Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Fortune Cookie Factory - from MeLike2Travel
On a different note, I was just thinking about one of my favorite spots in SF....the Fortune Cookie Factory at Ross and Jackson in Chinatown. I like it because it's a quirky, whole-in-the-wall kind of place. It's a unique experience.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Book Passage Bookstore - from KathyWdrf
Book Passage, an independent bookstore in Corte Madera, is opening a new branch in the San Francisco Ferry Building about mid-August.
This could become one of my new favorite places in San Francisco. I don't get up to Marin County that often and I have always wished that they had a store in SF. Now my wish is coming true!
This bookstore has oodles of author events (one per day on average) as well as classes, workshops, reading groups, and other events.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Dhuey's Favorite SF Running Route - Are you ready? :)
I'll give my favorite SF running route -- it's spectacular.
Start in the Richmond District. Head west on Clement until it ends; go south two blocks to Geary, take it west to the parking lot on your right just before the Cliff House. At the north end of the lot starts a trail that will take you along the cliffs facing the Golden Gate. Take the trail about 1.5 miles (lots of up, down & around) to the Sea Cliff neighborhood. At about 25th Ave there is a path to Baker Beach (an incredibly beautiful beach with a perfect angle view of the GG Bridge). Run north on the beach about half a mile until you get to stairs made of logs. Up the stairs (huff! puff!), go left and run back through the Presidio to the Richmond.
This is a fairly intense run; trail shoes are helpful. If you stay in Pacific Heights, the Richmond or the Sunset, you can't beat this route for its stunning views and variety.
OK, not really in San Francisco but walking on the houseboat docks in Sausalito. I always enjoy seeing the creativity and my cousins had seen nothing like this before. Go on a Sunday before 4 p.m. and you just may find some open houses. http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=1046
The view of the city from the headlands (last exit on 101 before going over the GG Bridge into the city). You can drive way up and get some awesome views of the GG and the city from the ocean side.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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View from UCSF Med Center - from et415
Here's one you probably haven't heard: One of the best views of SF is from the UCSF Medical Center building at 400 Parnassus. When I go in for check-ups, I always go early to look at the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows that go around the upper floors of the building.
( From squeakr - There's also a cafe, Palio D'asti, open during office hours with an outdoor patio ...sipping coffee, eating a criossant while waiting for my cholesterol test...heaven... )
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Ferry Building - from Dgolds
We miss ya, guy
Probably the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building on a Saturday morning. I'm there almost every week these days. Nothing like buying the best fruits, vegetables, meats and fish around with beautiful views of the Bay Bridge in the background, and terrific places to grab a bite.
I continue to be seduced by my home 20 years after moving here.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Tank Hill and the Seward Slides - from HSaxa
Great thread covering some of my favorite places in this beautiful city. I'll add a couple of lesser known spots
- Tank Hill - End of Stanyan to the end of Belgrave Avenue above Cole Valley in Ashbury Heights. The City seems more accessible here than from the more removed Twin Peaks
- Seward Street Slides!!! - Find Seward Street in the Castro / Eureka Valley. Great fun to be had as you careen down the adult size slides.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Many great tidbits - from Nd76
Without a rental car -
San Francisco has day passes for rides on all services of the "Municipal Railway", which includes street buses, electric buses, street cars and light rail http://www.bestofsanfrancisco.net/munipassport.htm
1. Walking tour of North Beach (the historically Italian neighborhood between Fisherman's Wharf and Chinatown).
2. Walking tour of Chinatown.
3. Drinking draft beer and eating "hofbrau" sandwiches at one of the best bars of its kind, Lefty O'Douls, on Geary across from the St. Francis Hotel.
4. Drinking Irish Coffee at its spiritual home, The Buena Vista, at the terminus of the Hyde Street Cable Car at the west end of Fisherman's Wharf.
5. Mission Dolores, the birthplace of San Francisco.
6. Take the "L" light rail train to the Zoo, which in turn is very close to the ocean.
7. Visit the famous Cliff House, near the end of Geary in the Richmond district, and think about having dinner there.
8. Take public transit to baseball--the Giants play at thrice renamed AT&T Park, and the light rail trains that run underneath Market Street all go there; the Oakland A's play at the McAfee Coliseum, which is connected by a pedestrian bridge to the Coliseum station on BART's Fremont and Dublin/Pleasanton lines. Either the Giants or the As are home almost every day. The BART runs underneath Market Street, the main street in SF's downtown. There is a station at Powell Street, almost next to the cable car turntable. The so-called "Muni Metro" light rail trains run on tracks below the street but one level above the BART tracks. On the way to the East Bay trains run at 75-80 mph in the tunnel.
9. From either the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street or the ferry docks by Fisherman's Wharf, take a ferry to Sausalito at the southern tip of Marin County. Sausalito is a great town for walking, shopping and eating.
10. Notable places to visit in Golden Gate Park are the Conservatory (a botanic garden which got wrecked in the 1989 earthquake but is supposedly back in business), the Japanese Tea Garden, the deYoung Museum, the Steinhart Aquarium, the buffalo herd preserve.
