Any suggestions on what to do in Berkeley/San Francisco?

[Mollis]

Cross-post from California forum.

My bf and I are going there for spring break and staying with his family. We are going to be there for 5 days...but we don't know a whole lot of things to do.
Anyone have any suggestions on places to go or things to do? We have down some museums, but that's all we really have.
Also, any suggestions for restaurants would be great.

Thanks in advance :)

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. there's a great restaurant right there

Olive Garden, I think it was called

[CreekDog]

6. yes, at Stonestown Galleria

:think: :rofl:

[Dramarama]

7. The Chevys is next to it as well. Authentic stuff guise

[XemaSab]

20. The ORIGINAL Chevy's is in Emeryville

Going to the Alameda Chevy's was a birthday treat for many years. :)

[Gormy Cuss]

15. Dude, tourists can't find Stonestown with a map.

Let's schedule the next DU meetup there.
:rofl:


For the OP: if you like walking/hiking, go up to Tilden Park or the Huckleberry Preserve in the Berkeley Hills.

On the city side, Land's End and Baker Beach are nice, as are the Marin Headleads.

This is a great time of year to go to Point Reyes and see some elephant seals (the big males are gone but there are plenty of pups and adolescents around.)Point Reyes has the earthquake trail and places where you can see elk herds, plus miles of beaches (Drake's and Limantour are both worth the drive.) The town of Pt. Reyes Station is a good car/human refueling stop.

Restaurant recommendation in Berkeley: Cha-Am Thai in the Gourmet Ghetto area. Reliable good food, many small rooms for dining.

[petronius]

18. Cha-am - that's the name I was trying to remember (I second that rec)

Also, Zachary's for pizza is a must-hit on my trips up there.

Also, Angel Island is worth a visit (the west coast Ellis Island)...

[XemaSab]

16. There's an Olive Garden in Redding

There's nothing quite like hometown cooking. :D

[KitchenWitch]

2. I hear the Olive Garden is great!

:P

Maybe a day trip to Yosemite!

[petronius]

5. Or even Vegas!

When I'm stuck in SF, I like to hit the McDonald's down by Fisherman's Wharf, then browse the cool souvenir shops... ;)

[Jamastiene]

3. See punk bands and get wasted.

That's what I'd do. :evilgrin:

[SeattleGirl]

4. If the weather is decent (i.e. not pouring down rain) rent bikes

and ride to and over the Golden Gate Bridge (that is, if you are physically able). There are several places down by Fisherman's Wharf where you can rent them, and the ride across the bridge is fabulous. We thought it would be extremely windy, but we only felt the wind on the bridge when we stopped. When we were riding, we only felt the normal breeze one would feel when riding a bike.

Another suggestion I would have is to take the ferry out to Alcatraz. I know it's a big tourist attraction, but it is really something to go out there. I've been there during the day, and have also taken the night tour. On the night tour, you get to pick an area of the prison that is off limits during the daytime tours. I chose the hospital, and it was fascinating, especially seeing some of the old equipment and stuff. And you'll learn things about some of the more infamous people who were there (like the Birdman of Alcatraz) that you may not have known.

Have a great time!

[Mollis]

25. We are going to get night tour tickets

It looks really fun. :D

[SeattleGirl]

27. Cool!

I think you'll like it.

And definitely get the guided tour tape. Has lots of info, and if you want to linger in a certain area, you can just stop the tape until you're ready to move on.

[siligut]

40. Get tickets to Alcatraz as soon as you can.

They sell out! http://www.sftravel.com/alcatraz_tickets.htm

[Dramarama]

8. Beware

those are two conservative cities:D

[CreekDog]

9. Ride a cable car, they are fun, but do it in the evening around 7-9

because you won't wait in line for hours.

also go to the Golden Gate Bridge, if you're not up for a lot of walking, just walk out onto it, if you are, walk across it.

then drive across the Golden Gate Bridge and go to Point Bonita, the best view of the bridge available.

keep going 10 more miles and visit Muir Woods. fun also.

go to Coit Tower in SF.

visit UC Berkeley

visit Golden Gate Park and pick a museum, aquarium, Japanese Tea Garden or Arboretum.

