Things to do in San Francisco in the winter

[And That]

So, my fiance and I decided that we're going to take a train from St. Paul to San Francisco for our honeymoon this winter. We have both always wanted to go there, but now that we are getting the chance, we don't know exactly what all to do. We'll be there for four or five days in the first week of January '10. Locals or people familiar with the area, what are some things we must do while we are there? And do we need to rent a car or is the public transportation system adequate?

 

Thanks in advance.

[cubfan1126]

What to do?

1 reason to get a car is an official 49 mile drive around the city. It's marked by signs (albeit not always very well - and we did get misplaced a couple of times) takes you past all the significant highlights.
And you have to drive down Lombard street.

Things:
Fishermans' Wharf - be sure to partake of shellfish from street vendors and bread bowl clam chowder at Boudins
Pier 39 - Outdoor mall
Alcatraz - get tickets ahead of time (it WILL be a cold ride across the Bay)
Travel the Golden Gate over to Sausalito - quaint village
Gotta ride a cable car - Long wait to get on at end points but if you try to get on in the middle may be no room

Restaurants: Please don't eat at any chain restaurants there are too many good locals

Some recommendations:
Anywhere in Chinatown - someone else may have a good recommendation
Scoma's - on the Wharf - great seafood - Outside the restaurant is a sunset photo op with Golden Gate in background
The Stninking Rose - if you love garlic - "We season our garlic with food!"

[I Heart Brewers]

Do you want to do touristy stuff or local stuff? The music scene is really good, I know that you enjoy listening to lots of indie rock, correct? Slim's, the Fillmore, Great American Music Hall, the Independent, Bottom of the Hill, and Bimbos are all great places to see a concert.

There are a ton of great restaurants, but the Chronicle compiles a list every year found here. I can speak for Nopa and Zuni Cafe on the list, very good and not incredibly expensive (but that is for SF prices). Depending on the neighborhood you stay in that list can narrow it down for you, but the city is not big so non are more than a short cab ride away.

Crissy Field is a great park with nice views of the Golden Gate bridge and a nice trail for walking or you can stroll up and down the beach by the bay. Muir woods is a park just over the Golden Gate bridge that contains tons of redwoods. It's literally 5 minutes out of the city and worth a visit. If you are going in winter it may be rainy, but if not the weather during the day never really dips lower than the 50s so if you can handle that any outdoor activity is fair game. But the city is not warm (even in summer - save a week here or there).

Lots of diverse neighborhoods depending on your interests. Decent bars on Union Street, Fillmore, Divisidaro, and even some in the Marina (Horseshoe Pub is one I like - but be careful, the Marina can sort of turn into a yuppified Water Street bar scene late at night).

There are also many places to go out of the city, north bay has Tiburon and Sausalito which are great to walk around in. Napa or Sonoma (Napa's less expensive and more down to earth cousin) is about an hour away I believe. Or you could go to Oakland and visit the wonderful, um, well, just don't go late at night to certain areas... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[SeriesFinale]

I guess I'm one of those people who think Sausalito's kinda over-rated...you can get much the same effect going to Door County or Lake Geneva...lots of "galleries" and boutique-y shops. There is something to be said for the views though, but you can get those if you take a bay cruise or even the ferry to Alcatraz (which is "touristy" in that there are a lot of tourists, obviously, but pretty fascinating). A trip to Alcatraz can also cross the Wharf off your list, since most ferries depart from down that way. Otherwise I wouldn't invest too much time there, really kinda touristy stuff you can see at Navy Pier in Chicago or the Dells, for instance. But again, the views....(and In-n-Out Burger is there!)

 

Anyway, I'd agree that you should get a car for just a day or two to go up to Wine Country (which you should do) and check out the views in Marin or from Twin Peaks, otherwise, you'll be able to get around town easily (sometimes much more easily) without it. Buy a $24 wekly visitor pass from Muni; besides the buses and metro trains and streetcars, you're also be able to get on the cable cars with it, which charges $5 per ride otherwise.

 

I'd just also keep in mind that like I Heart Brewers said, January's rainy season. It's not like monsoon conditions--the wet is usually pretty mild and doesn't last for weeks or even days on end--but I'd make sure you have a few indoor plans and be flexible.

 

Enjoy the train trip...it's really beautiful through the mountains, I've been told. My in-laws came out via that way last December.

[hawing]

The Rev's comments just made me (finally) notice that you're taking the train. Are you going Empire Builder to Seattle, then Coast Starlight, or Empire Builder to Chicago, then California Zephyr? (Or hobo-ing it on freight trains, instead of Amtrak? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tongue.gif)

Either trip should be scenic, and either will take several days, giving you plenty of distraction-free time.

 

I can't help you with San Francisco, but if you have questions about Amtrak, let me know.

