We moved! Now what? (San Francisco, Oakland: rentals, condos, how much)

[debbie421]

Hi all! Excited to say we moved and are staying in a corporate rental provided by my firm in the financial district. We're still looking for that perfect neighborhood rental, but refreshingly, that's not what this post is about!

For all you locals, I'd really like to know your favorite things to do in the city in your free time. We're eager to get to know our city and the surrounding areas. We have a few ideas, but wouldn't mind more. For reference, we're a married couple in our mid-30's WITHOUT children. We're financially sound, so we don't mind paying for good fun. Here's what we have so far, please add on:

1. Ferry to Sausalito for brunch, walk around, return
2. Hiking - we prefer hillier/mountain areas, any suggestions?
3. Off the Grid, Fort Mason, Friday night
4. Teatro ZinZanni
5. Alcatraz (I know, but we haven't done it yet)
6. San Francisco beach picnics (we get it, it's cold, we don't plan on swimming or sunning) - Baker, Oceanside, any other suggestions?
7. Destination dining, i.e. a great restaurant with a view in Point Reyes, but could use suggestions

Please let us know what else you do in the Fall!

[llowllevellowll]

1. Walking Lake Merritt (Oakland)

2. Twin Peaks (SF) ; Bernal Hill (view not quite as amazing as Twin Peaks, but yaaaaay, doggies!

3. SF/Oakland Zoo + Oakland Space & Science Center

4. Baker Beach (SF)

5. Muir Woods

If you don't mind driving, Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the least-talked about/amazing destinations that I think is a must-see.

My favorite neighborhood in SF is Bernal Heights. Get there by taking Mission out to Courtland.

[mayorhaggar]

I dunno, Nob Hill, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Lower Pacific Heights if you can afford them. SOMA is close to downtown but I've never liked it, the eastern part is a lot of sterile new condos and the western part is grubby and has a lot of noisy traffic headed towards the bridges.

[humboldtrat]

Drive down to the Pillar Point Harbor just north of Half Moon Bay. Lots of restaurants overlooking fishing boats Princeton-by-the-Sea, The Shoppes at Harbor Village, Harbor Village Shops, Harbor Village at Pillar Point Harbor, Pillar Point Harbor, Princeton-by-the-Sea Half Moon Bay, Pillar Point Harbor at Princeton-by-the-Sea, Princeton-by-the-Sea Harbor, Princ. Check out the Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. www.hmbbrewingco.com

Half Moon Bay also has a pumpkin festival in Oct. It's very crowded so you might want to drive by the fields of pumpkins before or after the festival. Great Pumpkins - Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber

[thecooler]

Originally Posted by debbie421

1. Hiking - we prefer hillier/mountain areas, any suggestions?
2. Destination dining, i.e. a great restaurant with a view in Point Reyes, but could use suggestions

Please let us know what else you do in the Fall!

For hiking, no question, best place is Marin county, there are hundreds of miles of trails on and around Mt. Tam. Alternatives would be Tilden Park in Berkeley and Mt. Diablo in the east bay.

Dining ideas (and my knowledge of SF dining is limited) -

ChaChaCha in the haight, funky cuban tapas restaurant with good sangria.

Brazenhead, charming German steakhouse in Cow Hollow, no sign on the street, so its a hidden gem a lot of people don't know about.

Marin Brewing company - average pub food but a great spot to go after a hike in Marin to enjoy outdoor seating and good beer.

Beach or park Chalet (but only when its sunny, this area is frequently foggy when other parts of the city are sunny).

Betelnut in Cow Hollow, fun asian fusion small plate restaurant, good cocktails too

Fresca- good spanish/seafood

Gary Denko - super splurge

Sodini's - family italian restaurant in north beach, good food, nothing fancy

Other must do's

Beach Blanket Babylon
Sutro baths/lands end walk
San Francisco museum of science (the thursday night thing is very cool)
Angel island
walk Crissy field
Clement st for cheap asian shopping, good irish bars, asian food

[mini_cute]

Welcome to SF Debbie! Congratulations on the move. Here are some suggestions of fun things to do with suggestions/tips added onto your own list:

1. Ferry to Sausalito for brunch, walk around, return
- Better yet, if you have not done so already, take your bikes or rent bikes, and ride along the embarcadero heading north, through the fisherman's wharf area (may be a challenge finding a bike path here), along the waterfront in Marina, pass Marina Green and Crissy field, up and over across the GG Bridge and down to Sausalito and ride the Ferry back - it's one of the most beautiful ways to experience the waterfront and the GG Bridge while getting some good exercise- there will be some challenging hills so you will get a nice workout for your glutes- do this while the weather is still fair

2. Hiking - we prefer hillier/mountain areas, any suggestions?
- Muir Woods, Mt. Tamalpais- I heard there is a hiking trail that takes you up and you can catch a view of the sea, then you hike down and there is a place somewhere you can eat fresh oysters

3. Off the Grid, Fort Mason, Friday night
- Yes! OTG is a must for anyone who loves food, get there early if you can to avoid the long lines. Bring a warm jacket as it can get quite cold and windy out in Marina many days. You will find out just how much SF loves FOOD. I swear there is a food related event going on all the time. And if you like a new, innovative dining scene, the Mission District is undergoing a restaurant rennaissance- that is where a lot of cool new restaurants are opening up i.e. Wo Hing General Store by Charles Phan of the famed Slanted Door, and here is a link to a list of must eats in 2011 courtesy of 7x7

4. Teatro ZinZanni
- I have never been, also keep your eyes open for Cirque du Soleil when they are in town, they are going to be performing Totem at AT&T Park

5. Alcatraz (I know, but we haven't done it yet)
- Unless you are dying to see what Alcatraz is like or have lots of time to spare, I'd save this for doing with the people who will be visiting you from out of town, I also recommend sailing on the bay in a real sail boat which will sail past Alcatraz and under the GG Bridge- and you can sail in the day or at sunset too, the sunset sail leaves just before sunset and serves drinks and snacks, here is a link to one of the sailing charters which offers this
What better way to see the skyline then from out on the water in a sailboat with the city all lit up


6. San Francisco beach picnics (we get it, it's cold, we don't plan on swimming or sunning) - Baker, Oceanside, any other suggestions?
- For a quick, nearby beach Baker is popular. If you have time, I recommend checking out Stinson beach which is just north across the GG Bridge, it is one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. It is pristine and the sunsets are simply amazing and leave you contemplating about life. Then there is Half Moon Bay 30 miles away in the south where you can go horseback riding on the beach.

