Things to do in San Francisco?

Forums › Travel (planes, train, cruise) › Things to do in San Francisco?

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#237753 16-Jun-2018 19:29

I will be heading up there for work next month and may stay for an additional week to experience San Francisco outside of work too.

What are your top must-see, must-do things in San Francisco?

I heard it's not worthwhile hiring a car as one can public transport or taxi around much more easily than Auckland.

Also, best value mobile provider up there?

Thanks in advance!

Sony

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ... | 7

6028 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 461

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#2038802 16-Jun-2018 19:29

Allow me to introduce you folks to our new travel community: TravelTalk NZ.

We hope to see you there!

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#2038840 16-Jun-2018 20:36

Alcatraz is a worthwhile tour but you need to book well in advance - ie now. Bookings during summer often have a 4-5 day wait if you just turn up.

davidcole

6099 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1465

Trusted

#2038850 16-Jun-2018 20:49

I did Alcatraz one day and rode over the bridge another. One fun thing (IMO) is watch Star Trek the voyage home, and then retrace some of it, golden gate park, market st

Previously known as psycik

Home Assistant: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix, Home Assistant with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave, Shelly Humidity and Temperature sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4 4k, ATV4, HDHomeRun Dual
Server Host Plex Server 3x3TB, 4x4TB using MergerFS, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Proxmox Server with 1xW10, 2xUbuntu 22.04 LTS, Backblaze Backups, usenetprime.com fastmail.com Sharesies Trakt.TV Sharesight

frankv

5705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3666

Lifetime subscriber

#2038855 16-Jun-2018 20:52

Alcatraz... run by US Parks Service, has self-guided audio tours through the cell block. Great views. Golden Gate Bridge & Park & Presidio. Chinatown. Cable cars. Embarcadero. Haight-Ashbury. United Nations Plaza area around Market St. Muir Woods (but you'll probably need a car to get there). Whale watch (in season).

There are hop-on hop-off buses that will take you to most of these places... make sure you get on the top deck where you can see more. Public transport is good.

If it was me, I'd take a couple of days to drive to Yosemite Valley (5 hours drive each way), maybe via Sacramento (visit the Old Town, State Capitol).

Lots of free WiFi around the place (hotels, shopping malls, tourist attractions) so you don't really need mobile (unless you're a millenial).

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
9332 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6198

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2038879 16-Jun-2018 21:48

This time of year, hire a bicycle from Blazing Saddles (several outlets down near the waterfront) and ride over the bridge to Sausalito for lunch. Then ride back or take the bike on the ferry back to town. Great trip.

If you have a car, drive to Muir Woods in the Marin Headlands over the bridge - stunningly beautiful Redwood forest national park.

The Cable Car Museum near China Town is worth a visit. It’s also the central winding-station for all the cables that run the system.

If the Giants are playing home games during the time you’re there, it’s great to go an MLB game for the atmosphere - even if you don’t follow baseball. If you’re staying near the CBD or downtown, you can easily walk to AT&T Park around the waterfront.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#2038894 16-Jun-2018 22:53

Thanks guys, unfortunately no Alcatraz this time by the looks of things:

Edit: Updated image to show actual correct dates.

Sony

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#2038896 16-Jun-2018 23:00

I've also found hotels to be pretty expensive to stay in per night thre, AirBNB seems to be slightly better. Are there any tips to which places have better value in terms of accommodation?

Sony

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
9332 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6198

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2038898 16-Jun-2018 23:05

Yes - unfortunately SF is horrendously expensive for accommodation. We found an apartment via Booking.com a few years ago - wasn’t flash but price was sorta reasonable. Airbnb sounds a good idea.

Don’t forget July 4 is a major public holiday.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#2038902 16-Jun-2018 23:21

eracode: Yes - unfortunately SF is horrendously expensive for accommodation. We found an apartment via Booking.com a few years ago - wasn’t flash but price was sorta reasonable. Airbnb sounds a good idea.

Don’t forget July 4 is a major public holiday.

Oops, showed the wrong dates, meant to be later in the month, but still sold out!

Sony

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
9332 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6198

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2038903 16-Jun-2018 23:27

sonyxperiageek:
eracode: Yes - unfortunately SF is horrendously expensive for accommodation. We found an apartment via Booking.com a few years ago - wasn’t flash but price was sorta reasonable. Airbnb sounds a good idea.

Don’t forget July 4 is a major public holiday.

Oops, showed the wrong dates, meant to be later in the month, but still sold out!

You’re close to peak US vacation period which unfortunately won’t help with the accommodation prices.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

Dingbatt

6804 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3694

Lifetime subscriber

#2038906 16-Jun-2018 23:42

I'm surprised, this being Geekzone, that nobody has mentioned going down to Silicon Valley. Surely the Geek equivalent of a wander down Hollywood Boulevard ;-)

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

insane

3324 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1006

ID Verified

Trusted

2degrees

Subscriber

#2038907 17-Jun-2018 00:04

Dingbatt: I'm surprised, this being Geekzone, that nobody has mentioned going down to Silicon Valley. Surely the Geek equivalent of a wander down Hollywood Boulevard ;-)

Well tbh there isn't much to see around there. Its fairly cool to see the HQs of the who's who of the tech world as you drive up the motorway, but otherwise it's just a fairly flat and otherwise boring place. OK a few decent craft beer bars etc but hardly a must see place.

- To the OP, perhaps watch a game of baseball? Visit Pier 39? tour the tenderloin at night and visit one of the many small time gigs around that area? Harbor tour by boat? Oh and it's San Fran, there's loads of great fine dining food places to visit.

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#2038909 17-Jun-2018 00:39

I did actually check out Silicon Valley! It's a while away from the top of San Fran.

May start looking at hiring a car.

Sony

eracode

Smpl Mnmlst
9332 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6198

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2038912 17-Jun-2018 01:48

One time we were there we did a road-trip of a week or so - an anti-clockwise circuit - south through San Jose > Yosemite > circumnavigated Lake Tahoe > Sacramento > over to the Napa Valley then back to SF. Calistoga and St Helena in the Napa are really lovely places.

We just totally winged-it for accommodation each day - using booking.com on the fly from the car - but that may not work so well during peak vacation time.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

sonyxperiageek

2984 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 397

Trusted

#2038913 17-Jun-2018 01:58

eracode: One time we were there we did a road-trip of a week or so - an anti-clockwise circuit - south through San Jose > Yosemite > circumnavigated Lake Tahoe > Sacramento > over to the Napa Valley then back to SF. Calistoga and St Helena in the Napa are really lovely places.

We just totally winged-it for accommodation each day - using booking.com on the fly from the car - but that may not work so well during peak vacation time.

Where did you hire your car from?

Sony

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ... | 7