Any tips for San Fran. trip?

Heading to San Francisco for Labor Day weekend to get out of the heat and take advantage of $100 airline tickets. I've never been before and don't know my way around the city. We're staying south of the Financial District at the Holiday Inn Civic Center. Wondering if anyone has any tips on sights, neighborhoods, restaurants -- anything. The only must-sees at this point are the City Lights bookstore, Chinatown and the bridge.

1. Walk across the bridge.
2. Trolly ride.
3. Walk up and down Lombard Street. The trolly goes right by the high end of it.
4. Waterfront, around the pier 39 area.
5. Alcatraz Island.

I think Chinatown is overrated and wouldn't make that a priority.

You might consider renting a bicycle for half a day. It will be very convenient for hitting lots of things. If you do, add Golden Gate Park to the list.

In spite of what the Wizard said, don't ever call it a trolley. They insist that it be called a cable car. Actually they do have trolleys, too, but that's not what goes right by the top of the Lombard Street hill. I agree on the walk down Lombard. Also, they have a nice place to watch how the cable cars work, where you can see the pulleys and cables in motion with a nice display of cables, brake hardware, etc. I also agree on the waterfront/pier39, but you might as well take in Fisherman's Wharf while in the area. They have a nice pinball/arcade museum there. Yes, the Alcatraz tour is very nice if you have enough time for it. I enjoy the old chocolate production line at Ghiradelli Square -- reminds me of both the chocolate shop in the Bellagio and the taffy shop in Gatlinburg.

Alcatraz tour is nice, but be aware if you or anyone in the group has any kind of condition that makes it hard to walk, think carefully. Alcatraz a lot of hills, and this is coing from someone in Western PA who actually did have to walk to school "uphill both ways." And if you go late, everything closes 15 minutes before the last boat leaves because the employees need to use that last boat off. This had one or two fussbudgets upset that the souvioneer shop closed before the rest of the island.

I would add to the rest of the ideas to get some good food but walk around and see what is availabloe. I have rarely seen so many places I would have liked to eat. And like a trip to Vegas, have some sort of plan before you go or you will waste half the day deciding what to see and do.

I took the BART in from some suburb. When you come out of the tunnel it feels like you entered another dimension. Homeless selling newspapers written by them, city busses running like stretcars off overhead electric power, all sorts of things.

And be prepared to be panhandled at least every 5-10 minutes.

Does "we" include children? If so, be advised that the walk across the bridge is not a simple stroll. The bridge alone is 1.2 miles long.

If you have elementary school aged kids, there is a Ripley's Believe It Or Not museum near Fisherman's Wharf. Total tourist trap, but a lot of fun if you have never seen one before. Check the lobby of your accomodations for discount coupons.

There are several outfits offering "San Francisco Duck Tours" where they drive an amphibious landing craft around town pointing out sites, then drive staight into the water and cruise around the harbor. There are several companies, so shop around. Check one out here.

Don't forget a jacket, as it can get very chilly and breezy near the water in the evenings (and sometimes in the daytime!) Have fun!

Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely add Lombard Street and Fisherman's Wharf to the list. (Cable cars are a given.) It's just me and my girlfriend going, so we'll be able to do just about anything. Plus, we like to walk a lot.

Three questions:

1)Isn't Alcatraz more of an all-day thing? The reason I ask is we only have 3 days and 2 nights. We could save that for the last day if we could be sure to get back in time for the flight.

2) Are those duck tours hokey? I am not opposed to doing a tour because it might give us a better sample, but I don't typically like the kind of tours that last all day and where they hold your hand.

3) Can you ride bikes across the Golden Gate bridge? Separate lane?

Quote: nyuhoosier

Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely add Lombard Street and Fisherman's Wharf to the list. (Cable cars are a given.) It's just me and my girlfriend going, so we'll be able to do just about anything. Plus, we like to walk a lot.

Three questions:

1)Isn't Alcatraz more of an all-day thing? The reason I ask is we only have 3 days and 2 nights. We could save that for the last day if we could be sure to get back in time for the flight.

