Oh my gosh! Ang, I'm so happy for you!! I know how much you wanted to visit SF
.
Well, first things first -- when are you coming?? If it doesn't coincide with my trip to NY, I definitely want to show you around the city. That way you won't look so tourist-like
, and we'll finally meet! Also, about the weather...Glitter (hey girlie!) touched upon how SF's often characterized as "really cold" in the summer. That's true...often summer in SF doesn't seem like summer....cold, foggy, bleak looking days. But, if you're lucky, you'll arrive when it's nice and sunny
. Lately, it's been beautiful here -- with warm temps and a nice breeze so it's not hot. Nevertheless, be sure to pack a variety of clothes -- SF has a horrible habit of changing from nice and sunny to windy and cold in just one hour! I'd say pack an anorak, some Ts and tanks, cardigans, jeans, capris, maybe a sweatshirt/sweater or two...yup, SF weather is THAT variable!
OK, as for the places to visit. Boy, are there a lot! Definitely hit the traditional tourist spots -- Fisherman's Wharf (beautiful spot...as well as great shopping there), Golden Gate Park,
the Painted Ladies in Alamo Square (those famous Victorian houses on postcards and in the show "Full House"), Transamerica Pyramid, Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, Haight-Ashbury (reminiscent of San Francisco's earlier Hippie days...plus lot of vintage shops there),
Lombard Street (the "crookedest street in the world," gives spectacular views of SF), the beautiful Mission Delores, City Hall, the famous Grace Cathedral (where tons of celebs get married!). Then of course you'll have to hit the Cable Cars, which will give you a first-hand taste of San Francisco's famous hilly streets...also give you beautiful views of the Bay and the City. And of course you'll have to visit the
Coit Tower, which has paintings and has just SPECTACULAR views of the city. It is incredibly romantic and a place that's just great for couples, but boyfriend or not, you'll have to see it! It's also a famous San Fran landmark. Oh, and you'll HAVE to visit the
Sutro Baths. It's just grand, I tell ya! It's the ruins of the great baths of the past. It's supposed to be one of the best attractions that SF has to offer, though most tourists don't know about it. Definitely go around noon, b/c you'll want to go when there's the least fog! And right near the Sutro Baths is the Musee Mecanique, which is a museum and penny arcade. Very neat. And near that is the Cliffhouse...an awesome restaurant that shows beautiful and romantic views of the ocean.
And every tourist -- baseball fan or not -- should visit Pac Bell Park. Supposedly, it's one of the best baseball parks in the nation. I love it...every seat is built so that it angles perfectly toward all the action. Even the nosebleed seats are great -- especially since they give you clear views of the Bay! There's also a HUGE Coca-cola bottle as well as a huge baseball glove built of fiberglass!
You'll also have to visit the Financial District in the City...b/c that provides just awesome panoramic views of the City from high on top. You'll see that SF is a very unique city in that there are so many hills! But the hilliness provides spectacular glimpses of the city.
Ang, will you be renting a car?? It's a must-do when you visit SF to visit the Bay Area in general. There are tons of spots that are just amazing that are outside of SF, too. I especially love the seaside towns of Sausalito, Carmel, Tiburon, and Marin. They are the cutest little towns, and give a very "old-town" feel. The houses look like dollhouses! The stores give such an old-fashioned charming feel. My favorite beach is Pebble Beach in Carmel. It's a gorgeous warm, white-sand beach. If you rent a car, you must go on the 40 Mile Drive which tours around selected spots of the Bay Area. I know it runs through Monterey Bay and goes all the way up to the City. I have no idea if it goes beyond the City, though. It's a scenic drive that allows you to see what the Bay Area is all about. One cool thing about it is that it passes by my own house!
Oh, and all the best shopping is in downtown SF. My favorite mall is the San Francisco Shopping Centre, which is right smack downtown. You will find a huge range of shops downtown, ranging from Old Navy to Nordies to Prada to Nike, etc. etc. There is also an Anthropologie store there that I like. And of course, you MUST visit the Sephora store. I think it's the flagship store of the company. It's huge...3 floors of bliss, I tell ya!
LOL.
If you like art, you should visit the MOMA and the Yerba Buena Gardens, which are very near to each other. I love those museums! You can check out their webpages to see which exhibits will be showing when you're here in town. The Metreon, which Glitter talked about, is right across from the Yerba Buena Gardens.
Oh, in Golden Gate Park, there are the Japanese Gardens which are great -- really peaceful spot.
I would say a visit to SF wouldn't be complete without visiting the various neighborhoods here. You should visit Seacliff and Pacific Heights -- without a doubt, the ritziest, Marina -- my favorite...it's right by the piers, and gosh, if I'm ever that rich, I'd move there in a heartbeat!, NorthBeach and SoMa -- where many 20-somethings live (NorthBeach has the most happening nightclubs by the way), and maybe Mission -- which is definitely not the best neighborhood, but has some of the best burrito restaurants and some cultural flair. You also should visit Haight-Ashbury (which I talked about earlier), and Alamo Square and Duboce Triangle, where all the wonderful Victorian houses are. Oh, and also Chinatown...it's not my favorite place, because I hate how it's soooo crowded, but it's supposed to be great for tourists.
If you don't have a car, no worries! San Fran has one of the best transportation systems -- the MUNI. The MUNI -- a combination of trains and buses -- can take you virtually anywhere in the City. But anyway, email me and we'll get in touch!
God, I've rambled on and on!! So sorry! You will have such a blast here in the Bay. Everything's awesome here and you won't forget your trip here!
Visiting the City by the Bay. . . tips?
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