San Francisco

[John Kasaian]

Not a photography trip?

My favorite Saturday in SF "street hike" is
1. Get up around 5:00 AM, park at Presidio Green (used to be Crissy Field. I guess the Frisco-ites don't give a rip for Crissy anymore)

2. Walk along the waterfront and grab a cup of coffee at the 24 hour Safeway across the street.

3 Go uphill past, I think Galileo High School to Lombard St. ---the curvey part---walk down (no traffic at this hour) eventually you'll run into Columbus St.. Head SW down Columbus past two beautiful old churches, St.s Peter and Paul on Washington Square and the Shrine of St. Francis.

4 Cut over to Grant Street and Chinatown. The grocers will be just starting to get thier produce delivered. Lots of very interesting things to look at here! Sample a fresh almond cookie from one of the bakeries.

5 Keep going South past another neat old church, Old St. Mary's, through the Chinese gateway and into the financial district, past notorious Maiden Lane and all the way to Market Street. Lots tempting bakeries along here if your hungry, but wait!

6 Head East to Justin Herman Plaza. Across the Embarcadero is the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Terminal. Hungry? Lots of good stuff the eat here!

7 Follow the Embarcadero N till you get to the E side of Telegraph Hill. Find a municipal staircase and climb up to the top for a spectacular view of the bay and Coit Tower. If Coit Tower is open, climb some more!

8 Descend Telegraph Hill on the E side. It will take you back to Upper Grant Street.

9 Make your way N to Fisherman's Wharf. Follow the waterfront W past the Maritime Museum and follow the path that winds up the bluff to the Ft. Mason Officer's Club, with the lovely view of the old Ft. Mason Quartermaster Corps wharf through the trees. That will take you back to Crissy Fi...errr Presidio Green with plenty of time to look for a nice place to have lunch (the 24 hour Safeway as a deli that makes sandwiches and there's that view of the Quartermaster Wharf for a place to picnic, or you can go back to Fisherman's Wharf and any number of tourist traps, but my favorite is Boudin's Bakery with a cold Anchor Steam Beer to wash it all down)

[NikNak]

Muir woods is a nice day out. Nothing really prepares your mind for how big some of those trees are until you stand under them. I've never used it but I think there is a good bus service to the Golden Gate National Recreational Area and Muir woods from the city. That might let you be a bit more flexible and relaxed. Although I'm sure my wife would prefer an organised trip than rely on me catching busses

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...alifornia.html

http://goldengate.org/news/transit/muirwoods.php

http://www.sanfranshuttletours.com/m...FZkA4wodjgl0sA

If you can get a car then a slightly different day out is Ano Nuevo State Park. It's one of my best memories from working in California. It's also amazing how many Californians I've spoken to that don't know about it.
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=523
But check the web site as they keep you much further back when the big male Seals are there.

Nick

[brianam]

lotta great photo suggestions in there for you, but many will be hard to pull off with so little time huh? not to mention yours being "not a photography trip."

In that case, why not go see some great photography? SF MOMA was mentioned already, the de Young in GG Park should be seen (even if only for the architecture) and they have decent photographic exhibitions at times; the Legion of Honour museum as well.
But beyond all that, assuming you'll be downtown at some point, just pop into 49 Geary where there are a passle of first rate galleries, including the Scott Nichols and Frankel galleries. Gallery 291 (Union Square, 291 Geary) as well.

Hope you have fun here in the city that adopted me 10 years ago. :-) Whenever I leave town for a while and return, I'm reminded how beautiful it is here.

[Peter De Smidt]

Looks like we'll have most of the day on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday to tour around. I'll certainly have a camera along. We might rent a car on Monday. Can anyone suggest a route? Perhaps up the coast? Our flight isn't that night until 11 pm.

How about Chinatown. Anyone have a favorite restaurant?

We'll definitely check out one of the museums.

[ric_kb]

L

How about Chinatown. Anyone have a favorite restaurant?

Try Sam Woh's (813 Washington Street)... use google maps and set to street view for a picture.... You will walk thru the kitchen to go to the upstairs dining. Food is fast and cheap .... service is notorious. In the old days "Sam" would seat you based upon the "look" of your date (wife?) He has died and so have most of those days. Cash only. Low price... Alternate eats are pick up pork buns or such and take to Vesuvio(255 columbus). Upstairs with an anchor steam. Try to keep your pants on, some of us are still reading...

[Peter De Smidt]

For a day trip by car, would it be better to head north or south along the coast from SF?

[John Kasaian]

North! Redwoods & wineries. The wineries are a bit pretentious IMHO but the redwoods are very nice.

South is Santa Cruz and it's Board Walk but traffic there is terrible and you'll likely spend more time in grid-lock than breathing the salt air. Of course Palomar does have the best prawn burrito in the known galaxy. It could be worth a trip to Santa Cruz if only to experience their prawn burrito! Big Sur is too far, IMHO for a day trip from SF and in Summer the weather can be foggy until noon-ish.

[Darren Kruger]

For a day trip by car, would it be better to head north or south along the coast from SF?

Depends on what you want to see & do and how far you want to go. Heading north you have the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, and Point Reyes. Going south you have the Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Big Basin Redwood State Park, and Santa Cruz (and visit the boardwalk.)

Going south there are lots of little beaches along the way in case you want to stop and take photos or wet your feet. Not sure if that is the same going north.

Google says SF to Santa Cruz is two hours driving south on CA Highway 1. From Santa Cruz it is roughly another hour south to get to Monterey and Carmel. Further south is Big Sur and eventually Hearst Castle.

Highway 1 hugs the coast in both directions. I seem to remember it having more curves north of SF till Point Reyes as compared to south of SF. In both cases Highway 1 will have good views of the ocean unless the fog is around, which it commonly is during the summer.

-Darren

[Peter De Smidt]

Thanks to all who gave advice. We had a great trip. If someone else is visiting SF, I highly recommend the House of Nanking in China Town.

[Tony Karnezis]

That's great. How did your daughter do?