San Francisco city tours? | The Boneyard

San Francisco city tours?

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My wife and I are planning a trip to Napa Valley. We will be with another couple. Would like to spend 1 day in San Francisco and take a tour of city. None of us have been there before.
Anyone have any suggestions? I have googled a few options, but am looking for a personal recommendation. Any help would be appreciated. Thx
 
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100% go to the Mission for a late afternoon walk to see all the street art and parlay that into taco night.

Avoid Nod Hill area. It's fun to exhaust yourself walking up the steepest city sidewalks I've seen in my life, but it's a boring neighborhoods. Kinda like going all the way to Manhattan to walk about the Upper East Side.
 
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My fiancée and I just spent 8 days in Napa Valley & Sonoma and 2 days / 1 night in San Francisco in October. Let me know if you have any questions! Can’t help you out with Tours as we didn’t take any.
 
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My wife and I are planning a trip to Napa Valley. We will be with another couple. Would like to spend 1 day in San Francisco and take a tour of city. None of us have been there before.
Anyone have any suggestions? I have googled a few options, but am looking for a personal recommendation. Any help would be appreciated. Thx

IMO I'd grab a guide book or look online and just visit a few places your interested in.

I take free walking tours in most cities I visit. Not sure San Fran is really "free walkable" if that makes sense. Not sure about bus tours or anything.
 
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I used to live an hour north and got to know the city pretty well. One spot I would suggest is the House of Nanking at 919 Kearney Street. Best Chinese food I've ever had.
 
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IMO I'd grab a guide book or look online and just visit a few places your interested in.

I take free walking tours in most cities I visit. Not sure San Fran is really "free walkable" if that makes sense. Not sure about bus tours or anything.
I actually took a free walking tour in San Fran and it was one of the best I’ve taken. One thing I learned is for every new building they need to create an outdoor community space. So some buildings have roof top gardens you can freely enjoy as the public.
 
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I used to live an hour north and got to know the city pretty well. One spot I would suggest is the House of Nanking at 919 Kearney Street. Best Chinese food I've ever had.

Yes! Try the sizzling rice soup and Fangs steamed buns with pork amazing food. If you are unsure what you want there just ask them your likes and dislikes and let them make your dinner. You will not be disappointed, though a bit pricey. But again your on a vacation a must try while there.

Twin Peaks has some spectacular views if your into hiking.
 
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While I was there I rented a bicycle. Some of the hills can be brutal. But I always like touring cities with a bike. Also did the "CityPass" to visit a few sites for cheaper.

Its a nice city. Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park, Embarcadero, Cable Car, Twin Peaks. I loved the Bay Area. Berkeley was nice too
 
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This may not be everyone’s cup of tea but the SF transit museum, which is built around the working cable system for all of the cities cable cars is a short museum and incredibly fascinating.
 

dvegas

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Irish coffee @ Buena Vista. Breakfast at the Pork Store in the Haight. Or brush in Tiburon. I heard Cokeland has cleaned up a bit.
 

boba

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100% go to the Mission for a late afternoon walk to see all the street art and parlay that into taco night.

Avoid Nod Hill area. It's fun to exhaust yourself walking up the steepest city sidewalks I've seen in my life, but it's a boring neighborhoods. Kinda like going all the way to Manhattan to walk about the Upper East Side.
Nod Hill? Is that in the Tenderloin? (Avoid, unless you want to nod. And I lived on E72nd too!)
Umm depends on what you want to see, when you arrive. I'd be inclined to stay along the shoreline, Embarcadero, the wharfs, Presidio and GG park during the day and move inland at night.
Be aware of vaccine restrictions for indoor dining and bars. Crab season just opened so if you are here for that be sure to get some.
Oh and prepare for winter weather regardless of the month.
 
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My favorite part of SF currently is the hordes or bums pissing, spitting, and shooting up heroin all over the place. Very scenic.
 

Mike Honcho

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My favorite part of SF currently is the hordes or bums pissing, spitting, and shooting up heroin all over the place. Very scenic.
Curious, where do you live?
 
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Depends what you like, of course, but I always go to SFMOMA and deYoung, Japantown, City Lights Bookstore, Exploratorium, and Moss Beach Distillery. Eat at La Ciccia or Franco’s. Try to pick up a copy of Cool Gray City of Love.
 

ClifSpliffy

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at first thought, my instant response was to head out for a pleasant afternoon at ocean beach. and becuz soo many of these travel threads turn into food jibberjabber - fine. buy or bring a basket lunch. filled with dungeness crab.
then i reread and realized that ur just doing one day. in that case, mebbe start out at union square, and then stroll down to the embarcadero, or across to the mission. that's all i got, having lived first in the tenderloin, then in pac heights, for many years. on second thought, given the time constraint, mebbe a proper tour bus cruise around will give you a bigger picture, or a rec'd driver.
great, great, great, place, full of so many unique hoods and folks.
after my first big quake experience tho, i was gone like the wind. i never saw the ground move, and high rises sway in the air before. other than passing thru from time to time, i don't intend to see those again. cray cray.
 

willie99

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Hop on a trolly
Walk fishermen's wharf
Sit on the grassy hill overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay

Find a great restaurant

That's a full day

PS: it gets cold early, like 3 or 4 o'clock. You can go from shorts and a t-shirt to a winter jacket within an hour
 

CTBasketball

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I was there in October I stayed in the Marina District - was nice not too much camping going on.

I’d recommend driving south to Half Moon Bay, then taking the drive south along the coast to Santa Cruz. Also if Napa Valley is too packed with reservations, Healdsburg is a nice little town with great wineries around it.
 

CL82

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If you are going to Muir Woods, I recommend going to the Pelican Inn at Muir Beach. It is a Tudor style breakfast with a restaurant and fun pub. The wife and I enjoyed drinking ales, playing darts and talking with people in the pub with the large smoky fires. It captured the feel of pubs I’ve been to in the England and Scotland. It’s spot on the hilly coast with scrub pine and the fog rolling in completes the vibe. One caveat, I haven’t been there for probably 25 years, but I did a quick check and it’s still in operation.
 

tdrink

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You have one day to spend in what is arguably the most scenic city in America and people are suggesting you go elsewhere. Don’t listen to these folks.

SF is a great walking city, especially combined with a straightforward bus system. Fairly easy to drive as well, except for the downtown.

The Victorian architecture and views from everywhere easily justify spending a day there.

Best view spot in the city is Corona Heights above the Mission District.

Favorite restaurants were Marnee Thai and Sunrise Deli (falafel) , both near GG park.

If you have any time out of the city, drive across the GG bridge and out on the Marin headlands for classic views of the bridge with the city in the backdrop.
 

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