Driving around San Francisco - Fishermens Warf

[cruiser]

Just looking for some info....

I'm planning a small trip down to San Francisco (first time) and am looking for info about driving in San Francisco. I'll be staying in the Fishermens Warf area, so would like to know if San Fran is an easy town to get around or is it better to take cabs/buses/trams, etc.

I've driven quite a bit in Vancouver and Las Vegas, so am pretty good with big cities, but usually I don't rent a car when it will be my first time somewheres.

Any info/feedback would be great.

Cruiser

 

[buddyboy]

Driving around is easy especially with a GPS. The problem is parking is generally expensive - $25-50 a night. Getting around the Bay area is easy with busses, trolleys, BART etc.
Its one of my favourite cities - have a blast!!

 

[bcneil]

Well yeah you'd need a gps for sure.
But driving there sucks, especially that area.
Cabs are easy to get anywhere, plus trollies

But way worse driving than vancouver or vegas

 

[jnewton]

Public transit if pretty good in the Bay area, especially SF.

If you want a great view of the city, I have two suggestions for you. If you have a clear day (no fog) head over to Fort Baker, at the North end of the Golden Gate Bridge. The view from the seaward fortification back toward the bay is spectacular.

A great evening view is from Tiburon, again on the North shore. Although most of the waterfront restaurants have good views, one of the best views of the city is from the Corinthian Yacht Club restaurant. I believe they still open up the club to the public for weekend evening dining at the restaurant. Try to get a table as close to the windows as possible and get there before the sun goes down so you can watch the lights come up across the water.

 

[SFMIKE]

Keep in mind that SF is not really a very big city. Water on 3 sides and county line to the south. That is what makes it so expensive.

But, when driving in the area of Fisherman's Wharf, be careful of the Bushman. Google it and watch the videos. He scares the crap out of people.

 

[lenny]

I'd go to to the Warf & hope to encounter this "Bushman" guy.

"David Johnson, also known as the World Famous Bushman, is a homeless man who has been scaring passers-by along Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco since 1980. His current act began after he tried dressing as a robot but found there were too many others doing the same thing.[1] Johnson hides motionless behind some eucalyptus branches and waits for unsuspecting people to wander by. When they approach, he jumps out and startles them. Crowds gather to watch him work,[2] often including those he has previously scared.[1] Crowds usually watch Johnson in front of Joe's Crab Shack, located across the street from where he usually sits,[3] to see him entertain people.

"In a "good year", Johnson claims to earn $60,000.[4] At one point, he employed a bodyguard to protect himself against attacks by the unamused, distract his targets, and to alert him to the approach of elderly people so he could avoid scaring them.[1]

"The police have received a number of complaints about the Bushman, and Fisherman's Wharf merchants have tried to shut him down.[5] In 2004, he was charged with four misdemeanors, but a jury cleared him. The District Attorney subsequently dropped several remaining public nuisance complaints.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Famous_Bushman

60K a year & homeless, eh?

 

[lars_from_mars]

I lived in SF for a decade. The areas you'll probably want to visit most are Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Union Square, and Market Street. On a nice day, you can hit all that in once nice (longish) walk. But it's also all on the cable car route, so you can use that if the weather sucks.

If you want to hit other areas (Castro, Haight Ashbury, GG bridge), you'll have to take a bus or drive. Driving is pretty easy, especially if you're used to Vancouver driving. In SF they don't drive as fast and furious as southern California does.

 

[Shakerod]

I agree that it's best to use transit to get around. A ton of great restaurants, with a lot of interesting people, including the fittest pan handlers I have ever seen in my life. (must be all the hills)

 

[mistressfreyja]

Parking is atrociously expensive. For example, overnight one car under union square is $100.

I recommend using the trolley from the wharf to downtown union square, then catch the MUNI, cable cars, cab to get from shopping/dt district out to Mission (Latino), Castro (them gay boys with fun shopping and clubbing, Harvey Milk memorial), Haight/Ashbury (super quaint and great shopping), and GG bridge. I found the MUNI to be confusing and I didn't use it more than once.

Or, rent one of the ridiculous little Go-Cars rented down by the end of the wharf where you catch one of the trolleys up. I laughed for the first hhr, and the tourists were taking pics of us in the silly thing. It will get you all the way out to the bridge, and has GPS. $170 for day. Pricey, but super fun and a really good way to get a feel for the city and it's districts.
Don't try and phone a cab. Just go and get one. If on the wharf, go to one of the hotels and get the doorman to call you one.

