San Francisco / San Jose

[Hawk89]

I'm going to be working in San Jose over the summer (June-Aug), just wondering if anyone has ever been, and has any tips?

What sort of Touristy / non Touristy things are there to do in the local area, including San Fran?

I know the obvious ones for San Francisco are the Trams / Trolleys, Golden gate bridge, 49ers (if they are playing) and Alcatraz.

[qos_75]

As well as all above I recommend a wine tour of the Sonoma Valley.

I think they pulled down Candlestick Park earlier this year. When we were there in 2011 the 49ers were playing Oakland Raiders in a pre-season friendly. Somebody was shot in the ground. No such thing as a friendly!

[eindhovendee]

I'm going to be working in San Jose over the summer (June-Aug), just wondering if anyone has ever been, and has any tips?

What sort of Touristy / non Touristy things are there to do in the local area, including San Fran?

I know the obvious ones for San Francisco are the Trams / Trolleys, Golden gate bridge, 49ers (if they are playing) and Alcatraz.

Do you know the way?

[Savage Henry]

I'm going to be working in San Jose over the summer (June-Aug), just wondering if anyone has ever been, and has any tips?

What sort of Touristy / non Touristy things are there to do in the local area, including San Fran?

I know the obvious ones for San Francisco are the Trams / Trolleys, Golden gate bridge, 49ers (if they are playing) and Alcatraz.

Best city West of Tokyo. I go there almost every year, and I'll be there in August for a weak of baseball and music.

Take in a baseball game at beautiful AT&T park

Fisherman's Wharf is kind of fun for an hour, then quickly becomes hell. Clam chowder bread baskets.

Food and booze in North Beach. Vesuvio bar, right across from City Lights bookstore is the best bar in the world.

Outside Lands music festival August 8, 9 and 10.

A night tour at Alcatraz is genuinely creepy.

Hire a bike and cycle over the Golden Gate bridge, take the ferry back to the Embarcadero.

[Hawk89]

Cheers folks, much appreciated, looks like there will be plenty to do over the weekends.

[pub car king]

Went to SF on my honeymoon. If you do bike the bridge it will take a while because it is full of tourists on bikes. Once you get to the other side Marin county is lovely and you can get the ferry back to the city which goes past Alcatraz. Talking of which if you only do one thing visit the rock it's genuinely fascinating. If you want to go on the cable cars get up early because the get mobbed during the day an all day muni pass will cover them as well as buses and trains. If you are into architecture in anyway it's a great city to amble around lots of different styles all over the city and a shit load of places you will recognise from the last 50 years of cinema. Oh and you have never walked up or slid down pavements like it they are almost vertical.

You jammy jammy jammy b*****d

[stumigoo]

Yes! San Francisco is AMAZING! I have cousins that stay in SF and family that stay in San Jose, Cupertino and Gilroy. Make sure to explore the whole bay area and get yourself a car and go down the coast to places like Monterey and Santa Barbara. Other than that most of the suggestions have already been made (although get yourself down to the 'Shark Tank' to see the San Jose Sharks), it is an amazing place and the city I would live in if I had the chance.

I hope you have a fantastic time (said through gritted teeth and with no ounce of jealousy)

[Savage Henry]

Cable car rides are the same price as muni rides, so take one late in your day. Also, don't get the cable car which leaves from Market Street, because the queue there is just insane. Take the ride back from Fisherman's Wharf, you can usually hop right on going in that direction.

Oh, and an afternoon over in Berkeley. If you time it right, you can go and sit in a lecture on the campus, but otherwise the weather's about five degrees warmer than the city and everything is half the price. Some great tacos to be found in Berkeley. And hat shops, if that's your thing.

[stumigoo]

Don't be fooled about the weather though. San Francisco can be lovely and warm during the day but as soon as that haar hits in the early evening the place is fucking baltic!

