Ideas for thing to do in San Francisco

For older folks, though

Culture • May 2013 • Views: 2,954

I saw the The “What to Do in New York City” Open Thread and decided to ask a similar question about San Francisco. My parents are taking a vacation there soon and I’d like to ask my fellow Lizards if they can recommend any good things for them to see or do there. Please keep in mind these are older folks and on the conservative side culturally, though they are both tolerant and good humored (and I’m lucky to have them).

Suggestions warmly welcomed.

San Francisco Fun

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35 comments

Skip Intro Thu, May 16, 2013 6:48:48pm

Go to ATT Park and watch the Giants.

Visit the Palace of Fine Arts.

Take a ferry over to Sausalito for lunch.

Go on a shopping trip at Gumps.

Visit Pier 39, but keep your eyes open. Lots of scammers work the tourists there. While they’re there, go visit Ghirardelli Chocolate.

Dark_Falcon Thu, May 16, 2013 7:19:46pm

re: #1 Skip Intro

Go to ATT Park and watch the Giants.

Visit the Palace of Fine Arts.

Take a ferry over to Sausalito for lunch.

Go on a shopping trip at Gumps.

Visit Pier 39, but keep your eyes open. Lots of scammers work the tourists there. While they’re there, go visit Ghirardelli Chocolate.

Thank you.

Bert's House of Beef and Obdicuts Thu, May 16, 2013 7:30:59pm

Drive over the bridge, go to the Marin Headlands.

In San Francisco: Go to Bi-Rite Ice Cream. Eat the salty caramel.

Go to the military cemetery in the presidio. There is also always something going on at the (former) officer’s club there.

There is a fort under Golden Gate bridge that might be of interest to them.

Go to the Golden Gate Park Arboretum.

Dancing along the light of day Thu, May 16, 2013 8:28:30pm

De Witt Museum. Walk along the Presidio. Stuff yourselves happy in China Town. Hang out near the Bay & watch the fearsome sailing, you will probably see the Oracle AC72, sail is 3 stories tall.

LWNJ Thu, May 16, 2013 8:51:20pm

Take a bay cruise, or the boat trip to Alcatraz. There is some walking on the Alcatraz trip, though.

See the De Young (Dutch paintings until June 2), the Legion or Honor (Impressionists on the Water opens June 2 — buy advance tickets online) and/or the Asian Art Museum (Chinese terracotta warriors — but only until the 27th).

Golden Gate Park — the Conservatory of Flowers, the Japanese Tea Gardens, the aforementioned De Young, and more. (Check the park out online.)

Sutro baths area, Ocean beach and the Beach Chalet (murals).

Coit Tower. The Aquarium of the Bay (at Pier 39). The Exploratorium (at Pier 15).

Dark_Falcon Thu, May 16, 2013 9:03:58pm

Sent the link to this Page to my dad. That way he can see all the ideas posted so far and check back later for any new ones.

Thanks to all who have contributed so far.

klys and whatnot Thu, May 16, 2013 9:11:06pm

Lefty O’Doul’s. It’s not fancy or anything, but it’s one of our favorite places in the city. We go there at least half our trips into the city. I cannot give a higher recommendation than that.

I like Sutro Baths area a lot, but that may be because I went there on my second date with my husband. :) The Exploratorium is definitely worth a visit, even if I haven’t been to their new location.

If they have time and transportation, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is worth a trip, but even just driving down Highway 1 to Santa Cruz has some really gorgeous scenery (you can make your way back to SF on faster routes). Stop by at Pescadero for some nice galleries and fantastic food at Duartes.

The Computer History Museum in Mountain View is supposed to be pretty good, although I have not been there myself. I cannot say how accessible it is from public transportation (Caltrain).

The Stanford campus is extremely accessible from public transportation (Caltrain) - they run a free shuttle service from the Caltrain stop, not sure what the timing is, right to the main famous drive and quad. I don’t know what the current prices to go up Hoover Tower are.

If I think of anything else, I’ll add it in another post.

HappyWarrior Thu, May 16, 2013 9:25:22pm

Okay, was there last year.
AT&T park. If you love baseball. Great place to see a game.
Chinatown- Chinese food at its best stateside
City Lights Bookstore. It’s a pretty famous bookstore. Great selection.
Fisherman’s Wharf. Always good to be on the water.
Hope your folks enjoy the city. Had a blast there. I’d advise them to bring a coat or some kind of overshirt since it can get pretty cool at night but it’s a wonderful city and I am sure your folks will have a blast.

darthstar Thu, May 16, 2013 9:26:12pm

Have them catch a Giants game. Let me know when they’re coming and a number to reach them, and I’ll see about getting them access to the club level, where they can see what a World Series trophy looks like.

