Hit up Dottie’s True Blue Cafe for breakfast. http://www.meshsf.com/blogs/2005/06/going-dottie-dotties-true-blue-cafe.html . It’s on the outskirts of the Tenderloin, so it’ll be a little out of the way for you, and the line outside will probably last at least a half hour on weekends. Go anyway - this place has, by far, the best breakfasts ever. And it’s fairly inexpensive, too. Get the pancakes (served with real maple syrup) - top-notch stuff.
Drop by the City Lights bookstore - the cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf will drop you off a few blocks away (get off at the Chinatown stop). http://www.citylights.com/ Truly fantastic bookstore, with an eccentric vibe and cheerful hand-lettered signs urging you to stop and read for a while. I love DC’s bookstores, but I have to admit that City Lights probably kicks all of their collective rears.
If you want quirky, and you’re at all interested in seeing how the SCA practices for medieval tournaments, the oldest fighter practice in the whole of the Knowne Worlde meets:
every Tuesday and Thursday, 7 PM to 10 PM at Rockridge BART Station, College Ave, Oakland at the south end of the southwest parking lot.
The swords are rattan, wrapped in duct tape, the shields are wood, and the practice armor is functional, rather than spiffy; but there is much smiting. Attendance probably varies.
I wouldn’t make an evening of it, personally, but if I was visiting something else nearby, I’d check it out.
MaxTheVool took me on a pilgrimage there last month. It’s the Mecca of science museums. I annoyed him by pointing out how my (tiny regional museum) did this or that exhibit better/faster/pinker. But that was mostly my competitive urge, because honestly, this is the alpha and omega of science museums. We had a ball.
The botanical garden on the approach to the bridge is extraordinary. An Australian collection to make ya snark Fosters and a South African to run ariund and scream at the joy of. Cycads like you wouldna believe and a nice Japanese garden (the non paying one.) It’s gorgeous, free, and incredible. they have a stand of Gunnera, the largest leaved plant on the world, and Dan hicks plays with a jazz band across the bridge in a swanko bar. Tell 'em that weird guy from Georgia with the three sexy ladies says hi.
Apparently there are some other things but I was preoccupied with the above.
I’d say skip the Exploratorium… I’d heard about it for years, and when I finally got there, even the kids I was with were bored…
Do Alcatraz for sure… and go to Ocean Beach just so you can stick your foot in the Pacific… Everyone who visited us from the East Coast LOVED doing that… (Oh, and the views are gorgeous there too.)
If you have time, and rent a car for a day, go check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium… It makes for a long day, but it’s an amazing place.
I agree with checking out Golden Gate Park… The Tree Fern/Cycad Forest is very cool… and I’m sure the new DeYoung is great… (sniff, sniff… it opened after we moved away…)
Before you go, read as many of the “Tales of the City” books as you can - they should be required reading for all visitors to the City. (Or check out the film versions of the first three books - with Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis, Paul Gross and many others…)
Or for something a bit more “real world, San Francisco style”… watch “The Parrots of Telegraph Hill”… and when you’re at the Embarcadero, you might see some of the flock in the Canary Island Date Palms…
In that case, I repeat my recommendation for the deYoung museum. They currently have a wonderful display of post-modern teapots, which is worth seeing just so you can say to people, “The deYoung museum has a wonderful display of post modern teapots.”
The Palace of Fine Arts is divine. My friend took me there twice, but I would have gone there every day during my visit if I’d had the time.
It’s without a doubt the most poorly advertised thing about San Francisco (most people I speak to have never heard of it), but one of the most worthwhile things to see as a tourist.
If you like the Beat Generation stuff, there’s a lot to do. Jack Keroac alley, Vesuvio Bar, and the previously mentioned beat bookshop City Lights.
Hammett fans should check out John’s Grill, 63 Ellis St, for Sam Spade’s favorite eating spot, and Burritt Alley – two blocks north of the square on Bush, near Stockton Street – where a plaque marks the spot that Spade’s partner, Miles Archer, was shot and killed.
If you’ve never seen big trees, Muir Woods is really worth the visit
If you have an afternoon free and you enjoy a drink or two, there are (quite nice) bus trips out to the Napa Valley where you could indulge in a little wine tasting.
I’d like to fourth or fifth Muir woods, if you have the time. California is generally beautiful – I love the Marin headlands, Point Reyes, Napa … Someone more local could put together a whole day of natural sights north of town. After lobstermobster gives you the finger, I mean.
If you’re of a literary bent, I’ll also add on another recommend for City Lights Bookshop, and if you like weird old bars full of character, I think Vesuvio’s and the hard to find one (Spec’s?) are still nearby. The Mission also has a bunch of decent secondhand bookshops on and near 16th Street.
A good way to visit Coit Tower is to walk up the Filbert Steps. It’s a bit of a climb but you get to see some beautiful gardens, interesting architecture and great views of the bay while avoiding waiting in the line of traffic that always clogs the road to the top of Telegraph Hill.
Strybing Arboretum in Golden Gate Park is very nice if you’re interested in plants or nature, or just want to take a walk in a beautiful setting.
Most of the best Chinese restaurants aren’t in Chinatown. Clement Street has many good ones, including Tsing Tao at 3107 Clement.
Another good street for restaurants is Belden Place in the financial district. It’s a one-block alley with eating places from one end to the other. Plouf is one of my favorites - it’s a seafood place that specializes in mussels (although they have a lot of other things, too).
