San Francisco Things to Do Tips by davequ Top 5 Page for this destination

Grace Cathedral: start point for a downhill walk Nob Hill Review

Take the California St. cable car from in front of Hyatt Regency @ the confluence of California / Drumm / Market st. up to the top of Nob hill and jump off at Grace Cathedral.

The beautiful bronze Ghiberti front doors at the entrance and inside coloured windows are great and worth checking out.

Watch people inside walking the Grace labyrinths

Then walk back down Nob Hill (east the way you came up) into Chinatown... wander through Chinatown (don't forget lunch) to Embarcadero, or (left/north) stroll through North Beach.

Do this on a sunny day, and I bet San Francisco becomes one of your alltime favorite cities.

Address: Area surrounding California Street at Taylor

Directions: Grace Cathedral
1100 California Street

Take the California / Van Ness cable car to the top of the hill

Website: http://www.gracecathedral.org/

Ferry Bldg with east Bay Bridge at night Ferry Building Review

After midnight with the bay bridge.

If possible, try to get a look at the bridge from this spot (Hyatt Regency high floor east windows) when the moon is coming up over the bay bridge.... one of the classic vistas of life:
or even better, you can / could see this anytime from the Equinox, the revolving lounge and restaurant on the top / 18th floor of the Hyatt Regency
UPDATE / Top floor revolving "Equinox" is no longer a restaurant
and is now instead a "Regency Club" floor. Probably doesn't revolve any more either. Film @ 11.

All these "high" Ferry building shots are from an east window on the 17th floor of Hyatt Regency Hotel on the Embarcadero.

Address: One Ferry Building, SF 94111

Directions: Ferry Building Embarcadero on the Bay

Website: http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/

Telegraph Hill Coit Tower Review

Walk up to the top of Telegraph for a great city vista and bay view. You can pay $3 and ride the elevator to the observation deck of Coit Tower if you like to get a high, eye-popping 360deg view of the city.

There are some terrific murals painted on the wall inside.

My favorite way to get there is hiking the Green St. steps from the n/e side.
I don't recommend driving your car up as the parking is very limited & you end up idling in your car, wasting gas and time, waiting in line for a space to open up.

If health is an issue and you can't climb / walk up the hill, take a cab, as they can drop you so you don't have to wait to drive in and park.

This is a closeup I took of the Columbus statue and Coit Tower that everybody shoots at one time or another

Address: 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd

Directions: Top of Telegraph Hill

Phone: (415) 362- 0808

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coit_Tower

The City through a GGB closeup Golden Gate Bridge Review

We're peeking at the City through the cables of the Golden Gate bridge from Marin Headlands State Park.

Again, everyone including me takes this same shot, from Morton Beebe & Frederic Larson to everyone at vt, but there is a reason: it is so beautiful.

Go there and take one yourself, ... you'll love it. And don't forget the telephoto lense.

Address: Marin Headlands State Park

Directions: Heading back to the City on 101 before the GG bridge,
take the last available Sausalito exit & continue up the hill to Marin Headlands State Park.

Phone: (415) 921-5858

Website: http://www.goldengatebridge.org

Ferry building on Embarcadero Ferry Building Review

A great looking building that hosts delicious specialty shops inside, and the really fun and excellent Farmers Market four days a week - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

You can buy some of the best culinary items in the world (some of the chocolate is to die for) and then sit out back and enjoy it with a great view of the bay.

At this link is an excellent article with details on the Slanted Door and a few of the other excellent places to eat in the Ferry Building:
Ferry Bldg

Address: One Ferry Building on the Embarcadero

Directions: along the Embarcadero at the foot of Market Street.

Website: http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/

Lombard from Telegraph hill Lombard Street Review

Zooming in on crooked Lombard way off in the distance taken from base of Coit tower

Lots of info here:
Lombard St.

Directions: Looking west from Telegraph hill towards Lombard

Website: http://www.sftravel.com/lomabardcrookedstreet.html

Pit Stop at Specs North Beach Review

"When the revolution comes, the sparkpoint of ignition will be Specs!!"

or not....


but someone who needs fodder for a counterculture piece will probably claim it was.


An interesting and peaceful little alcove right off Columbus Ave. with old historical architecture and vibes, Specs is a good place to step into and take a little "spanish pause" while enjoying a North Beach walk for a drink or even a smoke on the bench in the courtyard in what was purportedly an old occasional Herb Caen hangout.

The bar inside is populated imho with a mix of regulars, a sprinkling of tourists and a few of the North Beach obligatory late-to-the-party beat wannabees. Vesuvio and City Lights are right across the street. And if there is an older looking gentleman with a goatee & glasses sitting in back checking out everyone else... guess who that probably is?

I was actually going to put a tip on Specs 12 under "off the beaten path" simply and only because it is so easy to cluelessly stroll right past it.

I won't rehash all the old myths and legends about Specs. If you care, click below on either or both of the two excellent essays:

Specs Twelve Adler Museum Cafe -- Specs to you

Contrary to what I read in a Warren Hinckle column, I didn't find any fart pillows "around the walls"... maybe I didn't try hard enough

Address: 12 Adler Place

Directions: An alcove off Columbus Avenue by Broadway in North Beach, across the street from City Lights Bookstore

A Chinatown alley Chinatown Review

get off the path & streets and walk into the alleys

If you want to know more about it.. ask an expert... not me..

I just wander around blindly like a tourist, listening to the sounds,
peeking thru windows, and digging on the smells of food cooking.

Address: Bordered by Broadway, Bush, Kearny, Stockton sts.

Directions: Take California cable car up from Embarcadero to Nob hill, then from Grace Church walk back down (east) into Chinatown.. look into and wander the back alleys ...

Website: http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide/sf/neighborhoods/chinatown.shtml#sights

Broadway Clip Joints North Beach Review

The original "hungry i" (@599 Jackson) & some of the clubs on Columbus & Broadway almost 40 years ago were great places for music, comedy, clubbing, etc.

Today it is still fun to walk by and maybe stop for a quick peek, but keep walkin' - don't get sucked in by the street barkers.

We did once ~ 7-10 years ago and imho these places were some of the worst strip / clip joints I have ever seen.

If you are dying to part with your cash and get not much for it, step right on in.

Actually it is kind of fun (in a semi-sadistic way) to have a quick drink inside and watch everyone ELSE get ripped off...

Address: Columbus Street at Broadway

Directions: Columbus Street at Broadway, North Beach

Telegraph West City Vista Coit Tower Review

" ... the city dances on its hills and unashamedly enjoys its own beauty, which has survived many a long night of excesses, both joyous and tragic." © Herb Caen, the `voice and conscience' of the City

Address: 1 Telegraph Hill Blvd

Directions: Facing west from telegraph hill parking lot ledge

Phone: (415) 362- 0808

Website: http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/casfmenu/a/coittower.htm