Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with travel and SanFrancisco

San Francisco tips

lattiboy — Thu, 28 May 2009 00:16:44 -0800

I have a few questions about my trip to San Francisco this weekend. Me and the SO are going to SF this weekend (Friday morning till Monday night). We're pretty much going to be doing touristy stuff (Presidio, Alcatraz, Aquarium, incredible amounts of eating, ect.) and I had a few questions for saving cash. We will not have a car:

1) Are any of the "city pass" type cards a particularly good deal for a touristy vacation? The Seattle cards are usually wildly overpriced for what you could actually do in a weekend.

2) Does the bus system sell day or tourist passes for a flat rate?

3) I'd love to see the redwoods, Marin, and Sausalito but the tours all seem very expensive and overly long. Is there a way to get to any of those destinations using public transit?

Thank you

Things to do in San Mateo next week?

odinsdream — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 16:28:20 -0800

What to do during evenings after conferences next week in San Mateo? I've browsed through the significant number of previous questions about this area and what to do there in general, so I've gotten some great ideas so far.

What's happening specifically next week during evenings that would be easy to get to without a car, from approximately here?

I'm in town for about a week starting Monday, and will only have time after about 6PM. I like galleries, photography, art, architecture, and SCIENCE!. I'm not very interested in clubs or bars.

How to spend the other 8 hours of my trip to San Francisco?

pluckemin — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:43:29 -0800

I'll be attending a conference in San Francisco (and staying in Berkeley) from Wednesday to Sunday. What are some short (1-2 hours) "field trips" I can take when I get sick of listening to papers? The hotel where the conference is being held is a couple of blocks southwest of Union Square. I'm staying with a friend in South Berkeley, so I'll be returning there in the evenings. I've been to SF once before, but I was a kid and so I don't remember anything about the city.

So what are some enjoyable but short "field trips" I can take either during the day for lunch or in the evenings when the conference lets out? (By "short" I mean under two hours, including transit time, so that excludes museums and similar things.) I tend to like quirky college-town-y type areas (which I suspect means I should check out the Berkeley area) but I'm also looking for essential SF activities. (Ones that are more active than passive, though -- I'm not interested in going to gawk at the Golden Gate Bridge or Lombard Street, especially since I won't have a camera.) I like walking around. I also like eating, so food recs are welcome, but I have very little money (let's say less than $10 per meal, and preferably less than $8 for lunch) and I don't want to travel a huge distance JUST to eat. I love farmer's markets. I hate bars. I like cafés with menus written on blackboards with colorful chalk. One last caveat is that I'm small and female and will be by myself, so I'd like to avoid sketchy areas.

I've seen the other questions about stuff to do in SF, so I apologize for the redundancy, but I couldn't find any that mentioned time constraints. Tu Lan is right by the conference hotel, so I'll try to check that out. The Ferry Building Marketplace looks AMAZING and I'll definitely find a few hours to wander around there, ideally on Saturday morning when the farmer's market is going on.

Thanks in advance for your help! I'm so busy working on my presentation and paper that I don't have a lot of time to peruse Yelp and look up tourist guides...

In SFO for a weekend. What should I NOT miss?

cdmwebs — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:14:11 -0800

Will I have any time to check out cool tech sites with a Saturday and Sunday morning in SFO? So, I'm heading out to San Jose on December 9th, then driving up to El Dorado Hills, CA for training Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. I'd like to take advantage of being in the area by staying until Sunday evening, so I thought I'd drive back down towards San Francisco Friday after training, then spend Friday and Saturday nights in the Bay area.

My questions to the hive mind are:

1.) Am I crazy? Surely there's enough time to check out Google and Apple and all the other wicked cool stuff out there on a Saturday, right?

2.) Where should I stay Friday and Saturday? I'd be willing to split the visit if necessary, but one place would definitely be cooler. I'll have a car, FYI.