[KamaAina]

12. Also the California Street car is WAY less crowded than the ones going to the Wharf

you catch it down by Embarcadero Center.

Of course, it doesn't go to the Wharf, just to a fairly typical neighborhood at California and Van Ness.

Also there are historic streetcars from various cities running along Market, then out to (yes) the Wharf.

(sniff) I miss SF...

[davsand]

10. If you can, go to the park across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Go out across the bridge and up into the headlands. There is a place up there that you can sit and look back at the bridge and San Fran all in one vista. It is simply amazing, and since visiting there I have seen that view used in any number of movies.

I'm serious, I would be bummed not to have seen it.

I would also suggest going for tea in Golden Gate Park. (I know it sounds cliche but I really enjoyed it when we did it.) It isn't terribly expensive, either.

Be sure you ride a streetcar and go see Chinatown. Those are both things that really are San Francisco.


Have fun!



Laura

[Gormy Cuss]

17. That vista is up on Conzelman Road.

Definitely worth it. We bring all of our guests up there. And tea in the Japanese Garden is fun. :hi:

[Mollis]

22. We will definently be going to the park.

And the tea garden and Science Museum that are there. Last time I was there the museum wasn't open yet, and I'm really excited to go see it.

[Arugula Latte]

33. I was just in the Academy of Sciences museum last week.

It will be crowded, but if you go mid-week it should be manageable. If you have AAA, you can get a discount on tickets. The planetarium show is amazing, and the rain forest display has some incredible critters within. They've done a good job with the aquarium, too. My daughter's favorite thing, though, was Clyde the albino crocodile (or maybe he's a gator ... ?).

[Mollis]

34. I think we are going on a Wednesday

so hopefully it won't be too crowded. And my bfs family can get us a discount, I think. I just wish I could do that Tactile Dome...looks really cool.
The last time I was down there the museum had just opened, so we didn't go because it was way way crowded. I'm excited to go this time.
And did you walk on the roof? I heard you could...looks really cool :D

[Arugula Latte]

37. Yep -- Went out on the roof.

There's sort of a patio area at the top, so you're not really walking on the paths around the roof. The planetarium show has a neat view where they pull up out of the museum and hover over it before going further out into space.

[FloridaJudy]

45. Don't miss the new DeYoung Museum

Take the elevator to the top: the panorama of the Bay Area is breathtaking!

Then relax and enjoy the art.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. go knock on the door of 710 Asbury Street

and ask if Jerry or Janice are home... I am sure that never happens.

[Dramarama]

13. Sign says

"Please Do Not Disturb Occupants. Go down to to 1855 Haight st if you Want Jerry!"

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

14. does it now?

that's great

[XemaSab]

19. Two things you CANNOT do in Redding:

Ethiopian food on Telegraph down near Ashby, and Zachary's Pizza. The deep dish spinach pie at Zack's is worth the trip alone.

LOIS THE PIE QUEEN in EMERYVILLE!!!! Breakfast was NEVER so good! Soul food! My life grits were had there!

Also, Little Shin Shin on Piedmont Ave in Oakland.

Walk around the UC Berkeley Campus. The libraries are beautiful.

Spenger's Fish Grotto in Berkeley.

You MUST go to Chinatown in San Francisco. Chinatown is tah epic.

Grand Avenue and Lakeshore in Oakland.

Telegraph Avenue in general can be pretty entertaining.

I grew up there, and there's LOTS of stuff to do.

Why do I not still live in the east bay? :cry:

EDIT: DA NANG ON SAN PABLO IN ALBANY. You must go. Damn.

[Mollis]

21. His family lives very close to Telegraph

so we will be spending time there, for sure :D
As well as a billion other places in our 5 days. lol

[XemaSab]

23. You will be happy there

:)

[mix]

24. Chez Panisse

http://www.chezpanisse.com/

[Lethe]

26. hit the Olive Garden

they have great low lunch specials

[old mark]

28. I lived in Berkeley in the mid '70's. Best thing I ever did

was leave.


mark

[Kickin_Donkey]

29. If you don't know Berkeley well ...

all you have to do is hang out on Telegraph Avenue and side streets. That's entertainment in itself.