[CK]

I'm spending just over a day in San Francisco at the end of my TrekAmerica tour this summer, any recommendations what I can do myself at night? Will be seeing Golden Gate Bridge before the tour party splits up. I'm booked in at a hostel just beside Union Square. Got an earlybird ticket for Alcatraz the following morning, I was planning on getting a cable car up as far as possible then walking the rest to the pier, will the cable cars be busy around 7am? Will wander around Fisherman's Wharf after that, any other things I should try and cram in? Will probably need to be back at my hostel for 2pm in order for me to catch the train to the airport.

[Hawk89]

Is Chinatown worth visiting or is it just a massive tourist trap?

From what I've read on TripAdvisor its a bit of a mixed bag although mostly good.

I was warned about the haar earlier in the travel agents when I went to sort the flights out. Apparently its wise to take a jacket / jumper if your out for the full day.

[centralTon]

If you have enough time, try to get across the Golden Gate to Sausalito, Marin County and Mill Valley.

There's loads to do around the Fishermans Wharf area, Alcatraz cruises, Pier 39 (walk to the end to see the seals basking) and Ghiardelli Sq. If it's still there, go to La Buena Vista bar, fantastic views of the Golden Gate and Alcatraz.

Enjoy your trip, I'm sure you will.

[stumigoo]

Is Chinatown worth visiting or is it just a massive tourist trap?

From what I've read on TripAdvisor its a bit of a mixed bag although mostly good.

I was warned about the haar earlier in the travel agents when I went to sort the flights out. Apparently its wise to take a jacket / jumper if your out for the full day.

Its worth seeing but its mental busy and pretty horrible in parts, it is a little bit of China so it isn't the cleanest.

[Lex]

I would definitely recommend China town in San Fran. Food was far better and it was far less commercialised than it's NY equivalent.

One off the beaten track thing I would recommend is an elevator inside a hotel - the name of which escapes me - in union square. It's basically a fully glass elevator the like of which you get in malls, only half of it's facing outside. It goes right up to the 20th odd floor and the views of the city are spectacular, what's even better is that it's free

If you're missing home there's a decent Scottish bar/restaurant called 'the castle' or similar on Geary St near Union Square. A bit tacky I know but I hadn't been home for almost a year last time I was there, and a wee irn bru with pie and beans went down tremendously.

San Fran's a great city and definitely runs San Diego close for being my favourite city in the US. The whole west coast of America is so much more laid back and cultural than the East coast, you'll love it.

[pub car king]

I'm spending just over a day in San Francisco at the end of my TrekAmerica tour this summer, any recommendations what I can do myself at night? Will be seeing Golden Gate Bridge before the tour party splits up. I'm booked in at a hostel just beside Union Square. Got an earlybird ticket for Alcatraz the following morning, I was planning on getting a cable car up as far as possible then walking the rest to the pier, will the cable cars be busy around 7am? Will wander around Fisherman's Wharf after that, any other things I should try and cram in? Will probably need to be back at my hostel for 2pm in order for me to catch the train to the airport.

From memory the trams start about 8 am walk down to market and get to the front of the quee it will be busy but not insane like later in the day. It will take you to fishermans wharf jump off take a right walk along to pier 39 it should take about 10-15 mins to get there on foot. All the shops are open until about 10 at night and there is a cinema in the mall across from where you get the cable cars if you want a quiet night.

[Enigma]

If you're going to San Francisco be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.

Edit: You're also going to meet some gentle people there.

[Richie95]

San Francisco is really good, I would recommend it. I enjoyed Alcatraz and Pier 39. Sadly there was work being done on the Golden Gate Bridge so I could walk along it. However, it was a great holiday.

[Savage Henry]

I would definitely recommend China town in San Fran. Food was far better and it was far less commercialised than it's NY equivalent.

One off the beaten track thing I would recommend is an elevator inside a hotel - the name of which escapes me - in union square. It's basically a fully glass elevator the like of which you get in malls, only half of it's facing outside. It goes right up to the 20th odd floor and the views of the city are spectacular, what's even better is that it's free

If you're missing home there's a decent Scottish bar/restaurant called 'the castle' or similar on Geary St near Union Square. A bit tacky I know but I hadn't been home for almost a year last time I was there, and a wee irn bru with pie and beans went down tremendously.