3.) What are the things/places I should not miss? I'm very tech-y, obviously, but I would like to cram as much in to the weekend as I can!
3a.) Is there anything going on that weekend that would be cool to see/visit?

4.) How long will it take to get to SJC and through security with car to return from SFO area on a Sunday afternoon?

Also, if there are any SF area MeFites who would like a free lunch or dinner, I'd love some guidance since you probably already know where you're going!

Thanks!!

What are the best places to stop (for great PHOTO ops and delicious FOOD) along Hwy 101 from San Francisco to Seattle?

dcruzin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:16:09 -0800

Please recommend the best places to stop for PHOTO opportunities and delicious FOOD along the 101 from San Francisco to Seattle on a 3-day road trip? I have search some previous posts like this. But I have more specific criteria.

We leave San Francisco early on a Monday (maybe 7-8am), and we want to get to Seattle by 9-10pm on a Wednesday.

Like I mentioned, my friend and I are avid photographers and looking for some great landscape and nature photo opportunities. We also LOVE food, so unique and DELICIOUS places are requested (cheap doesn't hurt, either).

We're planning to camp out, so we need 2 different parks/forests to camp at.

Right now we're thinking about:

-Redwood National Forest
-Eureka, CA
-Mendocino, CA
-Oregon Dunes

We live in Seattle, so we prefer places that would be tougher to get to from Seattle since we could do those another time.

We know that 3 days isn't very long, so we will have to be pretty selective, but just wanted lots of suggestions to choose from.

Any links to photo/travel blogs, especially ones with photos are welcome!

Thanks!

Geeky things to see in San Francisco without a car?

dmd — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:21:17 -0800

I'll be in San Francisco in two weeks (Aug 30-Sep 1). What are some geeky things to see (without a car)? I've already covered the Exploratorium and City Lights several times, but that's the sort of thing my tastes run towards.

Four hours in central San Francisco with luggage - what to do?

adrianhon — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:51:06 -0800

Four hours in central San Francisco with luggage - what to do? I'm arriving in SF at noon on Thursday, and I have about four or five hours to kill in the middle of town before I head over to a friend's place. Is there anywhere I can safely stow some luggage during this time, and then go around for a wander?

East meets West...

backseatpilot — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:23:18 -0800

Last minute San Francisco/Silicon Valley travel advice... I'm going to be in Santa Clara for business next week, and I'd really like to take in some scenery and touristy stuff but I'm worried about the feasibility of it. I arrive in San Francisco about noon on Monday (the 14th) and leave about 1:30 pm Thursday, and my work commitment is during the day Tuesday and Wednesday. I'd really like to spend my free time Monday and Thursday in San Francisco, so here are my questions:

-What do I do about my rental car? Pick it up, drive into SF, and then drive to Santa Clara in the evening? Or take public transport into the city, and then back to the airport to get the car in the evening? I have it reserved at noon, will they hold it for me until the evening?
-What are some good things to do in San Francisco for a few hours in the morning or a few hours in the afternoon/evening?
-Is there anything to see in Santa Clara in the evenings? Any good places to eat?

I must confess I'm embarrassingly ignorant of the West Coast, so any general insider advice would be appreciated.

San Fran

gerryblog — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 11:46:25 -0800

My wife and I are heading to San Francisco this weekend for a wedding, but we'll have a little bit of extra time to play around. Is there anything super-awesome happening this weekend? What should we do? Things we like include art, music, books, and delicious vegetarian cuisine.

What's traffic like the morning of the San Francisco Marathon?

sugarfish — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 18:27:57 -0800

What's travel like on the morning of the San Francisco Marathon? I'm going to a conference in San Francisco and will be traveling back home on August 3rd, which is the morning of the Marathon. One flight I have my eye on leaves SF at 1.30p, meaning I'll need to be at the airport at 11.30a. I am going to take the BART back and forth between my hotel and the airport. My hotel is on 4th Street, if it matters, and according to google maps the nearest BART stop is Powell Street. Am I going to be able to make this schedule with the marathon traffic, or should I look for another flight?