Then hang out at Sproul Plaza on campus. Sproul Plaza is essentially the base of Telegraph Avenue in front of the UC administration building (Sproul Hall). There's stairs that lead up to the building and benches all around. Hopefully, school will be in session and there'll be tons of students out and about. Again, that's entertainment in itself. Sproul Plaza is where all the demonstrations and rallies take place: Free Speech Movement, anti-war, anti-apartheid (in my day), the celebration after Obama won.

As for S.F., if you don't know it well, just do the easy, obvious things first:
–– Walk from Union Square to Chinatown.
-- Check out all the cafes in North Beach (old Italian neighborhood centered on Columbus Avenue and Broadway) in the evening -- it's rocking with young people hanging out.
-- The Haight-Ashbury at the intersection of Haight and Ashbury streets. It's gentrified now, but still fun to poke around.
-- Go to the de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. The Japanese Tea Garden is adjacent. Then just hang in the park if it's a sunny day.
-- The S.F. Museum of Modern Art is cool (SFMOMA).

That's a good start. As you get to know the City better, you can check out places like the Mission, the Marina, the waterfront, Telegraph Hill and the little hidden gems all round.

Same with Berkeley. Once you get a fix on Telegraph and campus, you can venture to other neighborhoods: downtown, College Avenue (Elmwood), North Shattuck, Fourth Street, Solano Avenue. Take a ride in the hills up Spruce Street to Grizzly Peak.

[Mollis]

30. We will be staying right by Telegraph

and that's the first place we are going to go. :D We will probably walk around all day the first day.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

41. The Pork Store for breakfast

You have to hit this place. It's phenomenal, but I've only had breakfasts there - lots and lots of breakfasts.

1451 Haight Street, between Masonic and Ashbury.

You'll have to stand in line, but, honestly, it's worth it.

Pork chops and grits and eggs for breakfast. And everything so fresh, you just ache with happiness. Especially after a big night out ..............

[Arugula Latte]

31. On the Cal campus, definitely go up to the top of the Campanile (bell tower)

Assuming it's a clear day, you'll get a 360 degree view of the campus, Berkeley, Berkeley Hills, the Bay, San Francisco, the Bay and Golden Gate Bridges, and Marin county (with Mt. Tamalpais to your right as you're looking due west). It's awesome. Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills above campus also offers stunning views (and smells of eucalyptus).

A good campus hang-out is Cafe Strada, at the top of Bancroft, which runs along the South side of campus. (It's not far from International House, which also has a cafe.) It's a nice indoo-outdoor type of place to pass some time people watching.

In San Francisco, I like The Slanted Door restaurant (amazing Asian cuisine) in the Ferry Building (which has been turned into Foodie Paradise). It has a nice view of the Bay Bridge, too.

If you have time, zip up to Muir Woods in Marin to see some incredible redwoods.

[Bennyboy]

32. The hat Store on Telegraph Ave is awesome!

Not on the Hippie dippy part of telegraph but south of there. The most incredible hats ever. telegraph is okay (the hippie dippy part). Best round noon, not before.

Chez Pannise is great. Try the downstairs if you are not into formal dining.

BART, if you go to SF, take BART. Parking is impossible in SF. and EXPENSIVE AS HELL. BART takes you anywhere you need to go.
(Might have to take transit to get to the haight or the park).

I like the Lower Haight. Tornado has about a billion beers and two of my faves restaurants are there, Rosamunde (sausages,,,incredible sausages) and Memphis Minnies (BBQ!!!)all in one block. Upper Haight has some good places, the Pork Store is great for breakfast, lots of headshops,hippies, punks, bikers, skinheads and other freaksy people all over. Amoeba records is a must visit.

BART from the Montgomery Street station gets you to, the Shopping Center (macy,s Neimans, Saks, the mall, the best ROSS EVER!. Union Square is within walking distance. Riding the elevators is fun in Union square. The Drake has a good one, the Fairmont has a good one and some others. great for photos! Lefty Odouls has nice history and one of the coolest piano bars in the world.

You can take the cabel cars from here to Chinatown and to North Beach (and the Wharf but really why go there?)DO NOT EAT AT THE STINKING ROSE. It will look nice and some people rave on it, but there are much better places that this in NB. I like Steps Of Rome, or North Beach Restaurant (for old school).


