Regis
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Post by Regis on Mar 18, 2014 16:42:27 GMT -5
I thought Alcatraz was fascinating. I'd highly recommend it. We went during the middle of summer, checked out the tours and was able to get one for the following day.
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NastyWoman
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Post by NastyWoman on Mar 18, 2014 19:31:40 GMT -5
I love the Japanese garden in Japan Town. The cherry blossom festival is held this year 12-14 April, so a little late for you. But just by a few days so I definitely would go check Japan town out. Also for bad weather (which I hope you won't have) the de Young museum has a Georgia O'Keefe exhibition and there is the California Academy of Sciences which is supposed to be wonderful. I have never been yet but it is on my list do do. And I like Sausolito... OMG I think I need a stay-cation desperately
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 19, 2014 9:44:26 GMT -5
We absolutely loved Alcatraz too. We reserved our tickets online.
And we spent a wonderful afternoon walking in the Muir Woods.
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justme
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Post by justme on Mar 19, 2014 13:24:01 GMT -5
I love the Japanese garden in Japan Town. The cherry blossom festival is held this year 12-14 April, so a little late for you. But just by a few days so I definitely would go check Japan town out. Also for bad weather (which I hope you won't have) the de Young museum has a Georgia O'Keefe exhibition and there is the California Academy of Sciences which is supposed to be wonderful. I have never been yet but it is on my list do do. And I like Sausolito... OMG I think I need a stay-cation desperately I read something about some Thursdays have a cocktail hour on the grounds with music and everything lit up. Need to find out whether that will be going on that Thursday.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Mar 19, 2014 15:22:31 GMT -5
I was there in October. I can tell you what I know, though I'm sure everyone's already given more and better information.
Yes, the public transportation is good. We got a shuttle to our hotel and only used public transit while we were in the city and never ran into any problems. Though it's a city, so even with public transportation, expect to do a lot of walking. A car is more of a liability, and parking is pretty expensive. You can buy a pass for all public transit while for the days you're there. But don't be a dumbass like I was and lose your three day pass just after you buy it.
There's all kinds of stuff to see and do there. My favorite was the sunset boat tour. But there was also the museum of natural history and the aquarium in some park (I forget the name.) Mere woods is pretty close by too if you want to see some redwoods. You can walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, or visit Chinatown, or Japan Town, or Little Italy ect.
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justme
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Post by justme on Mar 19, 2014 15:25:12 GMT -5
I was there in October. I can tell you what I know, though I'm sure everyone's already given more and better information. Yes, the public transportation is good. We got a shuttle to our hotel and only used public transit while we were in the city and never ran into any problems. Though it's a city, so even with public transportation, expect to do a lot of walking. A car is more of a liability, and parking is pretty expensive. You can buy a pass for all public transit while for the days you're there. But don't be a dumbass like I was and lose your three day pass just after you buy it. There's all kinds of stuff to see and do there. My favorite was the sunset boat tour. But there was also the museum of natural history and the aquarium in some park (I forget the name.) Mere woods is pretty close by too if you want to see some redwoods. You can walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, or visit Chinatown, or Japan Town, or Little Italy ect. Was it just a sunset cruise? Or a dinner cruise too? I'm trying to think of some fun things my friend can do in the evenings and that would probably be one.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Mar 19, 2014 15:30:15 GMT -5
I was there in October. I can tell you what I know, though I'm sure everyone's already given more and better information. Yes, the public transportation is good. We got a shuttle to our hotel and only used public transit while we were in the city and never ran into any problems. Though it's a city, so even with public transportation, expect to do a lot of walking. A car is more of a liability, and parking is pretty expensive. You can buy a pass for all public transit while for the days you're there. But don't be a dumbass like I was and lose your three day pass just after you buy it. There's all kinds of stuff to see and do there. My favorite was the sunset boat tour. But there was also the museum of natural history and the aquarium in some park (I forget the name.) Mere woods is pretty close by too if you want to see some redwoods. You can walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, or visit Chinatown, or Japan Town, or Little Italy ect. Was it just a sunset cruise? Or a dinner cruise too? I'm trying to think of some fun things my friend can do in the evenings and that would probably be one. For us it was a "semi-dinner" cruise, meaning they fed you, but it's not what you'd consider typical dinner fare. It wasn't bad food, mostly just a sandwhich and salad bar with a cookie for deseart. I don't recall the company name, but I'm sure you can find one online, or just walk down the waterfront near the landing for Alcatraz. They're everywhere down there. I think the cost for the "dinner" and cruise was about $60. If you're looking for a traditional dinner cruise, you're probably looking at a lot more money. If you decide to do a boat tour or cruise over the bay, be sure to dress warmly. It does get cold out on the water.
