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Author Topic: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites  (Read 9481 times)

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Offline allanq

  • Member
  • Posts: 713
Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« on: January 27, 2007, 03:08:42 pm »
There are lots of things to see and do in San Francisco, and I am confident that those who attend AMG 2007 will have a wonderful time. It’s great to get together with friends, but it’s even better when you can share enjoyable activities. I don’t think anyone will be lacking in choices for things to do.

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite things to do in San Francisco:

1.   Scenic neighborhood walks. I think this is the best way to experience San Francisco. There are several walks that I particularly like:

•   Up the Filbert stairs to Coit Tower at the peak of Telegraph Hill, then down to North Beach, then up to Russian Hill, then down and up again to Nob Hill. (This is my favorite walk—lots of ups and downs, but there are plenty of places to rest, and a break for lunch in North Beach helps.)
•   Castro Street and the surrounding area.
•   The Embarcadero from Giants Stadium past the Ferry Building to Pier 39.
•   Along the Marina waterfront past Crissy Field to Fort Point (which is right under the Golden Gate Bridge)

There are many other possible walks. The hills of San Francisco make some of these walks challenging, but the beautiful views are a great reward for your efforts. I’m planning to lead one or two walks.

2.   Golden Gate Park. There’s a lot going on in this great park. Rent a bike on Stanyan Street and ride the three miles through the park to the ocean. Visit the brand new and strikingly beautiful DeYoung Museum, the Arboretum, the Japanese Tea Garden, the newly restored Conservatory, or rent a boat for a relaxing ride on Stow Lake. On Sundays, the main drive through the park is closed to traffic, which makes it a particularly good day for a bike ride.

As Ric pointed out, the beautiful and inspiring National AIDS Memorial Grove is located in the eastern part of Golden Gate Park. This is definitely worth a visit!

3.   Muir Woods National Monument. This is an awesome stand of Redwoods 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. There are several trails of varying length that go through this park. This is a truly memorable place. There is no public transportation to this park. I’ll look into ways of getting there that don’t cost too much. I can take my car, but I can fit only 3 passengers. Maybe we can split the cost of a few rental cars or a van.

4.   Alcatraz. Visiting a former prison may not sound particularly interesting, but this is actually a fascinating trip. It is easier to get a ferry ticket to the island on a weekday, but you can buy tickets in advance on the internet.

5.   Castro Street. This is the center of gay life in San Francisco, with lots of bars and stores that cater to the gay community. Eighteenth Street, just east of Castro, is home to the gayest Starbucks on the planet. Castro is a broad and pleasant street, and there are a number of cafes and restaurants to relax in. The side streets have lots of the “painted lady” Victorians that make San Francisco so distinctive. Liberty Street, a bit uphill from the center of activity, is a particularly fine residential street.

Castro Street is an 8-minute ride from the Powell Street station on the underground K, L, or M lines. It’s a few minutes more on one of the colorful vintage F-line trolleys that run above ground down Market Street.

6.   The Mission District. This vibrant area is San Francisco’s center for Latin American culture. Start at Mission Dolores (the oldest structure in San Francisco) and work your way to Dolores Park (great views of the city) and along streets like Valencia or Mission to explore the shops, restaurants, and cafes. Some of the area has been gentrified with trendy restaurants, but it still maintains its identity as home to immigrants and regular working people.

7.   The ferry to Sausalito or Tiburon. The boat ride gives you a great view of the Bay, and the towns themselves are a good place to enjoy a meal, browse around the shops, and enjoy views of San Francisco.

8.   Shopping in Union Square. This lively downtown shopping district is a huge tourist magnet and has loads of big department stores and smaller specialty shops. I’m not into shopping, but if you are, this is the place to do it.

9.   Museums. There are several outstanding museums in San Francisco:

•   The DeYoung Museum in Golden Gate Park is San Francisco’s newest. It’s in a stunning building in a beautiful setting. The view from the tower (free admission) is gorgeous. The collection of American art is very fine. There are also major collections of art from Africa and Oceania. The Japanese Tea Garden and the Arboretum are practically next door.

•   The Museum of Modern Art is housed in a beautiful building that is within walking distance of Union Square. Across the street from the Museum is Yerba Buena Gardens, a very nicely designed urban park that is well worth a visit.

