We just spent the entire month of April in SF. It is an absolutely great place and the residents are very friendly for a large city. I could go back a hundred times and never get bored.
We had a car, but also had a parking spot in the building where our apt. was located. We NEVER used the car while in the city, only when we went to visit relatives in the East and South Bay and also to the wineries and such in Napa and Sonoma.
Most tourist I saw during the month only seemed to visit the Wharf area, Union Square and the GG bridge. Those are all great, but there is SO much more to SF than just those places.
Ride the public transportation. It’s relatively safe ( I find SF much safer than say Atlanta, Miami or NYC) and if you need help, just ask the bus/trolley drivers. Just keep in mind that the cable cars cost you $3 dollars per person ONE WAY and no transfers, so plan the CC trip wisely. However if you buy a 1 or 3 or 7 day pass ( I strongly advice this) you can use the CC as much as you want.
The CA Legion of Honor (art museum) is free on Tuesdays. Many other museums are free on certain days of the month, but that usually occurs at the first of the month. If you are over near the GG bridge…bus 29 will take you right to the foot of the bridge, check out land’s end for an awesome view.
Check out the following:
Stockton Street, one block west of Grant (which is the main drag of Chinatown) Grant is the tourist street of Chinatown and Stockton is the real working street of Chinatown…go in the markets and look around.
Columbus Ave the heart of little Italy right by Chinatown. Try some pastries at Mara’s. A family run place that stays open until 10:30. Walk down Columbus to City Lights Bookstore…where the whole Beatnik thing began.
The Ferry Building Saturday Farmer’s Market. Find some great food and local made gifts there. If you are into Cheese, check out the Cowgirl Cheese place inside.
Try and walk from the Wharf along the paved trail that follows the bay over to the Marina area (just look for the big Safeway) or you can walk all the way to the GG bridge. That walk has some great views of Angel Island, GG Bridge and Alcatraz.
Go to the Haight. Shop and walk all the way to the entrance of the park. Sure you’ll be ask to buy Green Bud but it’s no big deal. I second the Japanese Tea Gardens and all the other things in the big GG Park.
Twin Peaks at night for a beautiful view of the city.
If driving explore the Marin Headlands and drive to the top of Mount Tam. That view alone will show you why SF and the Bay area are one the most beautiful places in America.
Take the BART to Berkeley…you ain’t seen nothing like Berkeley.
Drive down route 1 through Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and the rugged coast to Santa Cruz. Either go to the Boardwalk or park your car for free downtown and walk and view the shops. Eat at the Saturn Restaurant there. Santa Cruz is odd and awesome.
EAT. I can’t say this enough…EAT! SF has some of the most terrific restaurants in the USA. Get a Zagat’s guide or check out some web sites like SFGATE.com and look at their top 100 restaurants. Eat small plates and this way you can eat all day. Eat at the really expensive restaurants for Lunch. We called our month long stay, “eating our way through SF.”
Shop Union Square and other neighborhoods like Pacific Heights on Filmore or the Marina area on Chestnut or Union STREET in the Cow Hollow area.
I was told that the homeless would be a problem. They were not at all. Sure there were homeless people and perhaps a few more than other major cities, but most were polite and try to be back to them.
It’s a great city, I could go on and on. Try to do as much as possible. Do not eat at any chain restaurants that you could eat at back home. The locals that live there are very lucky people.
Oh yeah and bring some cash, many things can be expensive.