Seriously, though. I live here. I’m happy to help. Giants game, Sausalito ferry, Palace of Fine Arts…all good ideas.

When are they coming and where are they staying? It helps to know these things.

klys and whatnot Thu, May 16, 2013 9:26:48pm

Alcatraz is also totally worth it. I did it with my family when they came out to visit shortly after I moved out here, and it was wonderful. We really enjoyed the audio tour you can take with you.

With my folks, we did the CityPass which was well worth it for the cost we paid. You should check it out in advance and evaluate what you would actually go to before buying it - my folks found it worth it (I have two sisters, so the three of us plus my parents…).

The Cable Car Museum is also well worth it, and not very pricy at all (if there is a charge these days - I think it used to be free).

prairiefire Thu, May 16, 2013 9:27:11pm

Seafood, seafood, seafood!!!

Dancing along the light of day Thu, May 16, 2013 9:30:08pm

Oh, and ride a cable car!

darthstar Thu, May 16, 2013 9:32:15pm

There’s tons of public transit. Tell them to go to the nearest BART station or Walgreens and buy a Clipper Card (it’s an RFID card for riding public transit—buses, trains, etc.) If they’re here for three or four days, $30 each will cover them for all their transit needs. Cabs are also reasonable (the city’s only 7x7 miles, so the most you’ll pay for a ride across town is about $20 or so).

If they have a car, parking in the city can be expensive…well, not terrible…it’s about $32 a day in the Embarcadero. But metered parking is variable…can be $1 for one hour and $6 for another…fortunately, all the meters have numbers on them and a way to pay by phone…there’s an app (google it) for parking meters in SF. Put it on your parents’ phone, put your credit card on the account, and tell them to pay their parking while they’re here that way.

klys and whatnot Thu, May 16, 2013 9:34:02pm

re: #13 darthstar

There’s tons of public transit. Tell them to go to the nearest BART station or Walgreens and buy a Clipper Card (it’s an RFID card for riding public transit—buses, trains, etc.) If they’re here for three or four days, $30 each will cover them for all their transit needs. Cabs are also reasonable (the city’s only 7x7 miles, so the most you’ll pay for a ride across town is about $20 or so).

If they have a car, parking in the city can be expensive…well, not terrible…it’s about $32 a day in the Embarcadero. But metered parking is variable…can be $1 for one hour and $6 for another…fortunately, all the meters have numbers on them and a way to pay by phone…there’s an app (google it) for parking meters in SF. Put it on your parents’ phone, put your credit card on the account, and tell them to pay their parking while they’re here that way.

I will second the Clipper card. It is good on Caltrain, down to San Jose and for really most of the public transit you will find in the Bay Area, not just San Fransisco. I live down by San Jose and we have them - they’re good on the public transit down here as well.

(This advice is assuming they don’t take advantage of the CityPass.)

darthstar Thu, May 16, 2013 9:34:02pm

Oh, and tell them to watch out for our governor…he stalks tourists on the train.

Image: 63930_10151379096014121_133744736_n.jpg

Dark_Falcon Thu, May 16, 2013 9:39:21pm

re: #15 darthstar

Oh, and tell them to watch out for our governor…he stalks tourists on the train.

Image: 63930_10151379096014121_133744736_n.jpg

Eh, he’s harmless to honest people. But I’d pity the person who didn’t know who Jerry Brown was and tried to rob him. The would-be robber’d likely find himself knocked on his ass before the gov’s security detail even reacted. He’s actually a pretty fierce fellow.

LWNJ Thu, May 16, 2013 9:52:17pm

re: #10 klys

Alcatraz is also totally worth it. I did it with my family when they came out to visit shortly after I moved out here, and it was wonderful. We really enjoyed the audio tour you can take with you.

With my folks, we did the CityPass which was well worth it for the cost we paid. You should check it out in advance and evaluate what you would actually go to before buying it - my folks found it worth it (I have two sisters, so the three of us plus my parents…).

The Cable Car Museum is also well worth it, and not very pricy at all (if there is a charge these days - I think it used to be free).

I looked at the City Pass recently, and it doesn’t look like the bargain it was once upon a time. Just my opinion.

There’s also the Wells Fargo Museum, 420 California St. Most people don’t seem to know about it, but it’s cool, and, as far as I know, still free.

klys and whatnot Thu, May 16, 2013 9:56:32pm

re: #17 LWNJ

It depends on what proportion of it you’re going to use, I think. When we did it, we did …4 of 7? 5 of 7? Something along those lines. But the free MUNI and cable car was another $20 easily - the cable car day pass is $5 at this point. Being able to jump on them without considering it was worth it.