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justme
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Post by justme on Mar 20, 2014 10:49:05 GMT -5
Yay! Flight booked!!! Now to just figure out what I want to do! Already found out that convertibles are ridiculously expensive to rent over there.
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Phoenix84
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Post by Phoenix84 on Mar 20, 2014 11:23:38 GMT -5
I also wanted to revisit the point about walking. I don't know what type of shoes you normally wear, but be prepared to walk for miles. Even if you have a car and/or take public transportation, there's lots of walking involved. So wear comfortable shoes.
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❤ mollymouser ❤
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Post by ❤ mollymouser ❤ on Mar 20, 2014 12:35:20 GMT -5
Elect to Laugh: An Evening with Will DurstApril 3, at 6:30-7:30 pm Will Durst skewers politicians and political issues. His performance is in conjunction with this year’s Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor (SCOWAH) exhibition, On the Clock: A Playful Guided to Working Life, about “deliberately foolish” job opportunities. Said to be the world’s largest public collection of wit & humor, SCOWAH contains more than 22,000 books in 37 languages and dialects. The library presents an exhibit based on the collection every April Fools’ Day. At the San Francisco Public Library, 100 Larkin St., San Francisco 94102. Free. Museum of Craft and Design Grand OpeningApril 6, at 11 am-6 pm The museum is free on its first official day in its new, permanent home, in the original 1915 headquarters of the American Can Company (now known as the American Industrial Center). Opening exhibits: Fantastical metal-and-wood vehicles, furniture and objects by Bay Area artist Michael Cooper; Arline Fisch’s copper-wire jellyfish; and a Massachusetts artist’s onsite creation of tree-like forms from paper and other natural materials. At the Museum of Craft and Design, 2569 Third St., Dogpatch, San Francisco. Free admission. What to Expect from San Francisco in AprilMost years, winter rains end by April. In an "El Nino" year, ocean currents bring California more rain than usual, and you can get wet until the middle of the month or later. Nevertheless, April is San Francisco's sunniest month (on average). San Francisco Weather in April Average High Temperature: 63°F/17°C Average Low Temperature: 49°F/9°C Rain & Clouds Index: 1.29 inches (3.3 cm) rain, 74% sunshine What to Pack, What to Wear in AprilApril is often warm enough mid-day that you can get by with a couple of layers, but you'll need a bit more for evenings. It might seem a little early in the year for this, but April often has the most sunny days and a hat may be welcome. MORE THINGS TO DO IN APRILThe San Francisco Botanical Garden and Japanese Tea Garden are full of blossoms this time of year. April is gray whale season around San Francisco. Find out how, when and where in the San Francisco Whale Watching Guide. gocalifornia.about.com/od/casfactivities/fl/San-Francisco-Whale-Watching.htmMajor League Baseball season runs from March through early October and San Francisco has one of the prettiest stadiums around. If the San Francisco Giants are playing at home, watching a game is fun way to spend a few hours. We like afternoon games better than night because it's warmer.
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Mar 20, 2014 12:53:26 GMT -5
Definitely do the CA Academy of Sciences cocktail hour. They have it on Thursday nights and the cost is ~$12/each. You can catch a cab there (it is in GG park) or can take the Muni N Line to Irving/9th Ave and walk. That neighborhood is very safe (residential, mostly med professionals/graduate students).
Are u an outdoorsy person? I highly recommend going to Ocean Beach and Cliff House/Land's End. The views are amazing if it is a clear day. Cliff House/Land's end has the ruins of the Sutro Baths (Where the rich played 100 years ago), good hiking trails, an oldtime arcade, and a lot of historical displays about shipwrecks/history in the area. This is all free too
GG Park itself can be a whole day. They have the Japanese Tea Garden and Botanical Garden next to each other. Stow lake is fun to walk around (They have an island in the middle you can walk on). You can also rent a pedal boat there and float around.
