San Francisco travel tips |
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Lori's Diner
There are a couple of Lori's Diners in SF. My Favorite is on Powell, right on the Cable Car line, two blocks down from Union Square, toward Market. The portions are large and the price is reasonable. Best of all, they have 2nd floor window seating right on Powell for some of the best people watching around. Breakfast is terrific but the lunch time burgers are the best. We have gone just for dessert too - old fashion hot fudge sundaes and the classic spinning glass case of pies and cakes. more
Tad's Broiled Steaks
Located just two blocks south of Union Square (toward Market). A stripped down Steakhouse with an open kitchen and formica tables - it lack ambiance but is a great value and solid food. The steaks are good but the Cheese Steak sandwiches ($8.99 with fries) are the real treat. Be forewarned, there is usually a waiting line for Breakfast, which is also a great value. Last but not least, they offer a great selection of cakes and pies for dessert! more
Villa Florence
Just a block south of Union Square on Powell, Villa Florence is a charming, recently (2006) remodeled hotel in a VERY convenient location. Cable Cars buzz up and down Powell, adding to the charm. The rooms are cosy, quiet and the service is terrific. Internet access is free in the business center. Parking is pricey ($40/night) but there are a number of garages in walking distance for about half that price. Likewise, the restaurant, Kuleto's, is good but pricey - lots of other choices close by. more
The Stinking Rose
The Stinking Rose certainly has something of an tourist trap, but I think it's worthwhile to try it even so!
The Stinking Rose is a garlic restaurant. They call their food California-Italian cuisine, whatever that means. It's much more important to know, that they serve nearly everything flavoured with garlic, even ice cream and wine. Yes, thats special; but I liked it. more
Legion of Honor
As museums go, the Legion of Honor is somewhat smallish, which makes it just the right size for an afternoon visit. The collections, housed in 16 rooms, span a 4,000 year period. They feature everything from reconstructed 16th century palace salons to a marvelous room of impressionist paints. 13th century furniture and tapestries are across the hall from two rooms of Rodin pieces. The cross section of mostly European art makes this museum perfect for kids and non-enthusiasts - each room is distinctly different. The basement floor offers exhibits focused mostly on more modern topics. Best of all, the main courtyard contains Rodin's Thinker, and the hill top locations has fantastic views of both the city skyscrapers and the Golden Gate Bridge! more
Westin St. Francis
Right on Union Square with cable car service to your door. This is the most storied Hotel in San Francisco. Ask for a room in the newer section. more
Sauce
Calling itself an "American Bar & Bistro" this restaurant excels at creative, seasonal preparations and exuberant presentations. A great place for a festive dinner before the opera or symphony. more
Chic's Seafood Restaurant
Seafood is the main attraction here, as is the incredible view -- ask for a window table. You may be able to get a discount coupon from the Pier 39 Tourist Information Center. more
Fritz!
Specializing in Belgian fries and crepes, I found this place perfect for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up in the center of Tourist San Francisco, wharf area. There's a patio with a great view of the bay, where drinking your espresso seems especially nice. more
The Franciscan Restaurant
Built in the 1950s, the Franciscan has 20 foot windows that offer views of 5 different bridges across the bay, including the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge, as well as Alcatez Island. Booth seating is arranged showroom style, giving every diner a great view. Located on Fisherman's Wharf, the seafood is spectaular! Dungeness crab chiopino, crispy crab cakes and fresh coho salmon are can't miss favorites, and the wine list, being so close to Napa Valley, is marvelous! Finish the evening off with a romantic walk along the wharf. more
Exploratorium
With all the things to see in San Francisco, a Science Museum may not seem worthy, but think about San Francisco's proximity to major science centers like Stanford, UC Berkley, Lawrence Livermore Hall of Science and UCSF's new Biotechnology Center, and you have some idea for what you are in for! Ironically, the Exploritorium is housed in the Palace of Fine Arts, an homage to Art Deco, built for the 1915 World's Fair. Located in the Marina District, close to Lombard Street (the world's crookedest street), the Palace of Fine Arts has a beautiful lagoon filled with swans - worth the trip for a walk around the grounds. The exhibits are mostly hands-on and VERY engaging. My favorite? The Tactile Dome, an ever changing excursion into total darkness where your sense of touch is your guide. Also cool are the Traits of Life area, exploring human DNA, Mind & Learning and Matter/World. Some of the exhibits may seem more aimed at children; all of them are bound to bring out the child in you. more
The Crab House
An excellent mid-priced family restaurant. Over looks the Bay. As the name suggest mostly seafood, but meals are nice and adequately sized. I tried the seafood platter, and it was very filling. more
The Fillmore Auditorium
Some of the biggest Rock musitions such as Grateful Dead,Jefferson Airplane,Janis Joplin,Jimi Hendrix,Led Zeppelin and Who performed at the Fillmore. more
The Presidio
Located at the entrance to the Golden Gate,the Presidio has been a military installation for more than 200 years.In 1776,the Presidio was fouded as a frontier station for the Spanish empire.In 1822,it became the northernmost outpost of the new Mexican republic.The Presidio is home to more than 400.000 pine and eucalyptus trees. more
Palace of Fine Arts
Former Panama-Pacific International Exhibition-1915 Year.The Palace of Fine Arts is located alongside the lagoon.San Francisco celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal and city's revival from the 1906 earthquake by staging the fair in which 29 states and 24 nations participated.Designed to look like a Roman ruin.A 1976 presidential debate between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford was held at the theater. more
Palace Hotel
The original Palace Hotel was built in 1875,with 800 rooms,it was the largest and most luxurious hotel in San Francisco.
