San Francisco is just a week away. I have long wanted to visit the city and I am now getting excited. My experience of the States has all been over on the Eastern side. My Aunt lived in Boston for years and I loved visiting. From there I branched out to Maine, Nantucket and Cape Cod on various trips – beautiful places all.
So now the West Coast beckons. I have a couple of great guide books and I’m beginning to get an idea of the neighbourhoods and highlights. What I really want to know are some of the ‘best kept secrets’ or hidden away delights. I would love that feeling of having stumbled on something that I might have missed had someone not tipped me off.
Any thoughts, lovely people?
p.s. watch out for a huge number of blogs when I get back! I’m hoping for some great photos if I’m lucky.
By Carole Scott
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Footsteps and Photos 
Hi Carole,
I’m a friend of Carol V. who sent me your blog and request for secrets of San Francisco. There are already a lot of great places on your list, and even if they’re not secret, you will want to do them. In my opinion, the only places that are overrun with tourists and “not worth it” are Pier 39 and the whole Fisherman’s Wharf area.
A lot of the “enjoyment” factor will depend on the weather which tends to be better earlier in the day before the wind comes up. In any case, be prepared. Dress in layers as your needs will likely change in the course of a day. If it’s foggy and windy, aim for indoor things like museums (the DeYoung, the Asian) or relatively sunny Mission District (Precita Eyes for a mural walk or the writers’ project for kids at 826 Valencia and the Valencia Street corridor for little shops, bookstores, restaurants, etc.).
If it’s sunny, put on your walking shoes and head for a place to appreciate the Bay and/or the ocean. I love walking (or biking) at Chrissy Field. Also the Embarcadero including the Ferry Building, and even walking across the GGBridge is fun, although the noise of the cars passing close by can be a little off-putting. I love the stairway walk on the back side of Telegraph Hill up to Coit Tower. Also try to get out on the bay on a ferry to Alcatraz or Sausalito or on a Bay Tour (these are, of course, aimed at tourists, but often include a very interesting presentation on the history of San Francisco by locating the buildings in and around the bay. They also go briefly under the Golden Gate Bridge itself; pretty amazing way to appreciate what it took to build it. For all these boat ride things, it’s important to get tickets ahead of time as they can be sold out.
Finally, here’s a website for a non-profit group that gives FREE walking tours, that change monthly. It will give you the schedule for May. The walks tend to be off the beaten track. The tour leaders are volunteers and very dedicated to helping people appreciate the history and culture of the city. Here’s the web address: tours@sfcityguides.org
Happy travels! I know you’ll have a great time.
Anita
Thanks Anita. that is a brilliant set of tips!