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Old 8 Feb 19, 03:51 PM  
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#11
Manc_Chris
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Photography-wise I can recommend a trip to Twin Peaks, which gives a view of the entire city, including the bridge and Alcatraz (especially at dusk, just as the streetlights are coming on)

Also the classic view from the Marin Headlands (across the bridge and do a left up the hill!), where you can get a shot of the bridge with the city in the background.
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Old 8 Feb 19, 06:33 PM  
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Twin Peaks or Treasure Island if you are going to venture further out than the main SF peninsula.
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Old 8 Feb 19, 07:07 PM  
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Hi all,advice great and would add the Disney museum which is quite close to the bridge
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Old 3 Mar 19, 06:28 PM  
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Sandieb
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Originally Posted by joxxxxx View Post
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!

Oh My! That is so helpful, thank you
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