That’s how we got photos like this.

Christopher's Bitchins Thu, May 16, 2013 10:46:16pm

Dolores Park between the Mission and Castro neighborhoods is an amazing place for a picnic and people watching. The locals are super friendly, just be ready to inhale a little second hand ganja smoke. Also Coit Tower has the best views of the whole city definitely bring a camera up there.

LWNJ Thu, May 16, 2013 10:46:28pm

re: #18 klys

I got a city pass several years ago that had more attractions for $59 — maybe I’m just irritated that Prices Go Up and Up. Still, it looks like it has fewer attractions and not as much variety. And a 7-day muni pass only costs $28, and (grumble, grumble) cable cars are more fun to watch than to ride, owing to the lack of shock absorbers. And the crowding.

klys and whatnot Thu, May 16, 2013 10:51:30pm

re: #20 LWNJ

I do like going downhill though. It’s like a roller coaster. :D

It’s definitely more now than it used to be - it depends on the number of attractions one is going to go to. I definitely advocate doing the math.

The Musee Mechanique is also an excellent stop. Your parents might particularly enjoy it, Dark. It’s older style mechanical displays, that are restored to still work. Absolutely fantastic.

Origuy Thu, May 16, 2013 11:47:33pm

If they go to Sausalito, they might want to check out the Bay Model. It’s a large (400 foot long) working model of the San Francisco Bay, used to model the flow of water through the Bay, built by the Army Corps of Engineers. Hey, I liked it!

Few tourists visit the Mission District, but the murals that cover many of the walls are really remarkable. Then stop at Humphry Slocum for ice cream in some unusual flavors.

Single-handed sailor Fri, May 17, 2013 1:05:35am

So much good info here already. I’ll add or modify a couple things. Ride the cable cars to Fisherman’s wharf, and if your parents are spry, stand outside on the runner boards and hang from the bars. Just remember to watch for truck side mirrors along the way. Fisherman’s wharf must include bay shrimp cocktails, and a sourdough bread bowl of clam chowder. Ghirardelli Square is a short walk west of there, and Pier 39 is a moderate walk east of there. Also remember Mark Twain’s never said quote, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” When the fog blows in, the wind is heavy and cold, and the humidity makes it bite right through even moderate clothing. This is most apparent along the north coast of SF, IE Fisherman’s wharf area. Has anyone mentioned Lombard St? The crookedest street in the world. The San Francisco Symphony. The Exploratorium. Academy of Sciences. A Giants game. A 49ers game. In addition to Chinatown there’s Japantown. San Francisco Zoo. A sailboat on the bay.

Possible side trips to Muir Redwoods or Big Basin Redwoods. The wine country and the hot springs and mud baths in Calistoga. Yosemite would be a hell of a long day, or 2 days. South Lake Tahoe would be a nice 2 day trip. If they go to Carmel, I recommend Anton & Michel for dinner. $$$$. Jack London Square and Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon. An Oakland A’s game. Moffet Airfield and NASA Ames.

Send them out here on BART and I can take them up Mt. Diablo. Lovely views up there, 4000 feet and no nearby mountains. They say you can see Half Dome and Mt Shasta from the top on a clear day. I think you’d need a telescope.

Randall Gross Fri, May 17, 2013 1:43:57am

So I’m seconding a lot of things: Exploratorium, Palace of fine Arts, the Marina district also has a lot of boutique shopping and bars, Ships to see, Maritime museum.

Golden Gate park has the DeYoung Museum, Japanese Tea Garden, and an Arboretum. Embarcadero center has a ton of shops in it if I recall correctly and you can catch a cable car near there as well as some fine views of the bay.

Buildings with bars / restaurants with views : BofA building, Top of the Mark, St Francis Hotel - if you ride up for a drink or just to read the menu you can get some pictures from up top. Tell them to take a ride up to the top of Twin peaks if they have a car or are willing to get a cab, great panoramic view of the entire bay.

A Mom Anon Fri, May 17, 2013 2:56:40am

I was going to recommend Muir Woods, but someone mentioned it already. I love San Francisco, it’s a cool city. I was there briefly in 2008 as the starting and stopping point of our family trip to see the Coastal Redwoods in northern CA. I want to go back. There’s so many wonderful restaurants and cultural things to do there that your parents should be able to find plenty to do no matter their interests. I think there’s a WWII museum dedicated to Rosie the Riveter somewhere in the area too.

Joanne Fri, May 17, 2013 7:07:09am

Go to Fisherman’s Wharf, eat at (used to be…not sure if it is still that restaurant) Neptune’s Cove and ask for an upper floor, window table. Watch the sea lions play on the next pier while having a totally delish meal! (Try Cioppino [see-ah-peen-yo - at any decent restaurant], which is a tomato-based fisherman’s stew similar to bouillabaisse. It’s amazing!)

