Andrew Delaplaine - San Francisco: The Delaplaine 2015 Long Weekend Guide

SAN

FRANCISCO

The Delaplaine

2015

Long Weekend

Guide

Andrew Delaplaine

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lower Haight / Hayes Valley

INDEX

Maps

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The answer to this is quite simple: It trulyis a beautiful city with great weather. Sure, the fog rolls intothe bay quite often, but this only adds to the romance. No matterwhat neighborhood you find yourself in, it will be either verycolorful or have outstanding views of the bay, Alcatraz, the GoldenGate Bridge. This combined with the genuine friendliness of SanFranciscans will, as Tony Bennett sang, make you leave your hearthere.

If you find yourself with nothing to do inthe city, which is highly doubtful, there is always beach,mountains or forests just outside the city. Not too shabby.

There are only a handful of cities in theU.S. that Id call completely unique: San Francisco is one of them.The City by the Bay has an allure like no other in the world. Ithas a dramatic setting that rivets the eye. No matter where youturn, there are spectacular vistas. Every neighborhood and evenevery street has a certain interesting look thats hard todescribe.

The neighborhoods of San Francisco areentirely distinct. When you move from one area to another fromthe Mission to Union Square to Pacific Heights to Fishermans Wharfto Chinatown you will find yourself in an entirely differentenvironment, as if youd traveled hundreds of miles. This is onething that makes San Francisco so exciting: the huge range ofdiversity among its population.

The historical reputation of the city as awild anything goes town from the Gold Rush Era has only slightlydissipated. The enormous gay population that gave modern SanFrancisco much of its outlaw glamour, devastated by the AIDSepidemic, still dominates large parts of the town. And while itlooked like the bloom was off the rose for a few years, the citystill has a dynamic and involved gay population.

Its nice to be able to take advantage ofall the outdoor activities available here. Im not out there doingthese things, but YOU ought to be: go to Alcatraz, visit GoldenGate Park (and do NOT rush) because this is a place that has thatSan Francisco feel all over it, take the Coastal Trail, startingfrom the Cliff House, visit the Wine Country, take the Powell-Hydecable car (these are not called trolleys, but cable cars), walk(or bicycle) across the Golden Gate Bridge, walk along the GoldenGate Promenade, walk through the Haight to see what aging hippiesreally look like, walk up (or down) the Filbert Street Stepsthese380 steps lead you through some of the most interesting parts oftown. Youll marvel at the varied architecture.

Other musts include a drink at the top ofthe Mark Hopkins, the Sir Francis Drake or the Grand Hyatt. Youwont soon forget the views.

They say that walking across the Golden GateBridge is one of those things you have to do once in your life.(Ive never done thatIve always driven.) But that sentiment canbe applied to the idea of just going to San Francisco itself. Thisvisit is one of those things you have to do once in your life. And,if youre really a traveler, theres no way youll not return.

The fastest and cheapest way to get into thecity from San Francisco International airport is by BART, the bayareas subway system. The route will take you about 35 minutes(depending on where youre going) and a one-way ticket will costapproximately $6. Trains depart every 15 minutes. If you want totake a cab, from the airport to downtown, it will cost youapproximately $35-$40 plus tip and takes about 30 minutes,depending on traffic. Finally, you also have the Supershuttleoption (800-258-3826). This is a private shuttle company thatoffers door-to-door service in which you share a van with a fewother passengers. From the airport it will be $15 per person to aresidence or business. On the return trip to the airport, add$8-$15 for each additional person depending on whether they pickyou up from a business or residence.

Taxis from Oakland International airport arepricey, about $50 plus tip. Then you have the Bayporter Express(877-467-1800), a shuttle service that costs $26 for the firstperson and $12 for each additional person in your party. Children11 and under pay $7 and they do accept advanced reservations. Thereare also other shuttles that will charge you about $20 to take youinto the city but these are independently owned and costs willvary. Again, the cheapest way into the city from this airport is byBART. Here though you will need to board the AirBART shuttle to theterminals that the actual train to the city departs from. Theentire cost will be approximately $5.50 and the entire excursionwill take around 45 minutes.

Aside from the obvious options of having acar or using a cab, once youre in the city, their publictransportation will make it very easy for you to get around. Notonly can you take the subway, BART, just about anywhere, they alsohave two separate bus systems you can take SamTrans and MUNI. Youwill find all of these three options very convenient.

www.sfweekly.com

This will give you specific information onevents, galleries and goings-on around the city the week you areactually there.

www.baycitizen.org

Another weekly paper filled with local news,events and information during your visit.

www.sanfrancisco.travel

Specific information for visitors.

The California Welcome Center SanFrancisco

Pier 39

Building B, Level 2

San Francisco, CA 94133-1006

www. visitcwc.com/SanFrancisco

Napa ValleyWelcome Center

600 Main Street

Napa, CA 94559

Phone: 707-251-5895

Lodging assistance: 707-251-9188

www.visitnapavalley.com

Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers

783 Broadway

Sonoma, CA 95476

Phone: 707-935-0803

Fax: 707-935-1947

Email:

www.sonomavalleywine.com

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The area ismarked by the cluster of high-rise towers that lies between GrantAvenue east of the Union Square shopping district, SacramentoStreet and Columbus Street, south of Chinatown and North Beach, andthe Embarcadero that rings the waterfront.

BAY BRIDGE INN

966 Harrison St., San Francisco:415-397-0657