[OT] California Vacation

[jimiVbaby]

I'm heading out on a two week jaunt to the San Francisco/Sacramento area in a couple days with a buddy of mine. We basically have nothing planned and were wondering if anyone knew of any points of interest in the surrounding area. Anyone have any good ideas of things to do or bars we should stop into?

[Stoner]

I'm heading out on a two week jaunt to the San Francisco/Sacramento area in a couple days with a buddy of mine. We basically have nothing planned and were wondering if anyone knew of any points of interest in the surrounding area. Anyone have any good ideas of things to do or bars we should stop into?

 

Paging Inkman. Inkman, magenta courtesy phone.

[Eleven]

I'm heading out on a two week jaunt to the San Francisco/Sacramento area in a couple days with a buddy of mine. We basically have nothing planned and were wondering if anyone knew of any points of interest in the surrounding area. Anyone have any good ideas of things to do or bars we should stop into?

 

Don't know if you're wine drinkers or not, but reportedly there are some fantastic wineries around there with some great vinyard tours. (I've never been out there.) Might be worth a shot on an afternoon.

[Team Strike Force]

Muir Woods and Stimson Beach are very nice if you like nature and tranquility.

[wjag]

I'm just now finishing a CA stint. Went to Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks among other things. Paid $5.09 a gallon for gas. A personal best. It's a haul from SF, but worth the trip. Put 2000 miles on the rental car in 9 days.

[Seannie34]

I was just there as well and saw gas for $6.02/gal on the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1). Didnt think i would see it that high for a long time...

[cdexchange]

I was just there as well and saw gas for $6.02/gal on the Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1). Didnt think i would see it that high for a long time...

 

 

Nevertheless, you absolutely MUST make the drive down Hwy 1 through Big Sur. It's one of (if not the) most scenic drives in the US. Gorgeous coast, very rocky and completely natural and undeveloped.

 

Also, depending how much time you have, and how much driving you want to do, I'd highly recommend Lake Tahoe as well.

 

California is awesome, can't wait to go back someday :thumbsup:

[inkman]

Paging Inkman. Inkman, magenta courtesy phone.

 

It was just too easy...

[That Aud Smell]

i did a fair amount of traveling in my heyday (not so much of late), and san francisco is, by far, my favorite city on the planet, beating out boston, miami, seattle, new york, london, dublin, prague, vienna and others. i love its nickname "baghdad by the bay" ... yeah, i know, nowadays that's a step down from "lebanon," but the name harkens back to the day when baghdad was an epicenter of international trade. san fran is the joint.

 

one disclaimer, ink: i did most of my hoofin' around s.f. with my special lady friend, so certain of my recommendations might be slanted toward that sort of traveling dynamic.

 

MISSION DISTRICT for Mexican/Central American grub and that feeling that you're actually in another country -->

Taqueria Cancun: Mission and 19th

Taqueria El Farolito: Mission and 24th

 

CHINATOWN AND NORTH BEACH

Just walk around both areas, they're my 1-2 favorites in the city.

For Chinese food, go to Lucky Creation (Washington between Powell and Stockton), or any other joint where there is neither a menu or conversation in English.

For Italian food around north beach, go to the Golden Spike (on Columbus north of Broadway).

For a freaky scene, go to the SEIU Local 790 Unionized Peep Show at the Lusty Lady on Kearny. (Bizarre.)

 

LOWER HAIGHT

The Toronado bar has great, great beer (it's in the 500 block of the haight, near fillmore) and is a wonderful dive scene. You can go next door to Rosamund's for fantastic sausages, too. Memphis Minnie's should still be across the street -- good barbecue.

 

INNER SUNSET & GOLDEN GATE PARK

The windmills at Golden Gate Park are cool, as are the botanical gardens. Lots of local shops and restaurants around 9th Ave and Irving (Inner Sunset).

 

THE DE YOUNG

In the event you're into an art museum scene - amazing collection and facility.

 

TWIN PEAKS

Best nighttime view of the city, hands down. (for more info: http://sftravel.com/twinpeakssanfrancisco.html)

 

VIETNAMESE FOOD

Great hole-in-the-wall joint: Tu Lan, on 6th between Market and Mission.

 

 

i gots nothin' for you on sac-town.

[LabattBlue]

Absolutely nothing to do with the OP's questions, but it pisses me off that San Diego is so far away from WNY and airfare is out of control. I'd love to go their yearly.

