Going to SFO for 4 days. Any suggestions?

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manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
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Heading to San Francisco in a few weeks for 4 days. Then I need to drive out to Reno, and then flying home.

I haven't been to California in a while. Priorities are outdoors stuff (hiking, scenery, etc.). I'm not a big food/museum person but I'd love to try or see anything that's "once in a life time awesome".

I was thinking of spending two of the days in San Francisco (maybe one good morning hike?) and then spending a day out of the city on my way to Reno -- wine country? Yosemite? One of those national parks with the huge trees?

Any suggestions? Thanks!
 
zinfamous

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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The route from SF to Reno takes you straight through Tahoe, so you are good there (Yosemite is the opposite direction...so maybe you were confusing that? Anyway, that would eat up an entire day simply driving to Yosemite and back). Napa and Sonoma are kinda on the way when heading to Reno, so that's doable if you want to make a really long day or two decent days just driving to Reno.

As far as Museums and food in SF area, there isn't really anything that I would call "once in a lifetime must do," except maybe Chez Panisse in Berkeley or the French Laundry in Napa....or whatever is currently "hot" in Napa.

Since it seems you are renting a car, Muir Woods is a close trip from SF but I don't recall any great hiking (the larger trail I took there was rather boring...but it isn't awful). My favorite naturey place in the area is Pt Reyes, another ~45-hour drive north of Muir woods, but it's worth it. Kind of like a mini Big Sur, but much closer.
 
deadlyapp

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
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zinfamous said:
The route from SF to Reno takes you straight through Tahoe, so you are good there (Yosemite is the opposite direction...so maybe you were confusing that? Anyway, that would eat up an entire day simply driving to Yosemite and back). Napa and Sonoma are kinda on the way when heading to Reno, so that's doable if you want to make a really long day or two decent days just driving to Reno.

As far as Museums and food in SF area, there isn't really anything that I would call "once in a lifetime must do," except maybe Chez Panisse in Berkeley or the French Laundry in Napa....or whatever is currently "hot" in Napa.

Since it seems you are renting a car, Muir Woods is a close trip from SF but I don't recall any great hiking (the larger trail I took there was rather boring...but it isn't awful). My favorite naturey place in the area is Pt Reyes, another ~45-hour drive north of Muir woods, but it's worth it. Kind of like a mini Big Sur, but much closer.
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Wat? I would hardly say Napa or Sonoma are on the way to Reno from SF

If you like outdoors, Mt. Tam is north, and there are lots of nice places in the north bay to stop for food and drinks, or you can keep heading north towards healdsburg and Sonoma valley for wine. I would stay out of Napa - it's pretentious and a bit more off the beaten path. I really like Mt Diablo in the east bay as well, which I would argue is more on your way to Reno (most people would probably go east bay then head up past Benicia before heading east towards Reno/Tahoe.

If you want to take the slow route to Reno, you can go through South Lake Tahoe which I prefer over North Lake Tahoe (Truckee). There are lots of nice places to stop on 50 away from Tahoe (if you want to avoid the madness of summer Tahoe) but expect the driving to be very slow from people who have no idea how to drive mountain roads.
 
zinfamous

zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
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deadlyapp said:
Wat? I would hardly say Napa or Sonoma are on the way to Reno from SF

If you like outdoors, Mt. Tam is north, and there are lots of nice places in the north bay to stop for food and drinks, or you can keep heading north towards healdsburg and Sonoma valley for wine. I would stay out of Napa - it's pretentious and a bit more off the beaten path. I really like Mt Diablo in the east bay as well, which I would argue is more on your way to Reno (most people would probably go east bay then head up past Benicia before heading east towards Reno/Tahoe.

If you want to take the slow route to Reno, you can go through South Lake Tahoe which I prefer over North Lake Tahoe (Truckee). There are lots of nice places to stop on 50 away from Tahoe (if you want to avoid the madness of summer Tahoe) but expect the driving to be very slow from people who have no idea how to drive mountain roads.
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I said "kinda." You take 80 to Sacramento, to Tahoe and Reno, but well before Davis you can branch off to 110 or 70 or whatever it is and run up and down the Napa strip. Sonoma is a little further away, but they are, more or less, on your way there. It would be a super long day, but it's doable. 2 days would be more relaxing.
 
Xcobra

Xcobra

Diamond Member
Oct 19, 2004
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I'd suggest you hike or drive up twin peaks. Amazing view of the city and esp Market Street (day or night). The sunset area has some restaurants (Irving St) young people seem to like. Only been there once though to a Mexican place. Marin headlands has some nice hikes and few secluded beaches (Mt Tam and Mt Diablo have already been mentioned). Mission peak near Freemont is also popular. Good view of the east bay and the city. Esp in the AM. I've hiked it in a couple hours. Pretty nice half day activity.

