<p>Today was FREEZING, and we’ve been having a lot of days like that. Bring layers in case it gets warmer, but definitely bring warm stuff. Everyone wears North Face jackets, though, so don’t worry…I’ve been wearing mine a lot ;)</p>
<p>Late August can be beautiful…or freezing. While CalDancer (and my H) were freezing in fog in City today (mid 50’s) , i was enjoying sunny 75 just 10 miles north. Microclimates! Sweatshirt vendors do very well in SF! And like CD said, we all wear North Face in the fog…</p>
<p>I recommend [url=<a href=“http://www.jardiniere.com/]Jardiniere[/url”>http://www.jardiniere.com/]Jardiniere[/url</a>] for a celebration dinner.
The tasting menu with wine pairings is great, but expensive. They do have a Monday night special of $45 prix fixe which includes wine pairings. If you go, ask for a table upstairs</p>
<p>Don’t worry about looking like you are from Seattle in a TNF jacket…If you are wearing fleece everyone will assume you are from the East Bay</p>
<p>For inexpensive dining, go for Thai, Mexican, or Viet Namese food.</p>
<p>I too will be in SF/Palo Alto in August so this is very helpful. I will be participating in Senior Games (how did I ever get this old?). My event is in Palo Alto and I will be arriving on Wednesday. I am thinking of renting a car in Palo Alto rather than the airport. DH will be arriving on Friday and we are staying until Tuesday. My event is on Saturday so after that we will be free to go to SF (before that I will be saving the legs!) </p>
<p>How long will it take to get back and forth from SF to Palo Alto?</p>
<p>Any other suggestions?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I was going to make the same suggestion–I’d add one more thing to the above. Go eat at Scomas. It’s right on the water and very romantic.</p>
<p>[Scoma’s</a> Restaurant | Superb Seafood & Romantic Views of San Francisco Bay](<a href=“http://scomassausalito.com/]Scoma’s”>http://scomassausalito.com/)</p>
<p>Workinprogress: On a perfect day (no accidents, traffic backups) driving to SF from Palo Alto is 45 minutes. Plan on more (possibly use 280 vs Hwy 101)…and then you will find very expensive parking in SF.
An alternative would be Caltrain–I think $7ish one way. Many Stanford kids use to get to the City.
Remember the micro climates…Palo Alto can easily be 20 degrees warmer than SF…
Good luck in the Games!</p>
<p>I first went to Rue Lepic in 1977–I didn’t realize it was still around!
The big church near the Tenderloin is Glide Memorial, although Grace Cathedral on the top of Nob Hill is as close as you get to European churches in this area. Nob Hill has the Fairmont and the Mark Hopkins (good for a celebration drink at the Top of the Mark).
You’ve gotten a lot of good suggestions for restaurants and I definitely concur with the Exploratorium. Where exactly will you be staying–some places are easier to get to by Muni than others (for instance, Greens is tough to get to (Fort Mason) by Muni). For North Beach restaurants, we really like North Beach Restaurant and Fior D’italia is an old line place (although we haven’t been there since it moved from its old location on Washington Square).</p>
<p>I saw Grace Cathedral in one of those walking tours I posted about a few posts back. </p>
<p>If you want to be close to SF transportation, both the Hilton and Parc55 are perfect, but if you do go into the Fairmont check out the various pictures in the halls, and a pilgrimage to the room where Tony Bennett sang “I Left My Heart in SF”.</p>
<p>OK…re: The “Glide” (the church in the Tenderloin district)…DD says that the Sunday church service is reportedly worth attending (and we’ve heard this from others who have been there). BUT it’s not where most tourists venture at other times.</p>
<p>Glad to have found this thread, we are heading to San Francisco in early August for a quick family vacation…my notes from this thread are going with us!</p>
<p>"oh & I was hoping I wouldn’t have to bring my TNF jacket so I wouldn’t look like a tourist from Seattle "</p>
<p>The tourists are the ones WITHOUT a jacket! As smeone said, good market for selling sweatshirts to tourists…and people from further inland who keep forgetting…</p>
<p>I think my H will look like the tourist- I told him it could be really chilly and he said" going south in August? how chilly could it be?"