[RayFinkle]

I'm heading out on a two week jaunt to San Francisco/Sacramento area in a couple days with a buddy of mine. We basically have nothing planned...

:unsure:

[cdexchange]

Great hole-in-the-wall joint

 

I've heard there are lots of those in San Fran... :unsure:

[That Aud Smell]

I've heard there are lots of those in San Fran... :unsure:

maybe so ... although i wasn't suggesting he go to the castro district.

 

 

:bag:

[frisky]

Sac-town not so much going on over there but never did spend much time there. But down in the city (not Oakland), there's lots of interesting things to do. Not that Oakland doesn't have things. There are also two zoos. On on the East Side of the bay and the SF Zoo. I've been to both several times and if you like zoos you should visit those. SF Zoo is the one where those kids were shooting the tiger with a sling shot, tiger got pissed, got out, and ate them. I said yay for the tiger but they ended up having to shoot it. That aside, Golden Gate park is also a nice outdoor place to visit. It has museums, an arboretum, etc. Of course there's numerous clubs that you can go to at night which you can easily look up on the net depending on what type you'd like to go to. Restaurants all over the city. There's a few theatres in the city as well. There's China Town. Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz. Exploritorium. Ghiradelli Square. Sony Metreon (IMAX...Batman rocked in it). The Presidio but Lucas is off-limits. Yoda might use the force to block you. Basically, there's lots and lots to do depending on what you are in to. There's also the greater Bay Area that has lots of things to see. One item of warning though...it can be cold in the city in the middle of summer. For example, it could be roasting down in Silicon Valley or out towards Sac-town like 90 degrees and then cold as heck at 65 degrees in the city. A change of clothes is a good idea. Also, if you're planning on walking alot, comfortable walking shoes...lots of steeeeeep hills. Don't forget Lombardi Street (the curvy one that's on TV alot). Got to that once. I lived around there for 7 years and never did get to do everything. So, have no fear, there's plenty to do especially to fill just a couple of days.

 

Edit: Of course, there's plenty of drugs, hookers, gangs, and seedy parts to the city as well which is also plenty easy to find.

[Hawerchuk]

The Haight is fun with all the bars, then go west down to Golden Gate Park. Really cool.

Fishermans Wharf is alot of fun too. Scoma's is a amazing seafood restaurant.

Tahoe is awesome as well, if you want to drive that far.

A giant's baseball game is great too - $12 dollar beers and all.

 

Have fun!

[outlaw16511]

Go see Alcatraz. I regret living there for four years and never going to see it. Highway 1 is an awesome drive. It follows the ocean and is very picturesque. If you end up in Sacramento, old Sacramento is really awesome! It's basically an old Wild West town and it looks like you stepped into a Western movie. Sonoma has some really good wineries and breweries you can visit. I don't remember what the names of them were since I haven't lived in that area for 8 years. I also highly recommend going and walking around Berkley. Berkley is right next to San Fran. You'll see lots of street musicians and old and young hippies. Don't forget to visit Golden Gate park.

[FogBat]

I'm just now finishing a CA stint. Went to Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks among other things. Paid $5.09 a gallon for gas. A personal best. It's a haul from SF, but worth the trip. Put 2000 miles on the rental car in 9 days.

5.16 for diesel at the TA's in Ontario (unless your trucking company has a discount program with the major truck stop chains. Then it was 5.09).

 

Just went to SoCal last week to deliver a load in San Diego and pick up a load in Irvine. I was not at all impressed with SoCal. I can't tell you how glad I was to see metro LA in my rear view mirrors.

 

I drove by the Honda Center. There is something fundamentally wrong when you drive by a hockey arena where the Stanley Cup was paraded and find the arena surrounded by palm trees.

 

Now I know why SoCal has so many wildfires annually. Grass is tan and dead. Very windy and hot over by Palm Springs.

 

Draconian environmental laws. I've heard of truckers getting HUGE fines for idling their trucks - even in hot weather. I got lucky, as it was over 110 in Coachella.

 

I've been through Donner Pass and Northern California out to Stockton. That's not so bad out there. Passing through forests up there is really nice. Invokes memories of Sibelius' music.

 

Silver lining: being reminded of the magnificence of God's creation of the universe almost 8000 years ago. (This is especially true when traveling on I-8 up the jagged cliffs and seeing how all the rocks were just mysteriously "dumped" in one spot like a giant rock pile from the Noahic flood.)

 

Overall, I will remain an East Coaster at heart.