San Francisco in October
Discussion
We are starting and ending a cruise in San Francisco in mid October, we have a few days after the cruise to do a little sightseeing, any suggestions to have a look at would be welcome.
We already plan to do an alcatraz tour and visit pier 39, have a tram ride, see the bridge (normal touristy things). Is there any must see/do highlights that you can recommend?
I believe there is some kind of airshow/gala event on when we first arrive.
We already plan to do an alcatraz tour and visit pier 39, have a tram ride, see the bridge (normal touristy things). Is there any must see/do highlights that you can recommend?
I believe there is some kind of airshow/gala event on when we first arrive.
Fleet Week with a first rate airshow is 10th to 12th October this year. The Blue Angels are always impressive and you can watch for free from various piers near Fisherman's Wharf
https://fleetweeksf.org/air-show/
San Fran, where I lived for several years, has always been one of the safest US cities, with most areas fine to walk around day and night (like every city, some areas are not...)
October and November are usually the best months for weather, after the fog that covers the city in summer
https://fleetweeksf.org/air-show/
San Fran, where I lived for several years, has always been one of the safest US cities, with most areas fine to walk around day and night (like every city, some areas are not...)
October and November are usually the best months for weather, after the fog that covers the city in summer
Edited by mikef on Tuesday 26th August 16:56
mikef said:
San Fran, where I lived for several years, has always been one of the safest US cities, with most areas fine to walk around day and night (like every city, some areas are not...)
When did you live there? Friends who live in the area say the city’s a no go area which echoes the poster above. ecsrobin said:
When did you live there?.
Lived there 20 years ago, visited most years since except when Trump has been in powercraig1912 said:
Our hotel manager told us not to go through Tenderloin at night (walked through during the day and it was full of harmless druggies) but other than that it was fine.
That's exactly where I was thinking of when I said some areas are to be avoided (as well as Bayshore and Twin Peaks, but tourists wouldn't typically go there)Edited by mikef on Tuesday 26th August 17:01
We went just after Covid (it was a cancelled trip) which was at the peak of the SAN FRANCISCO CRISIS...absolute tosh. I never felt unsafe once and we walked everywhere. No different to most major cities around the world if you walk around with your phone out looking like you are totally lost, expect to lose it.
Yes there were some pretty jarring scenes of open drug taking, and I wouldn't wander through Tenderloin in the middle of the night but otherwise it was great.
I understand it has undergone quite the transformation since. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
We walked from Sutter Street to Mrs Doubtfire's house, which was underwhelming but it was a good way to see some of the city on foot. From there we went for coffee in Nob HIll.
We got an uber out to Outerlands for brunch, which was amazing. Walked from there to the ocean to watch the surfers for a bit and then along to Lands End Lookout. You can walk the trail to the base of GG bridge. Great spot for a photo of the bridge through the trees.
Also had brunch at Tartine Manufactory in the Mission. Amazing again! Need to get there early or be prepared to wait though.
I would factor in about 15 minutes to do Pier 39 and the Sea Lions. Total rubbish (in my view) although we used it as the point to hire bikes and cycle over to Sausolito for a beer (or two) really lovely vibe over that side of the bridge.
Little Italy was great for a pizza but order sparingly. We ended up giving a whole pizza to a homeless couple. You can walk there from the Alcatraz pier (23 I think.)
Taking he cable car up the hill is a must if for no other reason than to hear the operator call every other person a f'ing c bomb. Brilliant entertainment.
Alcatraz is an obvious must too. Do the audio tour. Brilliant.
China Town was great. I'd never had hunan chinese before, which was an experience in heat I'd never experienced!
I've been to a few US cities with work and SF is bar far and away my favourite.
Yes there were some pretty jarring scenes of open drug taking, and I wouldn't wander through Tenderloin in the middle of the night but otherwise it was great.
I understand it has undergone quite the transformation since. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
We walked from Sutter Street to Mrs Doubtfire's house, which was underwhelming but it was a good way to see some of the city on foot. From there we went for coffee in Nob HIll.
We got an uber out to Outerlands for brunch, which was amazing. Walked from there to the ocean to watch the surfers for a bit and then along to Lands End Lookout. You can walk the trail to the base of GG bridge. Great spot for a photo of the bridge through the trees.
Also had brunch at Tartine Manufactory in the Mission. Amazing again! Need to get there early or be prepared to wait though.
I would factor in about 15 minutes to do Pier 39 and the Sea Lions. Total rubbish (in my view) although we used it as the point to hire bikes and cycle over to Sausolito for a beer (or two) really lovely vibe over that side of the bridge.
Little Italy was great for a pizza but order sparingly. We ended up giving a whole pizza to a homeless couple. You can walk there from the Alcatraz pier (23 I think.)
Taking he cable car up the hill is a must if for no other reason than to hear the operator call every other person a f'ing c bomb. Brilliant entertainment.
Alcatraz is an obvious must too. Do the audio tour. Brilliant.