And for a small bonus question: am I looking for a flight too early? I haven't been on a plane for years and I kind of want to get all of this planning out of the way, but if it behooves me to wait a few weeks for a better price I will.

Thanks!

Traveling to San Francisco for the first time...

stackhaus23 — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:18:45 -0800

Can anyone give some pointers for a couple (both 22) traveling to San Francisco for the first time from the UK? Just really looking for ideas for places to visit (probably staying for 4 or 5 days), related to art, underground music, shopping (for her) etc as well as travel in/out and around the city without a car, as well as potentially out of California to neighboring states (rail/bus etc)

Also places to definitely avoid for either being totally dull or dangerous for tourists - We like to explore!

Thanks!

Hotel recommendations for Wondercon

clearlydemon — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:25:04 -0800

I'll be going to Wondercon in San Francisco. Any hotel recommendations? I'm looking for an hotel near the Moscone Convention Center or in/near a Wondercon shuttle stop. I'd rather pay about $100 or less for a double, but many online reviews I have read of cheaper hotels are awful (dirty, noisy, bugs, etc). I'd hate to pay $40 less than the official convention hotel (Marriot) to end up staying in a much worse place. High speed internet would be a big plus.

I'd also appreciate any other suggestions, it's not our first convention but we've never visited San Francisco before.

Thanks!

What to do this weekend in San Francisco?

jacobsee — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:27:37 -0800

My wife and I are in San Francisco this weekend -- she is walking the Nike Women's Half Marathon on Sunday and we are looking for some unique things to do while in town. We are staying at the Renaissance Parc 55 near Union Square and would some suggestions for walking around, specifically Saturday morning/afternoon, Sunday evening, and Monday morning. Thanks!

San Francisco hole-in-the-wall eateries and random attractions

exceptinsects — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:23:48 -0800

I'm going to San Francisco for a few days next week--where are some little-known yet interesting places to eat and/or visit? I'm not a big fan of touristy, scene-y, or overly fancy. I like all kinds of ethnic foods and don't mind going off the beaten path.
I'll be staying in North Beach (Hotel Boheme), but I've seen enough of Fisherman's Wharf , Alcatraz, etc. on previous visits.
I was thinking of checking out the Kabuki Springs baths and possibly the bluegrass festival. Oh, and the library.
Any other thoughts?

Baby and cycling and San Francisco, oh my!

fijiwriter — Tue, 04 Sep 2007 09:23:52 -0800

We're headed to San Francisco and need suggestions on adding baby and cycling aspects to it. We're heading here for our next family vacation and staying in the Union Square area. This vacation, we'll have our 1.5 year old daughter with us. So the question is, what are some great unique baby stores in that area, or within a quick jaunt on the trolley for clothes and gifts/toys I can't pick up at a big box store in our hometown?

Also, what are some personal recommendations of locations, parks, stores, sights that'd be perfect for our inquisitive daughter?

On a more vain note, her dad is a road cyclist, so where can I go to get my fix of the best local bike shop the Bay Area has to offer? Bonus points for an LBS that has a store or area team jersey I can purchase for a souvenir.

Transit times between Vancouver, Seattle, and Los Angeles

oldlies — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 20:21:33 -0800

Quickie road trip! How long does it take to drive from L.A. to Seattle? And how long to drive from downtown Seattle to downtown Vancouver, BC? And how long from Seattle to L.A.? How would you budget your time in each city? We're leaving on Sunday evening and we have to get back by Friday night. We might skip Vancouver if the timetable gets too tight. There are two drivers and we'll only stop for gas, meals, potty. We're not going to risk getting a speeding ticket, so we'll be driving (roughly) the speed limit. No time for scenic routes.

1) How many driving hours to get to Seattle from L.A.?
2) How long to get from Seattle to Vancouver, BC (taking ferries and all that stuff into account)?
3) After we leave Seattle, how many hours to get to San Francisco?

