SAN FRANCISCO City of Dreams

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This post is dedicated to San Francisco - The Entire Plan is with LA,Las Vegas and National Parks . Organize your trip for at least 4/5days: there’s always something new and exciting going on in SF.

August 2011

WHY GO

San Francisco is one of the most eclectic cities in the United States. It’s home to liberals, hippies, hipsters, techies, immigrants, yuppies, that big red bridge, Alcatraz, delicious Chinese food, seafood, well, food in general.

WHEN TO GO

The best time to visit San Francisco is from September and November. Summer is often the coldest time of year, with damp, foggy days and crowded tourist destinations. The city is also delightful during winter: the opera and ballet seasons are in full swing and hotel prices dip because there are fewer tourists

Day 1 Chinatown - North Beach - Washington Square Park

San Francisco’s attractions are spread out and aren’t always convenient to reach — there’s a lot of travel time involved thanks to lots of traffic and a limited subway system.

My journey started in Chinatown (Dragon’s Gate): next to NYC, this is the most famous Chinatown in the United States (it’s also the biggest). Chinese immigrants first came to the West Coast and set up shop in San Francisco. Chinatown here has some of the best places to eat Chinese food (dim sum) in the country, teahouses, bars, souvenir stalls, and fortune cookie makers.

Walking down the street (Grant Avenue) you will find the Old St.Mary’s Cathedral (a Roman Catholic church led by the Paulist Fathers for over 100 years).

Visit the Portsmouth Square , a meeting place for locals who need fresh air and sunshine, and also offers a view of the local culture and reach the North Beach or Little Italy – Coit Tower offers 360-degree views of the city and surrounding Bay Area!

From here you can admire the Columbus Tower (Francis Ford Coppola).

Locals will relax in Washington Square Park in the heart of North Beach, located right in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church (known as the “Italian Cathedral of the West”).

If you like Jazz and Blues this is the right place where listen the live music (the Saloon is one of the oldest bars in San Francisco or Maggie McGarry’s, an Irish pub that plays live soccer games and hosts live cover bands every night (except on Wednesday Karaoke when midweek bar-goers are found belting out their favorite classics).

Day 2 Alcatraz and Pier 39

This former federal prison on Alcatraz Island was home to some of the worst criminals in the US. It was shut down in the 1970s and has since become a national landmark people can explore. I’d suggest taking a tour during your visit, so the rangers can provide you with some historical context. Be sure to book the ferry to the island early if you’re going in the summer, as it gets very full!

Back from the tour, visit the Fisherman’s Wharf, the Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square.

There are street performers, souvenir shops, and tons of spendy restaurants (try the Crab House). Along Fish Alley you can watch fishermen at work, as they’ve done for decades.

The best way to reach Fisherman’s Wharf is to take the F-Line streetcar, that runs from the Castro neighborhood along the length of Market Street before turning west at the Ferry Terminal Building. The area is also serviced by two cable car lines: the Powell-Hyde line on Hyde Street and Beach Street, and the Powell-Mason line on Taylor Street and Bay Street.

The Pier 39 is a shopping center and it is famous for the California sea lions hauled out on docks on Pier 39’s marina (virtual tour here).

There are few restaurants here like Hard Rock Café, Bubba Gump Shrimp).

Pier 45 has three really cool attractions, two World War II ships to climb around on and a funky museum:

– The USS Pampanito, a submarine used in WWII in the Pacific.

– The SS Jeremiah O’Brien, a Liberty Ship used to transport troops and supplies during WWII (and used in filming the Titanic).

– Musée Mécanique, a weird and fun museum with 200 antique, coin-operated games.

Day 3 Golden Bridge

Start your itinerary from The Palace of Fine Arts a Roman-style remnant of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. The outdoor rotunda and its lagoon are one of the city’s most photographed sights. There are constantly events being held here, so check the website to see what’s going on. Then, go to the The Presidio , a national park with incredible Golden Gate views.

Near there is a park called Crissy Field with a beautiful beach, restaurants, piers for fishing, and parks for Frisbee. It offers sweeping views of the entire harbor. There’s a small eatery at the west end of the park named the Warming Hut – you can pick up snack sand drinks there.

You can walk across the The Golden Gate Bridge if you want (recommended) , drop in at the visitor’s center to be briefed on the history of the park, or just stare at it from every angle and take tons of pictures. Don’t forget to make your way to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which offers a waterfront promenade, views of the bridge, and a number of hiking trails. There’s a Walt Disney museum in the park too.

On the other side, there is Sausalito, a small town with a great views of the San Francisco city skyline in the distance.

If you feel strong and energetic enough, you can choose to rent a bicycle in Fisherman’s Wharf (for less than $30 per day, or free with the Go San Francisco Card) and cover the 8 miles to Sausalito. On the way, you will cross the Golden Gate Bridge and pass several interesting places to take pictures.

Day 4 Cable cars - Lombard Street

Riding the cable cars is an excellent way to tour the city and experience various neighborhoods in San Francisco. Catch the cable cars from Market Street. They’re fun to ride and will save you lots of time walking up and down those hills. A one-way ticket is ~$7 (you can pay the conductor onboard). If you have a CityPASS, cable car rides are included.

While riding the cable cars, make sure to get off at Lombard Street (located south of Russian Hill Park) and see one of the world’s windiest streets. Just take the Powell/Hyde line, which starts at Fisherman’s Wharf.

The history says that a local man named Carl Henry came up with the idea of using a curved street to help vehicles move downhill, although it would mean several sharp turns. An engineer named Clyde Healy created the design, and overall the hill’s slope went from 27% to 16%. Now you can watch the cars and bikers navigate the sharp turns as tourists gawk at them.

Walk till the Financial districts , the city’s business hub and home to the headquarters of several Fortune 500 companies as well as upscale hotels. Gaze up at the Transamerica Pyramid, an iconic 48-story skyscraper.

Explore Japantown for amazing sushi, Japanese food, Korean food, and kitchen ingredients. Shabusen has amazing ramen, while Tenroku Sushi does some of the best sushi in the city. There are also a myriad of cafes and cocktail bars to explore.

Day 5 Golden Gate Park

This gigantic park features a Japanese garden , a museum, an arboretum, and tons of hiking and walking trail: it’s bigger than New York’s Central Park. Walking from end to end will take half a day. If that’s too much for you, spend at least a few hours here exploring the park, especially if it’s an unusually warm and beautiful day in the city.

Don’t miss Castro, San Francisco’s gay neighborhood and features a number of ethnic and modern restaurants, as well as a bunch that serve the locally sourced organic food the Bay Area is known for.

It’s an awesome place to go out at night. Start at Lucky 13, where a wide selection of affordable beer makes for an ideal way to start the night, or hang out on the wrap-around balcony at The Lookout. If you want to dance, head to Q Bar on Monday night for the ultimate 90’s pop-inspired evening.

SAN FRANCISCO TIPS

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