San Francisco - What Can You Tell me about San Francisco?

I have the chance of going to SFO late December probably around 27/28 Dec for 8/9 nights with wife and 2 kids aged 16&13. (F class) Apart from the obvious Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, what would be a memorable itinerary for that time of the year, including any New Year celebration type activities. Any comments re weather, places to stay/places to avoid, would also be helpful.

Calling BBB!!!!

I have the chance of going to SFO late December probably around 27/28 Dec for 8/9 nights with wife and 2 kids aged 16&13. (F class) Apart from the obvious Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, what would be a memorable itinerary for that time of the year, including any New Year celebration type activities. Any comments re weather, places to stay/places to avoid, would also be helpful.

Do a road trip. Even in December the weather can be quite pleasant, while there will be loads of snow 3 hours east. You need to visit Carmel, Big Sur and of course the wine country (Napa valley). I also love the drive north to Fort Bragg.

The city itself is also nice. You can find the usual suspects on any visit SFO website.

On no account stay anywhere near Fisherman's Wharf. Best is downtown if you want to be in the city. I like Palo Alto better but that is because I have friends there. More relaxed.

I just got back from 2 days in San Francisco actually - after the hell of 5 days on a lad's week in Vegas, it was nice to get back to civilisation!

We stayed in the Mark Hopkins IC where a AMB card got an upgrade from a Club room to a 1 bedroom suite on the 16th floor, which included its own conservatory-style sitting area on the roof. The Club Lounge there is a very pleasant place to have a continental breakfast, and Top of the Mark is great for evening Martinis to take in the 360 degree views of the city and surrounding landscape.

During the day we did Alcatraz, lunch at Fisherman's Wharf, cable cars, Chinatown, Embarcadero, SF branch of MOMA, climbed the Coit Tower and just generally hung out. It's a great place. The city itself is nice for couple of days but as posters above have said, if I were to go back I would use it as a base for a couple of excursions - Napa, Sonoma, 2 days in Yosemite etc.

Took the 286 back on the upper deck which was a nice flight with surprisingly good CW catering, presumably uplifted out of SFO: they actually managed to produce a tender steak on BA for the first time in years. Direct boarding from the lounge at SFO is a plus and the airport itself is very efficient.

Sounds like a great trip. A few nights in SF will probably be enough to get an initial feel for the city and to see through the New Year.

As mentioned above, I would probably spend your remaining nights outside of the city. You could go down the coast to Monterey/Carmel and beyond (including Big Sur). Alternatively, you could head inland towards Yosemite National Park. I have only been to Yosemite in October and June but I would love to see the park in the winter.

If you decided you wanted to drive south from SF then you may want to consider the drive down Highway 1 all the way to LA and fly home from there (to avoid backtracking to SF for your trip home).

If you do drfive south to the Big Sur, Monterey is a lovely town and you'll all like the Aquarium. The first time I went back around the mid 1990s I was very sceptical, imagining rows of those dreary old fish tanks you used to get- well nothing like that at all...it's great. The weather probably won't be good enough, but whale watching trips out of Monterey can also be great at the right times of year.

If you head north, Sonoma is nicer than Napa for the wine area.

In SF itself, it is worth getting a MUNI 1 or 3 or 7 day pass- it gives unlimited travel on the buses, cable car (a must) and the trams, but not BART (the metro).

The lounge at SFO is nice and has showers, so quite good if you want a full day, get the 286 back and want a freshen up before boarding.
Do visit the cable car museum...it's fascinating. You'll learn that the cable that pulls the cars around the system last between 75 and 250 days...and guess who invented the system...the man that used to make steel cables. A great business opportunity where your system has built in obsolence and means you have to constantly purchase replacement cable.

There are lots of places to eat in SF, but McCormick & Kueltos down by the Marine Park is great for views over the bay....be sure to book (you can do it online) for the best tables. Food is largely fish-based and fine.

We also had a good steak at Alfred's, next to the Hilton. Traditional steakhouse that has been open since 1928 (with service you'd expect from such a place).

A different tour in SFO that I did some time ago was "I ate my way through Chinatown" which is a walking tour incorporating breakfast and lunch as well as various mid-morning snacking along the way.

The do wine tours but not sure what the kids would make of that. One thing the kids may find interesting is a short drive across the bridge to visit the redwoods at Muir Woods.

The more energetic would do a bicycle ride across the Golden Gate Bridge.

For some different evening entertainment there is an entertaining review called Beach Blanket Babylon (again not sure about the kids on this one).

SFO has some of the best restaurants in the US. Crab is very popular.

Sounds like a great trip. A few nights in SF will probably be enough to get an initial feel for the city and to see through the New Year.

As mentioned above, I would probably spend your remaining nights outside of the city. You could go down the coast to Monterey/Carmel and beyond (including Big Sur). Alternatively, you could head inland towards Yosemite National Park. I have only been to Yosemite in October and June but I would love to see the park in the winter.



Agree with this advice though Carmel wins heads down for me. Highway 1 is something everyone needs to do at some point, it's one of those Iconic routes and Yosemite is sensational

You should find an ice rink set up in Union Square during the holidays.

