San Fransisco sugguestions

[gsh]

Pam and I are considering a several day trip to SF later this spring. Does anyone have any hotels or activities to recommend, besides the blindingly obvious? :)

Comments

Well, for sheer local color...

[free-of-whip.livejournal.com]

Last time easy_living and I were there with my son, we found a centrally located hotel that was quite inexpensive. Only issue was the signs as you entered that informed you that you were not allowed to have visitors between the hours of 9 pm and 9 am. We giggled over a) just how many issues they'd had with professionals working that hotel, and b) why it was that visitors who left before 9 pm were presumed to be there for totally innocent purposes.

Ok, so I don't necessarily recommend staying there... ;-)

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

That's a bit open-ended of a request. What sorts of things are you interested in?

Museums in San Francisco: Exploratorium, SF Museum of Modern Art, SF Asian Museum, the De Young museum if it's open by then (completely re-built from scratch.) There's a nice planetarium up in the hills of, I think, Oakland.

Touristy places: Fisherman's Wharf, and the Maritime Museum, as well as the ships museum, including the WWII submarine, Coit Tower (the inside has very nice murals, I'm told.) Lomdard Street, the Japanese Trade Center on Geary. Haight Ashbury, for view, the Marina, as well as the Exploratorium's Wave Organ off the San Francisco Yacht Club jetty.

Hotels: Hah. There's billions of them in San Francisco, what are you looking for? As a close-by native, I'd like to stay at the Miyako in Japantown.

[gsh]

We're looking to do the touristy things, fishermans wharf, some wine tasting, alcatraz, and I'm mostly looking for a nice hotel recommendation of a hotel that has some flavor, rather than being a chain hotel just like every city has. I don't mind if the hotel is run by a big name, I just want something romantic and ecletic near the tourist places.

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

I have always recomended the Japanese Tea Gardens, especially if they are actually doing the tea ceremony. The tea there is wonderful.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Well, then the Miyako Hotel might be up your alley.

As for wine tasting, I don't know of any specific venues in San Francisco itself that are good for that, but the real wine county, Napa and Sonoma counties, are only an hour away. (And I live in Sonoma county.) Where there's wine-tasting galore.

Alternatively, if you like sake, I believe this place, True Sake does sake tastings.

Alcatraz is definitely a good tourist place to visit. I've not been for a while, personally, but it's truly fascinating.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Thanks again for showing me monterey; I need to get back to San Fran again, as the days I had in the city somehow ended up not involving much of the touristy stuff. I'd have liked to get to some of the museums.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

I always forget this, because I'm not really into tea, so it falls below my personal event horizon. However, everyone I know who goes to the Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park enjoy them a lot, and do rave about the tea.

[whitebird.livejournal.com]

Sure thing. I had a lot of fun in Monterey. Let me know if you're out here again.

back in the day...

[rapha.livejournal.com]

huh, WB's hotel is a best western too.

Anyway, when I went there, we got a good deal on Tuscan Inn At Fisherman's Wharf.

It was within walking distance of most things, and the city transportation got us most other places. There is a shopping area across the street - groceries, rite aid, blockbuster.

you are within walking distance of the wharf (couple blocks). I also remember a Holiday Inn Express just down the street.

[cblack.livejournal.com]

As a local who's done all of the touristy things, here are my suggestions, subject to change depending on when you actually come down.

If you're interested in Fisherman's Wharf, there is a guy who does bay tours that are a couple of hours and you navigate around The Rock, which I don't like spending the money to tour directly. You cross under the Golden Gate Bridge and hear a lot of great stories. If you're interested, I'll dig up the pier number.

For places to stay, check out Craig's List. Sometimes you can find some great deals on B&Bs. This of course gives you a local resource, though it sounds like you know a lot of folks out here.

My favorite places are actually coastal. I like to go to Muir Woods and hang out at Mount Tam and go up to the beaches. If you're up for a real adventure, I highly recommend Point Reyes for beaches and wildlife and the light house, but that's quite a ways up the coast.

Favorite musuem in the Academy of Sciences which is usually in Golden Gate Park but has temporarily moved. Favorite mall is the Metreon which is all Sony stuff, therefore lots and lots of cool gadgets and great movie theatre. Speaking of theatres, there's lots of theatre in the city and I've never been disappointed. Dinner in North Beach is a must, but stay away from a place called Figaro. I love Pinoccio and the Stinking Rose, where all dinners have garlic to some degree. They also have good wine... okay, they all do to be fair.

That's my start.