San Francisco 1-day Highlights Itinerary

Transcription

1 Page1 San Francisco 1-day Highlights Itinerary Golden Gate Bridge, taken from Fort Point Table of Contents How to Use This Guide About the Author The 1-Day Itinerary o Day 1 Transportation Tips Restaurants

2 Page2 How To Use This Guide This guide/itinerary has been created with two main focuses in mind: 1. To inform you of the best things to do in San Francisco so you don t have to wade through the many options and choices. 2. It provides as specific directions possible along with supplemented pictures and maps. There s nothing more frustrating than being lost in a foreign city. While I can t guarantee you won t get lost, hopefully the directions provided will vastly reduce the number of times you do. Local s Tip: All of the random tips are italicized. Directions are always in green. All hyperlinks are active and can be used to more easily jump around the guide. If you have any questions, don t hesitate to shoot me an . All of my information is in the About the Author section. About the Author Thanks for purchasing the itinerary. Please send any feedback, suggestions, problems or questions to Jason.Demant@gmail.com. Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could please rate this itinerary on I m originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and spent a lot of time there growing up. I ve lived all over northern California, eventually moving to San Francisco for 6 months during the fall/winter of 2010/2011. I love the city and can t wait to move back. Please don t hesitate to shoot me an if you have any questions, Jason.Demant@gmail.com. You can also check out my blog at or on Twitter:

3 Page3 The Itinerary - Overview Day 1 Your first day is packed tight with the best places to see in the city. You ll see the famous sea lions on the Fisherman s Wharf, ride a cable car, tour some local s only places in Chinatown, eat an amazing lunch in Chinatown, and get some amazing pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge! Time 9:30am 11:00am 11:00am 11:30am 11:30am 12:15pm 12:15pm 1:45pm 1:45pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 3:15pm 3:15pm 5:30pm 7:00pm 10:00pm Activity Fisherman s Wharf Cable car ride to Union Square Lombard Street Union Square to Chinatown walk Chinatown & lunch Cable Car Museum Bus to Golden Gate Bridge Golden Gate Bridge & Fort Point Dinner & drinks in North Beach

4 Page4 Day 1 Fisherman s Wharf 9:30am 11:00am Price: Free Duration: 1 ½ hours Website: San Francisco is a pretty small city, so taking a taxi usually ends up to being less than $10 (including the necessary tip). Getting to Fisherman s Wharf via a taxi is a good way to get here. If you re coming down Van Ness, the 47 bus will drop you off at Powell and Beach St, just a block away from Pier 39. The only appropriate way to begin your tour of San Francisco is at the world-famous Fisherman s Wharf. It s right on the bay, with great views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate (assuming it s not foggy). Local s Tip: By starting the day off here, it will be far less crowded. The Sea Lions Shortly after the 1989 earthquake, the sea lions just started showing up at Fisherman s Wharf; now it s the sight to see. Start off at Pier 39 and the sea lion statue.

5 Page5 Sea lion statue near Pier 39 To head to the sea lion area from the statue, walk towards Pier 39 and make your first left. Here s a map: After enjoying the sea lions, stroll through Pier 39 and then make a right to head towards the Fisherman s Wharf. Walk down Jefferson Street, following the map above. There are plenty of shops to browse through if you re interested.

6 Page6 Local s Tip: If you re looking for San Francisco memorabilia, hold off on buying them until we head into Chinatown. Prices are far better there. Bistro Boudin Address: 39 Jefferson Street Website: This is Bistro Boudin s flagship location. From the street, they have a cool view into their bakery; so make sure to check it out as you walk by. If you re interested, they also have a museum and bakery tour. They run it Wednesday through Monday 11:30am 6:00pm. You can find out more information here: After the bakery, continue to head towards Taylor Street, where you ll make a right. Chowder & Crab Stands Address: 2801 Taylor Street If you re hungry and looking for a clam chowder bread bowl or a crab sandwich, this is the place to grab one. It s much less expensive than going into a restaurant and is equally delicious. Everyone has their favorite stands. The first one on the corner is my personal favorite, but you can t go wrong with any of them. Musee Mecanique Price: Free Hours: 10:00am 7:00pm (8:00pm weekends & holidays) Address: Pier 45 Shed A at the end of Taylor Street Website: After making a right on Taylor Street and walking past all of the chowder & crab stands, straight ahead you ll see Musee Mecanique. This is a fun museum and a great place to get rid of a few quarters. The owner showcases one of the world s largest collections of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines. Nearly everything is in working condition, so you can play with almost all of the machines. After Musee Mecanique, head back down Taylor St past the chowder & crab stands again. Make a right down Jefferson St. In-N-Out Burger Address: 333 Jefferson Street (in the Anchorage shopping center) Website: One of the west coast s most popular fast food restaurants is In-N-Out. If you re hungry and chose to pass on the chowder bread bowl, In-N-Out is always a good decision. Continue down Jefferson St and you ll see the beginning of the Powell/Hyde Cable Car line.

