Suggestions for additional day in San Francisco

Happy Times

Any ideas for must dos in San Francisco? Looking for day and evening ideas. Hoping to get ideas from people that live in the area as well as people that have traveled there. Thanks!

Ken from Vegas

I grew up in the Bay Area. So many options - maybe you could narrow it down a bit. Here's some starters:

Touristy things everybody does: Chinatown, Fishermans Wharf - San Francisco's tourist ghetto (in general - don't eat here overpriced and mediocre, although the restaurant at the Boudin Bread Bakery is good), ride the cable cars (the cable car museum is good for technology buffs). Walk across the Golden Gate bridge. Visit Alcatraz (make reservations ASAP).

Museums: Asian Art museum, the DeYoung (fine art), the Palace of the Legion of Honor (French art - featuring Rodin sculptures), SFMOMA (modern art). The California Academy of Sciences (science museum) and the Exploritorium (kid's science). If you're at all into Disney, the Disney Family Museum is great.

See Beach Blanket Babylon (a long running musical comedy revue - a local institution). Have an Italian dinner in North Beach. See a Giants game. Shop or dine at the Ferry Building Marketplace (foodie paradise - I recommend Hogg Island Oyster Company). Take the Golden Gate Ferry over to Sausalito.

Instead of Fisherman's Wharf, have dinner at Tadich Grill. Dating back to the gold rush, there's always a line. For a shorter wait, go to Sam's Grill on Bush at Belden. Same old timey vibe, but only dates back to 1867.

Visit the Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate park (near the DeYoung and the Academy of Sciences) - a jewel.

Don't call it Frisco (locals will wince or worse). If you're just visiting things in the city use public transportation (SF Muni) or Uber. It's a hard city to navigate and parking downtown will cost you a small fortune.

One more thing you can do to feel like a local. Laugh at the tourists wearing shorts and San Francisco sweatshirts because they thought it would be warm in "sunny California." The fog keeps the City cool, particularly in the evenings. Bring a jacket and wear Fall clothing (most days).

joycesw

I live in the East Bay, and Ken has given you the very best recommendations!!! Beach Blanket Babylon is a MUST!! It is funky, fun and so timely! Reservations ahead of time recommended! One more restaurant addition if you are a bit of a foodie...take BART across the bay to dine at Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Also, the view from Coit Tower is beautiful (hoping the fog isn't in). And, if rugged ocean views are something that interests you, try going out to Land's End (Sutro Baths and Cliff House area) or the Marin Headlands. And, another funky thing at Fisherman's Wharf is Musee Mecanique...a collection of mechanical musical instruments and arcade machines...Laughing Sal is a showpiece...interesting and even a little creepy!

AlanS

Joyce, I could be wrong, but at one time wasn't the Musee Mecanique somewhere out near Cliff House and the Camera Obscura? I remember seeing a place like that many, many (50?!?) years ago, but I don't remember it being at Fisherman's Wharf.

joycesw

You are absolutely correct, Alan. It used to be right by Cliff House. I think it was part of Playland at the Beach many, many years ago. However, a few years back they apparently went upscale and are in a sort of warehouse (last I visited with out of towers) on one of the piers on the Wharf.

AlanS

joycesw wrote:

You are absolutely correct, Alan. It used to be right by Cliff House. I think it was part of Playland at the Beach many, many years ago. However, a few years back they apparently went upscale and are in a sort of warehouse (last I visited with out of towers) on one of the piers on the Wharf.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Who has a memory like a toothpick? Not me!

gtcamper

We flew through SFO last year and had a 12 hour layover. Bart to downtown (checked our carry-on at the airport) Ate Chinese for lunch Had an excellent walking tour with Emperor Norton - quirky, but superb. Dinner at Tadich Grill. Filled our time perfectly and took Bart back to SFO.