Have cello, will travel

purplefiber — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 17:10:21 -0800

Help me find a good travel agent. I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area, and would love to find someone local, but I'm also open to other options. With a group of people I'll be travelling a somewhat convoluted route next month (all within the US). I've searched the cheap-airline-ticket websites myself, but I would like to speak with a travel agent to see if he/she can get us a better deal.

How do I go about finding a good agent? I'd prefer to go on a personal recommendation, but if I have to pick someone out of the yellow pages, what are some questions I should ask them (beyond the obvious ones related to my travel dates, etc)?
I do like to support local businesses, so if anyone has personal recommendation based in the SF Bay Area, all the better, but all recommendations would be much appreciated.

Also, we'll be traveling with musical instruments (four people plus 1 cello equals five plane tickets), so bonus point for travel agents who are used to arranging travel for musicians.

Thanks for the help!

California Tips!

IZ — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 03:40:46 -0800

California-filter: I'll be traveling in California for one month with my girlfriend. Please provide us with little hidden gems (hotels, restaurants, lunch rooms, best cappuccino in town, things to see and do etc) we won't find in travel guides. Please see our travel plan and other specifics inside. We will be traveling from appr. 15th of April till the 15th of May this year.

We'll kick off in San Francisco and drive by car to Yosemite NP, Sequoia NP, through Death Valley NP to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon NP to Los Angeles, along the coast via Santa Barbara, along the coast (Big Sur etc) to San Francisco.

We are interested in great scenic views, nature, hiking but also in great food, wine, coffee, small funky shops (clothes, accessories etc), interior design, music (funk, jazz, indie, soul). We like small and affordable boutique (and / or design) hotels, great little restaurants and lunch rooms (preferably with 'home made' products), great bookstores etc.

Show us the good life of California! Thanks!

CEH training in San Francisco?

littlegreenlights — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:07:58 -0800

CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) training in San Francisco? I chose to use my training/travel budget this year to go for my CEH, and had my heart set on going to a boot camp in San Francisco, staying in a suite at Hotel des Arts, et cetera. I invited a good friend and her 20-month-old son to come along, and we immediately got fifteen kinds of excited about how wonderful it was going to be (she's never flown or really traveled anywhere more than a few hundred miles away). Unfortunately, the class I'd planned to attend was canceled due to low enrollment and it doesn't look like the vendor is going to reschedule it.

I've found a few options from other training vendors, but none that are in San Francisco proper. It's too late for me to get the budget re-approved for a different certification, and I've tried all the usual suspects--Boson, Mile2, Global Knowledge, Unitek, Learning Tree, and Vigilar IntenseSchool.

So I have several questions. Is there a major training vendor I'm forgetting about, or maybe a newer one that isn't Googleable yet? Are there any San Francisco-based businesses that offer CEH training? I'd be in class or studying all day, but my friend would explore San Francisco's parks and museums with the baby. Would staying in Redwood City, where Vigilar offers a CEH course, mean she'd have to spend hours each day on MUNI or BART? As a last resort, is there another city in which a mother and child on a budget could have fun and absorb some great culture while I get my learning on?

Please help us get a child out of the Bible Belt for a week! :)

Travelling to San Francisco for the first time in 10 years

huskerdont — Wed, 10 Jan 2007 07:40:00 -0800

Travelling to San Francisco in February.. It'll be my first time back in 10 years. Bay Area-knowledgable MeFites, fill me in. I'm a former resident of Oakland now living on the east coast. My girlfriend and I will be in San Francisco for four days in early February. We're definitely looking forward to the trip but most of my friends from SF have now dispersed and the print travel media we've seen is... uhm... lacking.

Here is what I'm curious about:

1] Is there any way to travel to Muir Woods without a car (public transit, shuttles, etc.)? Most of our itinerary is in the city itself or nearby environs (Berkeley, Oakland) so it makes no sense for us to rent a car just for Muir Woods. Also, are there any other similarly-spectacular nature/hiking spots in the area that are easily accessible to public transit and less than an hour from downtown SF?

