I will be visiting San Francisco in a couple of weeks. Any suggestions for things to do/see?

Question

I went there 4 years ago and I loved it. I went to Napa and Sonoma, Muir Woods, Fisherman's Wharf, the Ripley's Museum and to Golden Gate Park. What should I do this time that I did not do last time? I would like to keep it fairly inexpensive. I would like suggestions for must-see attractions, restaurants, museums, and bars/clubs that are semi-affordable.
Also, does anyone know of any good vintage stores or resale stores in San Francisco?

Answer 1

There are GREAT vintage/resale stores in the Haight Ashbury neighborhood of SF. Here's a link to an article with some info:
http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide/sf/neighborhoods/haight.shtml (see clothing)

sausalito is nice. it's a short ferry ride across the bay. there are art galleries gallore, cute shops & nice restaurants. if you like seafood, you must try FISH ( http://www.331fish.com/ ) another fav of mine is Poggio ( http://www.poggiotrattoria.com/ )

you can do a historical walking tour of sf
http://www.barbarycoasttrail.org/index.html

cable car museum - admission is FREE
http://www.cablecarmuseum.org/

the zoo has a new exhibit called grizzly gulch and the african savannah is relatively new - admission is FREE on the first wed of every month
http://www.sfzoo.org/

depending on what days you'll be here, there are FREE days at local museums, too
SF museum of modern art - first tues of each month FREE
http://www.sfmoma.org/

deYoung museum - first tues of each month FREE
http://www.famsf.org/deyoung/index.asp

japanese tea garden ( http://www.holymtn.com/garden/Gallery/index_teagarden.html ) is adjacent to the deYoung and the arboritum ( http://www.sfbotanicalgarden.org/ ) is within walking distance

the legion of honor - first tues of each month FREE
http://www.famsf.org/legion/index.asp
this museum is very close to the beach, cliff house and ritzy sea cliff neighborhood. you can catch some NICE photos of the golden gate bridge from the bluffs nearby

union square is nice for window shopping, but if you're on a budget, don't plan on bringing out your wallet because this is where all of the HIGH-end stores are

i could go on an on for days about my beautiful city, but i must return to work now and get my head outta the clouds.

Answer 2

You don't want a car in San Francisco. You won't be able to find any where to park it. Plan on taking public transportation. San Francisco has good bus service and you don't have to worry about parking the bus. Wear good walking shoes and comfortable clothes when out sightseeing. It really is as hilly as the pictures show. Not a place for heels or uncomfortable shoes. Dress in layers. San Francisco can be really foggy and chilly at times, then clear up. Bring an umbrella. It often rains in the fall. Get some guidebooks from the library and do your research online. Decide where you want to go in advance and plan out your tour. A lot of the attractions are close together. China Town runs into North Beach. You could do both of those at the same time, then go on down to Fisherman's Wharf. They're all three close together. If you're into walking, you can easily walk through China Town, North Beach, then down to the Wharf. There are local tours but San Francisco is an easy town to do your own touring. If you stay out near the airport, check on transportation into town. I know there's a bus. There may be a BART (subway) line out to the airport. Know how much time you'll spend getting back and forth to your room. It might be worth extra money to stay in town and get more out of the visit. I hope you have a good time. I lived in San Francisco for several years. It's a remarkable city.

Answer 3

You can try the Exploratorium- SF's weirdest science museum. Or how about taking a boat cruise out to Alcatraz and Angel Island? There is also the Embarcadero, with Union Square and the Ghiradelli Chocolate factory. Ghiradelli gives tours, and there are some great shops and resteraunts in that area. Chinatown is another possibility, since you didn't go last time. If you want to do this, you can also go and see Lombard Street- the world's most crooked street. Market Street is where the cable cars run, and it's also where a lot of good shopping can be found. I could go on and on- San Francisco is one of my favorite cities.

Answer 4

Take a nice walk along the scenic Land's End Trail when you visit the Legion of Honor. The Trail ends at the Cliff House so you can pick up lunch there or walk a little further and eat at Beach Chalet. You can rent a bike and take a ride over to Sausalito over the Golden Gate Bridge and then, take the ferry back to San Francisco. Or, take the ferry over to Tiburon for lunch or to Angel Island for a nice hike. You'll need to bring a bag lunch to Angel Island.

Answer 5

Go Fillmore St and Union Street for bar, restaurant and vintage store..

http://www.bayareavisit.com/