Orpheum can have cheap day-of tics for shows. Pee first, and don't drink anything. The bathroom line-ups are ridiculous for the women, anyway. And...it's in a shitty area of town. Avoid the Tenderloin.

Have a great time! It's my favorite city

Public Transportation link

PS: Best burrito is from Pancho Villa Taqueria in the Mission district, (around 16th and Valencia I think). I just keep going back. YUM! (you can easily hit it on the way to/from the airport.)

Make sure you have fresh seafood in the Grotto at the Wharf. YUM.

Absinthe is nice dining and good food, finished with traditional absinthe. There is no shortage of awesome restaurants there. Ask the locals for most up-to-date places to go. As a friend of mine says, "San Francisco reinvents itself every 6 months."

Oh, and if traveling with a woman, tell her to go to Marshall's and DSW. We love a good bargain on great shoes

 

[cruiser]

Thanks for everyone's feedback.

I'm heading down there May long weekend, so hopefully the weather will be clear and warm.

I'm planning to try and see as much as possible...Alcatraz, the Submarine Museum, outlet mall, and take in some of the various restaraunts on the Wharf.

By the sounds of it, I'll probably skip on renting a car. Parking alone at my hotel is $40/night, so that really adds up. I'll try and make use of the cabs/trams and transit that's available.

 

[joho]

May is a great time to go there. When you go, you should eat at my favorite restaurant if you like crab. The place is called R & G lounge in Chinatown. Their signature dish is salt & pepper crab. You can google the place and check out the menu.

 

[SFMIKE]

If staying near Fisherman's wharf, an easier, cheaper and much more interesting way to get to downtown is to take the F line look for the rails). it is part of SF Muni system and transfers are allowed to buses and other streetcar lines (not Cable Car). This is a rail line and rides on the surface along the Embarcadero, and into downtown. It will even take you to the Castro if that floats your boat. This line is all vintage European streetcars from the 1900's.

 

[mistressfreyja]

The infamous Snatchlite, Hatrick and posse in a (convertible) go-car in populated SF, with everyone taking pics.

I would pay good money to see that.

Just a reminder....once the go-car is out of GPS range, you can't go any further.

I'd like to see Hatrick pick up a girl in one of those. Is there room for his flashlight?

 

[cruiser]

After a few people mentioned the "Go-Car", I've googled it and it looks appealing....

I'm going to do some research on it.

Thanks for the info...

 

[SFMIKE]

For those who are not challenged by a little bit of exercise, try walking the nine steepest hills in SF:

The Steepest Streets in the City

1. Filbert between Leavenworth and Hyde (31.5% grade)
2. 22nd Street between Church and Vicksburg (31.5% grade)
3. Jones between Union and Filbert (29% grade)
4. Duboce between Buena Vista and Alpine (27.9% grade)
5. Jones between Green and Union (26% grade)
6. Webster between Vallejo and Broadway 26% grade)
7. Duboce between Alpine and Divisadero (25% grade)
8. Jones between Pine and California (24.8 grade)
9. Fillmore between Vallejo and Broadway (24% grade)

Word of advice: Do not try all 9 on the same day. You will pay the price. 31.5% grade is nothing to sneeze at.


Or, one of the most popular things to do in SF by Asian tourists is a walk over the Golden Gate bridge. Not as hard or as far as you might think. As an added bonus for the guys, you will see more Asian eye candy going across this bridge than you will on Robson on any given night.

 

[nmjoff]

The F line is great it can connect with Bart right to the airport really cool cars..
Great City

 

[cruiser]

Well, my plans for my San Fran trip are:
- rent a go-car for 4 hours (on one day)
- take a trip to Alcatraz
- maybe do some shopping (what are some good malls there?)...I'll be staying on Fishermens Warf so will rely on taxi or transit for getting around.

Thanks for the feedback.
Cruiser

 

[cruiser]

The infamous Snatchlite, Hatrick and posse in a (convertible) go-car in populated SF, with everyone taking pics.

I would pay good money to see that.

Just a reminder....once the go-car is out of GPS range, you can't go any further.

What is the "Snatchlite" and Hatrick.

Tried googling them but nothing came up.

Cruiser

 

[bcneil]

Well, my plans for my San Fran trip are:
- rent a go-car for 4 hours (on one day)
- take a trip to Alcatraz
- maybe do some shopping (what are some good malls there?)...I'll be staying on Fishermens Warf so will rely on taxi or transit for getting around.

Thanks for the feedback.
Cruiser

Did you get your ticket for Alcatraz yet. Do it at least a week before you go. The evening tours fill up even faster.