Vacationing in SF...suggestions??? (Richmond, Napa: where to stay, best city, hall)

[mcgoof23]

I'm looking for suggestions on where to stay, things to do, places to eat (saw a few in an old thread, but maybe there are other suggestions), anything else a confused midwesterner might want to know. I've heard a trip to Napa is a must, I already got a couple tickets to a Giants game. Anything else??? Thanks!

[humboldtrat]

Pier 39
Chinatown
Fisherman's Wharf
Bay cruise (from Fisherman's Wharf)
Ferry ride to Alcatraz Island
Drive to the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge for views

[gizmo980]

Oh geez, where to start?? You may have read my suggestions on another thread, so I apologize if these are repeats... but here are some of my favorite spots:

Ocean Beach & Cliff House
Palace of Fine Arts
Golden Gate Park
Haight/Ashbury
Ghirardellhi Square
Sausalito & Marin Headlands (across the Golden Gate bridge)
Civic Center/City Hall/Market St., but not at night - and while you're there, check out my employer, the SF Public Library.
Union Square
SF Museum of Modern Art
Beach Blanket Babylon (theater show, and an SF tradition!)
For nice day-trips, I'd suggest Napa, Santa Cruz, or Monterey; and for a 2-3 day excursion, Lake Tahoe or Yosemite will knock your socks off. Have a great trip, and bring a warm jacket - our spring & summer is often colder than winter (like today, it was freezing & foggy)!!

[gizmo980]

Oh, and to answer your other questions... I don't know hotels well, since I've never stayed in one here. I know which are the nicest, but I'm not sure what your budget is. As for restaurants, we have tons of fabulous ones to choose from! I can suggest both neighborhoods and specific places, so here are a few that come to mind:

Any Italian restaurant in North Beach - NB Pizza is probably the most well-known.
Mexican food in the Mission district
Chinese/Asian food on Clement st. in the Richmond district
Mythic Pizza on lower Haight st.
Cha Cha Cha (Cuban "tapas" style) on upper Haight
Max's Opera Cafe on Van Ness
Mel's Diner on Van Ness
Gordon Biersch Brewery on Harrison, right near the ballpark - went there tonight, and it was very yummy & filling!

I actually know more restaurants on the Peninsula (south of SF), since that's where I grew up... so if you're planning to head that way, I'd be happy to suggest a few!

[jmesb99]

Be sure you take alot of money. parking is xpensive pier 39 has lots of stuff parking we found to be $30.00 so if you eat at a resturant ask for a voucher it will help with that.We didn't know that 'til we got back to our cars.We didn't spend the night but my daughter says the better hotels R xpensive.We had a good time therejust wish we had planned our trip out better.Hope Ya hav fun!

[mcgoof23]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I guess I should have given more details...I'm not looking to stay at a 5 star resort by any means, but someplace decent and within walking distance of things to do. I'd say based on some generic hotel searches I'd like to spend around $100 per night, $150 would probably be on the high end of what I'm willing to spend per night. It seems like Fisherman's Wharf would be a good place to stay.

I had kind of planned on not even renting a car, is public transportation enough to get me around? I figured if we decided to do an excursion I could rent a car for a day.

And don't feel too bad about the temperature...we are about to break a 75 year old record in Chicago today...forecasted high temp: 31deg.

[househunter]

I visited last year and stayed at the Crown Plaza in Union Square. I don't remember but think it was less than $150/night. There are several hotels available in the Union Square area. Public transportation was great for us, we had a few cab rides but mostly rode on the trolly cars. SF is the BEST city in the world! I love it and can't wait to go back!