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First time in SanFrancisco.....what to do? Explorer OTS is staying overnight.


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Hi! First time my hubby and I to visit San Francisco. The Explorer of the Seas arrived at 8am on Sept 25th and leaves on the 26th at 4pm. We are in our early 50s. Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

We did this in a day and a half last July, if it's of any help or interest. All the best, Tony

 

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A couple of suggestions for for the evening

 

There is a funny comedian type show which will have you laughing from when you sit down until your leave

https://www.beachblanketbabylon.com/

 

At the base of the hyde street cable car line is the famous Buena Vista cafe.

Makes wonderful Irish coffee and a great place for evening people watching

http://www.thebuenavista.com/home/home.html

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Definitely agree with you, Rick. Alacatraz does not interest me much. I will look into the Conservancy of Flowers!

 

How about saying what does interest you?

 

I find Alcatraz one of the most interesting things in SF and I couldn't care less about flowers, so without people knowing what your personal interests are, all the advice you get will be on what they find interesting.

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I visited Alcatraz about 23 years ago and still remember it as one of the best, if not best, tour I've ever done and I've been all over the world. We're also going on Explorer OTS in September and Alcatraz is on the top of our "to do" list. (DH has not been there.) You do need to buy your tickets in advance since they often sell out.

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We mainly like historical sights and major attractions. I'm just not big on prisons or prison life. We will most likely do a HoHo bus the first day. Any suggestions on which one is the best? Thanks everyone for all of the replies!!!

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We mainly like historical sights and major attractions. I'm just not big on prisons or prison life. We will most likely do a HoHo bus the first day. Any suggestions on which one is the best? Thanks everyone for all of the replies!!!

 

How about taking the ferry out to Angel Island? It was the West Coast immigration location for some amount of time, so it has some historical sights. And it's a very lovely place to visit.

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How about taking the ferry out to Angel Island? It was the West Coast immigration location for some amount of time, so it has some historical sights. And it's a very lovely place to visit.

 

Good suggestion! We did this on our Princess cruise with an overnight in SF. Some photos here.

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We mainly like historical sights and major attractions. I'm just not big on prisons or prison life. We will most likely do a HoHo bus the first day. Any suggestions on which one is the best? Thanks everyone for all of the replies!!!

 

One "historical site" I will recommend is The Tadich Grill. It is the oldest restaurant in California, dating to the Gold Rush era.

 

Other historical sights might be the Maritime Museum, The Palace of Fine Arts, Grace Cathedral, Cable Cars and not to be redundant, but Alcatraz Island is the single most popular attraction in SF. If you have never been, it might be very different than you expect.

 

 

For HoHo bus I'd look at City Tour, link below.

 

SF Hop On Hop Off

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I'd also recommend you try to ride a cable car. that's a quintessential SF icon.

In the evening, I agree that the campy Beach Blanket Babylon show is worth seeing.

I'd stop at the vista point on the south side of the golden gate bridge to get some pictures. Looks like every tourist and HoHo bus stops there.

If you do a HoHo bus, you'll probably go by Alamo Square, which is worth a few minutes to get pictures of the Victorian houses with the SF skyline behind it.

Anywhere along the waterfront is a typical tourist attraction- eat sour dough bread and crab at the outdoor vendors at Fisherman's Wharf.

Alcatraz is worth a visit, but if you only have one day, there are better things to spend your time seeing and you must get tickets in advance.

Golden gate park- the Tea Garden or the conservatory of flowers, lots of museums, but with only one day I'd skip the museums.

If you want to see a redwood forest, then Muir woods, north of SF is worth a visit, but parking is tough, so take a tour for that one.

Lots of tourists visit Lombard Street, the crookedest street in SF. (It's not, but that's the way it's advertised.) One of the cable car lines goes by it.

If you do take a cable car, that will go by Union Square, with lots of expensive shops around it, if you're into shopping.

Palace of Fine Arts -walk around the lake and get pictures of the building.

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Madam Tussauds, Ripley's believe it or not, San Francisco dungeon, all within walking distance. Don't forget China town, Union square, and the zoo. The Japanese tea garden is also very nice.

 

 

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I'm in San Francisco at the beginning of October. I can't remember what times. My mother wants to do the cable car. I've always wanted to go to the pier for shopping. I know there's one specific pier that has good shopping-or did numerous years ago. Which is it. I'm a shop aholic.

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I really enjoyed the Ripley's location and the Wax Museum on the wharf. I LOVED the Alcatraz tour. An ex-inmate was signing the book he wrote. The line of people was HUGE. I didn't buy the book or meet the author, so I don't know his name.

Watching the Blue Angels.

Edited by CruiseGal999
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I'm in San Francisco at the beginning of October. I can't remember what times. My mother wants to do the cable car. I've always wanted to go to the pier for shopping. I know there's one specific pier that has good shopping-or did numerous years ago. Which is it. I'm a shop aholic.

Pier 39 is what you are referring to. I would seriously question the term "good shopping " with respect to it however. As an SF native I find it a tourist trap and only go if a visitor insists. That holds true for the restaurants on the Pier as well.

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  • 3 weeks later...
I'd also recommend you try to ride a cable car. that's a quintessential SF icon.

In the evening, I agree that the campy Beach Blanket Babylon show is worth seeing.

I'd stop at the vista point on the south side of the golden gate bridge to get some pictures. Looks like every tourist and HoHo bus stops there.

If you do a HoHo bus, you'll probably go by Alamo Square, which is worth a few minutes to get pictures of the Victorian houses with the SF skyline behind it.

