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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, March 02, 2004 - 9:59 pm
Landi, thank you, the Buena Vista, I just couldn't remember. When I was with my then SO we joked about having 3 tour packages (we got a lot of visitors and were tired of seeing the same things) A) Alcatraz, Buena Vista/Cable Car, Fisherman's Wharf B) Coit Tower, the famous stripper lady's club on broadway (again old age makes me forget) Lombard Street, The Castro district to roam and shop and C) Golden Gate Park, Cliff House, Tour of Houses, Possible SF Zoo or Blacks Beach. What a trip now memory lane. We had Chinatown in on one of those and I think we also had a whole Marin county option for another day since we lived there. Sanfranjosh, Oh my, I have never seen the theatre, I would love to, I will have to put this on my calendar and see if I can pop in for the show, it sounds wonderful. I copied down the info to share with my boss, he just moved here from Burbank and would love this as well. butrflynet, so sorry, Nut Tree closed down, it broke my heart since I always remembered it as "THE PLACE TO STOP" when you are coming or going to Tahoe. I only knew it as an adult. The owner died and his kids inherited it, couldn't agree on how to run it and put it into bankruptcy, it was so sad.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Tuesday, March 02, 2004 - 10:16 pm
the nut tree was always sooooooooo wonderful. now vacaville is outlet city!! great nike outlet. don't forget a visit to napa!
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Butrflynet
Member
12-29-2003
| Tuesday, March 02, 2004 - 11:56 pm
How disappointing! When did that happen? The Nut Tree was my family's special place for celebrating milestones while I was growing up. We'd find every excuse we could to make a trip there, take a train ride, buy a giant sucker and be treated like royalty by the wait staff. The best part about it when we were kids was getting our very own individual loaf of freshly baked bread and freshly churned butter. Last I knew they'd built an airport at the Nut Tree and business was booming with the Yuppie crowds flying in for lunch meetings.
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Happymom
Member
01-20-2003
| Wednesday, March 03, 2004 - 1:21 pm
They are in the process of building some sort of "upscale" shops at the old Nut Tree area. I think it closed about 3-5 yr. ago, not sure. I live in Sonoma co. and parents live in Vacaville; so, I'm there quite often. I think planning ahead when coming to the Bay Area will really pay off. There are so many wonderful things to do here. If you don't have much time and can really only fit in one or 2 things, please see the Calif. coast (not in a bay) either north or south of The City. It is beautiful and amazing. (Don't get in the water, though, it's dangerous.) Also, the Golden Gate Bridge is quite a sight. I love the Monterey/Carmel area. But, it's not so close to San Francisco if you're pressed for time. Ideally you'd be able to stay in Monterey (or Carmel, though it's pricier) and explore for a couple of days. Carmel has wonderful shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The actual city of Carmel-By-The-Sea is really what I'm talking about. There are no chain store/restaurants at all. The beach there is beautiful. (Horrible restrooms though.) It is only a couple of blocks from the downtown area where the shops etc. You can walk everywhere. I do have to say, I much prefer Carmel when it's just my husband and me. We took the kids once, not so fun. Monterey is great for them, though. The aquarium is wonderful. Climbing the rocks and looking in tide pools in great fun! We've always seen otters floating around. (Bring binocculars!) Wine country is just wonderful. The hills are gorgeous! If you like wine tasting, many of the Napa wineries are on one long stretch of highway. Many have wonderful buildings and grounds. Sonoma county has many wonderful wineries as well. This area of the country is so beautiful! If you love nature, Armstrong Redwoods in Guerneville is peaceful and beautiful. If you really like shopping, Union Square is the place in San Francisco. But for bargains, it's China Town. There is an IMAX movie theatre in the Sony Metreon complex in downtown San Francisco. I know that there are not a lot of IMAX theatres around the country. Seeing an IMAX movie is a wonderful experience! Friends just saw The Lion King and RAVED about it. Just the whole feel of San Francisco is wonderful and unique! I hope you enjoy your visit!
