Will be visiting San Francisco - few questions

[Leros]

I'm about to start buying plane tickets and making hotel reservations.

1) I'm thinking about 4 full days. Too little, too much? I could probably do 5 full days.

2) Where should I stay? I don't want to spend $300+ a night for a hotel. $150-$200 is the price range I'm looking for. My few minutes of research tell me I should stay near Union square. Are there any other areas I should be looking at?

3) I'm planning on not getting a car. It sounds like I won't need one? Haven't done much research yet, but the only thing I've come across that isn't easy to get to by public transport is Muir woods.

I could also use suggestions on what to do at night with a minor. No bars, no clubs, etc.

 

[Vic Vega]

I travel to the Bay Area a lot so I will try to answer these based on my experience.

You can see a lot in 4 days but you will be hauling ass. Outside of the tourist stuff there's so much more to see/do/experience. Do those days include travel? A city pass is worth the price, look into it. Plus, the city pass gets you UNLIMITED muni/trolley/street car rides for 7 days.

If you want to stay cheap but safe and comfortable somewhere south in the East Bay is where to go, like Fremont. Rent a car and take Caltrain. I guarantee you will spend less on the car/gas/Caltrain/bridge tolls than if you double or triple your per night hotel fee to stay in San Fran. I have stayed in Fremont for $75/night at the Extended Stay and it's a nice place in a safe neighborhood right off the Interstate - plus you get a full kitchen in your apartment. Fremont is just one example - there are lots of places to stay.

That said, staying in San Fran is great and you should do it at least once in your life IMO. There are lots of good places to stay but hotels fill up FAST, booking in advance is a must. If you try to book last minute your options will be limited and expensive.

 

[Leros]

The 4 days would not include travel. I'm thinking about arriving Saturday night and leaving Thursday morning.

I've heard that traffic and parking in SF is horrible, hence why I wanted to stay downtown and not rent a car. Also, you get a better feel for the city. It looks like I can get a 2.5 or 3 star hotel near Union Square for $150-200.

 

[Slew Foot]

a few blocks west of union square is the tenderloin. DO NOT GO THERE.

 

[Vic Vega]

Taffic isn't as bad as people make it out INSIDE San Fran - it's the Freeways which are notorious for being parking lots. In the tourist areas like Fisherman's warf and Union Square there is ample parking - and you can get the parking validated which cuts the cost. Better if you rent a car, use it to get to Caltrain (if staying further south) and not actually driving into the city. Of course if you don't rent a car you can't drive across the Golden Gate or Bay Bridges.

You can definitely do this without a car though, just personal preference. I have done it without a car staying in the city. A car lets you take a little drive out of the city to Napa or Half Moon Bay also.

 

[baydude]

I live in SF downtown. When I have guests visit, we can usually do everything worthwhile in two days if it's just in the city. SF is not NYC. It's small unless you include other cities in the Bay Area.

You can do all these in like 2 days..
1) Embarcadero, Alcatraz, Fishermen's Wharf, Golden Gate Bridge

2) Union Square, Chinatown/fidi, North Beach, Golden Gate Park.

That covers everything northeast SF. The rest of SF is full of homeless crackheads.

 

[biostud]

I've just been there. Four days seems fine. I stayed at USA hostels, but then you'll have to share rooms. It was lots of fun though.

 

[biostud]

And Alcatraz was booked until 2. Of August when I left, I was lucky to get a ticket online.

 

[biostud]

That covers everything northeast SF. The rest of SF is full of homeless crackheads.

That's what I thought...

 

[baydude]

You can checkout or one of its sister locations for cheaper hotels
http://www.chelseamotorinn.com/

 

[madoka]

I recently went to SF with my kids. Unfortunately we went during gay pride weekend, so that SUCKED. The traffic was horrible and explaining all the semi naked men performing excessive PDA with each other was not pleasant. My girl still asks me why some man was only wearing a little girl's rainbow tutu out on the street.

1. I'd get a rental car - at least for a few days. This will allow you to travel to more distant places. Taxis can be expensive and would cost more than the rental car + parking fees. For example, I took a taxi 1.3 miles and it cost $10.