China Town was great. I'd never had hunan chinese before, which was an experience in heat I'd never experienced!
I've been to a few US cities with work and SF is bar far and away my favourite.
Was there last month and not once did I feel unsafe. We spent most of the time on foot and using public transport and no bother at all. There’s homeless and druggies but you can say the same of any large city and simply take common sense precautions and you’ll be fine. Found the homeless issue worse in Las Vegas to be honest.
Great city and a chilled vibe to it. Had a great time. It’s a great place to explore on foot but watch those hills! Some are pretty killer!
Great city and a chilled vibe to it. Had a great time. It’s a great place to explore on foot but watch those hills! Some are pretty killer!
Was in San Fran last month and from what I saw I would say it is just like any other big city in the USA. It will have areas that will be dodgy especially after dark but on the whole it was a nice place.
Only think to watch out for is the weather. It was mid July the temp in the car was showing 95F until about a mile from the Golden gate bridge when the fog hit us. Temps dropped like stone to 60F and the bridge was barely visible even driving over it. It has been one of the coldest summers for a long time due to the coastal fog not going away.
Only think to watch out for is the weather. It was mid July the temp in the car was showing 95F until about a mile from the Golden gate bridge when the fog hit us. Temps dropped like stone to 60F and the bridge was barely visible even driving over it. It has been one of the coldest summers for a long time due to the coastal fog not going away.
Indeed - three disadvantages to living in San Fran:
- Summer fog in the Sunset district (so October is a fantastic time to visit)
- Cost of housing
- Always seem to end up having friends and acquaintances (and acquaintances of acquaintances) staying in the spare room. Best antidote to that is to tell potential visitors that the city is a no-go area and scare them off
COLONEL_SMITH said:
Was in San Fran last month and from what I saw I would say it is just like any other big city in the USA. It will have areas that will be dodgy especially after dark but on the whole it was a nice place.
Only think to watch out for is the weather. It was mid July the temp in the car was showing 95F until about a mile from the Golden gate bridge when the fog hit us. Temps dropped like stone to 60F and the bridge was barely visible even driving over it. It has been one of the coldest summers for a long time due to the coastal fog not going away.
"The coldest winter I ever spent was summer in San Francisco" - Nobody Actually.Only think to watch out for is the weather. It was mid July the temp in the car was showing 95F until about a mile from the Golden gate bridge when the fog hit us. Temps dropped like stone to 60F and the bridge was barely visible even driving over it. It has been one of the coldest summers for a long time due to the coastal fog not going away.
wrencho said:
mikef said:
Brandy Ho's?
Jeez, I miss that place
Yes! The lady asked if we liked hot food, I just nodded thinking it was a "standard" chinese then lost use of my lips for about 45 minutes :-)Jeez, I miss that place
I absolutely loved SF!
I've been fortunate to goto San Fran for Tech conference around Sept, and then a few holidays.
These trips were mid September.
Weather will be foggy in the mornings, you'll feel the dense air and will need a jumper when hunting for breakfast. During late morning through to the afternoon it will brighten up and it's then Indian summer so enjoy the evenings.
Things we did over these few trips;
-Airshow viewing one weekend, we never realised it was on, we stayed in the Holiday Inn on California in the west of the city, the jets flew past our hotel, it was great.
-Bike rode from Fishermans Wharf down to the Bridge, the route is nice and paved all the way, lovely park (then) to explore.
-Whale watching, probably not on the agenda if coming in off a cruise
-Night time Alcatraz tour, found the day time one when we did it was a bit boring and couldn't see the city limits.
-Coit tower is nice for an hour or so
-Sausalito and muir woods, a nice drive out of SF and drive back in as well
These trips were mid September.
Weather will be foggy in the mornings, you'll feel the dense air and will need a jumper when hunting for breakfast. During late morning through to the afternoon it will brighten up and it's then Indian summer so enjoy the evenings.
Things we did over these few trips;
-Airshow viewing one weekend, we never realised it was on, we stayed in the Holiday Inn on California in the west of the city, the jets flew past our hotel, it was great.
-Bike rode from Fishermans Wharf down to the Bridge, the route is nice and paved all the way, lovely park (then) to explore.
-Whale watching, probably not on the agenda if coming in off a cruise
-Night time Alcatraz tour, found the day time one when we did it was a bit boring and couldn't see the city limits.
-Coit tower is nice for an hour or so
-Sausalito and muir woods, a nice drive out of SF and drive back in as well
Last time we were there was just before Covid and I've always loved SF.
We did a movie location bus tour around the city in an old converted school bus, lasted about 3-4 hours but it was great fun with lots of insight and to places around the city I'd never visited before.
If it's still available now after Covid I'd thoroughly recommend it.
We did a movie location bus tour around the city in an old converted school bus, lasted about 3-4 hours but it was great fun with lots of insight and to places around the city I'd never visited before.
If it's still available now after Covid I'd thoroughly recommend it.
We visited San Francisco a couple of years ago. We had the same scare stories. We didn't feel unsafe there. Admittedly we were in the Wharf area which is very pleasant and touristy.