( it has been in the 90s in Seattle for a long time)</p>
<p>If you like museums, there are some wonderful museums in the city…</p>
<p>The De Young and the California Academy of Sciences are both in GG Park, and both are recently rebuilt. The De Young has a great roof garden (if the day isn’t foggy) and the Moss Room restaurant in the Academy is definitely worth going to. I recommend a relaxed lunch.</p>
<p>Another museum area is near 3rd and Mission near Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco City Centre (shopping), and Union Square. Here you will find SFMOMA, The Jewish Museum, The Cartoon Museum, The Museum of the African Diaspora, and more.</p>
<p>Near City Center is the SF Library (another fairly recent remodel) and The Asian Art Museum.</p>
<p>You got a lot of great suggestions in town. If you have 5 days I’d also suggest you get out of town a little bit. I’d rent a car and take a day trip to Carmel/Monteray and drive the shore drive … and in one direction stop in Santa Cruz … it is absolutely beautiful!</p>
<p>I highly recomment the Alcatraz tour … it is much-much more interesting than I expected (rent Escape from Alcatraz when you get home!). There is a ferry ride to Alcatraz and I’d suggest making the return trip at night … the ferry provides a breathtaking nightime view of the skyline!</p>
<p>I’m not sure if anyone mentioned this … but please walk/drive Lombard Street (<a href=“http://www.reliablerides.com/images/lombard%20street.jpeg[/url]”>http://www.reliablerides.com/images/lombard%20street.jpeg</a>) … and riding the cable cars is a must (the cable car museum is pretty good also).</p>
![http://www.reliablerides.com/images/lombard%20street.jpeg[/url]](http://www.reliablerides.com/images/lombard%20street.jpeg%5B/url%5D){kind=link}
<p>PS - San Franciscio is my absolute favorite city to visit in the US … I live in Boston and would travel to SF for a day visit at any time!</p>
<p>If you decide to do the Alcatraz tour I’d recommend that you book it in advance. You will get a better choice of times and be able to avoid long lines by picking up your tickets at the Will Call booth.</p>
<p>Also if you happen to be at the Asian Art Museum at lunch time, there is a nice little cafe there with various Asian dishes.</p>
<p>Belden Place has fantastic atmosphere and great food as well. </p>
<p>[San</a> Francisco Restaurant Guide: Belden Place](<a href=“http://www.coastnews.com/restaurant-guide/belden.htm]San”>San Francisco Restaurant Guide: Belden Place)</p>
<p>Others have already given some great suggestions on what else to do while you’re in the City. I have only stayed in a hotel in SF once – usually we stay somewhere else and just visit SF – and it was sort of an unremarkable experience, so I’m no help there. I’m much more up-to-date on Oakland/Berkeley sites for obvious reasons. ;)</p>
<p>Speaking of, you could always plan a side trip to the East Bay… Once you’ve done that, you can visit North Bay, Santa Cruz, Monterey and Silicon Valley, too, of course! </p>
<p>I love the Bay Area. :)</p>
<p>Definitely agree with the microclimates AND the speed at which the temperature can change. Last couple weeks, it’s been in the 80s in my neck of the woods, hotter up in Berkeley. I wake up at 6am and the sun would be shining and it would already be warming up. Saturday, I was in Manteca (just south of Stockton, about 1.5 hours inland) and it was in the 100s. </p>
<p>This week, my morning commute is covered in marine layer and mist, a chilly 50 degrees – and it’s back to 70-80 and sunny by the time I get off and head home.</p>
<p>Layers are definitely your friend. Be prepared for 50-100 just as a previous poster said. ;)</p>
<p>Despite being one of the people who knew San Francisco well enough to post on this thread, I am at a bit of a loss for a restaurant suggestion. </p>
<p>My wife and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next month - and have decided to spend a weekend in SF as a part of the celebration. So I am looking for over the top dinner places for that once in a lifetime meal. Thoughts? Suggestions?</p>
<p>Go to north beach for dinner. THe stinking rose is fun!! Also there is a great music club at grant and green, not the one on the corner (its okay but more rigged) while the one next to it is a great irish pub with great bands</p>
<p>For outsideland, do the layer thing, its how we roll here in the city. I live a few blocks from golden gate park and the temperature can shift 30 degrees in a day. my daughters attended outside lands last year and had a blast- pleasant crowd, great venues. If you stay downtown, take the N-Judah train to 9th and then its an easy walk (follow the crowds).</p>
<p>And pm me if you want my number- if you are lost or need advice, I know the area really well. </p>
<p>And if you end up in “the end up” club, you will be fine!! Was on muni yesterday- guy in leather chaps and not much else and 5 real nuns. </p>
<p>Also the neighborhood near the park has some great restaruants-park chow, pacific catch, bistro, curry places, nothing too fancy, but easy atmospheres. </p>
<p>There will be hotel rooms available I am sure. If you let me know where you are staying I can give you some types on transporation.</p>
<p>For once in a lifetime meals, what kinds of food-
japanese, indian, french, italian, some of the best restaurants are not in the tourist areas</p>
<p>L’Avenue is amazing</p>
<p>Oh yeah, something fun and different is the “dueling pianos” at johnny foleys in union square- good san francisco and irish pub food, and downstairs its a laugh and music riot with the dueling pianos!!!
Again, I live really close to GGP- can hear the concert from my roof</p>
<p>For outsideland, do the layer thing, its how we roll here in the city
it will be refreshing to wear clothes-we don’t generally even use a fan in the house, let alone air conditioning, but I am melting.
[Northwest</a> in sweltering summer grip - Seattle- msnbc.com](<a href=“http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32186628/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/]Northwest”>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32186628/ns/local_news-seattle_wa/)</p>