Another place for amazing views is Twin Peaks. Your friend may like this at Sunset (You can see across the bay and is beautiful). Recommend cabbing it up there (Unless u want a big work out)
I would also recommend renting a bike (if you like to ride) and riding across the GG bridge to Sausalito. It is fairly flat and not too painful. You can take the F line or a cab to fisherman's wharf, rent a bike and then pedal through Crissy Field, across the bridge and down into Sausalito. Go for lunch/shopping (lots of boutiques) there and take the ferry back across the bay (You can ride back too but the ride back is UPHILL ). The ferry will drop u off at fisherman's wharf.
If you like history, stop by Mission Delores (Mission & Delores, I think?). It is a catholic church (I don't know how u feel about that) but it is a good example of the Mission System and gives you a good understanding of CA history and how things were founded (Spanish explorers and all that).
You should stop by the Castro area if you are interested in seeing more of the "stereotypical SF" (That's where a lot of the gay-rights movement started). Walk or take the Muni to Market/16th area and wander around. Mission Delores is very close to this so you could do these areas together in a few hours.
Like sports? You can take a ~2 hour tour of ATT Park (At 10AM and 12?). You get a behind the scenes look at the park and can go into the locker rooms and dugouts. Kinda cool seeing a major league field from ~3 feet away. Giants games are fun too (I don't know if they will be playing yet when u get here).
The Exploratorium has lots of neat science inventions/toys. It is geared more towards kids but I really enjoy it (even as an adult).
If you want to see the grossest McDs ever, the one on Haight & Stanyan is your place. The Haight/Ashbury area is where a lot of the homeless congregate but they are revitalizing. If u want to see where the hippy movement was born, that's the place. It's not a very good area now though (lots of people who have been on drugs for too many years).
U should have a good time. There is a lot to do/see but it is all fun
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on Mar 20, 2014 12:55:54 GMT -5
Oh, definitely wear layers. The weather there can vary a lot, even in the city. The east side (where u are staying) tends to be sunnier/warmer. If you are going to the west side (GG Park, ocean, bridge, etc), it gets very foggy/cold. So wear layers and look for the "wall of fog" before u go...
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Mar 20, 2014 13:37:13 GMT -5
justme,
If you have a day like we did yesterday you're never going to want to go home. Warn your family We had PERFECT weather and I really enjoyed Alcatraz. We also chose to walk from the Embarcadero BART stop to the pier. You can take the "F" line historical street car but if you're healthy and it's a beautiful day why?
One of the surprising things to me was given how beautiful the weather was how empty everything was. We probably could have just walked on to the 10:30 Alcatraz tour. That's what a mid-week and pre-Easter visit gives you. We had lunch at Tarantino's and there were only about 5 tables occupied at 1:30. Wonderful food at a (San Francisco) reasonable price. A real "Wharf" experience is Scomas but it can get really crowded in the evenings/weekends.
5 Days in San Francisco
Check the weather the week before. Book your Alcatraz or a daytime Harbor Cruise for that day. Caveat: "Low Clouds" is the code word for fog. During this time of year it will usually burn off by 11am returning in the evening. The "cruise" day is when you should visit Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39. Yeah they're touristy but even as a semi local I like to do them once a year. So here's a recommendation for how to spend your time. Other than day 1 no order other than picking the best weather day for the cruise.
I'd probably do the "On-Off" bus the first day to get oriented and make a note of what you want come back and visit.
Cruise/Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39 day
Sonoma OR Napa. If you were going to spend the night I'd recommend going to Healdsburg and then heading out via the Russian River to Jenner and returning to the City via Hwy 1. But you'll be back and it will still be there.
Muir Woods or head south down 1 to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Probably the best Aquarium I've ever been to. Giant Kelp beds, beautiful jelly fish and cutest sea otters ever! You can also visit Cannery Row and "Steinbeck" country if you're a fan.
Mission Delores/Museums/Golden Gate Park/Shopping. Pick 2 of these and save the rest for another visit.
If you're a history buff, Mission Delores IS where San Francisco started. It was a sleepy outpost and part of the original chain of Missions that Father Serra started back in 1769 beginning in San Diego. The idea was to start colonizing "New Spain" and each mission was no more than a day's horse ride from each other. The mission culture and its affect on the indigenous population is both our pride and shame. If you ever want to understand the real California you start here.