7 Page7 Cable Car Ride to Union Square & Lombard Street 11:00am 11:30am Duration: 30 minutes Price: $6.00 (pay once you re onboard) or free with Muni all-day passport. Address: Hyde Street & Beach Street No San Francisco visit is complete without a ride on the world famous cable cars. You pay for your ticket once onboard. To get on, just follow the rail all the way around, hop on, and take a seat. When you re about to get going, an operator will come around and collect your fare. Local s Tip: The cable car operators always leave a little room for passengers at future stops. So, if the line is exceptionally long to get on the cable car, walk up Hyde Street one block and cross North Point to go to the second stop. On the right hand side of the street, you ll see a cable car stop sign. The trick to get on is that the cable car is going to stop literally in the middle of the Hyde & North Point intersection, on the flat section, very briefly. When they do, just hop on. Someone will come around and get your money. When you board the cable car, I recommend standing or sitting on the left side so at least you ll get a quick view of Lombard Street. Lombard Street is a popular tourist destination because it s billed as the crookedest street in the world. The author s opinion is that it s highly overrated and not worth the effort to get to. However, Lombard Street is a popular picture spot, so if you chose to get the Muni passport with unlimited cable car rides, here is a good place to take advantage of it. Hop off the cable car, walk down Lombard, take your pictures, walk back up Lombard and hop back on the Cable Car. The driver will yell Lombard Street and then stop very briefly in the middle of the intersection. When he does, just hop off. Get back on the same way. Ride the cable car all the way through San Francisco to Geary and Powell. You ll exit right next to the Westin St. Francis hotel in the heart of Union Square. (Please see the following map). Union Square - 11:30am 12:15pm Price: Free (Assuming you choose not to shop) Duration: 45 minutes

8 Page8 Union Square is the nation s third-largest shopping area and one could easily spend an entire day browsing and shopping. Because we ve got a lot of things to see today, we ll take a quick stroll through the main area as we head to Chinatown. This roundabout walk is 15 minutes, but I ve allotted more time for a little shopping. Stroll around Geary; take a left on Stockton St, then another left on Post St. Once you ve arrived back at Powell, cross the street into Union Square Park and head back towards Stockton. We ll continue down Post St to Grant Ave and then make a left on Grant Ave to head towards the Chinatown gates.

9 Page9 Chinatown & lunch 12:15pm 1:45pm Duration: 1 ½ hours Chinatown Walking Tour with Labels Chinatown Map North America s largest and oldest Chinatown makes you feel as if you ve actually stepped into China. If you re looking for souvenirs to bring home, forget Fisherman s Wharf, this is the place to get them. T- shirts, jewelry, and all of the other San Francisco tchotchke s that you want can be found here for a fraction of the price elsewhere in the city. While in Chinatown plan on doing some shopping, temple sightseeing, and of course watching old Chinese woman hand-make fortune cookies. Local s Tip: Make sure to look and take a picture of the beautiful light posts in Chinatown. Continue up Grant Street from the Chinatown Gates. Check out the shops and get your souvenirs. At Sacramento St make a left, and then make a right on Stockton. Kung Chow Temple Address: 855 Stockton Street Admission: Free

10 Page10 Kung Chow Temple is not the easiest place to find. The entrance is next to the Post Office and is oddly not the ornate building on the other side. Here s a picture of the front door: Kung Chow Temple Entrance The temple is located on the 4 th floor. When you walk into the building on the ground floor, you can take the stairs on your left, or if you walk straight ahead there is an elevator. Admission into Kung Chow is free but donations are accepted. When you re inside make sure not to take pictures as that s strictly not allowed. Check out the gigantic turtles on your right-side by the door when you walk into the temple. After Kung Chow continue down Stockton towards Clay, and you ll come to a small alley on your left side- Waverly St. Make a left down this alley to get to Tin How Temple. Tin How Temple Price: Free Address: 125 Waverly Place Tin How was built in 1852 and is the oldest Chinese temple in the United States. Tin How Temple is easier to find than Kung Chow. There s a pretty clear sign on the top of the door. Here is a picture:

