One day in San Francisco - suggestions?
Discussion
I'm off to California in a couple of weeks on a work trip on my own. I fly in on the Saturday evening and am staying in the Sunnyvale area. I've got a day free on the Sunday and intend getting into San Francisco on the BART first thing on the Sunday. I've no intentions of driving into SF though.
I plan to do the Alcatraz tour first thing and will wander around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 afterwards. That'll take me up to early afternoon though - has anyone got any suggestions on what else to do? I fancy hiring a bike and going across the Golden Gate Bridge and cycling back - any preferred companies or ones to avoid?
I've got a fair bit of time to kill on the day my flight leaves so I'll hit the Union Square area then and do some shopping.
I'm hoping to head back out that way next year on holidays with the wife and daughter next year so will have more time next year to explore the area.
I plan to do the Alcatraz tour first thing and will wander around Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 afterwards. That'll take me up to early afternoon though - has anyone got any suggestions on what else to do? I fancy hiring a bike and going across the Golden Gate Bridge and cycling back - any preferred companies or ones to avoid?
I've got a fair bit of time to kill on the day my flight leaves so I'll hit the Union Square area then and do some shopping.
I'm hoping to head back out that way next year on holidays with the wife and daughter next year so will have more time next year to explore the area.
I had one day there and did;
Started at Coit tower - amazing views!
Walk up the piers - started on the east coast and walked anti-clockwise around the bay. Spend a bit of time at Pier 39 and see the seals, pretty cool.
You can get a boat trip around the bay, takes about an hour or so - again awesome views. You go under the GGB and round Alcatraz (although you dont get out)
I then walked up around the coast and actually walked accross the GGB from south to north. Takes about an hour to walk stopping to take a few pics. Stop at the car park on the north side to take in the views!
Taxi to golden gate park, check out the Japanese tea gardens.
I then walked though the park to Haight/Ashbury - this is like the 'camden town' area - lots of record shops and eclectic types but good to see!
Then I got another taxi into the main shopping area - union square I think it was called. Good to wonder around!
I'd have liked to get a taxi ride down lombard street and missed getting on a cable car. China town looks good as well but didnt do that in the end.
It's a really nice city, I was impressed and its fairly compact so you can walk around the good bits and get the odd taxi here and there. Use the Uber app on your phone for easy/cheap taxiing.
Started at Coit tower - amazing views!
Walk up the piers - started on the east coast and walked anti-clockwise around the bay. Spend a bit of time at Pier 39 and see the seals, pretty cool.
You can get a boat trip around the bay, takes about an hour or so - again awesome views. You go under the GGB and round Alcatraz (although you dont get out)
I then walked up around the coast and actually walked accross the GGB from south to north. Takes about an hour to walk stopping to take a few pics. Stop at the car park on the north side to take in the views!
Taxi to golden gate park, check out the Japanese tea gardens.
I then walked though the park to Haight/Ashbury - this is like the 'camden town' area - lots of record shops and eclectic types but good to see!
Then I got another taxi into the main shopping area - union square I think it was called. Good to wonder around!
I'd have liked to get a taxi ride down lombard street and missed getting on a cable car. China town looks good as well but didnt do that in the end.
It's a really nice city, I was impressed and its fairly compact so you can walk around the good bits and get the odd taxi here and there. Use the Uber app on your phone for easy/cheap taxiing.
shakotan said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Unless you've already got tickets for Alcatraz, forget it. Sells out months in advance.
USS Pampanito (next to Pier39) is worth an hour or so.
They don't.USS Pampanito (next to Pier39) is worth an hour or so.
I've walked up to a booth in the AM and bought tickets for a PM same day tour on at least 2 occasions before.
Sounds like you can cram quite a lot in. We're going for 3 days in October so it's good to know we can get quite a bit done.
RichwiththeS2000 said:
I had one day there and did;
Started at Coit tower - amazing views!
Walk up the piers - started on the east coast and walked anti-clockwise around the bay. Spend a bit of time at Pier 39 and see the seals, pretty cool.
You can get a boat trip around the bay, takes about an hour or so - again awesome views. You go under the GGB and round Alcatraz (although you dont get out)
I then walked up around the coast and actually walked accross the GGB from south to north. Takes about an hour to walk stopping to take a few pics. Stop at the car park on the north side to take in the views!
Taxi to golden gate park, check out the Japanese tea gardens.
I then walked though the park to Haight/Ashbury - this is like the 'camden town' area - lots of record shops and eclectic types but good to see!
Then I got another taxi into the main shopping area - union square I think it was called. Good to wonder around!
I'd have liked to get a taxi ride down lombard street and missed getting on a cable car. China town looks good as well but didnt do that in the end.
It's a really nice city, I was impressed and its fairly compact so you can walk around the good bits and get the odd taxi here and there. Use the Uber app on your phone for easy/cheap taxiing.
Started at Coit tower - amazing views!
Walk up the piers - started on the east coast and walked anti-clockwise around the bay. Spend a bit of time at Pier 39 and see the seals, pretty cool.
You can get a boat trip around the bay, takes about an hour or so - again awesome views. You go under the GGB and round Alcatraz (although you dont get out)
I then walked up around the coast and actually walked accross the GGB from south to north. Takes about an hour to walk stopping to take a few pics. Stop at the car park on the north side to take in the views!
Taxi to golden gate park, check out the Japanese tea gardens.
I then walked though the park to Haight/Ashbury - this is like the 'camden town' area - lots of record shops and eclectic types but good to see!