[And That]

We're going to take the Empire Builder from St. Paul to Portland and the Coast Starlight from Portland to Emeryville. We're either going to take a bus from Emeryville into San Francisco or just rent a car there. We're probably going to be celebrating New Year's on a train somewhere between Portland and San Francisco so that'll be fun. I suggesting hoboing to my fiance, who quickly rejected it out of hand due to the chilly conditions. Maybe if we were getting married in the summer. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

She really wants to go to Alcatraz and I really want to go to wine country (and The Stinking Rose). We want to stay away from ultra-touristy stuff and keep it as relaxed as possible. Visit some nice restaurants too, for sure. Thanks for the tips, and keep 'em coming. We want to basically stay at one hotel - where would be the best, most centralized area to stay in?

[LouisEly]

I'll second the trip to wine country. Sonoma is straight north of SF off the 101. I highly recommend the Ferrari-Carano winery outside of Healdsburg.

 

Entertainment - Teatro Zin Zany is fun and indoors. Beach Blanket Babylon is supposed to be fun, but I'm not sure it is still playing.

 

Restaurants - you have to do Izzy's Steakhouse, just off the corner of Lombard & Steiner. Been around forever and has lots of character, and a filet and two sides cost $25. I'll second the "do not eat at a chain restaurant"; there are way too many local places. I haven't been to SF in so long so I've forgotten many of the places. Right next to Izzy's is a great sushi place.

 

Hotels - If you want something economical I highly recommend the Lombard Motor Inn or the Chelsea Motor Inn. Nothing fancy, just a basic clean room and it sounds like you won't be in the room much, but it is right in the middle of the Marina district and you can walk to a lot of nice restaruants (including Izzy's, just around the corner). Last I was there rooms went for $100/night in January, which is a bargain for SF. Free wireless internet, and they also have free parking if you will have a rental car; something to consider, because parking at many hotels can cost $40/night. During January you sometimes can get the Hilton Union Square for under $150/night, so you can check out that area of town.

[SeriesFinale]

Beach Blanket Babylon is still playing and probably always will...that's an "only in San Francisco" kinda show and a lot of fun (Teatro ZinZanni's good, too, but pricier). It's non-union, so I'm not the biggest fan, but it is pretty cool, with all the costumes and timely songs and stuff.

 

As far as Wine Country goes, I second (third?) Sonoma. Some of my favorite wineries/tasting rooms in the south county (near the town of Sonoma) there:

 

Buena Vista

Gundlach Bundschu

Larson Family

[cubfan1126]

I didn't even think about wine country, but will highly second the choice of Ferrari Carano though it may not be as beautiful in January as it was in August when I went.

Another winery I liked was Trentadue. A lot of the wineries are busy and you won't get any personalized attention other than trying to get you to join their wine club. When I went to Trentadue, the 4 of us were the only ones there for a tasting. We got 2 tastings for the price of 1. After tasting the regular wine we then got to also taste some ports. The chocolate port was fabulous.

[SeriesFinale]

One day-long activity you should consider is one morning taking the N to the Carl and Cole stop, getting out and walking north two blocks to Haight, where you can check out Haight-Ashbury for a while (it can be both touristy and seedy at the same time in parts, but there are a lot of pretty cool spots there--Amoeba Records, the Red Vic, etc--and good places to get a bite or a drink--Magnolia Brewing, etc--and it's a small slice of SF and cultural history), and then walk across Stanyan into Golden Gate Park and walk all the way through it sloping down to the Pacific (about 3 miles), stopping at any of the spots you'd like to check out along the way: the Conservatory of Flowers, the deYoung, the California Academy of Sciences (just renovated and really cool), the Japanese Tea Garden, the Arboretum, the Shakespeare Garden, Strawberry Hill/Stow Lake and the waterfalls, the bison paddock, the windmill/tulip gardens, ending for a glass of microbrew/wine or two at the Park Chalet looking out at the ocean or out on the back green where they have big Adirondack chairs and bands playing on weekend afternoons. From there you can walk down to Judah and take the N back downtown (maybe after catching the sun setting on the continent!).

 

Just a thought--I live right across from the park and spend a lot of time there--an under-rated part of SF, I think.

[diomedeh2]

If you're heading up to Sonoma county, there's a little restaurant in Healdsburg called Scopa that is pretty amazing. The lupini beans are a real treat.

 

Also, if you're into beer at all, there are a few great beer bars in and around Haight...Toronado and City Beer Store come to mind. Maybe not ideal honeymoon destinations, but worth a visit if the mood should so strike you. Magnolia Pub is also a nice place...more of an upscale gastro-pub with California cuisine as well as housemade beer. And definitely get your hands on some Russian River brews...fantastic stuff, especially if you're into the hops (Pliny the Elder is a must).