San Fran's a great city and definitely runs San Diego close for being my favourite city in the US. The whole west coast of America is so much more laid back and cultural than the East coast, you'll love it.

Edinburgh Castle. Most famous for being featured prominently in "So, I Married An Axe Murderer".

[Savage Henry]

Is Chinatown worth visiting or is it just a massive tourist trap?

From what I've read on TripAdvisor its a bit of a mixed bag although mostly good.

I was warned about the haar earlier in the travel agents when I went to sort the flights out. Apparently its wise to take a jacket / jumper if your out for the full day.

Nah. Cheap food. Knock off trinkets. It's worth going for dinner there one night, but that's about it. That said, it's directly on the way from Union Square to North Beach, where all the best bars are.

I'm spending just over a day in San Francisco at the end of my TrekAmerica tour this summer, any recommendations what I can do myself at night? Will be seeing Golden Gate Bridge before the tour party splits up. I'm booked in at a hostel just beside Union Square. Got an earlybird ticket for Alcatraz the following morning, I was planning on getting a cable car up as far as possible then walking the rest to the pier, will the cable cars be busy around 7am? Will wander around Fisherman's Wharf after that, any other things I should try and cram in? Will probably need to be back at my hostel for 2pm in order for me to catch the train to the airport.

Your best bet would to take the trolley from the wharf over the top to Market Street, rather than the other way round. Fisherman's Wharf is okay for an hour or so, but longer than that it becomes hellish. If you've only got a morning, you could either go for a pint at Vesuvios in North beach, or head down to the baseball stadium south of Market and 3rd. The tour there is kind of interesting, and it's a beautiful, beautiful stadium.

[Hawk89]

Well I'm back now after 9 weeks in the San Francisco bay area. Here's a few sentences on what I thought of each of the places I visited.

San Jose: Is alright although nothing special, couldn't really have a holiday here it's really just a big city with not too much of note. Great place to base yourself from though as your in the middle of everything. Santana row is a nice place to eat although its aimed towards the upmarket bracket so can be pricey. The New 49er's Stadium is just to the North in Santa Clara, they started doing stadium tours in August. The Britannia arms serves the best food in the city, owned by 7 or 8 Scots and Irish expats as part of a chain in the area. The manager left Kirkcaldy 53 years ago and was sitting wearing Raith's away top during the world cup final top lad.

San Fran: Incredible city that you'll never be bored in, visited here 6 or 7 times Can see why so many people return on holiday year after year. They are pretty sneaky with the Golden Gate Bridge, toll free when travelling northbound but if you come southbound over it in a hire car you are charged $20.You can easily spend a couple of days exploring Golden Gate Park, Pier 39 was decent although its an obvious tourist trap. You get great views out over the bay including of Alcatraz and the GGB. Could spend hours typing about everything in San Fran, the guide books are just the tip of the iceberg. Would return here in a heartbeat.

Santa Cruz: Very much a seaside town in the same sort of ilk as Blackpool. They have a boardwalk with a small theme park and amusements. Really great place to spend the weekend whether your wanting to spend the day at the beach or go surfing. Best place to learn to surf is down near 41st Street. The pier is another tourist trap, the "fish and chips" they serve is a bit disappointing nothing on what you'd get from a chippy / pub or restaurant here.

Highway 1 / Big Sur: This is an 80-100 mile stretch of the highway to the south of Monterry, well worth taking a trip down we did about half of it from North to South. Can be very busy with traffic and you have to watch out for people in front of you stopping suddenly to take pictures.

Lake Tahoe: Very very busy on the 4th of July, you need to leave in the morning of the day before to stand a chance of getting there. Incredible scenery and plenty to do on the way around, North end of the lake is more affluent, the south end is more like Maga with Casinos, city of Stateline as the name suggests have plenty of them in one half. Stopped at Baldwin beach which is a bit shite as beaches go but you can hire kayaks / canoes to travel out into the lake. Another place I'd happily return to in a heartbeat that could easily take up a week of a holiday. Bit of a drive from San Jose took around 2 hours to get up to Sacramento then another 1 1/2 up to the lake.