Take the Ferry over to Sausolito for a spot of lunch (weather permitting - possibly better in summertime).

On Saturdays there is a good farmers market and 'craft fair' in and around the Ferry Terminal if you're on the lookout for some 'kooky' SF stuff.

If you want great views of the city and don't fancy a mountaineering expedition every time you return to the hotel, stay at the Mandarin Oriental. Helps if money is no object!

One of our fave BA journeys.

Calling BBB!!!!

Hi...

Sorry... I did not see this till now...

I adore San Francisco. It is my favorite city in the world.

As mentioned, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz are a must. San Francisco is an ideal place to base yourself for a few day trips too. Places like Sanoma, Napa Valley and the Red Woods are all within an hour or two drive. Plenty of rental car locations in the city. Although I would not recommend having a car whilst in the city. Parking is expensive and public transport so cheap and easy to use.

The IC on Howard Street is very nice, as well as the big chain hotels around Union Square. Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy and as such the hotel brands cater to such, as in Holiday Inn Express etc... However, they can be as expensive as staying in the Union Square area.

Definitely go! Amazing city...

BBB

On our first trip to SFO, I wanted to see Alcatraz. It was still a working prison in those days (I was quite young :)). We went down to the harbor, and of course I couldn't see it. I wasn't aware of San Francisco fog.

The next day, we went down again, and there it was! Big as life, just a couple of miles off shore. Made me realize just how thick the fog can be (but you Londoners should be used to that).

Anyhow, we took the boat tour around the island and waved at the cons, and then came back.

We went on a tour - really good.

http://www.dylanscitytours.com/

Took about 5 hours - gave us a good overview.

There are numerous "free" walking tours provided by enthuastic locals wanting to show off their city - we really enjoyable - and the price of a tip.

http://www.sfcityguides.org/

We also did a self walking tour which covered a lot of interesting areas.

http://www.barbarycoasttrail.org/

I can also highly recommend the Segway tour... Although off the top of my head, I can not remember the age limit etc...

I did a very long day trip from San Francisco to Yosemite - a long day but out of this world. Muir Woods is good, but not a patch on Yosemite.

For something weird try Winchester House, I combined this with Muir Woods.

As mentioned Sausalito is great to walk round, some nice places to eat and some great galleries to look round. You could easily hire a bike ride across the bridge and then free wheel down there, and get the ferry back.

I would recommend a day trip to the wine lands, there are plenty of different options.

A city tour is also a good idea, Mission Dolores the oldest Church is neat, and it's nice to get a view down from Twin Peaks. The Japanese Tea Gardens in Golden Gate Park is an option on the city tour well worth taking up.

You can get a bus trip to Montery (cannery row / aquarium) and Carmel (great little town).

www.viator.com has a wealth of tours.

Not really keen on Pier 39 - tacky to be honest and the aquarium there is poor.

I've stayed a few times at the IC Mark Hopkins and would recommend it, and would also stay again at the HI Golden Gateway.

Get yourself a MUNI tourist pass for unlimited travel on the buses, muni underground, cable cars and street cars - a few trips on the cable cars more than pays for the card.

The BART is great for getting to the city from the airport and all stations in the city have lifts so it's easy to get your luggage to street level.

AVOID the Holiday Inn Civic Centre. AVOID AVOID AVOID...

Did I mention to AVOID the property?

AVOID

I agree with the recommendation to get a Muni travel card for the time you are there. Great value.

I have the chance of going to SFO late December probably around 27/28 Dec for 8/9 nights with wife and 2 kids aged 16&13. (F class) Apart from the obvious Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, what would be a memorable itinerary for that time of the year, including any New Year celebration type activities. Any comments re weather, places to stay/places to avoid, would also be helpful.

I was in there between Christmas and New Year in 2010 and Union Square is a must visit. There's the giant Christmas tree, all the store windows are beautifully decorated and as someone mentioned there is an outdoor ice rink. If you want to skate you need to reserve a time late afternoon/early evening weekdays is best as it can get quite crowded. You print your confirmation, present it and they will give you a wristband so you can collect your skates. Here's the website. http://unionsquareicerink.com/

For lunch with a view of Union Square is The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus. They have a giant 80ft Christmas tree inside the store that towers all the way up to the top where the restaurant is. Here is the link to my album with pictures. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/members/tagv12-albums-san-francisco.html

A very interesting looking Yorkshire pudding that is known in the U.S as a popover is served before lunch (pic in my album). I think you are supposed to eat it with jam, but I can't eat my Yorkies without gravy :) . Make sure you book weeks in advance as Christmas is their most popular time. You can do this online here: http://www.opentable.com/the-rotunda-at-neiman-marcus

If you have any adult time Top of the Mark at the top of the Mark Hopkins hotel is nice for drinks and light eats, the views are incredible. They do have a cover charge after 6:30pm of $5 per person, it's more expensive other nights. They also do 'Tea at the top' Monday-Saturday 2:30-5:00pm.