2) Are those duck tours hokey? I am not opposed to doing a tour because it might give us a better sample, but I don't typically like the kind of tours that last all day and where they hold your hand.

3) Can you ride bikes across the Golden Gate bridge? Separate lane?

1. No, not all day but allow 3 hours or so. Buy the recorded tour. If you have seen "Escape From Alctraz" you will be amazed how much smaller it is in real life than it looks in the movie.

2. Ducky tours are take it or leave it. They do them here in PIT, some people like themn some do not.

3. No idea.

I did the Alcatraz thing in 2005, and my nerdy PDA calendar says we spent three hours on the tour, so I concur with Mr. Duffman. One more comment on this topic: They sell tickets for the boat at a specific departure time from Fisherman's Wharf. You can buy them on line, in advance, to get a better selection of times -- much better than just showing up and expecting to ride at your own convenience. But be careful! There are a number of web sites that will sell you a ticket, and quite a few of them offer the tickets at substantially inflated prices. Complete ripoff. Buy from the web site of the company that actually offers the tour rather than a reseller. My credit card records say I paid TeleSails, but the right vendor could have changed in five years. Back then, I paid $48 for three tickets.

San Francisco?

I love the gardens in Golden Gate Park (centering on the Japanese Tea Gardens). I would also add a trip to Haight-Ashbury and Fisherman's Wharf. The Exploratorium is a neat science centre. Go see a Giants game too while you're there.

Quote: nyuhoosier

3) Can you ride bikes across the Golden Gate bridge? Separate lane?

Leading up to the Golden Gate, the Presidio offers mighty fine walking and biking along the waterfront.

Quote: nyuhoosier

Can you ride bikes across the Golden Gate bridge? Separate lane?

Yes. I've done that, and it is a great idea. You have to share the pedestrian lane, as I recall.

I stand corrected on the cable cars.

Quote: nyuhoosier

2) Are those duck tours hokey? I am not opposed to doing a tour because it might give us a better sample, but I don't typically like the kind of tours that last all day and where they hold your hand.

Yes, it is hokey, but for many, that is part of the appeal. The driver/pilot tries to be entertaining. The one I know about, did not include any stops. You go for the ride as the guide points out various sites, and shares interesting tidbits, then you drive right off the launch into the water. The tour will take a couple of hours (one website says, "90 minutes, 25 of which is on the water).

Quote: nyuhoosier

3) Can you ride bikes across the Golden Gate bridge? Separate lane?

Yes, bikes and pedestrians share the same path. There is always construction and maintenance going on, so be careful. Also, the side of the bridge open to foot and bike traffic changes depending on the time of day/night. For details, check out the bridge website here: GG Bridge

Have fun!

Holiday Inn civic center is in a really dumpy part of town, so I suggest only going there to sleep. It is right by the Orpheum theatre which is showing wicked until 9/5. Dreamgirls is over at the curran, I saw it friday and it was great! If you are going to Alcatraz make sure you make your reservations in advance as most of the tours sell out. If possible do the night tour where they take you into the old hospital, its really spooky and there is narration on the boat ride over there. As for touristy stuff, I suggest hanging out on fisherman's wharf for some clam chowder in the bread bowls, checking out china town/ north beach for all the shops and sights. If you like garlic there is a restaurant called stinking rose that has a 40 clove chicken dish, they also serve cloves of garlic on the side in piles similar to a side of corn. If you interested in any gaming, Lucky Chances card room in Colma has no per hand fee for the first hour of their pai gow tiles, there is also no 5% commission. I would like to know what the % advantage in a no commission or fee per hand for pai gow tiles if anyone has any idea. There is also a bunch of Indian casinos on the way to Sacramento. Thundervalley has that Dealer Bluff game the Wiz wrote about a few months ago. Cache creek has card craps/roulette as well as some moderate black jack games. Be warned, don't walk around your hotel late at night, it is in the tenderloin and there are a bunch of homeless people who will harass/mug you as well as the fact there isnt much around your hotel anyway. I live in SF by the way!