11 Page11 Tin How Temple Front Door The temple is on the 4 th floor and there is no elevator. Admission into Tin How Temple is also free again, while inside, no pictures are allowed. Local s Tip: Step out onto the balcony to get an awesome view of Coit Tower (assuming it s a clear day). From Tin How, head back down Waverly to Clay and head back across Grant to Portsmouth Square. Portsmouth Square Price: Free Address: Intersection of Walter U Lum Place & Clay Street Take a walk through the park and watch people practice Tai Chi, play Chinese chess and card games. Here you will also find a rare public bathroom however it will most likely not have any toilet paper. Leave the park the opposite corner that you came in, at the corner of Washington and Kearny. Head down Washington towards Walter U Lum Place. Your third side street after Walter U Lum will be Ross Alley. It s a small alley and is easy to miss. If you get back to Stockton, you ve gone too far. Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory Address: 56 Ross Alley Next up is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. Two Chinese women spend every day making 20,000 fortune cookies by hand. You can get a free fortune (but not a free cookie) or pick-up a bag of fortune cookies for yourself.

12 Page12 Chinatown Lunch You can t go through Chinatown without having some delicious food. There are plenty to choose from. If you re looking for more options, I recommend checking out Here are 4 of my favorites (each is a different type of Chinese restaurant): Yong Kee Food type: Dim Sum (take out only) Address: 732 Jackson St (Jackson and Grant) For more information, you can check out their website: Not to miss: Their amazing chicken bun. This restaurant can be hard to find (there s no English on the sign), so here s a picture of the front: Yan s Kitchen Food type: Chinese (less expensive) Address: 57 Columbus Ave (Columbus and Jackson) Not to miss: Everything is great here. Yong Kee Restaurant R & G Lounge Food type: Chinese (more expensive) Address: 631 Kearny St (Kearny and Clay) For more information, check out their website:

13 Page13 Not to miss: Salt & Pepper Crab and Special Beef. San Sun Restaurant Food type: Noodles/Soup Address: 941 Stockton St (Stockton and Washington) Not to miss: Pho. After lunch head down Washington St. for just a couple blocks to get to the Cable Car Museum. Cable Car Museum 1:45pm 2:30pm Price: Free Duration: 45 minutes Address: 1201 Mason Street Hours: 10am 6pm Apr. 1 Sep am 5pm Oct. 1 Mar. 31 Website: Despite its name, I think you ll enjoy this Museum, and at free you certainly can t beat the price. The museum overlooks the huge engines and winding wheels that pull the cables for the Cable Cars throughout the city. It s amazing learning about and then watching the gigantic wheels pulling the cables around the entire city of San Francisco. There are also plenty of photo opportunities with antique cable cars on display.

14 Page14 Bus to Golden Gate Bridge 2:30pm 3:15pm Price: $2.00 (Free with Muni all-day passport) Duration: 45 minutes After the museum, continue up Mason Street, hang a right at Jackson St. and then a left on Stockton St. This is where we ll catch the bus to the Golden Gate Bridge. This bus stop is not that obvious, as there s no formal bench and overhang. The numbers are written on a light post. You ll need to catch 2 buses to get to the bridge. First, take the 30 heading north on Stockton, which will be headed in the direction you re walking. Next, you ll transfer to the 28, getting off at Chestnut St and Pierce St. Listen for the announcement for Pierce St (it will be right after the Fillmore St. stop). From Chestnut and Pierce, you ll cross Chestnut and head one block south to Lombard (Toledo Way is the wrong way). You ll catch the 28 on Lombard. You ll get off in the Golden Gate Bridge parking lot.

15 Page15 Bus 30 to 28 Transfer If you have any questions, ask your bus driver for help, as they re always willing to answer questions (don t be put off if they re a little rude, they have a tough job). Golden Gate Bridge & Fort Point 3:15pm 5:30pm Price: Free Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes A trip to San Francisco isn t complete without going to the Golden Gate Bridge. The bridge s international orange color is the icon of San Francisco. As you walk up to the bridge area, you ll see a statue of the bridges builder, Joseph Strauss. Off to his left you ll see a part of the large cable that holds up the bridge.

16 Page16 Joseph Strauss & his Golden Gate Bridge Continue to your left on the path with the handrails. Following this will lead you up the stairs to street level where you ll have a great view of the bridge. After enjoying the view and taking pictures, continue straight down the stairs see the picture with the green arrow above. We ll now head to Fort Point, which is located beneath the bridge. (Fort Point is only open Friday through Sunday, so if you re here on a different day, you won t be able to get in. However, if you want the author s opinion, it s still a nice hike and it s worth the time.)