Anywhere along the waterfront is a typical tourist attraction- eat sour dough bread and crab at the outdoor vendors at Fisherman's Wharf.

Alcatraz is worth a visit, but if you only have one day, there are better things to spend your time seeing and you must get tickets in advance.

Golden gate park- the Tea Garden or the conservatory of flowers, lots of museums, but with only one day I'd skip the museums.

If you want to see a redwood forest, then Muir woods, north of SF is worth a visit, but parking is tough, so take a tour for that one.

Lots of tourists visit Lombard Street, the crookedest street in SF. (It's not, but that's the way it's advertised.) One of the cable car lines goes by it.

If you do take a cable car, that will go by Union Square, with lots of expensive shops around it, if you're into shopping.

Palace of Fine Arts -walk around the lake and get pictures of the building.

 

 

Thank you so much! You gave me a lot of info I needed!:D

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WALK!!! San Francisco is one of my favorite towns to walk. In one day, I can start in Union Square, walk up the hill through Chinatown, across to Columbus and Little Italy, down the hill to Fisherman's Wharf, across the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building and the shops and restaurants there. And, hit up Trader Joe's down the street before heading back to the ship. Even when I used to do my weekends in the Bay Area after meetings at the Home Office in San Jose, I'd be sure to always to my walking "tour" of San Francisco. Sometimes, I'd add in a sidetrip to the Castro or Haight districts or an afternoon in the Park. Any way you do it, San Francisco is so diverse in such a small area that it makes walking fun!

 

And, yes, Beach Blanket Babylon is a hoot!!! But, please read up ahead of time about it - it may offend some delicate sensibilities ;-)

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WALK!!! San Francisco is one of my favorite towns to walk. In one day, I can start in Union Square, walk up the hill through Chinatown
I agree it's worth exploring on foot. However the hills should not be understated... especially on a hot day. Love the cable cars. Get a day pass where you can get on and off like a hop on service.
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I agree it's worth exploring on foot. However the hills should not be understated... especially on a hot day. Love the cable cars. Get a day pass where you can get on and off like a hop on service.

 

I'm a walker. Yes, it's hilly. But, lots of places along the way to pop in for a tea or a bottle of water or an iced latte or a soda. I always carry my water bottle with me. I also live at 6500' and work at 8100', so walking at sea level doesn't bother me!

 

I like the cable cars. But, I don't like the waiting time I've had lately at the terminus of the lines when I've been there. And, many times the cars come by full and I've had to wait and wait for one with a spot. I'd say a Muni pass and when I felt the need, hopping on a bus, would be easier.

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I'd also recommend you try to ride a cable car. that's a quintessential SF icon.

In the evening, I agree that the campy Beach Blanket Babylon show is worth seeing.

I'd stop at the vista point on the south side of the golden gate bridge to get some pictures. Looks like every tourist and HoHo bus stops there.

If you do a HoHo bus, you'll probably go by Alamo Square, which is worth a few minutes to get pictures of the Victorian houses with the SF skyline behind it.

Anywhere along the waterfront is a typical tourist attraction- eat sour dough bread and crab at the outdoor vendors at Fisherman's Wharf.

Alcatraz is worth a visit, but if you only have one day, there are better things to spend your time seeing and you must get tickets in advance.

Golden gate park- the Tea Garden or the conservatory of flowers, lots of museums, but with only one day I'd skip the museums.

If you want to see a redwood forest, then Muir woods, north of SF is worth a visit, but parking is tough, so take a tour for that one.

Lots of tourists visit Lombard Street, the crookedest street in SF. (It's not, but that's the way it's advertised.) One of the cable car lines goes by it.

If you do take a cable car, that will go by Union Square, with lots of expensive shops around it, if you're into shopping.

Palace of Fine Arts -walk around the lake and get pictures of the building.

Thank you for this post! This is what I've been wanting! Thank you, thank you!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

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One "historical site" I will recommend is The Tadich Grill. It is the oldest restaurant in California, dating to the Gold Rush era.

 

Other historical sights might be the Maritime Museum, The Palace of Fine Arts, Grace Cathedral, Cable Cars and not to be redundant, but Alcatraz Island is the single most popular attraction in SF. If you have never been, it might be very different than you expect.

 

 

For HoHo bus I'd look at City Tour, link below.

 

SF Hop On Hop Off

Thank you!

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Forums mobile app

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  • 3 weeks later...
As an SF native I find it a tourist trap and only go if a visitor insists. That holds true for the restaurants on the Pier as well.

 

Where would you recommend for a local place to eat, brunch type and dinner? We are staying near the wharf but like local type places. Pub style, cafe, good seafood, nothing fancy.

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Where would you recommend for a local place to eat, brunch type and dinner? We are staying near the wharf but like local type places. Pub style, cafe, good seafood, nothing fancy.

 

San Francisco is one of the great food cities in the U.S. so there are dozens of great places.

 

At the Wharf area, not fancy, you might look at the Codmother. Other seafood places at the Wharf are the Franciscan, Scoma's and the Crab House at Pier 39. None of those are my favorites, but close; Tadich Grill and Sam's Grill are my favorite seafood spots in the city. Sotto Mare is a great Italian seafood restaurant.

 

Other than that the Mission District is known for great Mexican food, the Tenderloin has great Vietnamese food, there is very good dim sum and Chinese food all over; oyster bars like the Anchor Oyster Bar and Swan Oyster Depot are very good and popular too.

 

Near the Wharf hit up the Buena Vista, at least for an Irish coffee and look at the House of Prime Rib too.

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