11. If you've never done it before, go to the corner of Haight and Ashbury (the "N-Judah" light rail train can take you very close to there), although most of the authentic hippies can be found in places like Santa Cruz or Sebastopol these days.
12. If you want an authentic but untouristy Chinatown experience, go over to Oakland's Chinatown, which is a short walk from the BART station at 12th and Broadway. Then walk 7-8 blocks down to Jack London Square, which is on the water known as "The Estuary", and have a drink at a one of a kind place called "Heinold's Last Chance".
13. Another place reachable by public transit from the city is Berkeley. The BART's Richmond line has excellent service, and one of the stations is as memory serves me within walking distance of the University of California.(DOWNTOWN BERKELEY) www.bart.gov
If you must rent a car, the wine country is about 40 miles north via US 101 to Petaluma and then east on Highway 116 and then 121 to Sonoma. Highway 12 between Sonoma and Santa Rosa is a great drive, and you'll have 40-50 wineries to choose from (I like B. R. Cohn, Kenwood and Kunde Estate, you'll be treated well at them)--Napa is 10-12 miles east of Sonoma via Highway 12/121, and the Napa Valley stretches 35-40 miles north from Napa on either Highway 29 or the unnumbered Silverado Trail, both of which lead to the northernmost town in the valley, Calistoga. Two lesser known but great wineries on Highway 29 are Grgich Hills and Louis M. Martini (you'll also see the famous ones like Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu, Beringer, Charles Krug, etc., etc.).
If wine is not your thing, Santa Cruz is 75 miles south via US 101 or I-280 connecting to Highway 17 in San Jose, and then driving beside Monterey Bay down to Monterey and Carmel (another 35-40 miles beyond Santa Cruz).
Enjoy--you'll have a great time (I am a native of Alameda in the East Bay, and have been in exile here in Maryland for the past three decades)
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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Fort Point, Angel Island and a Castle - from UAVirgin
always recommend a visit to Fort Point underneath the Golden Gate bridge. A little history and beautiful views at the same time.
You could add Angel Island onto your Alcatraz itinerary. There are fantastic 360 degree views of the bay from the island. There isn't much there, you can walk, or pay to rent bicycles or ride the tram.
I have walked from the Powell Street BART station to the Fairmont. It is uphill all the way with the last three blocks being quite steep. I've done it lugging a laptop and it is a lot of work but doable. You could take the cable car up the hill (not sure how late it runs).
If you want to head to the wine country you might check out Castello di Amorosa. I've not been there but a friend of mine recommends it.
You could also head up to Point Reyes National Seashore. This is an incredible place that many people living in the Bay Area for years have never visited. You'll need a car, and a day to get a feel for the place. Just a visit to the lighthouse is very enjoyable. A sample itinerary might be to head to Fort Point with the car just after breakfast, then head across the Golden Gate Bridge, stop at Stinson Beach for a look around and maybe an early lunch and then head on to the Point Reyes Lighthouse. You will definitely need a car for this trip.
Moderator: Hilton HHonors, San Francisco and Only Randy Petersen
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For sex-positive visitors and locals
As mentioned before -
Good Vibrations - for sex toys and information, in the Mission and on Polk St. - www.goodvibes.com
2 locations plus mail order
Bondage a Go Go - SF's longest running fetish dance party (isn't it SF's ONLY fetish dance party? ) www.bondageagogo.com
Exotic Erotic Ball - www.exoticeroticball.com - not my thing but it includes
" three bands, 20 burlesque acts, 5 hilarious games (Masochism Tango and Lesbian First Kiss among them), as well as our three contests which will crown Best Costume, Mr.Exotic Erotic, and Ms.Exotic Erotic"
Probably the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building on a Saturday morning. I'm there almost every week these days. Nothing like buying the best fruits, vegetables, meats and fish around with beautiful views of the Bay Bridge in the background, and terrific places to grab a bite.
I continue to be seduced by my home 20 years after moving here.
If you're near the Ferry Building during the week, on Mondays and Thursdays, Hog Island Oyster Co has $1 oyster happy hour! If you love oysters, you'll want to go because that's a great deal and the are soooo yummy! Hog Island Oyster Co is north of SF near Bodega Bay and you can visit the actual oyster farm and picnic there (with plenty of oysters to shuck and eat). But the city restaurant offers a fun experience too. Just be ready to wait in line for the happy hour.
3. Drinking draft beer and eating "hofbrau" sandwiches at one of the best bars of its kind, Lefty O'Douls, on Geary across from the St. Francis Hotel.
Or even better - stop in at Tommy's Joynt, on the corner of Geary and Van Ness. Highly eclectic looking, but one of the great bar and grills in the world. Great buffalo stew, over a hundred beers from around the world, and really cheap prices.
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Excerpts from a list I provide all my guests
Alcatraz Tours sell out so we will need to Book a few weeks early - I recommend the night tour - use Google to find sunset times and book a tour that arrives when it is light out and watch the sun set from the island. Dress inlayers - it is cold out there! ($16-$23, 1.5 hours) http://www.blueandgoldfleet.com/alcatraz
) 
