San Francisco

[Metalmicky]

Anyone been - going next week for the rugby sevens - any tips appreciated...

[idler]

Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.😉
Sorry, I couldn't resist it at my age.

[ravenrover]

I hear that it's a good time to visit
Summertime can be a love-in there

[jonnydog]

I left my heart there*, high on a hill!!!

*if found return to DN7

[Donnywolf]

Fascinating City - some great Landmarks of course.

Golden Gate Bridge / Bay Bridge / Pier 39 /Alcatraz / a drive down Lombard St - Crokkedest Street in the world was worth doing (7 hairpin Bends in a short distance) and of course the Cable Cars but ...

... it was ages since I went there so no tips that would be worth sharing as they wont be current

[andy didcott]

All places mentioned so far brill, don't forget china town, (largest Chinese enclave outside Asia)for some nosh.Alcatraz a must, don't miss yer ferry back like I did, that swim back was horrendous, wouldn't recommend it.

[GazLaz]

It’s a place I always wanted to go to but a friend of mine went and said it was a dump. That’s put me off.

[Tarkovsky_Mikluzhkin]

My favourite place in the US by far. Vegas is great but it's too ridiculous to stay any longer than a week and a half. NY is overrated and LA is an absolute dump.
I'd usually recommend catching a game at at&t but you already are (kind of). Luckily for you the giants are playing across the bay in Oakland so you could have a hell of a day of sport if they don't clash.

[NickDRFC]

My favourite place in the US by far. Vegas is great but it's too ridiculous to stay any longer than a week and a half. NY is overrated and LA is an absolute dump.
I'd usually recommend catching a game at at&t but you already are (kind of). Luckily for you the giants are playing across the bay in Oakland so you could have a hell of a day of sport if they don't clash.

Going to Vegas for 4 nights in September. I imagine any longer than that would end me. Big fan of NYC personally but never been on the west side of the US so can’t help with San Francisco.

[mushRTID]

I did a week in Vegas it was a perfect duration.

[Nudga]

We're going next year on road trip and being big Green Day fans we're going to have a look at 924 Gilman Street for something quirky.

If anyone has done the golden triangle road trip, it'd be good to hear your stories and get some advice.

[Muttley]

Anyone been - going next week for the rugby sevens - any tips appreciated...

I was there last year at the end of a 2 week road trip down the coast from Seattle to SF.

It might be weariness from 2 weeks on the road or the fact that I'd been before so had done all the sights before, but I didn't really enjoy it.

Alcatraz is fantastic - hopefully you've got your tickets sorted already as they sell out in advance I believe.

Golden Gate bridge is obviously iconic, but having to dodge the millions of cycle tourists makes walking over a pain - probably best to join the crowds and hire a bike (and walking both ways takes ages).

Pier 39 is very tacky and best avoided.

Public transport is easy to use and fairly cheap - you can download the MUNI app and get tickets on your phone.

We had a good boozy afternoon/evening round Washington Square/Union St/Green St - Columbus Cafe on Green St is a great dive bar.

[Metalmicky]

Anyone been - going next week for the rugby sevens - any tips appreciated...

I was there last year at the end of a 2 week road trip down the coast from Seattle to SF.

It might be weariness from 2 weeks on the road or the fact that I'd been before so had done all the sights before, but I didn't really enjoy it.

Alcatraz is fantastic - hopefully you've got your tickets sorted already as they sell out in advance I believe.

Golden Gate bridge is obviously iconic, but having to dodge the millions of cycle tourists makes walking over a pain - probably best to join the crowds and hire a bike (and walking both ways takes ages).

Pier 39 is very tacky and best avoided.

Public transport is easy to use and fairly cheap - you can download the MUNI app and get tickets on your phone.

We had a good boozy afternoon/evening round Washington Square/Union St/Green St - Columbus Cafe on Green St is a great dive bar.

Already booked our Alcatraz tickets and also booked a cycle tour.  We're only in town for a few days, so are limited, but we will fit in what we can. 

Will check out Columbus Cafe - were staying in the Palace Hotel, so it's less than a mile from us... 

[phllvslc]

The Ferry Building downtown actually has a market inside with stalls selling all sorts of food and whatnot. I second Pier 39 being tacky, but you can get some pretty decent seafood around there. A personal favourite is the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (quintessential San Francisco).

Further west from Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf is Ghirardelli Square. Think fancy chocolates and pricey desserts. You'd actually also be a couple of blocks from the northern terminus of the Powell-Hyde cable car line. You'll join a long queue and have to wait to get on one, but it's a must if it is your first time to San Francisco. Hang on the side for the best experience.

With the cable cars, and the public transport in general, if you are going to be using it quite a bit, invest in a MUNI pass. This will cover buses, the trams, street cars and cable cars. A cable car ride in itself is $7 a ticket. It doesn't cover the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), which is the underground. So if you are wanting to go to Oakland, or the airport, you would have to pay separately. The thing with BART is too, you pay more the further you go. It isn't a standard one price fare. You could get a ticket and top it up with money. Uber and Lyft are everywhere though.