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Luvmyjrt
Member
09-18-2003
| Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 7:47 am
I agree with the Exploratorium, but if you can, make the trip to The Winchester Mansion towards San Jose. I went to SF for a month for my graduation with my parents and it was like being in another world. I love it! And Alcatraz was awesome! One of my favorite memories of that trip was walking the streets in Carmel with my mom and Dad. Dad had been diagnosed with Breast Cancer and was really declining but was working for IBM in San Jose. We were walked down the street and dad had just gotten a cup of coffee. A pigeon flew overhead and crapped right on his arm. My dad was adorable and my mother and I teased him all the time, since she and I are a couple of fries short of a happy meal. So, the pigeon craps on his arm and what does he do? He pours the scalding hot coffee on his arm then dances around as it burns. Needless to say, Mom and I were knelt down peeing in our shoes from laughing. Jeez, I really miss my Dad! He was one of a kind!
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Saturday, March 06, 2004 - 3:04 pm
I was in San Francisco yesterday, with a friend who hadn't been before. This is what we did:
took the F line tram from downtown, along the waterfront to Pier 39
saw the sealions there (saw Chippy, if that means anything to anyone), looked round the little shops, had lunch (I recommend the crepe place)
walked west through Fisherman's Wharf (very touristy). There's a WWII submarine at one of the piers you can tour, if you like that sort of thing
walked up onto the park above Fort Mason, where you can see the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, and that area
walked back through Ghiradelli square and got some free chocolate samples
tried to get on the Powell-Hyde tram up Hyde but the queue was huge so we walked up to the top of Lombard St (ridiculously steep but ok to walk if you take it slowly) and then walked down the crooked street (you can't really see it from the top) to admire the view, then back up again and caught the tram at the top (people always seem to get out at Lombard St, so you can catch the tram there, rather than at the base where you have to queue)
took the tram into Chinatown, walked through to downtown. We just ate a meal and had to leave, but there are plenty of other things to do there. Other times I've walked along the Marina, which is beautiful for a stroll if the weather's right, and the bridge is visible. Whatever you do in San Francisco, you're likely to do a lot of walking and need comfortable shoes. And the weather changes a lot during the course of a day, yesterday we were really cold in the morning and at one point there were even rain drops, by the afternoon I was wearing a t-shirt. Wear Layers! Re: Napa - they've had really bad floods recently, so if you're coming in April the Napa areas might not be at its best. Plus no grapes yet as it's early in the season. There are still good places there to visit of course, but as you're only here for a few days perhaps Napa might best be done on another visit. If you can spare the time to go down to the Monterey area it's worth it. Pt Lobos (a few miles south of Carmel) is particularly breathtaking. There are seals, sealions, otters, an occasional whale if you're VERY lucky, pelicans, and plenty of other sea birds.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 12:09 am
we have NOT had a bad flood since 1986!!! and april is not a bad rainy season for us. december - february is. we haven't seen rain for over a week. there are over 200 wineries that are open for business all year long, you do not need the grapes to be growing to go to a winery. next weekend is the big MUSTARD FESTIVAL - an international event.
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Lucy
Member
10-08-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 6:45 pm
Landi, aka Pitbull, obviously has some strong feelings about her beautiful Napa. Landi, I'd take Napa over San Francisco any day.
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 8:33 pm
Landi, I wasn't criticising your beloved town in general, I love it up there. I was just suggesting that now might not be the best time of year to visit! We heard so much about the Russian River floods last month I can't imagine the vines are at their best, and you have to admit there are lots of other things to do around here.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 9:06 pm
we're nowhere near the russian river. that's guerneville (over an hour and a half away to the west). the vineyards that are near the napa river flood all the time. you don't visit the vineyards. you visit the wineries. i understand that people who don't live here watch the news and figure "oh my gawd... they're always flooding"... well let me tell ya... i've lived here and never had to be evacuated. i just don't want people thinking that because they see the river flooding that it's flooding businesses or anything like that. tourists are our main source of business. ALL YEAR LONG. i'm really tired of how the news portrays us as always flooding when we aren't EVEN close. they make people paranoid for no reason whatsoever. we just had a lovely olive festival. and this weekend coming up at the Napa Valley Fairgrounds is the International Mustard Festival it's well worth the time to come up here to visit. there's world renowed chefs making wonderful dishes. this will be at COPIA - The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts in Napa. hope y'all can come for a great time!
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Reiki
Member
08-12-2000
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 9:15 pm
The Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places I've even seen. Just the drive up from SF to Napa is worth the trip. Me, I'd go north from SF through Marin County and then turn east through Petaluma to the Napa area. If you love wine you will love Napa. If you like wine after a visit to Napa you will love it.
