Going to San Fran for a conference...need good date ideas!
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LanieLovesDisney · 09-20-2002, 11:33 AM

I'm going to a conference in San Francisco in November and DH is coming along! I need good (but inexpensive) date ideas for our one free night together...let's hear 'em! [img]graemlins/wavin.gif[/img]

Bert & Sully · 09-20-2002, 03:13 PM

You could take a tour of the vineyards.

Visit the Redwood Forest.

Visit Alcatraz

I think Marcie already mentioned Fisherman's Wharf

Chinatown

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

There's a gallery of Ansel Adam's work I'll have to look up the name I think it's called The People's Gallery?

California Academy of Sciences

Steinhart Aquarium

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

What do you guys enjoy when you travel?

maggieworkman · 09-20-2002, 03:29 PM

I went to San Francisco in June. I was by myself for a conference, so don't know a good "date" place, but here are some suggetions:

There is a beautiful Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park. That could be romantic. I am not sure of the hours, so many its not open at night.

Fisherman's Wharf is great. There are lots of places to eat. I have heard that Scoma's is good. It is an Italian/seafood/upscale restaurant.

Alcatraz is off of Fishermans Wharf too. So you could do that also. Actually, I think they have an evening dinner cruise out to Alcatraz and Angel (???) Island.

Trolley cars are fun to ride around. YOu can take the trolley and see Lombard Street (the crookedest street in the US). Although, this may be better seen during the day.

Ghiradelli Square is nice too. There are shops and restaurants there. It is at the end of Fisherman's Wharf. One of the trolleys ends their route there. YOu could go there and get a sundae and chocolate. Sharing a sundae or shake could be kind of romantic and not as expensive as dinner.

I also went to the Palace of the Legion of Honor museum. It is an art museum that has "The Thinker" sculpture. I believe it was free. But they close early - like 5.

China town is also fun. YOu could go there and grab dinner and then just walk around all the shops. This is where I got almost all of my souvenirs. Everything was very inexpensive. I got my 2 girls some Chinese silk pajamas and slippers.

By two suggestions would be (provided you are talking evening hours)
1. Go to fisherman's wharf and walk around and eat at the different shops. You could start at Ghiradelli Square and look around. Then walk down toward Pier 39. There are many touristy shops along the way (3 Tshirts for $10). There are also all kinds of food places. Pier 39 has more shops and food. Eat at one of the stands that sells shrimp baskets or something, if you don't want to spend much money. You could easily spend the evening there window shopping for free. (provided you have some self control with shopping). If you felt like it and wanted to spend the money, you could take the ferry out to Alcatraz.

2. Go to Chinatown. You could grab some dinner at one of the many restaurants there and then spend some time looking through all the shops that line the streets.

Have fun.
Maggie

Bert & Sully · 09-20-2002, 04:16 PM

Too funny when I saw Melanie's original post I had Ghirardelli's on my list and promptly forgot about it!LOL

AKLRULZ · 09-20-2002, 04:38 PM

Wow - see what happens when I'm gone for a few hours - you've got tons of choices here! HAVE FUN!

**LilMarcieMouse** · 09-21-2002, 12:39 AM

I hear ther are nice resturants on Fisherman Warf.

Bert & Sully · 09-21-2002, 11:00 PM

Lanie made any decisions yet?

maggieworkman · 09-22-2002, 03:55 PM

Funny thing about Rice-a-roni. In San Francisco they had it on the shelves with all the other souvenirs!!!

travlin gal · 09-22-2002, 06:45 PM

I was just at San Fracisco in April, at a class by myself, so I don't have date ideas. I can tell you where not to go. The Cheesecake Factory at the top of Macy's. The cheesecake is great but they don't take reservations and it is quite noisy. If you want to you could get cheesecake there and take it back to your hotel. I did that. The lemon cheesecake is delicious. I agree the warf area is really fun. HAVE A GREAT TIME.

Travlin Gal, Colorado Jan [img]graemlins/usa.gif[/img]

DisneyDude · 09-23-2002, 12:49 AM

Be sure to try the Rice-A-Roni...It's the San Francisco treat you know [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img]

LanieLovesDisney · 09-23-2002, 09:30 AM

Sigh...I'm still deciding, but now we're not sure if we can afford for DH to go along...flights are so expensive and it's so close to Christmas! Send pixie dust, cause I soooo don't want to go by myself! Especially since there are galas two nights.
I looooove your ideas, though! Let's hope I get to use some of them!

LanieLovesDisney · 11-04-2002, 05:40 PM

I know this is an old post, but I'm leaving next Saturday...anyone got anything to add?
Also, how safe is it for me to wander alone? What should be my curfew? What areas should I avoid?

Thanks!
Melanie

infinity&beyond · 11-04-2002, 06:35 PM

You'll have a good time, even going by yourself! You shouldn't have to worry too much about places to avoid, because you probably won't be near those areas, but I'd say stay away from Hunter's Point...it's pretty scary. There are lots of homeless people, but besides asking you for money which you can politely refuse, they won't bother you. I'd probably go with a midnight to 1am curfew. (I was born and raised just outside of SF, so I'm pretty familiar with the area). Pier 39 is safe and nice, Fisherman's Wharf can get a little rowdy late at night. The Castro district is safe, but it is a very popular area for the gay crowd, so unless you're comfortable with public displays of affection among same sex couples I'd stay away. And Market at night is bad...this is the financial district, which closes down at 5:00 and the seedier characters come out.

The Museum of Modern Art is open late one night a week, but I can't remember when...this is a great place to visit, they currently have an exhibit of photographs taken by Lewis Carroll, which sounds really interesting.

Union Square is lots of fun for shopping! And I second all the earlier posts...they have some great suggestions.

You'll have a great time.

Bert & Sully · 11-04-2002, 10:07 PM

Don't forget Ghirardelli if you like chocolate [img]graemlins/yuma.gif[/img] .

Quote:

The Museum of Modern Art is open late one night a week, but I can't remember when...this is a great place to visit, they currently have an exhibit of photographs taken by Lewis Carroll, which sounds really interesting.

<font size="2" face="Comic Sans MS, Arial">That would be Thursdays when they are open until 9P.

Happy planning!