Three things to do in first-time visit to San Francisco?

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Illegal Alien

Visit Japanese Tea Garden
Alcatraz, of course
Fine Arts Palace

four_t_wenty

If you're artsy fartsy you should definitely check out MOMA (sfmoma.org). Coit Tower is always a favorite. My friends and I used to get a pie to-go from North Beach Pizza and sit on a blanket on the lawn area next to the tower. You should definitely visit Sausalito just across from the Golden Gate bridge. There is so much to do, hope you have a great trip!

SFdude

First timers in San Francisco should stick to the popular and safe beaten path:

1- Walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge

2- Visit the islands in San Francisco Bay (Alcatraz, Angel, and Treasure)

3- Enjoy the carnival atmosphere of the Wharf

Justin

Drive down Lombard street (the steep zig-zag one).
Walk out on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Eat chowder on the wharf from a bowl made of bread.

mjmorell

1) Go for a hike at Land's End
2) Climb one of the hills in the Marin Headlands (Golden Gate Nat'l Rec Area)
3) Drive down Crooked Street
Have fun!

ajtheactress

1. Take a bay cruise and visit Alcatraz.
2. Ride a cable car, the only moving historic landmark in the world!
3. Explore Golden Gate Park, from the Conservatory of Flowers to the Beach Chalet, a world into itself.

Enjoy!

Paul G

got to the castro whether your gay or not it is definately an awesome area.. if your into the gritty dive clubs drive thru the tenderloin...
visit goldengate park, alcatraz, haight street, china town, and the wharf

Steveo

China town is always a kick. Take the cable car and hang out on the outside, but have a good grip.

Take the Ferry to Sausalito, especially around sunset. They have some fabulous restaurants there and some great art galleries.

You can get a drink (wine or liquor on board), and take the Bus to Muir woods and see the Redwoods. If you are not from Calironia, you will never see anything like this at home.

cabhite

The cable car, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

deaddude_rc

1) Drive through Chinatown.

2) Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and go see Mount Tamalpais.

3) Drive up to Twin Peaks and you'll see the entire Bay area.

Female25

Go to pier 39. and if you are into clubs go on broadway street lots of strip clubs, reg clubs and bars. Take a ride on the cable cars, go to ocean beach. Go shopping downtown on powell street or union square.

Mr. PhD

1. Chinatown

2. Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf

3. AT&T Park

Lots to do - no need to eat at a chain resturant either - they have the best restaurants in the world!

Vacationing abroad with Viagra

Lot of good suggestions...mine would be:
#1: go across the Golden Gate Bridge and pull over at Observation Point---bring a camera--then continue on to Sausalito before sunset and look around but get a bayside-seat in a restaurant to watch the lights come on across The Bay at sunset .
#2: Golden Gate Park, entering at Stanyan Street and head west towards the beach, making sure to visit the Buffalo paddock on the way, and end up at The Beach Chalet: unreal tile and murals on the ground floor, excellent microbrewpub and restaurant upstairs...(and of course, the Pacific Ocean staring back at you), usually booked solid for the evening sunset and all day on the weekends..
#3: take a Bay Cruise, not necessarily a trip just to Alcatraz...you'll embark at Fisherman's Wharf.

A couple things to think about: San Francisco's weather can change drastically and quickly. Natives learned how to 'layer' decades before the concept became fashionable (and optional in most cities). Have a sweater, a coat and a packable rain jacket with a hood for the just-in-case weather shifts.
Also, Fisherman's Wharf and Union Square are havens for pickpockets, sorry to say. Be very judicious about what you carry, how you carry it and how much you carry...in terms of cash, cameras, etc.
Finally, be aware that San Francisco is one of the 3 or 4 most expensive cities in the country: houses, rents, gasoline and TAXICABS. Even the beloved cable cars are $$$, but fun to do once or twice. If you do wind up on a cable car in the evening, go to Aquatic Park/Ghirardelli Square area and visit the Buena Vista for an Irish Coffee. Even natives do that!

Want to spend a few more bucks? Go to "The Top Of The Mark" on Nob Hill...the top of the Mark Hopkins hotel...unreal view of the Bay Area at night and a great spot for a libation or two.

Want to go non-touristy areas? Go to Clement for the many Asian food shops, some with Irving and parts of Taraval. For more Hispanic flavor, go the Mission-Valencia neighborhood. If you are even vaguely interested in 'slumming' take a taxi or bus thru The Tenderloin area, but be aware that it's dirty, smelly and often mortally violent, so don't be tempted to walk thru it. Its proximity to Union Square has led some realtors to call it 'Union Square West' but that's almost a crime in and of itself.

Want to see beautiful homes? Rent a car and visit Pacific Heights, SeaCliff and the Forest Hills/St. Francis Woods areas. Culture and art: the Asian Museum downtown and the museums and features in Golden Gate Park, especially the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Garden,De Young Museum, Planetarium and Steinhart Aquarium (if it's reopened yet). The Marina District is lovely and it houses the Palace of Fine Arts. Best meal ever: 'Greens at Fort Mason' nearby, but call about reservations. have fun!!!

On the Radio Uh Oh

First of all, I'd like to recommend NOT going to the wharf/Pier 39, Alcatraz, Union Square, or any such thing. I think the best way to get acquainted with a city is to immerse yourself in the city and culture, NOT to hang around areas where everyone else is a tourist, too.

That said... here. I'm trying to stick to things that I think most people would like, though there are def. better things depending on your taste/style.

1) Walk around the Mission between about 16th and 24th St. to see all of the murals and graffiti art.
2) Go to North Beach, around Washington Square, and go into bookstores, cafes, St. Peter and Paul Cathedral, Caffe Trieste, City Lights, etc...
3) Hike through Land's End, down to the beach (if the tide isn't too high).

If you'll have a car, driving around Pacific Heights is nice. Or take a drive north, and up highway 1... stop off in Sausalito, hook over to Muir Beach, then Stinson, then Bolinas, and all the way up to Point Reyes if you have time (and further, if you wish...).

If you're more into guerrilla style sightseeing, midnight walks down Market St. are lovely (esp. around Market and 6th)... lots of crack addicts, tranny prostitutes, and drunk hipsters coming back from the bars in SOMA. And the Richmond district along Clement is like the second Chinatown... stores and restaurants less targeted towards tourists/more authentic (albeit, the architecture isn't as cool as in Chinatown)... and along Geary it's totally Russian central, especially around 18th/19th ave... Russian markets, bakeries, an Orthodox cathedral, etc... Neighborhoods such as the Haight (Lower and Upper), The Castro, etc... are also fun to hang out in.

Nik T

Go to a gay bar
Meet a gay guy
Have wild gay sex

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