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Kappy
Member
06-29-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:22 pm
Everyone has given great suggestions, hard to think of much more. I remember enjoying a stay in a neighborhood near Union between Gough and Steiner ~ Lots of cute shops and restaurants but that was awhile ago. Maybe Josh can let you know how that area is now. If you're into Art Museums, there's the Legion of Honor and the Museum of Modern Art plus others. Carmel would be my first choice for anyone visiting California but with the short time that you have, I would go with Napa or Point Reyes for a day drive. Have to agree with Landi that there's hardly any time of year when it isn't beautiful there. And I agree with Kitt about comfortable walking shoes and layered clothing for the changes in temperature throughout the day. There might be morning fog which can be very chilly but once the sun breaks through, it can get very warm only to change back again in the evening. It's a beautiful city so no matter what you do, you can't go wrong!
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Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 10:37 pm
kitt, yes chippy is our hometown sea lion! there is even talk of having a statue made of him...a sea lion in the desert!
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Tess
Member
04-13-2001
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 11:21 pm
landi, you've reminded me of all the summers we spent up at the Russian River when I was growing up. Every summer from age 6-15 we rented a house with our neighbors across the street and spent 2 weeks up at the River. I think half the people from our church rented houses up there at some point over the summer. We went to a wonderful winery the time DH and I went back to California in the "pre Miss Sarah" days. My niece and her DH were also childless at that point and we had the most lovely day. It was a very easy drive up from their home in Alameda and we toured the winery and stayed for lunch. Perfect day in every way. Of course that wasn't my first visit to the Napa area and I certainly hope it's not my last.
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Rslover
Member
11-19-2002
| Sunday, March 07, 2004 - 11:48 pm
Ditto on Beach Blanket Babylon. We ordered the tickets a few weeks ahead and really enjoyed it. Definitely a trolley ride, Lomard Street, Ghiradelli Square, Fisherman's Wharf, chinatown, alcatraz. We visited Napa, Monterrey, and Carmel and took a ferry ride to Sausalito too. If you happen to love garlic check out the town of Gilroy, or at least inhale deeply as you drive through. Though, I think their annual garlic festival is in July.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Monday, March 08, 2004 - 9:22 am
i'm hoping miss tess that you'll be spending a day in the summer in the napa valley. i'll be your personal tour guide!
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Bigd
Member
09-13-2001
| Monday, March 08, 2004 - 10:06 am
I am really enjoying this thread. I have been sending excerpts of what has been said to my MIL so she will know what I am planning for her while we are there.
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Tess
Member
04-13-2001
| Monday, March 08, 2004 - 2:24 pm
Next year, landi. This year we head out east.
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Landi
Member
07-29-2002
| Monday, March 08, 2004 - 2:32 pm
okey dokey... just remember to give me a heads up in january, so i can plan vacation days! poor juju came at such short notice, i could only spend an hour with her!
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Kitt
Member
09-06-2000
| Monday, March 08, 2004 - 3:18 pm
If you can't afford the time to go all the way down to Monterey, driving from Santa Cruz up the coast towards San Fran is pretty spectacular too, and quite a bit closer. You pass through Half Moon Bay, which someone else, above, mentioned as being a great place to visit. Ok ok Landi. I shall never mention Napa again. No need to bite my head off.
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Tess
Member
04-13-2001
| Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 2:51 am
You got it, bubbles!
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Colordeagua
Member
10-25-2003
| Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 6:51 am
I've never been to San Francisco -- and I wanna go. If staying at some place centrally located in the city, is it necessary to rent a car to sightsee? Able to see enough just walking -- or cab or bus?