If you like your counter culture, City Lights Bookstore is a former haunt of the Beat writers. You could even take the BART to Berkeley, home of the University of California.

Union Square is the main hub for shopping in San Francisco. You have all your major stores around it. It's also close to the southern end of the Powell-Hyde cable car line.

As already mentioned, the Giants are playing the Oakland A's at the Coliseum. I make a yearly pilgrimage to Oakland purely to see the A's. These games against the Giants will be some of the very few times that the Coliseum will actually be full this year, despite the A's playing far better than anticipated. You can get there on the BART (Coliseum/Oakland Airport station). The stadium is run down, but to me that just makes it all the more fun. One thing to point out though, Oakland is a world away from San Francisco. The area around the Coliseum is rough as f**k, and can be quite eye opening. But don't let that deter you.

[Metalmicky]

The Ferry Building downtown actually has a market inside with stalls selling all sorts of food and whatnot. I second Pier 39 being tacky, but you can get some pretty decent seafood around there. A personal favourite is the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (quintessential San Francisco).

Further west from Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf is Ghirardelli Square. Think fancy chocolates and pricey desserts. You'd actually also be a couple of blocks from the northern terminus of the Powell-Hyde cable car line. You'll join a long queue and have to wait to get on one, but it's a must if it is your first time to San Francisco. Hang on the side for the best experience.

With the cable cars, and the public transport in general, if you are going to be using it quite a bit, invest in a MUNI pass. This will cover buses, the trams, street cars and cable cars. A cable car ride in itself is $7 a ticket. It doesn't cover the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), which is the underground. So if you are wanting to go to Oakland, or the airport, you would have to pay separately. The thing with BART is too, you pay more the further you go. It isn't a standard one price fare. You could get a ticket and top it up with money. Uber and Lyft are everywhere though.

If you like your counter culture, City Lights Bookstore is a former haunt of the Beat writers. You could even take the BART to Berkeley, home of the University of California.

Union Square is the main hub for shopping in San Francisco. You have all your major stores around it. It's also close to the southern end of the Powell-Hyde cable car line.

As already mentioned, the Giants are playing the Oakland A's at the Coliseum. I make a yearly pilgrimage to Oakland purely to see the A's. These games against the Giants will be some of the very few times that the Coliseum will actually be full this year, despite the A's playing far better than anticipated. You can get there on the BART (Coliseum/Oakland Airport station). The stadium is run down, but to me that just makes it all the more fun. One thing to point out though, Oakland is a world away from San Francisco. The area around the Coliseum is rough as f**k, and can be quite eye opening. But don't let that deter you.

Wow - quite a write up thanks. We got here this afternoon and despite not clearing security and customs for over 3 hours, we made our way using the BART to our hotel and picked up a three day Clipper Pass for the Muni services around San Francisco.  Already visited the GG bridge and walked round Union Square area..... OK,  but lots of people sleeping out...

[phllvslc]

The Ferry Building downtown actually has a market inside with stalls selling all sorts of food and whatnot. I second Pier 39 being tacky, but you can get some pretty decent seafood around there. A personal favourite is the clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (quintessential San Francisco).

Further west from Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf is Ghirardelli Square. Think fancy chocolates and pricey desserts. You'd actually also be a couple of blocks from the northern terminus of the Powell-Hyde cable car line. You'll join a long queue and have to wait to get on one, but it's a must if it is your first time to San Francisco. Hang on the side for the best experience.

With the cable cars, and the public transport in general, if you are going to be using it quite a bit, invest in a MUNI pass. This will cover buses, the trams, street cars and cable cars. A cable car ride in itself is $7 a ticket. It doesn't cover the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), which is the underground. So if you are wanting to go to Oakland, or the airport, you would have to pay separately. The thing with BART is too, you pay more the further you go. It isn't a standard one price fare. You could get a ticket and top it up with money. Uber and Lyft are everywhere though.

If you like your counter culture, City Lights Bookstore is a former haunt of the Beat writers. You could even take the BART to Berkeley, home of the University of California.

Union Square is the main hub for shopping in San Francisco. You have all your major stores around it. It's also close to the southern end of the Powell-Hyde cable car line.

As already mentioned, the Giants are playing the Oakland A's at the Coliseum. I make a yearly pilgrimage to Oakland purely to see the A's. These games against the Giants will be some of the very few times that the Coliseum will actually be full this year, despite the A's playing far better than anticipated. You can get there on the BART (Coliseum/Oakland Airport station). The stadium is run down, but to me that just makes it all the more fun. One thing to point out though, Oakland is a world away from San Francisco. The area around the Coliseum is rough as f**k, and can be quite eye opening. But don't let that deter you.

Wow - quite a write up thanks. We got here this afternoon and despite not clearing security and customs for over 3 hours, we made our way using the BART to our hotel and picked up a three day Clipper Pass for the Muni services around San Francisco.  Already visited the GG bridge and walked round Union Square area..... OK,  but lots of people sleeping out...

Any time! Yeah, San Francisco has one of the highest homeless populations in the United States.