 

Annnd if you're feeling like busting out some big $$$ on a fantastic dinner, I'd highly HIGHLY recommend checking out Chez Panisse in Berkeley. Creative and delicious...still one of the top dining experiences of my life.

[SeriesFinale]

Man, seems like we need a Bay Area Brewerfan meet-up...Russian River up in Santa Rosa would work for me!

 

And yeah, Toronado/Rosamunde is a great late afternoon spent. Zeitgeist is another great beer bar in town if you'll be near the Mission, although that might be raw-dogging it on your honeymoon!

[LouisEly]

I'll definitely second a stop in Healdsburg on the way up to or back from Sonoma. Just a neat little town, and a quaint little downtown area around the town square.

 

Another place "to say you've been there" as long as you will be in Emeryville is the original Trader Vic's. It's in the Emeryville marina, just past the Hilton Garden Inn, not too far from where the train station is IIRC. At night in January it will be a little nippy, and one of their hot buttered rums will warm you up just nicely. Be careful if you're driving; they have such an interesting drink menu that it's easy to have one too many. I doubt you will see any werewolves drinking any pina coladas there; more likely to see that at the London one.

 

Too bad I no longer have SF anymore. And too bad that the only series the Brewers play there is opening week. Very difficult for me to get up there during the week now. Joel, you'll have to come down to the San Diego series at the end of July/beginning of August.

[SeriesFinale]

I'm debating the SD trip...I'll be flying out to Wisconsin a couple weeks after that, and have a couple other weddings/family events I need to attend in Chicago and Florida in the fall, so I've gotta save my bones. But if I can get a cheap last minute deal, I'll be there.

[DHonks]

Make sure you dress warm, Toby. I hated January and February in the Bay Area for college, and San Fran was usually colder than Santa Clara. Expect the weather to be low-to-mid 40s, good chance of either clouds or a non-stop misty rain.

[SeriesFinale]

It's definitely not the Bahamas or Hawaii

 

It is, however, warmer than St. Paul!

[SeriesFinale]

There's an article on doing SF on a budget on MSN today that I actually think gives some pretty good general advice.

[Spidey]

If you're renting a car, I'd drive up to Point Reyes National Seashore for a day. Lots of nice hikes and good coastal viewings. (Although I'm biased as a birdwatcher) I worked east of Oakland for a summer and up in NoCal for a few summers, and enjoyed Pt. Reyes on the weekends, although in January it could be cold and windy. I also took that same train route twice before. The empire builder was nice, lots of room and most of the people are older travelers. (sneak on your own booze though). The Coast starlight train is usually packed with people moving up and down the coast. Get good seats and stay in them! Don't get caught in the lounge car for awhile and lose your seat. Also, my favorite beer is Lagunitas IPA, which is brewed in Petaluma I believe. Have fun

[diomedeh2]

"If you're renting a car, I'd drive up to Point Reyes National Seashore for a day."

 

Cannot argue this logic...if you can make it to Pt. Reyes, then you should definitely go. Absolutely gorgeous. Olema is a nice little one restaurant town (oysters on the patio start @ 4 or 5 I believe) and if you head up to Pt. Reyes Station, stop off at Cowgirl Creamery. Some incredible cheese there. And if you're feeling even more adventurous, the Hog Island Oyster Company is about 10 min up Hwy 1 in Marshall. Nothing like a Sweetwater to tantalize the taste buds! There's a trend at work here...

[cubfan1126]

and if you head up to Pt. Reyes Station, stop off at Cowgirl Creamery. Some incredible cheese there.

Wait a minute. Isn't this borderline sacreligious to post on a Wisconsin based forum that someplace else has incredible cheese?

[Spidey]

It is borderline sacreligious, however, I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume that diomedeh2 meant "incredible cheese" by California standards. (Which are low) However, I might add that when I found extremely delicious smokey sharp cheddar in California, I was confused and asked the deli-worker to see the label only to find that it was from Wisconsin! So the Cowgirl creamery cheese may, in fact, be Wisconsin cheese.

[SeriesFinale]

Bah, Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam, and Humboldt Fog (among others) are incredible by any standards! California and Wisconsin both do cheese and beer really well, I've been spoiled. Now if only Wisconsin could get a proper wine country!

 

Anyway, in lieu of The Stinking Rose (which can be kinda touristy), since it's your honeymoon may I suggest Allegro Romano up on Russian Hill. Intimate, romantic Italian trattoria in a nice neighborhood with fantastic views (great for a walk before or after dinner); the food is pretty great (and you'll get your share of garlic!), but the service puts it over the top: Lorenzo, the owner/headwaiter there, makes you feel big-time and always has "a rose for the lady!" at the end of the meal and usually has a heavy hand with some complementary port as you enjoy dessert and get your check. He's kind of a trip. Rudy Giuliani was eating there last time I was there (Valentine's Day!).