7. Destination dining, i.e. a great restaurant with a view in Point Reyes, but
- Can't go wrong with those fine dining establishments in Napa/Sonoma- French Laundry $$$$ has been a major staple for a while and Manresa in Los Gatos (down near Santa Cruz) is another Michelin Star restaurant- I've found that the restaurants with the best views like right on a beach front tend to not be as good as regular restaurants in more ordinary locations

Sign up your email for Goldstar.com where you can get discounts to entertainment, it is like Groupon but geared towards local entertainment, and they offer a lot of free admission to various cultural events too

Bike culture has been really taking off in SF- you will notice lots of people bike commuting and just riding around. If you want to get a glimpse into the vibrant bike riding community of SF while taking a more intimate tour of SF landmarks and city streets, then come out for a monthly bike party - they meet once a month on the first Friday at a specified location, details on their website. Hundreds of people come out and ride together with positive vibes. It is the more civilized version of critical mass but better. If you love seeing SF sights, biking, and partying, this would be a fun thing to do for you while getting in some good exercise too.

Free outdoor swing dancing lessons every Sunday in GG Park at 11 AM more info here

Sunday Streets SF's official "block party"

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

Burning Man if that would be your thing, annual week-long, huge and high-end desert rave where tens of thousands of people from all over attend, still going on strong since 89, an experiment in radical self-expression, interestingly even some Silicon Valley elite have attended, such as the Google founders, I've never been but I know SF loves their Burning Man, video

Originally Posted by debbie421

Hi all! Excited to say we moved and are staying in a corporate rental provided by my firm in the financial district. We're still looking for that perfect neighborhood rental, but refreshingly, that's not what this post is about!

For all you locals, I'd really like to know your favorite things to do in the city in your free time. We're eager to get to know our city and the surrounding areas. We have a few ideas, but wouldn't mind more. For reference, we're a married couple in our mid-30's WITHOUT children. We're financially sound, so we don't mind paying for good fun. Here's what we have so far, please add on:

1. Ferry to Sausalito for brunch, walk around, return
2. Hiking - we prefer hillier/mountain areas, any suggestions?
3. Off the Grid, Fort Mason, Friday night
4. Teatro ZinZanni
5. Alcatraz (I know, but we haven't done it yet)
6. San Francisco beach picnics (we get it, it's cold, we don't plan on swimming or sunning) - Baker, Oceanside, any other suggestions?
7. Destination dining, i.e. a great restaurant with a view in Point Reyes, but could use suggestions

Please let us know what else you do in the Fall!

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Marin, hiking, schmiking ...

Everything is about Marin.

Without even crossing one danged bridge ... you have the immense hinterland of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Go get lost out in The Chalks (that's is but one of several possible adventures).

[SunDevil1212]

Another great ferry ride is to Tiburon. You can ride your bike across the bridge all the way to Tiburon, go to Sam's and do some day-drinking on the patio at the Marina there, then take the ferry back (they allow bikes on the ferry). Or you can take the ferry both ways, of course.

Also, if you do get into biking, a great route from the financial district is down Market, then to the Wiggle Route (The Wiggle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia), then through Golden Gate Park all the way to Ocean Beach. You can either ride back through the park and up market, or for a longer journey go all the way along the coast up through Lands End, the Presidio, along the Marina Green and then to the Embarcadero back to the Financial District.

One other suggestion I haven't seen mentioned, on a sunny weekend afternoon, take BART down to 16th St Mission, check out the murals on Clarion Alley, grab a mission burrito, pick up some beer or wine and have a picnic in Dolores park. Just be aware there can be some "characters" there, but if you enjoy people watching its probably the best spot in the city.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Parti Rhinocéros

1. Walking Lake Merritt (Oakland)

2. Twin Peaks (SF) ; Bernal Hill (view not quite as amazing as Twin Peaks, but yaaaaay, doggies!

3. SF/Oakland Zoo + Oakland Space & Science Center

4. Baker Beach (SF)

5. Muir Woods

If you don't mind driving, Lassen Volcanic National Park is one of the least-talked about/amazing destinations that I think is a must-see. I agree with you about Lassen as well.

My favorite neighborhood in SF is Bernal Heights. Get there by taking Mission out to Courtland.

I rep-ed ya because of your "Muir Woods" reference, absolutely one of, if not "THE" best walk in the woods I have ever had. Uh, the only continent I have not set my size 12 wide feet is antarctica.

[peninsular]

Rather than taking a ferry, with an added benefit of getting some sun, I'd suggest taking a caltrain ride to some of the peninsula towns. I'd recommend Burlingame and San Mateo, which are a touch underrated. And there is, of course, Palo Alto, which is probably more than a touch overrated.
There are quite a few interesting restaurants, shops and places to bum around in all of these. A Stanford Dish walk (Stanford Dish) is an interesting trail in a surprising locale. This would require driving, though, and parking may be an issue during more popular times, but I think it's worth checking out.