Tour of San Francisco

[Travelsammy]

We have a day in San Francisco and I wanted to see if you could recommend a good way of seeing the whole city? My cousin recommended Dylan's Tours? Has anyone ever taken them before? I was also told to get some clam chowder, can anyone recommend a good place? This is my first post, not sure if this is how it works. Thanks

[shepp]

We have a day in San Francisco and I wanted to see if you could recommend a good way of seeing the whole city? My cousin recommended Dylan's Tours? Has anyone ever taken them before? I was also told to get some clam chowder, can anyone recommend a good place? This is my first post, not sure if this is how it works. Thanks

 

You should go over to the port board. (Which is where this thread will be moved, anyway.) But it would sure help if you give people some idea of what you're interested in. "The whole city?" The Bridge, the art and science museums, the Presidio, the Mission and its murals, Fisherman's Wharf and its tat, the Haight and its hippie holdovers, the Castro and its LGBT history, Chinatown and its restaurants, Union Square and its stores...you could spend days here and just skim the surface.

 

Or you could do what most tourists do and head for Pier 39 and take a cruise to Alcatraz, then head for Lombard Street and cap it off with a trip to the Painted Ladies. You'd be almost guaranteed to run into very few locals, but you could check off the first-timer's clichés.

 

By the way, eating clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl also guarantees you won't run into locals. The City has amazing restaurants, but Boudin Bakery simply isn't one of them. Hey, why not head for the Ferry Building, not far from the pier, and shop the artisinal stalls at the Farmer's Market or eat Vietnamese food at The Slanted Door, one of the City's most celebrated restaurants?

 

But, you know, that's just my opinion and I'm not a native - I've only lived here for 45 years.

Edited December 2, 2014 by shepp

[RNGALNG]

There are double decker buses that have various routes to choose from that would be a good bet. They are located in the wharf area. The one my dd and I took had a guide onboard that talked about things as we drove by. There were a few stops where you could play the 'hop on-hop off' game as well. We were there for a week long visit and bought a ticket that was good for 24 hours. Saw it all by light of day and then again by dark of night. Was fun both times. There are plenty of other bus tours available there as well.

 

San Francisco is a large city. It would be best to check out some local guide books from your library to see what areas of the city would interest you.

 

Cabs are hard to come by. But public transportation is plentiful. There are buses, trains, and subways. So, it is best to know where you want to go.

 

You can buy one day passes online too. It will let you ride the cable cars, buses, and F train. To get on BART, it will cost more.

 

On our visit, I even rented a car down by the wharf for the rest of our trip, not having to go back to the airport to find one. So, that is another possibility.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

We have a day in San Francisco and I wanted to see if you could recommend a good way of seeing the whole city? My cousin recommended Dylan's Tours? Has anyone ever taken them before? I was also told to get some clam chowder, can anyone recommend a good place? This is my first post, not sure if this is how it works. Thanks

 

I am a Bay Area native, although I live in SoCal now. SF can be very slow when it comes to disembarkation if you have to clear immigration there first, making your day there even shorter. If I had just one day in "The City", I would take a bus tour. I have never used Dylan's, but have heard good things about them. The hop-on-hop-off buses another poster mentioned are good, IMO, if time is no real concern--sometimes the bus you want to hop-on is full, then you have to wait for another. I would do a reserved-seat bus tour instead with just one day in SF to get a good overview of the city.

 

As far as clam chowder goes, Fisherman's Wharf has a number of places that serve it. IMO, steamed crab with sourdough bread is more of a classic SF thing than chowder, but you will find both on the wharf. They are served to-go in sidewalk venues such as Sabella's (I would recommend, but haven't been there for awhile), or in sit-down restaurants there as well. Pier 39 has places that serve seafood also, although the wharf has more tradition. Pier 39 was built maybe 30-40 years ago primarily for tourists; Fisherman's Wharf has been there far longer and has more history.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited December 2, 2014 by Ryndam2002
spelling

[SheriffJoe]

You should go over to the port board. (Which is where this thread will be moved, anyway.) But it would sure help if you give people some idea of what you're interested in. "The whole city?" The Bridge, the art and science museums, the Presidio, the Mission and its murals, Fisherman's Wharf and its tat, the Haight and its hippie holdovers, the Castro and its LGBT history, Chinatown and its restaurants, Union Square and its stores...you could spend days here and just skim the surface.

