San Francisco
From GRA
Contents |
How to get there
- By plane
Approx 5 hour direct flight from DC
San Francisco has two major airports, the main one being San Francisco International Airport which is 24 Km outside of the city. From the airport a metro can be taken into the city. www.flysfo.com
The second airport is Oakland International Airport. www.oaklandairport.com
- By car
It takes about 6 hours from Los Angeles to get to there (Interstate Highway 5). Make sure that you avoid the rush-hours, otherwise the trip will take 2 hours longer.
What to see
- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
151 Third Street San Francisco, CA 94103 Telephone: 415.357.4000 Fax: 415.357.4037 http://www.sfmoma.org/
Winter Hours (Labour day - Memorial Day): Monday - Tuesday: 11 am - 5.45 pm Wednesday: Closed Thursday: 11 am - 8.45 pm Friday - Sunday: 11 am - 5:45 pm
SFMOMA is closed on the following public holidays: New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. SFMOMA closes at 4:45 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.
Admission: $12.00 Adults $7.00
- San Francisco China Town
Great buildings, shops, restaurants
- Golden Gate Bridge
Ferry rides and cruises can be taken from around Fishermans Wharf and pier 39. Bike hire is also available for the more energetic amongst you.
- Cable Cars
It wouldnt be a trip to SanFrancisco without a ride on a notorious cable car! Its a great experience and good way to get your bearings of the city from the centre down to fishermans wharf
- Lombard street
Called the crookedest street in the world, gives excellent views of North Beach as you descend
- Fishermans Wharf
Highlights around Fishermans Wharf include: Ghirardeli Square Boudin Bakery Maritime Museum Pier 39
- Alcatraz island
Trips to the island by ferry with the Blue & Gold Fleet can be booked from Fishermans Wharf Pier 41. Also trips can be organized online at www.nps.gov/alcatraz
Both day time and evening trips are possible.Trips usually take aroun 2-2.5 hours
Admission Adults: $16.50 (day-time)
- Grace Cathedral
1100 California Street www.gracecathedral.org
Situated on Nob Hill (which is another must see in SanFrancisco), this is a really beautiful cathedral to visit
Opening Hours Monday - Friday and Sunday: 7 am - 6 pm Saturday: 8 am - 6 pm
- Bank of America
If you get to the 52nd floor of the Bank of America building located in downtown, and go to the cocktail lounge, you will have a wonderful view of San Francisco.
- Coit Tower
One of the towers which give you a nice overview of San Francisco. Located in the north east, below Alcatraz. You can also visit the Levi Plaze, which is a litle more to the east. The stairs between them lead you through a beautiful and quite neighbourhood. Entrance fee is 4.50 dollar. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coit_Tower
- Palace of Finearts'
Looks impressing and very old. The setup looks like a park. Has a lot of beautiful views, nice park, and a museum at the west side. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palace_of_Fine_Arts
Where to eat
- Il Pollaio
Located at 555 Columbus Ave, between Green and Union sts, North Beach/Telegraph Hill. Simple, very affordable, and consistently delicious. They prepare grilled chicken served with fries or huge salads for more than reasonable price (about $8). They cook in front of you and the room is tinny which gives a friendly atmosphere.
- House of Nanking
In Chinatown at 919 Kearny St, close to Jackson St Maybe one of the best cheap Chinese restaurants in San Francisco. Prices are very reasonable (entree 7 - 9$) and the food is absolutely delicious, what you would not expect regarding the interieur - but there are lines in front waiting for a seat.
Public transportation
San Francisco has a very good public transportation system named MUNI which includes metros, buses, cable cars and tramway's. You can easily visit San Francisco without renting a car. A bus ticket is $1.50 and works the same as in Washington DC. You need a transfer as proof of having paid.
You can buy transportation passports so that you can take unlimited rides on Muni. This includes cable cars ($5 per Trip w/o Muni Passport)
1-day Passport $11
3-day Passport $18
7-day Passport $24
http://www.sfmuni.com
You can reach the outer areas and shuttle from the airport to the city with BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). The charge for a transfer from SFO to Downtown is $5.15.
http://www.bart.gov
Partying
All clubs and bars close at 2am. Most clubs have an entrance fee of $10. Haight street is a nice place to hang out. Lots of bars, restaurants, and shops. Comparable with South Street in Philadelphia. Google Maps
Day Trips from San Francisco
Trips to the wine country; Napa Valley and Sonoma http://www.napavalley.com/
Monterey http://www.monterey.org/visitorinfo.html Great aquarium, wharf and beach. Activities including sea kayaking and hiking.
Big Sur (3 hrs from SanFran) http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/ Good camping and out door activities
Yosemite National park The park can be visited as a long day trip from San Francisco but is much better visited over several days to enjoy excellent scenery, camping and hiking. www.nps.gov/yose
Useful Links
- http://www.sfcvb.org/culture/
- http://www.hellosanfrancisco.com/
- http://maps.google.com/maps?oi=map&q=San+Francisco,+CA