17 Page17 Go between the fence and then around the bend, down the hill. This is another great spot to take pictures. After walking down the staircase, head to your left and swing around the fence. Continue straight to Fort Point

18 Page18 The only tricky turn is a left down a gravel path. Follow the paved path pictured above for a couple minutes and then you ll see a gravel path to your left. There will be a sign saying that it s the correct way to Fort Point. Left turn to Fort Point Fort Point Price: Free Hours: Friday through Sunday 10am to 5pm Website: Fort Point was completed just before the Civil War and was used to defend the San Francisco Bay against warships. Unfortunately, the fort is only open 3 days a week. If you re there on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, taking the hike down to Fort Point is a must. On days that Fort Point is not open, the hike down the path to the Fort is still nice. Unfortunately, you won t be rewarded with access to the Fort, but you will see the modifications to the bridge that were made in order to accommodate the Fort to ensure that the it did not need to be torn down. When you first enter the Fort, to your left there will be a small room with brochures and more information. The brochure provides history on the Fort and the area, as well as a diagram showing all of the things to see while inside. Checking out the cannons on the bottom floor and walking around the roof are my two recommendations. After touring the Fort, hike back up to where we started. As you get close to the top, you ll see a sign for G.G. Bridge Gift Shop. Hang a left at the sign.

19 Page19 Take a look at the bricks. This path was built with the money generated from sponsoring the bricks. Hang a left as you get back to the top on the brick path. Following this brick path will lead you back to the statue of Joseph Strauss. It s been a long day, so head back to the hotel, relax, and get ready for dinner.

20 Page20 Dinner & drinks in North Beach 7:00pm 10:00pm North Beach is home to San Francisco s Little Italy and many great restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Local s Tip: Regardless of which restaurant you choose, I recommend not choosing one on Columbus. They re far more expensive. Wander off Columbus and eat where the locals eat. Dinner Caffe BaoNecci Food type: Pizza Address: 516 Green St For more information: What they re known for: Awesome thin crust pizza. Note: Not open for dinner on Sundays. Ristorante Ideale Food type: Italian Address: 1315 Grant Ave For more information: What they re known for: Pumpkin ravioli.

21 Page21 Note: Voted one of San Francisco s 40 Places to Eat Before you Die -- Sotto Mare Food type: Seafood/Italian Address: 552 Green St For more information: What they re known for: Cioppino and clam chowder. Note: They only serve seafood; no meat. After dinner drinks Amante Address: 570 Green St For more information: Great bar, very relaxed atmosphere. A nice place to enjoy a drink or two. Church Key Address: 1402 Grant Ave What they re known for: A huge beer selection. Vin Club Address: 515 Broadway For more information: Great wine bar

22 Page22 Transportation Tips All-day Muni passports (streetcars, metro, buses and cable cars) are $14. A 3-day pass is $21 and a 7- day pass is $27. If you plan on taking buses between your hotel and the itinerary starting point of the day (which I recommend), then I suggest purchasing the pass. The all-day Muni passports can be purchased at these locations: SFMTA Customer Service Center, 11 South Van Ness Avenue at Market Muni Ticket Sales At Market and Powell Streets Muni Ticket Sales At Hyde and Beach Streets (near Ghirardelli Square) Passports are also sold every day at the information booths in the baggage claim areas at the San Francisco International Airport. Hours vary by location and are subject to change. As of Dec. 16, 2009, sales hours are as follows: o Terminal 1: 8:45 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. o Terminal 3: 8:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. o International Terminal "A" side: 1:45 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. o International Terminal "G" side: 8:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. For more information on the all-day passports: If you pay cash for a bus ($2), the bus driver will hand you a transfer ticket. The transfer ticket is good for 90 minutes on all Muni vehicles, so make sure to grab one when the driver gives it to you. If you board another Muni vehicle within the 90-minute window, simply show the bus driver the transfer ticket. Cable cars are $6 per ride. If you purchase an all-day Muni passport, cable cars are included. Local s Tip: Walk up a block or two to the next stop and catch the cable car there, rather than wait in line. To get on, wave to the driver as they re approaching you. They ll stop in the middle of the intersection in front of the stop/stoplight; so just get on and an employee will come around and pick up your $5 fare. Restaurants I recommend a number of great restaurants that are convenient to find based on the itinerary. However, if you re looking for additional restaurant recommendations, I suggest Yelp.com began in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a very popular and active restaurant review site.