San Francisco road trip

[Anders]

As many of you know, I'm a huge Dave Matthews Band fan and as luck would have it SunnyG loves them as well. We're going to see DMB at SBC Park in San Francisco this weekend. This will be Sunnygirl's first time in SF and I haven't been there since I was maybe 10 or 12.

She wants to go to all of the touristy things, which works for me, the concerts start at 5:30 each night, well the opening act (Jem) is at least; so we'll have the days and early evenings, since not a huge fan of hers. Black Eyed Peas are the second opener. So any suggestions of things that are must sees/places to eat while in SF during the day for us, or at night on Thursday. I know we're going to go see Alcatraz and go across the Golden Gate and head down towards Fisherman's Wharf area and Pier 39. All suggestions are welcome, also we're going to take the 101 on the way up, so anything on the way that we must see off the 101 feel free to suggest Thanks all.

[Alchimedes]

You take a drive down Lombard St. at least once. Or the Exploritorium for hands on fun.

[Mickey'sGirl]

Another cool thing would be to cross he Golden Gate and head up to Hawk Hill It has great alternate vieiws of the City. Like this,

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[HiddenMickey]

Doing Alcatraz is great. Best thing to do is get their early and bring your lunch. Do the full audio tour and bring your camera. You are on an island, so provisions out there are far and few between. You can stay on the island until the last ferry leaves. Be ther early, get your tickets online and pick them up at will call. They do sell out early.

Swing by Golden Gate park, take a stroll down castro (it's not that large), Chinatown and also go to Union Square!

Visit http://www.sfvisitor.org/

[Morrigoon]

I'd skip Pier 39, honestly. It's just another Downtown Disney. The only thing worth going there for is to see the sealions.

However, if you combine Pier 39 with a visit to Fisherman's Wharf, now you're talking. They're walking distance apart from eachother. Both Fisherman's Grotto and Aliotto's are great places to eat. And both have great sourdough rolls and views.

Union Square is a major retail shopping area, with Macy's all along one side and the Disney store just catty-corner away from it. If you go downhill from there, you'll find the end of the trolley line and an 8-story mall/Nordstrom's. Mall is the first 4 floors and Nordstrom's is the top 4 floors. There's a BART stop in the basement. You can usually find one of those painted silver or gold statue men not far from there, often near the Gap - unless a bitter preacher creature has taken their spot.

Chinatown is cool and a good place to go for Dim Sum, if you're going to be there on the weekend.

[Anders]

I'd skip Pier 39, honestly. It's just another Downtown Disney. The only thing worth going there for is to see the sealions.

However, if you combine Pier 39 with a visit to Fisherman's Wharf, now you're talking. They're walking distance apart from eachother. Both Fisherman's Grotto and Aliotto's are great places to eat. And both have great sourdough rolls and views.

I definitely wouldn't make a seperate stop to pier 39, just a walk over from the wharf.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone.

[TinkPink]

Alcatraz is amazing.

I liked Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf. Somewhere between the pier and fishermans wharf, we met a guy who uses his own boat to give tours. It was the best tour I have ever taken and I wish like crazy that I had gotten his name or card or something to find him again. He was so funny and informative. But that doesn't really help since I don't have his name!

I liked Ghiradelli Square. We went there, then went to this little liquor store close by and got a bunch of those baby bottles of alcohol and went and sat on the beach drinking them at sunset. That was romantic!

There is defnitely not a shortage of things to do in San Fransisco and you will certainly not be disappointed no matter which way you go!

And the drive up 101 is priceless!

[Max Fischer]

Anders,

I wish I had some San Fran knowledge to share, but I don't get out too much, but if you ever need to know about Phx, I'm you're guy. But have an amazing trip!

Does anyone else think it is funny that a huge tourist destination is a former hard core prison? Only in America would people pay to see a place that they pray they will never be sent to by the government. (don't get me wrong, I wanna see Alcatraz too, it's just kind of funny.... )

[Anders]

Anders,

I wish I had some San Fran knowledge to share, but I don't get out too much, but if you ever need to know about Phx, I'm you're guy. But have an amazing trip!

Does anyone else think it is funny that a huge tourist destination is a former hard core prison? Only in America would people pay to see a place that they pray they will never be sent to by the government. (don't get me wrong, I wanna see Alcatraz too, it's just kind of funny.... )

Thanks Max, I lived in PHX for 4 years and grew up going there about once a year, but have been gone for 4 years now, so somethings have changed I'm sure. I'll let ya know if I head back. As for Alcatraz, it's been romanticized in books and movies I think, that people want to see it for themselves.

[Morrigoon]

Heck, I'd take a tour of a FUNCTIONING prison, given half the chance. I'm just curious that way (and for the record, I've never been to alcatraz, despite living in the bay area for over a year.)

[Tinkerbelle]

Ghiradeli at fishermans warf for Icecream sundays, if you like chocolat you can't go wrong with the foghorn, chocolat icecream, hotfudge, raspberry sauce, whip cream and chocolate chips

[TinkPink]

Heck, I'd take a tour of a FUNCTIONING prison, given half the chance. I'm just curious that way (and for the record, I've never been to alcatraz, despite living in the bay area for over a year.)

Me too!

My husband and I both find prisons fascintaing, expecially old ones. On road trips we have some across a few and taken tours. The neatest one to date was in a small town in Wyoming. It still had the hanging gallows and the gas chamber and everything. Ever since that tour, we decided that given the chance, a prison tour should not be missed!

[sunnygirl]

Ghiradeli at fishermans warf for Icecream sundays, if you like chocolat you can't go wrong with the foghorn, chocolat icecream, hotfudge, raspberry sauce, whip cream and chocolate chips

Oh dear Lord, that sounds divine.

[Max Fischer]

Heck, I'd take a tour of a FUNCTIONING prison, given half the chance. I'm just curious that way (and for the record, I've never been to alcatraz, despite living in the bay area for over a year.)

Morrigoon,

Many prison facilites DO offer tours to the general public. You would need to bring your gov't issued ID (drivers license) but it isn't a problem. It is pretty interesting. I recommend going to a juvenile and adult facility. It is a real wake up call.

[Alchimedes]

Another cool place you two might like to take a walk is the park By the Presidio. they put this in few years ago, and has a nice view of Alcatraz and the Golden gate. In 2000 I did a team relay in which I did the bike part of the Alcatraz triathlon up and down the Presidio hills.
Anyway the park has evolved into a really nice park for relaxing and getting a nice view.