Then I got another taxi into the main shopping area - union square I think it was called. Good to wonder around!
I'd have liked to get a taxi ride down lombard street and missed getting on a cable car. China town looks good as well but didnt do that in the end.
It's a really nice city, I was impressed and its fairly compact so you can walk around the good bits and get the odd taxi here and there. Use the Uber app on your phone for easy/cheap taxiing.
I had a day to spare here a while ago, and wanted to see as much of the city as possible.
Started on Market St near Union Square
Got the cable car to Fishermans Wharf / Pier 39
Walked to the top of Telegraph Hill
Walked up Lombard St.
Tram to China Town
Then walked to the Financial District for a closer look at the Transamerica tower.
Loved the City, would like to spend a few more days there to see more of it and do the Alcatraz tour.
Started on Market St near Union Square
Got the cable car to Fishermans Wharf / Pier 39
Walked to the top of Telegraph Hill
Walked up Lombard St.
Tram to China Town
Then walked to the Financial District for a closer look at the Transamerica tower.
Loved the City, would like to spend a few more days there to see more of it and do the Alcatraz tour.
http://www.sosfbiketours.com
It's a bike tour of San Francisco.
Well worth doing and a great way of seeing as much as possible in the minimum time. IMO it was the single best thing we did and really gave a great overview of the City. I don't remember it being particularly cheap, but we saw and understood so many things that we would have otherwise passed by in blissful ignorance.
I'm not a big fan of Fisherman's Wharf. I'm probably a bit cynical, but it felt like an endless collection of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factories and Bubba Gump Fish Restaurants.
ETA: Classic Tour $89.
It's a bike tour of San Francisco.
Well worth doing and a great way of seeing as much as possible in the minimum time. IMO it was the single best thing we did and really gave a great overview of the City. I don't remember it being particularly cheap, but we saw and understood so many things that we would have otherwise passed by in blissful ignorance.
I'm not a big fan of Fisherman's Wharf. I'm probably a bit cynical, but it felt like an endless collection of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factories and Bubba Gump Fish Restaurants.
ETA: Classic Tour $89.
Edited by pushthebutton on Friday 19th September 13:06
pushthebutton said:
I'm not a big fan of Fisherman's Wharf. I'm probably a bit cynical, but it felt like an endless collection of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factories and Bubba Gump Fish Restaurants.
Fisherman's Wharf overall we found was just about bearable, but yeah, Pier39 felt like Disney-on-Sea.Cheers for all the suggestions - I'm definitely going to squeeze in a rocketboat tour and the tram museum (and the obligatory tram ride -that's tram, not tran!).
I only want to get some tacky magnets for my collection in Fisherman's wharf / Pier 39 (and a quick pint in Hard Rock Café).
I only want to get some tacky magnets for my collection in Fisherman's wharf / Pier 39 (and a quick pint in Hard Rock Café).
acd80 said:
Cheers for all the suggestions - I'm definitely going to squeeze in a rocketboat tour and the tram museum (and the obligatory tram ride -that's tram, not tran!).
I only want to get some tacky magnets for my collection in Fisherman's wharf / Pier 39 (and a quick pint in Hard Rock Café).
& if you like ice cream and garlic, the comboI only want to get some tacky magnets for my collection in Fisherman's wharf / Pier 39 (and a quick pint in Hard Rock Café).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garlic_ice_cream
Crossflow Kid said:
shakotan said:
Crossflow Kid said:
Unless you've already got tickets for Alcatraz, forget it. Sells out months in advance.
USS Pampanito (next to Pier39) is worth an hour or so.
They don't.USS Pampanito (next to Pier39) is worth an hour or so.
I've walked up to a booth in the AM and bought tickets for a PM same day tour on at least 2 occasions before.
Are you saying these tickets are fake and will not gain you access to Alcatraz then?
Even TripAdvisor says they are the only company licensed to sell tickets and land at Alcatraz.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Travel-g60713-c181511...
Also good fun are the little GoCars, which are GPS navigated two-stroke trikes you can drive on the road. They have in-built voice tours, and for bonus points they all have 90s-facelift Pug 205 tail lights!
http://www.gocartours.com/our-tour-cities/san-fran...
http://www.gocartours.com/our-tour-cities/san-fran...
Definitely ride a cable car; better to get on mid-way than joining the long queues at the start of the lines, the Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason lines stop near Union Square. The trams are not very frequent, quick, or reliable; locals seem to take the buses (same stops).
Less good: Fisherman's Wharf is a bit of a tourist trap, and China Town is just another China Town. There are a lot of tramps around Union Square and Haight & Ashbury.
Coit Tower is okay; can be a long queue. I'll do the bike ride over the bridge instead on my next trip.
Less good: Fisherman's Wharf is a bit of a tourist trap, and China Town is just another China Town. There are a lot of tramps around Union Square and Haight & Ashbury.
Coit Tower is okay; can be a long queue. I'll do the bike ride over the bridge instead on my next trip.
Definitely hire a bike and ride across the bridge, I had a road bike with me and turned left the Sausalito side and climbed up into the hills and really enjoyed the views and decents. Fishermans wharf is really cheesy, I found Alcatraz really underwhelming. Its falling down and quite a small prison so there isn't masses to see apart from the house block, exercise yard and another small building.
SF is a great city you'll really enjoy it, just wandering around is fun.
SF is a great city you'll really enjoy it, just wandering around is fun.
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