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Tabbyking
Member
03-11-2002
| Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 9:00 am
it's actually kind of a hassle to drive because parking can be a nightmare. i can't tell you how many times we went to pier 39, for example, and any paid lots were already full and we probably drove around for 90 minutes to find a parking space within 6 blocks...for 90 minutes at the pier! there are plenty of places you can catch a cab or take a bus. there are several hotels within walking distance to a couple of things, but then other points of interest would be far away! chinatown used to be so safe: my friend's mom would take 6 of us to chinatown on my friend's birthday. she would give us each 2 dollars and tell us when and where to meet for lunch. we went in duos in and out of every store and every alley and bought little things (my favorite was always the rice candy, where you ate the wrappers, too, because they were made of rice paper and dissolved in your mouth, and they used to have little plastic cars and other prizes in the box. i think they were about 10 cents a box back in the mid-60's. now, they're probably 2 bucks each! and you have to go down lombard street (the crookedest street in the world, at least in a big city, LOL), but you may have to walk it now! i think they did something so the poor home owners could get to their houses. sometimes limos would go down and they would have to make 3-point turns at each curve to make it around! at least get a photo from the top looking down or the bottom looking up!
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Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 9:14 pm
Sigh, the things that go on the minute I leave the country. I lived in San Francisco from 1995 to 2000 and I was a mega-sightseer. Things I think you just can't miss are Golden Gate Bridge, and I would also tour Fisherman's Wharf just to see the street performers and the sea lions. Go to Alcatraz if that kind of thing interests you. A place that I found absolutely enchanting was the Palace of Fine Arts. It was at the site of the 1915 Pan American Exhibition to celebrate, among other things, the rebuilding of San Francisco after the great earthquake and fire. In 1915 there were many extravagant temporary buildings erected for this Exhibition. They were all scheduled for demolition, except the one that remains at the site. It was too beautiful to destroy and at some later time in history (1964 sticks in my mind), a local millionaire donated the funds to make the temporary building permanent. Basically, all that is there is the exterior of this amazing piece of architecture. The Exploratorium is housed somewhere in the complex, but if there are only adults in your party, you could probably skip the Exploratorium and just go ogle the buildings. I happen to think Ocean Beach, the Cliff House and the ruins of Sutro Baths are all worth seeing. They can all be seen pretty much together, and they are two blocks from where I lived when I lived in SF. I am sorry I no longer live there, or I would take you sightseeing, Bigd. I was an absolute expert on the City buses, and I often took visitors sightseeing on city buses. If you want to take a cable car just to say you have been on one, I recommend you take the California line. Get on at California and Van Ness and ride over the top of Nob Hill where all the old time fancy hotels remain today. There is never a wait to take the California line. As Tabbyking says, there can be excruciatingly long lines to ride the cable cars from the more popular tourist spots. If you want to ride the most popular cable car lines, here is a tip: Walk about 2-3 blocks from where the toursits are waiting in the huge line and hop on from there. We thought the Winchester Mystery House was just fascinating, but it is a bit difficult to get to and to find on your own. It is somewhere down in San Jose, CA, area, which is not particularly close to San Francisco. I would not recommend anybody go sightseeing in a rental car in San Francisco. Traffic is horrendous, there are no parking spaces, and the natives are downright nasty to anybody who doesn't move out of the way fast enough to suit them. To get the most bang for your buck in a short time, if you don't have a friend who lives there to show you around, I see nothing wrong with taking a commercial tour that hits the highlights. They have professional drivers who are used to driving in the madhouse, and more importantly, they know where they are going. I have long regretted that we did not make it to a performance of Beach Blanket Babylon when we lived there. We always meant to. Likewise, we never made it to church at Glide Memorial Church, which I was told by a Jewish friend of mine was one of the more memorable San Francisco experiences. They have a rocking choir that puts out one heaven of a performance, I am told. And finally, you CAN just wander around on buses and foot in San Francisco and see something absolutely amazing anywhere you go. Keep in mind it is a very small town, 7 miles by 7 miles, so you can't get very lost no matter where you go. I agree with whoever up above said to take the F Market trolley down Market and around to Fisherman's Square. I see nothing whatsoever interesting about a BART ride, no offense intended to those who do. BigD, not sure when you said you were going, but if you have time, find the Muni (bus system) website and get an address to request a Muni map. I think it costs about $2. It is worth its weight in gold if you are brave enough to take the buses. And all of the above was written with the total chauvinism of a San Francisco resident, many of whom think it is almost NEVER necessary to leave The City. Heck, there are people who have never even been out of Chinatown. Seriously. Okay, that is all I can think of for now. Must go sleep off jet-lag.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Tuesday, March 09, 2004 - 9:42 pm
transitinfo.org is the master list of all the bay area transit groups. You can check out the bus route, bart routes, muni routes, and ferry routes for the entire Bay area.
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