You're going to have a blast and you'll figure out a way to overcome that little $700k housing cost to move here.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 6, 2014 21:30:39 GMT -5
Quick! Anyone have a good restaurant on the water? Last night in San Fran. Thanks!
And thanks to all the suggestions I got here! Made my vacation awesome.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 6, 2014 22:03:46 GMT -5
Never mind! I reread Bonny post so I booked Tarantionos tonight! Photos to come when I get home if you guys want.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 6, 2014 23:35:42 GMT -5
Hope it was good. You caught a wild weather week for us!
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 15, 2014 11:31:54 GMT -5
An update as requested. Yes, everyone was saying we were catching amazing weather while there. I went on a 5 hour tour on Thursday to see the main sights. My aunt suggested doing this first, and it was a good idea. Got to see big things, and then ask the tour guide for suggestions (still bummed that we didn't make it to the speak easy). On Friday I went on a wine tour to Napa Valley. Which was perfect timing since it was the only day that rained. It was good and informative, though I was the only single with a group of couples. For future reference for anyone - the Andretti winery has 50% off when you buy three or more bottles the first few weekends in April. Had a really good dinner in Little Italy while my friends wined & dined their clients and then had a fun (sarcasm) walk to meet up with them when the waiter gave me directions to take the long way there. Got some awesome views of the bay bridge all lit up though and found out saying you're across from Boudin doesn't help since there's a lot of them. Saturday I ventured out on my own. Grabbed a muni pass so I rode the cable cars (Trick is to go one or two stops up from the start. That day people were waiting almost 2 hours to get on at the start of the Powell line!) down to Hyde St Pier then rode the street cars. Ate lunch a Boudin (I miss the sourdough) and then my friend had the afternoon off so off we went to Golden Gate Park. We took the "subway" there since I still couldn't figure out how to make heads or tails of the bus routes. A lot of the stuff in the park closed at 4-5 (!!) so we didn't get to see a lot of things, but we made it into the Japanese Tea Garden which was gorgeous. Sunday my friend had the whole day off, so I got to play tour guide. Took her on the cable cars. To Lombard Street. She finally got to see the Golden Gate Bridge. The street cars down to the Ferry Building where we went to Sausalito. Got there just in time to get the shuttle to Muir Woods. The trees were amazing (and hard to get in a photo!) and the food in the café was surprisingly good. We had a harrowing ride back since there was an accident on the normal, easier road the shuttles normally day. Some great views, but it was scary on the turns where the bus took up both lanes and one time one of the wheels popped over the tiny barrier. We made it back to Sausalito in time for one wine tasting before we had to catch the last ferry back. Didn't do anything on Monday since that was our flight out, and of course it was the most gorgeous day so far. So it was a really good trip and I ended up spending less than I thought! $1200 including the flight and everything. Definitely want to go back now that I've done the tours and know what's out there. Would love to hike some of the trails in Muir Woods. Even though I went to Sausalito twice I wasn't there a whole lot of time to see anything but the street right on the water. Definitely want to spend at least two days in wine country like Bonny said. Would love to have some time to get over the Yosemite and the Sequoia parks. And maybe figure out the buses better to see more of the other parts of San Francisco that aren't serviced by the street/cable cars. Apparently my friend is going back for another convention in November, so I'm tempted. If she can take time off then (she had a show that started in Florida the day we were flying back so she couldn't stay longer) I might go.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 15, 2014 11:37:25 GMT -5
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Bob Ross
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Post by Bob Ross on Apr 15, 2014 11:56:42 GMT -5
1) Transportation - is the public transportation there easy/good or do I need to rent a car to get to any place good I hear that there are streetcars that can take you anywhere but my source for this is Rice a Roni commercials.
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Bonny
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Post by Bonny on Apr 15, 2014 13:57:59 GMT -5
Thanks for the update and glad you had a good time.
Fall is a wonderful time to visit so early in November you should have great hiking and "wining" weather.
And if you need a companion for either of those activities you're welcome to PM me. I've very good at both!
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Apr 15, 2014 14:15:25 GMT -5
Stinson Beach just north of the Sausalito end of the Golden Gate bridge and Muir Woods is the PERFECT Pacific Ocean stop.
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