President Warren Harding died in room 8064 of the Palace Hotel on August 2,1923.The preset Palace Hotel,now owned by Sheraton chain,dates from 1909. more
San Francisco Cable Car
San Francisco is the first and last city in the world to operate cable car.Cable Cars began operation on August 2,
1873,and immediatly made an impact on the development of the city by opening previously inaccessible hiltop areas to residential use.By 1906,some 600 cars traveled the 110-mile route.After the advent of buses and private autos,the lines were reduced to a 12-mile network,used by only 44 cars. more
Old Mint Bulding
Until 1937,the vaults at Old Mint Bulding stored one-third of nations gold reserve. more
North Beach
The North Beach heighborhood was named after a now long vanished beach that ones extended from Telegrapg Hill to Russian Hill.It was built on the landfill.It is a diverse neighborhood with a mix of cultures.A substantional influx of Italians during the 1880s gave North Beach a secondary name:"Little Italy"Asains are now the dominant ethnic group in the neighborhood. more
Pier 39
Pier 39 is San Francisco's #1 attraction with shops,restaurants,endless entertaiment and magnificent views over the Bay and Alcatraz. more
National Maritime Museum
The Museum in Aquatic Park dates from 1939.The building resembles a luxury liner with porthole windows,ship's-wheel door handles and three ties evoking decks.The museum contains ship models,books,photographs,maps,and instruments chronicling San Francisco nautical history more
Moscone Ceter
Moscone Center has 700,000 square feet of exhibition space,and concidered as the largest column-free underground convention center in the world. more
Mision Dolores Cemetery
The cemetery was a key location in the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo.Burials took place at Mission Dolores from the 1780s until the city banned them in 1901. more
Mission Dolores
Spanish settlers founded San Francisco's first mission in 1776.The building was completed in 1791 and is the oldest structure still standing in San Francisco. more
McLaren Lodge
Built in 1896,McLaren Lodge was the home of John McLaren,superintendent of Golden Gate Park from 1890 until his death in 1943. more
Marina Disrtict
Before 1915 the Marina District didn't exist at all.In 1915 the Marina District was created from landfill..635 acres of marshlend were filled in and a seawall was built along the shoreline.One of the most expencive hoods in town. more
Lincoln Park
Lincoln Park is 270 -acre open space along thr headlands of Point Lobos with breath-taking views of Golden Gate Bridge and the bay. more
Levi's Plaza
Award-winninh Levi's Plaza,the corporate headquartes of Levi Strauss and Co,was completed in 1982.It is also known as Levi Strauss University. more
Califirnia Palace Of Legion Of Honor
The Palace is a replica of French pavilion of the 1915 Panama-pacific International Exposition.Stands amid the pine and cypress trees in Lincoln Park.European art exibition. more
Angel Island
The largest island in San Francisco Bay,very scenic walking trails, picnic areas, and magnificent views over the Bay,Alcatraz,The Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. more
Alkatraz Island
The High Security Prison until 1963.Criminals such us Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly were incarcerated there. more
Alamo Square
The "postcard row" of colorfully painted Victorians,and skyscrapers in background.A must see while in San Francisco! more
Mels Drive-In
"American Food at its Best" is the slogan here: classic 50s diner, good burgers, fries, shakes more
Imperial Tea Court
Elegant, traditional Chinese tea shop and salon, exquisite teas, delicious snacks or lunch more
Legion of Honor
As museums go, the Legion of Honor is somewhat smallish, which makes it just the right size for an afternoon visit. The collections, housed in 16 rooms, span a 4,000 year period. They feature everything from reconstructed 16th century palace salons to a marvelous room of impressionist paints. 13th century furniture and tapestries are across the hall from two rooms of Rodin pieces. The cross section of mostly European art makes this museum perfect for kids and non-enthusiasts - each room is distinctly different. The basement floor offers exhibits focused mostly on more modern topics. Best of all, the main courtyard contains Rodin's Thinker, and the hill top locations has fantastic views of both the city skyscrapers and the Golden Gate Bridge! more
Thep Phanom
Exceptional Authentic Thai Cuisine.