Things to see and do...
We did the Alcatraz tour, which was quite interesting.
We did one of the bus tours, which included China Town and that was quite cool, plus we went over the Golden Gate bridge as part of that. We saw a lot of San Francisco and learnt a lot about the history of the place.
We did visit Macy's and the Cheesecake factory there - portions are huge!!
We looked round the chocolate place - I was a bit underwhelmed, but did spend 9 months in Brussels and the chocolate there is some of the best in the world.
Boudin Bakery is quite good to visit - some great sourdough bread options there, light options or quite sizeable.
As some have said - avoid areas that should be avoided and enjoy!
Things to see and do...
We did the Alcatraz tour, which was quite interesting.
We did one of the bus tours, which included China Town and that was quite cool, plus we went over the Golden Gate bridge as part of that. We saw a lot of San Francisco and learnt a lot about the history of the place.
We did visit Macy's and the Cheesecake factory there - portions are huge!!
We looked round the chocolate place - I was a bit underwhelmed, but did spend 9 months in Brussels and the chocolate there is some of the best in the world.
Boudin Bakery is quite good to visit - some great sourdough bread options there, light options or quite sizeable.
As some have said - avoid areas that should be avoided and enjoy!
eps said:
We visited San Francisco a couple of years ago. We had the same scare stories. We didn't feel unsafe there. Admittedly we were in the Wharf area which is very pleasant and touristy.
Things to see and do...
We did the Alcatraz tour, which was quite interesting.
We did one of the bus tours, which included China Town and that was quite cool, plus we went over the Golden Gate bridge as part of that. We saw a lot of San Francisco and learnt a lot about the history of the place.
We did visit Macy's and the Cheesecake factory there - portions are huge!!
We looked round the chocolate place - I was a bit underwhelmed, but did spend 9 months in Brussels and the chocolate there is some of the best in the world.
Boudin Bakery is quite good to visit - some great sourdough bread options there, light options or quite sizeable.
As some have said - avoid areas that should be avoided and enjoy!
Forgot about Gihradellis (or however it's spelt), lovely ice cream too. Things to see and do...
We did the Alcatraz tour, which was quite interesting.
We did one of the bus tours, which included China Town and that was quite cool, plus we went over the Golden Gate bridge as part of that. We saw a lot of San Francisco and learnt a lot about the history of the place.
We did visit Macy's and the Cheesecake factory there - portions are huge!!
We looked round the chocolate place - I was a bit underwhelmed, but did spend 9 months in Brussels and the chocolate there is some of the best in the world.
Boudin Bakery is quite good to visit - some great sourdough bread options there, light options or quite sizeable.
As some have said - avoid areas that should be avoided and enjoy!
I think in general any place in the US and the world tbh are going to have some iffy spots, I wouldn't be bothered by it tbh.
Unfortunately i have to go there often. It's gone downhill massively in past 5 years.
Drug dealing is evident across the city. Crime rocketed when selling dope was no longer illegal. There are more areas than just Tenderloin that you should avoid.
Even had colleagues mugged on BART train from the airport by drug addicts.
Last time i stayed in the Grand Hyatt just north of Union Square and we were woken up around 3am by gunshots in the street.
I've seen large gangs of drug dealers hassling tourists down at Fishermans wharf in broad daylight too.
If you aren't seeing this stuff in the city - you might be oblivious. I feel lucky that i did the touristy stuff 10+ years ago. A beautiful place ruined by liberal politics and a 'if you don't see them they don't exist ' policy to homeless and drug addicts.
I have literally seen a man with a hypodermic hanging out of his arm, undressed from waist down, walking down towards the moscone centre in the middle of the day. I saw a homeless person lying in the gutter at Union square and people walked around him to cross the road. Police car was 50 yards away and they do nothing.
I'm only going there for work and because i have to. Uber's everywhere door to door, or company transport.
Plenty of other parts of California which are much nicer now.
Drug dealing is evident across the city. Crime rocketed when selling dope was no longer illegal. There are more areas than just Tenderloin that you should avoid.
Even had colleagues mugged on BART train from the airport by drug addicts.
Last time i stayed in the Grand Hyatt just north of Union Square and we were woken up around 3am by gunshots in the street.
I've seen large gangs of drug dealers hassling tourists down at Fishermans wharf in broad daylight too.
If you aren't seeing this stuff in the city - you might be oblivious. I feel lucky that i did the touristy stuff 10+ years ago. A beautiful place ruined by liberal politics and a 'if you don't see them they don't exist ' policy to homeless and drug addicts.
I have literally seen a man with a hypodermic hanging out of his arm, undressed from waist down, walking down towards the moscone centre in the middle of the day. I saw a homeless person lying in the gutter at Union square and people walked around him to cross the road. Police car was 50 yards away and they do nothing.
I'm only going there for work and because i have to. Uber's everywhere door to door, or company transport.
Plenty of other parts of California which are much nicer now.
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