sotto Mare for seafood and the Liguria Bakery for focaccia.

Swensons on Russian hill for ice-cream.
Bobs on Polk Street for doughnuts
Hunan Homes in Chinatown for Chinese
Mifune in Japantown
The Cheesecake Factory in Union Square is always reliable and has excellent views from the Terrace
My go to special occasion meal is always Gary Danko in North Point
Heard good things about Flour and Water in the Mission

This just scratches the surface of the food options!

See more...

Wow! Amazing tips I’ve noted a lot down! Thank you 😊