Cross the Golden Gate bridge and drive around the glorious area on the other side. There’s the armory just across the bridge. Drive further to Muir Woods and Muir Beach. Walk through the woods and marvel at its majesty.

Hit the Japanese Gardens and spend a couple hours enjoying the tranquility. There are several, actually, one in Chinatown, another at Golden Gate park, and another in a neighborhood up on a hill. I went to the one in Chinatown and the one on the hill (whose name is completely escaping me). Both were lovely.

Traverse Lombard Street.

Use Yelp. I used to travel about 80% of my life and Yelp is the travelers best friend for checking good restaurants and things to do.

LWNJ Fri, May 17, 2013 8:07:45am

Lombard street is another item it’s better to see from a distance — you don’t want to drive it. Really.

I can second the Musee Mechanique — and OMG, I forgot the USS Pampanito and the O’Brien (Liberty Ship) parked behind it. They are both way cool, and once, an actual WWII sub veteran was there to talk about his experiences. WWII veterans won’t be with us much longer, so I treasure that moment.

While we’re going nautical, the Hyde Street Pier has a collection of old ships (especially the Balclutha), the Maritime museum is across the street, and the murals in the old bathhouse building are not to be missed. They have guided tours, too, that allow you to go upstairs (depending on what stage of the restoration they’re working on).

LWNJ Fri, May 17, 2013 8:10:52am

One more omission:

WORLD FAMOUS SEA LIONS! (at Pier 39)

Skip Intro Fri, May 17, 2013 8:50:33am

One last thing. Stay far, far away from Oakland.

“Oakland Has More Robberies Than Any City In America”

huffingtonpost.com

lawhawk Fri, May 17, 2013 8:55:06am

Been out to SF a few times now, and these stand out:

The Presidio
Golden Gate Bridge
SF/Oakland Bay Bridge at night - light show is spectacular and viewable from the Embarcadero.
Golden Gate Park
Berkeley (UC Berekely is worth the trip, but the surrounding community has plenty to offer and there are a couple of areas that are great for shopping and views)
Imaginarium
SF Giants game
Muir Woods
Point Reyes
49 Mile Drive
Pier 39 and Fishermans’ Wharf (current construction notwithstanding).
Alcatraz
Sausalito
San Jose
Santa Cruz
The Cable Car Museum

For a slightly longer drive, pop down to Monterrey (didn’t go on most recent trip, but will have to make time for that next time out).

LWNJ Fri, May 17, 2013 10:23:21am

re: #29 Skip Intro

One last thing. Stay far, far away from Oakland.

“Oakland Has More Robberies Than Any City In America”

huffingtonpost.com

As in other cities, the high crime rates are limited to certain areas — and they’re places tourists are unlikely to find themselves. The “good” areas (please excuse the adjective!) are as safe as anywhere else.

For that matter, there are parts of SF that I’d never walk through. They’re also areas that DF’s parents will never see.

LWNJ Fri, May 17, 2013 10:24:21am

re: #30 lawhawk

Been out to SF a few times now, and these stand out:

The Presidio
Golden Gate Bridge
SF/Oakland Bay Bridge at night - light show is spectacular and viewable from the Embarcadero.
Golden Gate Park
Berkeley (UC Berekely is worth the trip, but the surrounding community has plenty to offer and there are a couple of areas that are great for shopping and views)
Imaginarium
SF Giants game
Muir Woods
Point Reyes
49 Mile Drive
Pier 39 and Fishermans’ Wharf (current construction notwithstanding).
Alcatraz
Sausalito
San Jose
Santa Cruz
The Cable Car Museum

For a slightly longer drive, pop down to Monterrey (didn’t go on most recent trip, but will have to make time for that next time out).

That should fill out their month in SF very nicely. :)

Dark_Falcon Fri, May 17, 2013 6:31:43pm

Thanks again to all who have contributed. My dad has checked this page. So far, only Muir Woods is confirmed, but there will be other things from here added on.

Origuy Fri, May 17, 2013 9:46:49pm

The Oakland Museum does a very good job of covering California history and art. It’s near Lake Merritt, which is a beautiful area with parkland around the lake. The Lawrence Hall of Science is on the east side of Oakland, in the hills (which have some beautiful scenery.)

The Rosie the Riveter World War II National Park is north of Oakland, in Richmond. I’ve never been there.

Dancing along the light of day Sat, May 18, 2013 6:03:22pm

re: #34 Origuy

It’s not very interesting. Just a building with some pictures in it. No ships or anything like that.

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