Anyone ever been to San Francisco ?

jug

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
My son is a Nuclear Engineering phD student at NCSU and they recommended him for an internship at Lawrence Livermore National Lab in Livermore California just outside of San Francisco. Guess I will be flying out to see him this summer cause his mama ain't going 3 months without seeing her baby boy if she can help it. I wont be staying in the city. We gonna be in Pacifica just outside of the city on the Pacific Ocean.
 
YanceyGreenhorn

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
Pacifica is definitely nicer than SF, in a rural sense. At least in relation to the city. Plenty of gorgeous coastline. There will be no shortage of people watching in sf tho! Golden Gate Park is pretty wild, especially along the haight ashbury section. Lots of interesting stuff like the Japanese tea gardens complete with traditional buildings/architecture. Avoid the tenderloin district like the plague unless ya wanna get the feel for an inner city open air drug market. That would include the areas bordered by Geary, Mason, Market, and Van Ness. The Castro is the gay district. Tons of trannies everywhere. Fisherman’s Wharf ain’t bad and if you do some research there’s some killer cuisine.
 

JayR

Four Pointer
Great restaurants.

I agree about the japanese tea garden; it's supposed to be a top one in the US (I've heard).

It would be good to check out the city as well, obviously a way different type of place than Raleigh.
 
lasttombstone

lasttombstone

Kinder, Gentler LTS
Flew into there a number of times. First stop from the airport was in-n-out burger then got out of town as quickly as I could. Stayed in Vallejo when not at the track and had no desire to venture forth.
 
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agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
JayR said:
Great restaurants.
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Ask around before you go to a Chinese restaurant. If it's a real Chinese restaurant, your chicken is going to have every knuckle and knee in it. LOL

Like others have said, see the town, Presidio is beautiful, north is too with Sausalito and Mill Valley. There's a redwood grove somewhere up there. Pretty cool to see.
 
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haulinbass

Four Pointer
I used to be stationed there, 88-89, not my scene then and I heard it has gone to s#*t now...(the city itself) Napa Valley is beautiful
 
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QuietButDeadly

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Been a long time and I do not recall a lot of specifics but I found some great food at the Warf, crossed the Golden Gate, saw a baseball game in Candlestick and survived an earthquake in San Jose.
 
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YanceyGreenhorn

YanceyGreenhorn

Still Not a Moderator
I totally forgot….their version of the subway/metro/etc is the Muni. Keep an eye out for any stops right around tunnels. There’s a good chance you’ll see it scoop a buncha folks up at a stop and right as it enters the tunnel, someone will run up and sit on the back knuckle/coupler of the last car and ride it all the way to downtown lol
 

.35Rem

Eight Pointer
Been there mult times (but years ago, last time in 02) for Fleet Week, vacations, work trips and random hitch hiking (when I lived in OR early 80s). A lot has been said but I’d 2d Candlestick Park and add the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, it’s worth the drive. Can’t speak to current conditions.
 
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CJF

CJF

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I can imagine you are proud of your son. I knew your Dad and he would have been proud as well. My Dad and younger brother are going to San Francisco on WXII 12 out of Winston's package tour with Wanda Stark in June.
 
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QuietButDeadly

QuietButDeadly

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
.35Rem said:
Been there mult times (but years ago, last time in 02) for Fleet Week, vacations, work trips and random hitch hiking (when I lived in OR early 80s). A lot has been said but I’d 2d Candlestick Park and add the Winchester Mansion in San Jose, it’s worth the drive. Can’t speak to current conditions.
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Candlestick Park Stadium no longer exists. It was demolished in 2014.
 
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navywolf

Six Pointer
Like others, I've been there and was stationed north of there twice during my time in and still wind up in the area for work on occasion.

If you love the outdoors, I highly recommend Muir Woods. The redwoods there aren't as large as over in the Sequoia National Forest, but are less than an hour away vice 5 hours to the National Forest. If you've never seen these trees, there is nothing you can compare them to.

If you like wine, you're an hour and a half or so from some of the best wines in the country up in Napa Valley. As a bonus you'll cross the Golden Gate on your way north.

For a truly amazing drive, get a convertible and head down Rt 1 to Monterey (or further). This road hugs the rugged Cali coast and is a drive not to be missed. There's nothing like it on our coast unless you get up into Maine.

I've tried to keep you out of the city, mainly because it, like Seattle, has become a cesspool now. But there are some things worth doing/seeing. Just keep you head on a swivel, your valuables in your front pockets and trust no one.

Grab a picnic style lunch and head up to Coit Tower on a nice day or evening for some decent views. I recommend adding a loaf of sour dough bread which San Fran is famous for.

The Japanese Tea Gardens are impressive and worth a look on a pretty day.

Fisherman's Wharf, while not as impressive as the one in Seattle is a popular tourist spot. While in this area you can also hop a ferry over to Alcatraz which is another very popular tourist attraction.

If you enjoy baseball, Candlestick Park has already been mentioned as well, no idea what a tour costs there. (Shows how much I like baseball, since the post above says this was torn down already).

Lombard St is arguably the most famous road in town as it cuts back and forth down hill. Another interesting road is Bradford St at 41% grade followed by Filbert St 31%.

Good luck and Stay Safe
 
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Zach's Grandpa

Old Mossy Horns
If you go over to Alcatraz, and they still allow it on the tour, go inside the solitary cell and let them shut the door. You literally cannot see your hand in front of face.
 
BigGun1

BigGun1

Eight Pointer
The most rememberable thing I did was go set by the bay and just admire the view. There was a good crowd there and I started singing one of my favorite songs, Dock of the Bay by Otis Redding. It took a few minutes before everyone caught on. Then everyone was silent just in thought I suppose. It was a beautiful day with just a light breeze. Then I looked over at Alcatraz and thought, I could make that if I really had too!
 
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DC-DXT

DC-DXT

Twelve Pointer
Only 3 things to do in SF: visit Wharf, Alcatraz, and the airport to fly home. I hear Oakland is nice (just kidding, stay away).

Congratulations to your son
 
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jug

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
DC-DXT said:
Only 3 things to do in SF: visit Wharf, Alcatraz, and the airport to fly home. I hear Oakland is nice (just kidding, stay away).

Congratulations to your son
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My wife wants to visit the Walt Disney family museum and the Golden gate Bridge which are near each other...... and drive along the Pacific Coast highway.
We staying 4 nights..... my son only wants us to take him to dinner somewhere nice and drive down where the Bullitt movie was made.😁
 
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