2] Good local bookstores (especially used) besides City Lights.

3] Good dive bars. I have a few spots... but it's been a while and bars change. Extra points for a good, eclectic jukebox, large beer selections, pool/air hockey/foosball or an atmosphere unique to the area.

4] Lastly, a bit open ended (and loaded). But what have been the major chances to SF over the past 10 years? What is new that I should see/take note of?

SF to Sac & Back - best way to travel?

treepour — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:10:05 -0800

I need to make a day trip to Sacramento from San Francisco. I don't own a car. What's the best way to get there & back? It seems I could rent a car for about $40, or I could take the amtrak capital corridor train for about the same amount. I've never driven to Sacramento before, nor have I ever taken the capital corridor train (anywhere).

Travel time isn't as important as comfort/reduced stress. Driving in heavy traffic gives me the heebie-jeebies, but so does overcrowded public transportation. I'd be traveling during commute hours (though my journey will be a reverse commute, I believe).

Also, once in Sacramento, I'll need to visit the Secretary of State's office in order to file some papers, which I've been told will take about 3-4 hours. This should give me enough time to catch an afternoon/evening train back to SF. It looks like the office is within walking distance of the train depot, but I've never been to Sacramento, so I don't know quite what to expect in terms of pedestrian friendliness.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Why can't I get a hotel room in Silicon Valley on December 6?

aaronh — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 17:45:24 -0800

Why is nearly every hotel on the peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose fully booked for December 6 and ONLY December 6? I am supposed to attend a small Christmas party in Belmont, CA on December 6th. I live in San Jose and was looking to get a room in the area so I wouldn't have to worry about driving back that night.

I started looking around over the weekend and everything was either twice its normal rate or fully booked. It is so strange. I googled like crazy and there is no conference in town I can find, no Apple event, no Stanford graduation, etc. I've called and asked the hotels and they don't know why they are booked up that night.

Hotels in SF and in San Jose have availability and are charging their normal rates (not that it helps me, I was just trying to see how widespread this was).

There are some rooms available in cheap-o places, but that's about it. I've pretty much given up finding a place (unless someone here has an in at an inn). I'm now just really curious if anyone knows what's going on in Silicon Valley in the middle of next week.

Anyone here in the know?

What's a good weekend trip from San Francisco?

christy — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:24:27 -0800

BayAreaFilter: Looking for some ideas for fun short trips to take over thanksgiving weekend with my girlfriend. We'll be able to get away from San Francisco sometime late Thursday afternoon and have until Sunday to be away. We're not averse to driving a bit, although we'd rather not be in the car for hours and hours. Cost isn't a huge issue, but let's not go crazy here.

Something outdoorsy, a bit romantic, and that possibly involved a hot tub would be pretty perfect. Thanks!

What to do in San Francisco?

jruckman — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 16:23:25 -0800

Looking for good music, drinks, dancing (no pop music), theater, food, sight-seeing, adventure, etc. in San Francisco for a summer vacation. It will be me and my girl. It will also be her birthday. I've read some other ask.me threads but they're all too specific. I'll be spending several days in the SF area sometime between July 19th and the end of the month. Any specific suggestions or resources that will help me find good things is appreciated. I've already checked out upcoming.org and laughingsquid.com.

Bay Area Early Morning Commute

mto — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:55:14 -0800

Coming from Palo Alto, I need to get to San Francisco by 9am on July 4th. What's the cheapest / fastest way to do this? I probably won't have access to a car. Caltrain operates on Sunday hours on Holidays, so they can't get me to San Francisco until 9:36am. In particular I need to get to Noe Valley, if it helps.

Can I take a taxi? If so, how much will it be? Should I rent a car for the day? What other options do I have? Also, I don't live in California so don't assume I'm too familiar with services, towns, etc.

If by some miracle I do get access to a car then how long should I expect my commute to take?