If you get a chance, come down to visit Carmel by the Sea, we are a 2 hour drive away. Hope you enjoy your time in the city.

I'm thinking of going to SFO this kind of time too.

I'm torn between the IC's in SF. Have stayed in both. On the one hand, the one on Howard Street is newer and very modern, but on the other hand, Top of the Mark is amazing. And the cocktails are great.

Definitely go to Sausalito, it's a nice wee place to wander for a few hours and there are a few nice restaurants around the front.

There's also an amazing beach which is right beside the Golden Gate Bridge. I forget the name of it now, but if you walk right along it, the Bridge is on your right hand side - you get amazing views of it this way.

And.......you HAVE to go see Mrs Doubtfire's house!!

There's also an amazing beach which is right beside the Golden Gate Bridge. I forget the name of it now, but if you walk right along it, the Bridge is on your right hand side - you get amazing views of it this way.



Crissy field. Lovely old airstrip (is and always was grass) that humbles you right up to the to foot of the Gate. Weather can be rather nice that time of year so if it's bright I recommend a bicycle ride down there (plenty of places to rent around north beach).

The trams are obviously a must but not many visitors seem to get off at the tram museum.

It's also the winding house for the trams and quite fascinating to see how the trams actually work.

Take the Ferry over to Sausolito for a spot of lunch (weather permitting - possibly better in summertime).

No, just as great in the winter. They decorate everything and there are Christmas decoration shops there as well as a diner serving really good chowder.

There is a Hotel just of Union Sq with doormen dressed as faux Beefeaters (sounds naff I know) but on the top floor they have a really nice cocktail bar with an amazing view over the city and at Christmas they fill it with trees with white lights. There is also a really nice China Town with some amazing restaurants. SF is a great city you will have a wonderful time. There are lots of good guide books and a good concierge will also ensure that you get to see what you want to. I can also recommend the Highway 1 trip (Big Sur) it was utterly stunning, although not so sure about it in the winter. Carmel and Monterrey are worth a visit too.

Crissy field. Lovely old airstrip (is and always was grass) that humbles you right up to the to foot of the Gate.

That's a great area, and as long as you're there, it's worth a quick stop at Ft. Point, the oldest Civil War-era fort in the western U.S. (ok, not old by British standards). You'll find yourself standing right under the bridge.

Ugh, it looks like the fort is now only open Fri-Sun. :(

If you're looking for some urban exercise, I have occasionally walked all the way across the city, across the bridge (stay on the side closer to the city), down the hills into Sausalito, and then take the ferry back to the city. Usually great views of the bridge and Alcatraz from the boat.

Hi,

On a good day when I have been in San Francisco ( usually the morning before the flight back to LHR, I go to Fisherman's Wharf and hire a bike and cycle along Crissy field to Fort Point then double back slightly and head over the golden gate bridge and back. ( great views and good exercise)

Regards

TBS

I would stay at the Fairmont Ghiradelli Square. It is an all apartment hotel and therefore good for families. The rooms are so spacious and the staff are excellent. Yes it is near Fisherman's Wharf but you don't have to go there.

Have supper at Chez Panisse, the birthplace of California Cuisine, wonderful food and not expensive. Get them to book you a taxi back with that whacky Indian taxi co they use: an experience in itself.

Hi there!

I tend to stay at the Fairmont (not the Ghirardelli Square one the other one) on the top of the hill. If you can get a room in the tower with a view they are pretty impressive rooms with views.

Top of the Mark is nice for drinks as is the Redwood Room in the Clift Hotel (this is just off Union Square).

If you are a real food and wine person I cannot recommend Gary Danko's higly enough. The food is excellent and they are so helpful in there. It can be tricky to get a table (if you want one for more than 2 people at peak times - 7-9). You can make reservations 2 months in advance and you have to be quick. If not then just turn up and go to the bar and then you can have dinner there which is also very nice.

Alcatraz is worth a visit if you have not been.

FD

I tend to stay at the Fairmont on the top of the hill.

+1, nice hotel

+1, nice hotel

Indeed. And available at a very nice NFAF rate. Visit the hotel forum on FT...

I agree with Yahillwe: kids should party to prevent that the grow up as frustrated adults. We have all seen that happen...

Interesting to read Brits' views of SF!

To add to the above, that time of year can be rainy, so be prepared for that.

For New Year's, some restaurants will stay open past midnight and host a special event for which you would have to buy tickets. Or you can just enjoy the free fireworks show over the Bay.

There is also an ice skating rink set up in Union Square that time of year, as someone else mentioned. You can rent skates there.

Napa or Sonoma can be a day trip from the City. Monterey/Carmel, on the other hand, is further away and would probably warrant an overnight. Yosemite and Tahoe are much longer drives.

It all depends on what you want. Unless you are very active travelers, you may want to stay in and around S.F. and skip Monterey/Yosemite/Tahoe and other places that are a long drive away.

Feel free to introduce yourself, say hi, comment on your travels etc...think of it as a lounge thread with a general focus on SF. It's an experiment so please do PM me with your comments!

squeakr
MOD SFO



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