 

Or you could do what most tourists do and head for Pier 39 and take a cruise to Alcatraz, then head for Lombard Street and cap it off with a trip to the Painted Ladies. You'd be almost guaranteed to run into very few locals, but you could check off the first-timer's clichés.

 

By the way, eating clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl also guarantees you won't run into locals. The City has amazing restaurants, but Boudin Bakery simply isn't one of them. Hey, why not head for the Ferry Building, not far from the pier, and shop the artisinal stalls at the Farmer's Market or eat Vietnamese food at The Slanted Door, one of the City's most celebrated restaurants?

 

But, you know, that's just my opinion and I'm not a native - I've only lived here for 45 years.

 

Sometimes not running into locals is better anyway! Enjoy your chowder at the wharf, its pretty darn tasty and regardless of what Shepp says MANY locals enjoy this San Francisco treat! Oh and BTW Boudin Bakery has been in SFO for dozens more years than 45 so I would call it a great San Francisco institution and great bread as well!

[shredie]

Oh and BTW Boudin Bakery has been in SFO for dozens more years than 45 so I would call it a great San Francisco institution and great bread as well!

 

It smells up the wharf anyway. ;) (I am not a fan of sourdough.) I was going to suggest the hop-on hop-off bus for going full-on tourist. You'll see the major touristy stuff if that's what you want to do. Something new is the Exploratorium on Pier 15 (well, it's a new location) and although it's for kids, it's fascinating for adults, too. I had to drag both my grandsons AND Grandpa out of the place when it was closing. We always visit the major art museums, and my favorite place is the zoo. Shepp knows where to get good mac and cheese, but he's promised not to tell anyone but me. ;) Go be a tourist! It's a great city for it.

[Hobbsey]

If you are looking for some exercise don't miss a walk up the filbert steps to Coit Tower - or - get a ride to the tower and walk back down. It is very close to the Pier and to the Ferry Terminal and you'll get a glimpse of the flock of parrots.

 

I also recommend lunch at Fog City Diner.

 

If you decide on China Town I highly recommend Hunan Homes Restaurant on Jackson St.

[lolane1]

If you are looking for some exercise don't miss a walk up the filbert steps to Coit Tower - or - get a ride to the tower and walk back down. It is very close to the Pier and to the Ferry Terminal and you'll get a glimpse of the flock of parrots.

 

I also recommend lunch at Fog City Diner.

 

If you decide on China Town I highly recommend Hunan Homes Restaurant on Jackson St.

 

Thanks for reminding me of the parrots. I saw the documentary "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" many years ago but never made it to the area the last time I was in San Francisco. On my list now for my spring cruise. :-)

[cruzsnooze]

S.F. is a small city not a big one as someone stated. If you take the hop on/off double decker it will take you through the whole city in 2 hours. You can transfer at no extra charge to a second hop on/off trolley at the Golden gate bridge and cross that too. It's a great way to see an over view of the city and decide if you want to go back to someplace for a more in depth look. Clam chowder on the pier is easy, many places to choose from.

[shredie]

S.F. is a small city not a big one as someone stated. ... Clam chowder on the pier is easy, many places to choose from.

 

I guess "big" to some is different. Walk a couple of hours in San Francisco and it definitely does not feel small. :) Yes, the chowder is everywhere. DH used to be a fan of Alioto's, but it's gone downhill, IMO. There are street vendors selling all kinds of seafood.

[JimmyVWine]

You can build a do-it-yourself tour that combines walking and an all-day Cable Car passport. Yes, the Cable Cars (CC) are "touristy", but hey!, you're a tourist!. And they get you down to street level which is nice. For example, you might...

 

• Walk up Bay Street to Taylor Street and board the Powell-Mason CC there.
  
• Take that a few blocks and get off at Lombard Street.
  
• Walk up Lombard a few blocks and get your obligatory "Crooked Street" photos.
  
• Walk back down to Taylor and re-board a CC.
  
• Take the CC to California Street. Maybe get off and stretch your legs and have a cocktail at the Fairmont Hotel.
  
• Hop back on the CC and continue down Powell to Union Square.
  
• Have lunch at Michael Mina's in the Westin St. Francis.
  
• Hop back on the CC, going back the way you came to California Street.
  
• Change there to a California Street CC and head down the hill all the way to the Embarcadero.
  
• Walk over to the Ferry Building and check out the artisinal shops. And if you didn't eat at Michael Mina's, by all means, eat at the Slanted Door. (Or do both!!).
  
