San Francisco Vacationing there june 29th to july 13th (Oakland: home, theater)

[Sovetsky Medved]

OK, I will be visiting this great city on my yearly vacation.
What are some of the interesting places to see, NOT looking for touristy stuff!
I want Obscure and Alternative.
Will be staying out in the richmond district. just looking for unusual shops.
Local Diners, that the locals hang out in and all that.
Going to be checking out The Mission area, The castro and SOMA. And The haight area.
Will be my first time in San francisco, I hope it will be a pleasant and enjoyable time spent.
Im looking forward to the cooler weather and FOG! I live in the Desert, need some relief from all this heat.

[LittleDolphin]

Here you go:

Cheap Fun | Quirky San Francisco

20 quirky, fun and trendy places to explore in San FranciscoTravel Photo Discovery

quirky/bizarre/hidden places and things to do | San Francisco | Yelp

[Ruth4Truth]

um... Are you interested in Russian stuff? Or not? In the city, or are you ok to drive outside the city and explore nature and historic sites?

Golden Gate Park is closed to traffic on Sundays, and open for roller skating. It's a great way to see the park, and there's a lot to see there. The park ends at the beach, which is especially nice for people who are water- and surf-deprived, living in the SW. It's nice just to take in the sea air, the raw energy of the crashing surf, and to walk at the water's edge. It's a nice family atmosphere, with people running their dogs, flying kites, and picnicking.

[Sovetsky Medved]

Hey Thanks! Little dolphin and Ruth.
Im really going to enjoy the next 2 weeks.

[Ruth4Truth]

If you want Russian home-style cooking, go to Cinderella Bakery on 6th Avenue and Balboa, near GG Park, a few blocks south of Geary. It's great for lunch. That's where all the local Russians hang out. You can get fabulous pastries to take home with you, too. You can also get both baked and fried pirozhki to go, as well.

[GalacticDragonfly]

Originally Posted by Sovetsky Medved

OK, I will be visiting this great city on my yearly vacation.
What are some of the interesting places to see, NOT looking for touristy stuff!
I want Obscure and Alternative.
Will be staying out in the richmond district. just looking for unusual shops.
Local Diners, that the locals hang out in and all that.
Going to be checking out The Mission area, The castro and SOMA. And The haight area.
Will be my first time in San francisco, I hope it will be a pleasant and enjoyable time spent.
Im looking forward to the cooler weather and FOG! I live in the Desert, need some relief from all this heat.

Try the East Bay, that's usually what visitors go to after their filling of SF proper.

You should go to some great diners in Berkeley and Oakland, which is like the hotbed of Bay Area cuisine as of current. There's also some great shops around, especially on Telegraph St. and its accessible by the subway, and the hills would be nice to hike in. Makes great for pictures of San Francisco and the high rises around as well.

[mini_cute]

Originally Posted by Sovetsky Medved

OK, I will be visiting this great city on my yearly vacation.
What are some of the interesting places to see, NOT looking for touristy stuff!
I want Obscure and Alternative.
Will be staying out in the richmond district. just looking for unusual shops.
Local Diners, that the locals hang out in and all that.
Going to be checking out The Mission area, The castro and SOMA. And The haight area.
Will be my first time in San francisco, I hope it will be a pleasant and enjoyable time spent.
Im looking forward to the cooler weather and FOG! I live in the Desert, need some relief from all this heat.

For the best skyline view of SF that is not touristy (i.e. View from Twin Peaks) visit the hill in Bernal Heights. You can go there day or night, walk to the top, and the view is amazing. It is a local's secret: Bernal Heights Hill - Bernal Heights - San Francisco, CA | Yelp

To make it a full event, you can also visit the shops on Bernal Height's commercial street, Cortland and dine there too.

Also, if you haven't already visit the Mission District:

Valencia Street
Mission Dolores Park

Now if you really want alternative, you should take a trip out to Oakland. Oakland has long been known as a crime-filled and ghetto city, not worth visiting- but it is changing really fast for the better and becoming an exciting cultural city with new restaurants and art scene. People say Oakland right now is like SF in the 90s. You don't want to go to just any place in Oakland though as it is still patchy- go to these places:

What to do in Oakland for the best experience:

Dinner and a movie, Oakland-style:

Dine at: Commis - the only Michelin star restaurant in Oakland but so good! Better than SF restaurants in my humble opinion and a must- molecular gastronomy but amazing "terroir" tastes just like the California region, make reservations ahead

Then watch a movie at: The New Parkway Theater

Beer, Food, and Great Views:

Grab a beer at: Linden Street Brewery and The Dock restaurant (A must!) - This is actually located in West Oakland in what seems like the middle of industrial nowhere, but I promise it is a hidden gem only locals know about love- the beer is very local- they only deliver to bars and restaurants that can be reached by bicycle, the restaurant next door The Dock is also owned by same guy as Commis and they plan the menu to go well with the local beer, excellent food and dining experience (Extra tip: afterwards drive out or get out somehow (you can't walk there) to the nearby Shoreline Park to get a beautiful view of the bay and SF skyline)

An Afternoon on the Lake:

Lake Chalet - dine there (food is okay) but what is special is you can dine right on the water and/or take a gondola ride right on the lake

People Watching and Walking:

Lunch or Brunch at: Grand Lake Kitchen
Then cross the street and hang out at Lake Merritt at the area near the arch structure. You can sit there and people watch the great diversity of Oakland's people. Often, people will bring out their musical instruments and perform. Some people will do a tribal dance, and there will be tightrope walkers too.

Then take a walk around the lake which is roughly 3.1 miles in perimeter.


Dinner and concert:

Dine at Duende, Flora, or any of the other great restaurants right near the Fox Theater
Then watch a concert at the Fox Theater, an art deco theater redone in 2008. Don't forget to check out the Fox Den and if you get VIP, you can get into the Telegraph Room which is really nice.

Oakland's waterfront and cargo ships:

Visit Jack London Square on Oakland's waterfront, dine there, then ride the ferry from Oakland to SF. It is a beautiful ride and you can see the amazing cargo ships that come into the Port of Oakland from around the world with their colorful containers, and sailing ships, as well as take in SF's skyline and Bay Bridge.

[Sovetsky Medved]

OH GOD! These hills are gonna kill me
Suddenly Im feeling really old.
enjoyed Sutro park and ocean beach, had a nice coffee and bagel at java beach.

[Sovetsky Medved]

Everyone keeps saying S.F. is full of homeless beggars, I seen this scruffy disheveled lookin man today in a safeway parking lot, Thought he was gonna ask for spare change.
Proved me wrong, that hairy critter got in a shiney new BMW and drove away.
I was like "Really"?

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by Sovetsky Medved

OH GOD! These hills are gonna kill me
Suddenly Im feeling really old.
enjoyed Sutro park and ocean beach, had a nice coffee and bagel at java beach.

Sorry for the lack of fog, but it'll be back.