2. I did the wharf pass:

https://www.wharfpass.com

It's a good value if you do all the things on there.

3. I'd consider making the drive to the Jelly Belly factory and take the tour. My kids loved it and it's what they remember the most about our trip.

https://www.jellybelly.com/visit_jelly_belly/california_factory_tours.aspx

 

[DainBramaged]

Don't forget to see Hunter S. Thompson's apartment.

 

[Sonikku]

Be sure to ask any women you see in San Fran using urinals if they spit in the urinal when they're done and solve an ATOT mystery.

 

[Patranus]

Buy a new pair of (cheap) shoes because whatever shoes you wear while walking around the city will reek of urine when you are done. And if you accidentally step in human feces that litter the sidewalk you probably don't want to throw away your "good" shoes.

 

[Vic Vega]

Buy a new pair of (cheap) shoes because whatever shoes you wear while walking around the city will reek of urine when you are done. And if you accidentally step in human feces that litter the sidewalk you probably don't want to throw away your "good" shoes.

Funny I've been there a dozen times now and haven't experienced that. Maybe we're just going to different parts of the city?

 

[Patranus]

Funny I've been there a dozen times now and haven't experienced that. Maybe we're just going to different parts of the city?

I go there (more or less) every day (financial/union square).

How do you think this occurs

BART Escalators: Poop Responsible For Breaking Feces-Clogged Equipment (PHOTOS)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/broken-bart-escalators-poop_n_1706716.html

 

[Vic Vega]

I go there (more or less) every day (financial/union square).

How do you think this occurs

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/broken-bart-escalators-poop_n_1706716.html

Well that is disgusting... but honestly after years of going and never experiencing this I can't say it's that widespread - I would have seen it by now. I am typically there on business in financial/union square.

 

[stlc8tr]

The Exploratorium just recently opened in their new digs.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/

They are open late only on Weds (Thurs is for 18+) though.

 

[Craig234]

You didn't mention the age of the minor but here are a few suggestions:

There's a nice shopping center right at the Powell BART station, with things like an unusual food court with good food, nice restaturants in and around, a Gelato store, and a movie theatre. The most expensive chocolates you've ever seen (I forget the exact price but I think they go over $100/pound, fun to try one). This is close to Union Square.

In Union Square, lots of store walking; in the basement of Macy's is a Ben & Jerry's.

Recommended: The science and nature museum in Golden Gate Park. The park is beautiful but the museum is top quality. Also has a top art museum, the De Young.

The ferry Building is at the last BART stop in San Francisco, and has many gourmet stores, fun to walk and browse, nice view of the bay, bridge, Alcatraz. Also the ferry goes there which you could take to Sausalito (nice art village on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge) or Alameda.

The Walt Disney Family Museum is very nice and in a beautiful location at the Presidio overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Close to the Legion of Honor (google it to see how pretty it is), which has an impressionist art exhibit. The Disney musem is $20 fo adults, less for kids and seniors.

There's a Sony center designed for family/kids in part, big Sony store and movie theatre.

There's a pinball museium in Alameda, and an old (like a century) arcade machine type museum at a beautiful area near Golden Gate Park.

There's a Tech Museum in San Jose suitable for minors, 1-1.5 hours drive.

There are lots of open top busses to ride around San Francisco for tourists. Good idea.

North Beach is an Italian district.

There are a few ideas...

 

[Leros]

Thanks for the idea guys. The minor is 17. I guess that's not technically a minor, but still too young for nightlife stuff.

 

[silverpig]

Definitely check out AirBNB. My wife and I stayed in SF recently and found a great place for pretty cheap in Hayes Valley. We were able to walk everywhere.

We walked down to Haight/Ashbury and found some cool restaurants.

We also went up to Fisherman's Wharf, then walked up the Coit tower.

There is a cool beer garden and liquid nitrogen ice cream place in the open in Hayes Valley too. Your minor can hang out in the beer garden (I think) so long as they don't drink. They have food too.