Very cozy Thai home atmosphere,and the
taste of the food will be remembered
many weeks after!
the portions are not large,but the plates are
artfully presented.
Considered to be one of the best if not the best Thai restaurant
in the city. more
Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company
While walking around in Chinatown, I came upon this fortune cookie shop. You'll smell the sweet aroma of fortune cookies. They make the fortune cookies the "old-fashioned" way and the people are friendly. You can get a free sample and they'll let you watch. The agile fingers make a great show. Probably the only good place to fin information on it is the New York Times website. It is hard to find but it's worth it. more
The Harbor Court Hotel
This boutique hotel is actually inexpensive compared to other hotels in San Francisco. It offers more amenities than a normal boutique hotel would. It's next to a YMCA. They actually have a lobby. It is also close to most things in the city, like a view of Bay Bridge. The only downside is that the rooms are small. That may not be a downside because boutique hotels are small. If you come to San Francisco, then come here. more
Tallula
Very tasty Indian cuisine with exelent and very fiendly service and French technique.We have been there only ones,and i'm shure i would come back again.We have tryed:1.Steamed Mussels prepared with coconut milk, kari leaves, fenugreek.
2.Tea-Smoked Cornish Game Hen in plum and pomegranate souse ,3.Pepper-Crusted Lamb Chops with Favas, strawberry soup, roasted sweet onion.
I didn't leave no room for the desserts:( more
Best Inn
This is more like a motel than hotel. It is cheap, well around $40 per room. It's located on Van Ness Avenue which is a very popular area with good transportation down to fisherman's wharf and beyond. more
Russian Hill
According to the legend,a crew of Russian fur trades,down from Alaska to hunt sea otters,buried their dead on the hill in the 1820s.
It was first settled in 1852 by working class families who built small wooden houses on the steep slopes.Later in the 19th century,a community of artists moved in,making Russian Hill San Francisco's first bohemian neighborhood.It did not become a popular place to live until the arrival of the cable cars between 1880 and 1891. more
Russ Building
The tan,terra-cotta-clad Gothic Russ Bulding was the tallest in San Francisco from 1927-1964.When it was opened in September 1927,the 31-story bulding was the tollest not only in San Francisco,but on the West Coast.It was built atop a garage for over 400 cars,the first garage ever in an office building.John Christian Russ purchased the site at an auction for ......$26.00 in 1847.The family sold their $26.00
investment for......$2,739.000 in 1950. more
Rincon Center
The center is one of the city's Art Deco masterpieces
has a great number of restaurants,shops and offices. more
Portsmouth Square
Robert Louise Stivenson spent many hours writing in the square in 1879-1880.It was original plaza,laid out in 1839 under Mexican rule. more
Olimpic Club
The Olimpic Club,formed in 1860,is the oldest amateur athletic organization in the United States. more
Old Chinese Telephone Exchange
The pagoda-roofed Old Chinese Telephone Exchange was compleated in 1909-it was probobly the most unusual telephone exchange in the country.It is now a branch of the bank of Canton and has been carefully preserved. more
Nob Hill
Nob Hill has been one of the most prestigious addresses in the United States for over 100 years.Mining and rail barons of 19 th century built their palace mansions on what it became known as "Hill of Palaces".The hill today is populated by luxury hotels and upscale apartments,condos.
Hotel Stanford Court at 905 California,built in 1911 on the site of Stanford mansion more
Maden Lane
Maden lane,was known as Morton Street until 1906 was the scene of some 100 murders a year during the late 19th century.It is now lined with elegant designer shops and art galleries. more
Kong Chow Temple
The Kong Chow Temple which opened in 1857,considered to be the oldest Chinese temple in USA. more
Kezar Stadium
Kezar Stadium was built in 1925 and was the site of the first games of both the San Francisco 49ers and Okland Raiders. more
Japantown
About 4 percent of Japanese leave in Japantown.Great shopping,reastaurants,entertainment complex. more
Haight-Ashbury
In the 19-th century,Haight-Ashbury was a thriving middle-class neighborhood with over a thousand Victorian homes.In the 1960s the area was the mecca for hippies.Janis Joplin lived in one-room apartment at 112 Lyon street in 1967.,Graham Nash lived at 737 Buena Vista West in the early 1970s. more
Grace Cathedral
Grace Cathedral was modeled after Notre Dame in PARIS.
