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I know there are several prominent members of the MLHH who are living in San Francisco and couldn't name a place they loved more, so I thought this would be the best place to ask for some TRIP ADVICE!
I'll be in San Francisco for a few days with my girlfriend, who used to live a ways north of it. She's familiar enough with SF to get around, but I'd like to have a few places in mind myself so she doesn't get stressed trying to plan everything herself. And I figure you folks can recommend a lot more places, too.
I'll be staying in the city, and I'm looking mostly for ideas on food, entertainment, maybe some events (I'll be there August 10th through the weekend, perhaps a few days longer.)
If it's any help, I really like ethnic food (I make a point to hit an Indian restaurant in every big city I'm in!) Sushi (I've heard the name Ebisu thrown around a lot here with all of the MLHH meetups), and anything in between. I'm not even sure what I mean by entertainment -- what do people come to San Francisco to see? Forgive me for being a bit ignorant here, but I mostly only plan trips overseas and don't think of attractions like the Golden Gate Bridge the same way as I'd think of seeing something like the Althing, but they're still interesting to me nonetheless.
Thanks in advance for the replies!! (I would have asked this in chat, but there's not been a big chat session since the last one I walked in on a week ago)
There's a lot to see & do here, so just "a few days" is probably going to be hard to cover very much ground. But, here goes my best attempt, anyway...
I tend to avoid the super-touristy spots myself, so in general I'm not going to recommend those. There are, however, a few notable exceptions:
1) If you've never riden a cable car, DO it! It gives you a flavor of the city like no other experience. I had a job at Ghiradelli Square once, and I loved taking the cable car to & from from work every single day, --- I never got tired of it!
2) If you go to Fisherman's Wharf, check out Pier 39. Yes, it is VERY touristy; but if you're into seing unusual sights, go towards the end of the pier on the West side... there you'll find a large group of harbor seals that have literally taken over some of the docks (that were originally meant for boat-owners). Protected by law, they literally have taken over the scene. I can spend practically all day there, just watching them bask and swim and play and fight and bark at each other, --- Mother Nature's revenge on "civilized society!"
3) If you're into history, check out Fort Point near the Golden Gate Bridge (DIRECTLY underneath it, in fact). An old military outpost, they give guided tours during the day... and while you're at it, if the waves are good, you can watch some surfers surf with the bridge as the dramatic background there!
4) If you love checking out exotic plants, by all means go to Golden Gate Park's Strybing Arboretum. If you live in the East Coast or Midwest part of the US, I swear you'll feel like you just stepped into a Dr. Suess book, --- either that, or Mars! When I first moved to SF in '77, it was the gardens and all the wild-looking plants that impressed me the most... Dorothy's words from The Wizard of Oz, "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore" suddenly had new meaning!!
5) ANYthing on the coast is worth seeing and checking out, --- yes, even the tourist spot of Cliff House... I've lived here for nearly 30 years, and I STILL love walking around the old Sutro Bath ruins below Cliff House around the Land's End area. Also, if the weather is nice (which it usually is NOT in summer), Baker's Beach is a nice place to stroll on the sand with your girlfriend!
6) Many formal city tours can be annoying; but in SF, most of the tour guides are VERY knowledgeable about SF history, etc. If you take only one guided tour, unless you plan on renting a car, take the tour bus to Muir Woods. It's only 45 minutes away from downtown SF, yet it feels like you've entered back into the dinosaur era, --- it's the nearest stand of giant Redwoods, which is a destination well worth the trouble alone. If you have a car, then drive even farther North... Armstrong Redwoods in Guerneville (2 hours from SF), and Humboldt Redwoods State Park in Garderville ( 4 hours North of SF) being my favorites.
7) If you go to or stay in a hotel near Chinatown, Grant Ave. is the famous tourist street. But, if you want a taste of the REAL Chinatown, take some of the little side-streets that branch off, --- or better yet, go one block up and walk the full length of Stockton St. until you get te Columbus St. in North Beach... you'll be guaranteed to not feel like you're in the US anymore!
OK, that's enough info for you to chew on... Hope you enjoy your trip!
- Ken
PS - And don't forget to bring/wear a jacket. As Mark Twain once said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco!"
I forgot to mention that the old Presidio, which used to be a military base during WWII, is now undergoing some major cool new changes, having become part of teh National Park system. Also Chrissy Field now has an amazing nature walk along the Bay, --- as well as just across the Bay in Sausalito are a ton of other cool things to check out.
OK, I'll shut up now (lol)!
Ken, this has helped me a lot! I'll definitely take this list and compare it with the things she's got in mind, too. Probably won't make it too far out of SF, so I'll miss the Humboldt Redwoods state park. Just not enough time to make the big drive!
Look the SF contingent of MLHH up while you're here, if it moves ya! There are about half a dozen of us here.
Bill