• Take a cab from there to Coit Tower.
  
• After touring Coit Tower, walk (about .75 miles) to Fisherman's Wharf if you feel that you must.
  
• From there, it is a short walk to Pier 39 if you feel like you need the full tourist immersive experience, and then to the ship.
  

[Kingofcool1947]

We have a day in San Francisco and I wanted to see if you could recommend a good way of seeing the whole city? My cousin recommended Dylan's Tours? Has anyone ever taken them before? I was also told to get some clam chowder, can anyone recommend a good place? This is my first post, not sure if this is how it works. Thanks

 

 

As a native San Franciscan for 60 years, for a tourist, a few hours in port doesn't do San Francisco justice. It's 49 square miles in area, and there many interesting areas. Everyone has their favorites sights and "to do" list. Best advice is to do some homework and narrow down the specific areas that interests you. I suppose that's the disadvantage of cruising, there is not enough time to really see and experience a great city like San Francisco.

 

For a quick overview of San Francisco, suggest you do the double decker off and on bus. At least you will get to see the major tourist highlights. Tickets sold at the cruise port. Inexpensive and narrated.

 

Good luck and enjoy your brief visit to San Francisco.

Edited December 2, 2014 by Kingofcool1947

[SoCal Cruiser78]

...Walk a couple of hours in San Francisco and it definitely does not feel small. :)...

 

Especially if you are not excellent shape, due to its many steep hills. Be sure to keep this in mind before signing up for a walking tour. The Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf areas are relatively flat, but many other tourist areas (Lombard Street, Coit Tower, Nob Hill) are definitely not.

[bdjam]

Shepp is right - it really depends on what you want to do and what you're interested in. San Francisco has an excellent tourist website - I would Google that up and read up on what's available. You will find that the diversity of things to do is huge.

 

That being said, if you're looking for an overview of the city, a tour is the best way to go. I would stay away from the public transit - unless you want to do a good deal of planning - as you might miss something that you wanted to see that way...and if you do a shorter tour and see something that you want to come back for, you can always do that.

 

If you do decide to use public transit (including Cable Cars) look for the one day pass that gets you on any Muni transit. Easy on and off without having to buy lots of tickets.

 

Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 are very touristy and while you can get a good bowl of chowder or crab, the price is set for tourists. The less traveled places will get you the same or better quality at a more reasonable price. Of course, you can't get the bay view everywhere...so that may be the trade off.

 

But again, I think in a city like San Francisco where there's a plethora of things to do, research before you arrive is the best thing.

Edited December 2, 2014 by bdjam

[newport dave]

We're from the UK and spent a few days in SF a few years ago, and used Dylan's Tours for the day. Can definitely recommend them, one of the best city tours we've ever done.

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[Travelsammy]

I just want to thank everyone who replied back. I just booked through Dylan's Tours website and I plan on stopping off for some yummy clam chowder at Boudin's.

 

Thanks

[Travelsammy]

Hi Shep,

 

Thanks for your input, the reason why we chose Dylan's Tours is because they do take us "off the beaten path" in smaller groups, and they also go to Muir Woods, which was on my list. I figured I needed something "totally" San Francisco, and clam chowder in a bread bowl sounded pretty good. Thanks for your post.

 

 

You should go over to the port board. (Which is where this thread will be moved, anyway.) But it would sure help if you give people some idea of what you're interested in. "The whole city?" The Bridge, the art and science museums, the Presidio, the Mission and its murals, Fisherman's Wharf and its tat, the Haight and its hippie holdovers, the Castro and its LGBT history, Chinatown and its restaurants, Union Square and its stores...you could spend days here and just skim the surface.

 

Or you could do what most tourists do and head for Pier 39 and take a cruise to Alcatraz, then head for Lombard Street and cap it off with a trip to the Painted Ladies. You'd be almost guaranteed to run into very few locals, but you could check off the first-timer's clichés.

 

By the way, eating clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl also guarantees you won't run into locals. The City has amazing restaurants, but Boudin Bakery simply isn't one of them. Hey, why not head for the Ferry Building, not far from the pier, and shop the artisinal stalls at the Farmer's Market or eat Vietnamese food at The Slanted Door, one of the City's most celebrated restaurants?

 

But, you know, that's just my opinion and I'm not a native - I've only lived here for 45 years.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I just want to thank everyone who replied back. I just booked through Dylan's Tours website and I plan on stopping off for some yummy clam chowder at Boudin's.