•   The Palace of the Legion of Honor, about six miles west of downtown, is one of the most beautiful museums I’ve ever been to. It houses a collection of mostly European art. It is on a site that offers spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands across the bay. There is also a hiking path nearby that offers breathtaking views of the California coastline.

•   The Asian Art Museum, located in the Civic Center, opened several years ago in what used to be the main branch of the San Francisco Public Library. It’s a beautiful Beaux Artes building, and the collection is outstanding.

10.   Cable Cars. No visit to San Francisco would be complete without a ride on a cable car. There are two cable car lines that run from the turnaround at Powell and Market Streets. The best ride is on the Hyde Street line. (If the Bay Street cable car comes first, wait for the Hyde Street car.) At the end of the line, you can explore the area around the waterfront. Walk west, toward the Golden Gate Bridge, for the best views.

11.   Theater. San Francisco doesn’t compare to New York for theater, but there are usually a few good shows playing, including occasional touring versions of Broadway hits. The New Conservatory Theater and Theater Rhinoceros specialize in plays with gay themes.

For the party-minded, there are lots of bars and clubs in the Castro and other areas. I’m afraid I can’t be of much help in this area. (I’m a little too old—actually, a lot too old—for the bar or club scene.) There are several free gay newspapers available in the Castro that list clubs and bars all over town.

Any questions? Feel free to contact me.

Allan

« Last Edit: January 27, 2007, 07:32:10 pm by allanq »

Offline anniebc

  • Member
  • Posts: 6,185
  • AM member since 2003
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2007, 06:40:08 pm »
Allan..you are amazing, thank you so much..personally I can't wait to get there and see your wonderful city.

Hugs
Jan :-*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Never knock on deaths door..ring the bell and run..he really hates that.

Offline OzPaul

  • Member
  • Posts: 415
  • 40 year, Long Term Survivor/LTNP
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2007, 07:00:34 pm »
Wow

What a wonderful list of fav's  ;D

I have a couple favorite memories from when I lived in there 1979 when I was a dancer at Oakland Ballet and SF Ballet School.

Up at Coit Tower watching the sun set behind the Golden Gate Bridge while the full moon nudged up over the Oakland Hills. It was glorious warm autumn evening and I believe a Harvest Moon.

Also, seeing Mikhail Baryshnikov dance with American Ballet Theater at the Opera House. He appeared to float in air as he performed his amazing pyrotechnic displays of dance.

Paul

Offline mrtallguy

  • Member
  • Posts: 199
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2007, 07:26:46 pm »
Hey Allan....
That list is fantastic!  Thank You!  That was quite a task to type that out for us...I just printed it. 
Speaking of printing posts...I printed this thread which included Jan and Paul's responses...no big deal, however if I wanted to print a single reply from a thread, is that possible?

Craig
I AM DETERMINED TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY!
--ACIM

Offline allanq

  • Member
  • Posts: 713
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2007, 08:32:34 pm »
Hi Craig,

I don't know if there is a direct way to print just one post in a thread. However, you can cut and paste the text you want into a Word document and print it from there. I tried this and it works, except the bold-faced type didn't transfer into the Word document. You can edit the Word document to add the bold-faced type (which I think makes it easier to read).

Allan

Offline mjmel

  • Member
  • Posts: 2,069
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2007, 08:47:14 am »
For the party-minded, there are lots of bars and clubs in the Castro and other areas. I’m afraid I can’t be of much help in this area. (I’m a little too old—actually, a lot too old—for the bar or club scene.)

I sure can relate, Allan. Thanks for this list .....all of the possibilities. You have saved us out-of-towners a tremendous amount of time. This helpfulness and generosity of one's time and knowledge is a kindness shown by all our fellow San Franciscans. I am more convinced than ever that the voting, thus far, favors the BEST of choices.

Offline mudman8

  • Member
  • Posts: 115
Re: Things to see and do in San Francisco--personal favorites
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2007, 01:49:43 pm »
don't forget just about any fairy ride, err oooopps, ferry that is, especially to Sausilito SP? for a walk and lunch then back again.  My best friend took me on that 2 years ago when we were visiting, fabulous fish lunch with white wine for that little buzz and the ride home.
Life is analog

 


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