For more reccos go to www.chowhound.com and go on the SF board.

In North Beach there is a ton of history. Vesuvio is the bar that seems to be ground zero for the beat (and later hippie) movement. The Beat Museum is in North Beach. City Lights, bookstore is there on the corner of Broadway and Columbus. It is where Alan Ginsburg was arrested for "Howl". nice walking area and very very very hard to park.

Chi9natown is great too, Again, very hard to park. Maqyflower is among the better places, but for sure weirdness try Sammy Woo's. It is on Washinton St, 2 blocks from teh Cable Cars, downhill. Yellow signa and when you look in the window, you will see the kitchen, and that is where you enter. Long time SF institution. BYOB TOO! Sammy is gone now (he was hilarious)but the place is still fun. Restaurant is on second floor and the food comes by dumbwaiter.


The Ferry building (embrcadero)is a great place to visit. Some great restaurants and food shops. Organic food shops, farmers market, fresh fish, caviar, wine shops, all kinds of stuff. further West is Pier 29 and the Wharf. I have found that SCOMA's is the best place there, but really, I hardly ever visit the area. Some sea lions at Pier 29.

The view from twin peaks is amazing. This is a hard place to get to with the bus or transit however. But incredible views.

The Beach Chalet on Ocean beach is a great place to have a beer (fair beers) and watch the sunset.

The zoo is great if you don't hassle the tigers. big city Zoo. Nice.

Find out who is playing the Fillmore. Go see a show. The poster and other memorabilia is worth the price of admission itself. The Willie Nelson portrait is one of the coolest things I have ever seen.

[Steerpike]

35. OK

Go to beserkley and have a beer at one of the microbreweries near UB and put salt in the beer. Then kick the owner's ass when he tries to say something...

Then go to San Fran and go to a chinese restaurant and order sea cucumber in a clay pot. And crispy duck...

repeat as necessary!

[tigereye]

36. best thing we did last time we went was to ride the catamaran in the bay!

you can get it near Fisherman's Wharf, I think. Gorgeous if you like sailing. (the ferries and excursion trips are also nice)

Coit Tower

Beatnik Tour (brochures in the visitor center near Union Square) The Beat Museum is a waste IMHO, but take the Beat tour if you can. Also go to City Lights Books and have a drink at Vesuvio right across the alley, where Kerouac, et al used to drink and get thrown out, too.


Ride the cable cars - esp. at night, but ride all kinds of transportation to really get a good feel for the city.


Asian Art Museum and Modern Art Museum. Wonderful. We got a city pass for the week we were there, and many of these things were included in the price, plus transportation was free with the coupons.


Muir Woods and Golden Gate Bridge are amazing. And if you can get a tour down Route 1, it is gorgeous, and visit the former speakeasy (I forget the name) at Half-Moon Bay, if you can. That was another highlight of a previous trip we took there.

have a great time! What an amazing city.

[Deep13]

38. Wear flowers in your hair?

:shrug:

[Critters2]

44. Great minds think alike. nt

[Dr Fate]

39. Go to Amoeba Records on Haight St.

Or go to the one in Berkeley on Telegraph...

And bring at least $100.

Probably the coolest BIG record store in the world.

[Oeditpus Rex]

42. When's spring break?

The Giants are home April 7, 8 and 9 against Milwaukee. :D



Okay, seriously — one of the coolest places in SF, to me, is Fort Point.

From its vantage point overlooking the spectacular Golden Gate, Fort Point protected San Francisco harbor from Confederate & foreign attack during & after the U.S. Civil War. Its beautifully arched casemates display the art of the master brick mason from the Civil War period.

The best part is it's almost directly beneath the south approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. You go on top of the fort, where the old cannon turrets are, and you're looking almost straight up at the bridge. It's breathtaking. And exceedingly windy.





My favorite SF restaurant: Ti Couz.

[Critters2]

43. Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

God, I'm old.

[Yavin4]

46. You Could Go To Intersection of Haight/Ashbury

The heartland of hippie culture in the 60s. Now, there's a Gap store on that corner.