That'll get you started on hiking.
 
SteveGrabowski

SteveGrabowski

Diamond Member
Oct 20, 2014
8,779
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I would just drive straight to Yosemite and spend those four days there before going to Reno. You wouldn't believe how much amazing hiking there is there. The hotels are expensive and terrible though in Yosemite, so bring a tent and a 20 degree sleeping bag and get reservations for the Tuolumne Meadows Campground and you won't regret it. So many killer dayhikes like Clouds Rest, Mt Dana / Mt Gibbs (which can be done together if you don't mind off-trail, but if you only want to do trails Dana has one, Gibbs doesn't), Mt Hoffmann, Cathedral Lakes, North Dome, Mono Pass + Parker Pass, Donahue Pass, I mean it is such a beautiful place. And if you can handle say 18 miles or so (I think that's what the round trip is) and don't mind off trail above tree line there is Mt Conness.

On the other end of the park Mariposa Grove is nice to hike through to see Giant Sequioas, though the density of the trees is much greater in the Giant Forest in Sequioa National Park. The Panorama Trail is also a great one way trip down from Glacier Point to the Valley floor in about 8-9 miles, though I wouldn't start it before noon since the best views are east as you're hiking down from Glacier Point to Illilouette Creek, and you don't want morning sun obscuring those views. In August I wouldn't bother with the waterfall trails, eg Upper Yosemite Falls or the Mist Trail, since they won't be running anywhere close to peak flow.
 
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Muse

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
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zinfamous said:
Since it seems you are renting a car, Muir Woods is a close trip from SF but I don't recall any great hiking (the larger trail I took there was rather boring...but it isn't awful). My favorite naturey place in the area is Pt Reyes, another ~45-hour drive north of Muir woods, but it's worth it. Kind of like a mini Big Sur, but much closer.
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I took my cousin to Muir Woods last year. It was nice enough, not a tough hike. Actually, it's just trails, not really a hike. Brought a camera, it was enjoyable.

Haven't been to Pt. Reyes in decades. Figure I should devote a day to it. Gonna talk to a friend of mine concerning exactly what to see there, where to go. He'd know. I forget what he told me. Big Sur, besides being a lot further is probably a no now because of the huge storm damage from this last winter's 100 year rain event. I think that killed tourism there for the time being.

Haven't been to Chez Pannise in decades either. I live less than 3 miles away. Should splurge one day. My birthday's next week. Hmmm.
 
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Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
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There a lot available. I'll leave hiking to others.

general info: It's easy to waste a day on tourist garbage and congestion so watch out.

A few ideas:

- the tour bus that goes around the city, to get acquainted and stop where you want
- Golden Gate Park is nice: it has the De Young and California science museums, a Japanese Garden and more.
- Research your dining - great if you do.
- The Presidio is an old big army base near the Golden Gate Bridge beaches, and has the Walt Disney Museum
- There are bay boat rides, from the ferry to Sausalito (charming little art town) or Alameda, to a high speed jet boat.
- Redwood Trees are the thing IMO.
- North Beach is a walking area in the city with Italian places
- There's a '45 mile drive' for some scenery
 
C

Challenger

Diamond Member
Jan 29, 2001
3,035
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Go see a transgender reassignment surgery on an illegal alien funded by tax payers dollars!!!
 
C

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
JM Aggie08 said:
That seems like a reach, unless I'm missing some context. Lol.
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No, it is devaluing people for being transgender, for being here illegally, dehumanizing them and the idea of government helping people.

What else is the point to referring to something like transgender reassignment surgery at taxpayer expense?

It's to suggest that this whole idea of transgender is a lot of nonsense and the surgery is a big waste of tax dollars good to oppose as a bad joke.

That sort of view is based on ignorance and supports bigotry towards people as a result. The result of that thinking is the basis for harming people.
 
JM Aggie08

JM Aggie08

Diamond Member
Jan 3, 2006
8,384
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Craig234 said:
No, it is devaluing people for being transgender, for being here illegally, dehumanizing them and the idea of government helping people.

What else is the point to referring to something like transgender reassignment surgery at taxpayer expense?

It's to suggest that this whole idea of transgender is a lot of nonsense and the surgery is a big waste of tax dollars good to oppose as a bad joke.

That sort of view is based on ignorance and supports bigotry towards people as a result. The result of that thinking is the basis for harming people.
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Or, crazy thought, it was a (crude) joke.
 
JimKiler

JimKiler

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2002
3,561
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Yosemite is the best place my wife and I have gone to, you will not regret it if you go there. /thread end
 
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