 

Thanks

 

Sounds like a great plan. Boudin's sourdough bread is one of the best, IMO, and I am a native. So enjoy!

[USNUZULOOSE]

I just want to thank everyone who replied back. I just booked through Dylan's Tours website and I plan on stopping off for some yummy clam chowder at Boudin's.

 

Thanks

 

Boudins also sells the clam chowder in the can so you could buy a few cans to take home with you.

[etluv2cruise]

San Francisco’s cable cars are symbolic of the charm and distinct flavor of the city. In no other place can you ride a moving national historic monument.

 

Two cable car lines serve the Fisherman’s Wharf area: Powell-Mason line on Taylor and Bay Streets (middle of Fisherman's Wharf area, a few blocks from Pier 45 at Taylor and Bay Street); and the Powell-Hyde line on Hyde and Beach Streets (Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square). Both lines run between Fisherman's Wharf and Powell and Market Streets in Union Square (downtown San Francisco).

[timetravler]

I'm also a native of the Bay area. My favorite places to go is the Ferry building. I absolutely LOVE Cow Girl creamery which makes a fantastic soft cheese. You will find a booth for them at the ferry building. Also they have a caviar place in the ferry building that is to die for. Many places to eat and shop and not as touristy as pier 39. Now if you can make it to Muir woods, that is a very special place. The Redwood trees are not the biggest, but probably the most beautiful grove of them that I have seen. You can do a short 30 minute walk or walk for many hours there. It's your choice. Wheelchairs and scooters are fine there too. One more tip. The BEST burrito is at La Taqueria on Mission St. It is about a 15 minute drive from pier 27 but truly is the best and I have had many burrito's in my life. If you can get there and love burrito's, then do so. Enjoy the city(the name" the city" is what locals call it):D

[Kingofcool1947]

San Francisco’s cable cars are symbolic of the charm and distinct flavor of the city. In no other place can you ride a moving national historic monument.

 

Two cable car lines serve the Fisherman’s Wharf area: Powell-Mason line on Taylor and Bay Streets (middle of Fisherman's Wharf area, a few blocks from Pier 45 at Taylor and Bay Street); and the Powell-Hyde line on Hyde and Beach Streets (Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square). Both lines run between Fisherman's Wharf and Powell and Market Streets in Union Square (downtown San Francisco).

 

Actually there are three cable car lines:

 

The three cable lines are:

 

Powell-Hyde

Powell-Mason

California-Van Ness

 

The California St. cable car takes you from its terminus @ the Hyatt Regency Hotel (Market St./California St.). to end @ Van Ness Avenue. The California-Van Ness cable car makes notable stops :

 

through the downtown Financial District. (Tadish Grill is a local favorite).

stops at Grant Avenue (Chinatown. Try Dim Sum for breakfast/lunch@City View) then to North Beach (Italian area. Try the Dungeness crab cioppino ) walk up to Coit Tower.

stops at Nob Hill (Fairmont Hotel/Stanford Court Hotel/Mark Hopkins Hotel) and Grace Episcopal Cathedral of San Francisco.

Stops at Hyde Street where you can walk to the crookedest street (about 30 minute walk).

Stops at Polk Street (Swans Oyster Depot @i1517 Polk St. serving fresh seafood). It's a favorite of locals. Tourist welcome.:)

Cable car ends at Van Ness Avenue. You can either walk or take bus. (30 minutes walk) to Fishermans Wharf, Fort Point National Historic Site, Chrissy Field and Golden Gate Bridge. Then walk or take bus/taxi back to the cruise port near Pier 39.

For first timer tourists to San Francisco, I recommend taking the Powell-Hyde. Have an Irish Coffee @ the Buena Vista Cafe across the street from the cable car on Hyde St. All things chocolate at Ghiradelli Square.

 

Many options to consider. Have good walking shoes.

 

Enjoy, Feel free to ask for more info. I am a native San Franciscan for 60 years and know my city fairly well. Own a home here :)

 

King

Edited December 3, 2014 by Kingofcool1947

[JimmyVWine]

I'm also a native of the Bay area. My favorite places to go is the Ferry building. I absolutely LOVE Cow Girl creamery which makes a fantastic soft cheese. You will find a booth for them at the ferry building. Also they have a caviar place in the ferry building that is to die for. Many places to eat and shop and not as touristy as pier 39.

 

Cow Girl Creamery and Hog Island Oysters = [emoji4]