It is one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the USA,and third largest Episcopal cathedral in the country. more
Golden Gate Park
One of the worlds most beutiful manmade parks in the world ,with ponds,buffalo paddock since 1892. more
Golden Gate Bridge
Opened in 1937,the 4,200-foot suspention bridge was the longest in the world until 1959.The 746-foot towers of the bridge were the worlds tallest until 1997. more
Ghirardelli Square
Fine dining, cafes, bars, live entertainment, and the world famous soda fountain at this historic San Francisco landmark. more
Ferry bulding
The Bulding serves as the headquarter of San Francisco Port Authority.On the pier as a statue of Mahatma Gandhi-erected in 1988.At the peak ,over 50 million passengers a year board 170 ferries. more
Fort Point
The only brick fort west of Mississippi;-built in 1853.Excellent Golden Gate Bridge view on a brite day! more
Fort Mason
Golden Gate National Recreation Area with museums,Theaters,classrooms,and a great vegitarian restaurant more
Fisherman's Warf
Today about 140 fishing boats dock at Fisherman's Warf.Until the 1960's the Warf was a flourishing fishing harbor,a large number of restaurants-mostly seafood,bars,galleries,hotels,steet enterteiners.View over Alcatraz,and Alcatraz ferries. more
Financial District
Entire Financial District from Montgomery street to the waterfront was built on a landfill! more
The Farallones
The small granite Islands 32 ml. from San Francisco shoreline-home to sea lionesand close to 250.000 birds.A bird sanctuary fro 1907. more
Fairmont Hotel *****
One of the most exclusive hotels in San Francisco.The televisin series "Hotel' used the Fairmont for exterior scenes.The penthouse at the Fairmont is the most expensive suite in the USA! more
Embarcadero
The waterfront walkway with a magnificent views over the Bay Bridge and a skyline of
Skyscrapers more
Vermont Street
Crookedest Street in San Francisco?: No, it's not Lombard. Drive south on Vermont Street from McKinley Park and you'll see what I mean. more
Cow Hollow
The Nine-block shopping and restaurant district with Victorians that transformed into boutiques,art galleries and cafes. more
Conservatory of Flowers
Victorian Building that houses a tropical garden with exhibit of permanent rare orchids.One of the largest concervatories in USA WITH A 15,000 square feet.The oldest building in Golden Gate Park. more
Coit
Coit Tower is located on the top of Telegraph Hill.Magnificent views of the city and the Bay. more
Cliff House
The Cliff House was one of San Francisco first tourist attractions.Build 200 feet above the sea level with the sea observation-The Cliff House Restaurant is on the site . more
The Castro
The center of San Francisco gay social life with shops,bars,restaurants and restoted Victorians more
Anchor Steam Beer
San Francisco has it's own Steam Beer with operation dated back to 1851!Tours available at the brewery. more
City Lights Book Store
Opened in 1953 the book store is one of nation's first all paperback book stores. Was the center of Beat Generation . more
Chinatown
Chinese immigrants has lived in San Francisco for more then 150 years;-the largest Chinese community outside of China! more
China Beach
The beach with dramatic views of the Golden Gate and the bay. more
The Cannery
The Cannery originally constracted in 1909 for Del Monte Fruit Company,has been reconstracted and contains shops,restaurants,a comedy club,galleries. more
Broadway street
The center of North Beach with great nite life-bars,Italian resaurants,jazz,comedy clubs.The center of strip clubs as well. more
Balmy Alley
In the Mission District,the geat spot to see murals.
This place has the largest murals per square foot than anywhere in the world more
Baker Beach
Picture perfect for Golden Gate Bridge,and other scenic photography of the Bay. more
Bistro Clovis
French Tapas,perfect for a light fare dining
Tapas of meat,vegetarian,fish,cheese.You can get Martinis for $5.00 from 400pm-530pm more
Hahn's Hibachi
MY best Korian Restaurant
The Restaurant is favorite Korian cuisine from 1978.They have Korian BBQ CHICKEN,RIBS,STEAKS,SEA FOOD
My favorite dish is: Chicken,beef,shrimp combo-$11.95
If you like meat on the stick,marinated steak,chicken,and shrimp -this is the dish you must to try!
All dishes have large portions. Gourmey salads that will amase you-$7.50-$11.00 PER PLATE VERY LARGE.Korian sandwiches-$5.95 more
Sheraton Airport Hotel
Very comfortable place for the rushy traveller. Only 10 minutes to the airport and about 15 minutes downtown SF. more
Herbivore
Healthy American fare, no "mad cows" here: everything's vegan, including decadent dessets. more
The Helmand
Afghan cuisine; interesting thing is that the waitresses are all pretty Mongolian girls. more
Pearl City
Quaint place in Chinatown with good dim sum; best-tasting shiu mai I've had yet! more
New Asia
Large assortment of dim sum; does get a bit crowded. more
Sam Woh
In Chinatown. Quirky little place in a turn-of-the-century building. Good noodle dishes. more
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