I'll be at Riv and need some suggestions about the local area

[REC]

If this is too off topic, I'm sure the moderator will delete.  I know a lot of you live in the area and would love your input.

Since I'll be flying from PA to S. CA at the end of the month for business, I decided to stop in San Francisco to visit Rivendell.  I'll be arriving on a Sunday about noon, and leaving Tuesday, probably on a 5pm flight out. I'll be flying into SFO, and I can fly out of either SFO or Oakland airport, whichever makes most sense with my schedule.  I'll be renting a car, because I'll need it for some of the trip, but I have no issues using BART when that is more practical.  I'll be staying in Emeryville and that would be my first stop, so I could drop off my bags.

I'm planning on visiting Golden Gate Park (conservancy of flowers, Art Museum) , take a walk in Muir Woods, perhaps Alcatraz, Fisherman's Wharf, and visit Rivendell.  My tastes are more toward nature and museums, but I love the get a feel of the area, so I'd probably just want to "walk around" but I'm not sure where.  I'm open to all suggestions on what to see, when to see it, and how to maximize my time. 

So, with two half days and one full day, are there any suggestions on how to split my time, especially when it comes to potentially getting caught in traffic?   Perhaps Muir Woods on Sunday, SF on Monday?  What is the traffic like--would SF be better on a Sunday (or twice)?  I figure 1/2 day at Riv for the drive up and back and "visit." or should I see what Walnut Creek has to offer?    It's probably been 25 years since I've been to SF area.

And, no, I won't be doing any biking.

Thanks,

Roberta

[drew]

I'm not from San Francisco, and I'm sure you'll get a ton of responses from locals. I'll speak to this as a tourist who visits the city once a year or so. I had family in Lafayette for some years and if you aren't biking, I'd skip the Walnut creek area. Other than visiting Rivendell, i mean....

I'd throw in the Sutro baths. That's pretty close to GG park i think, and i was into it when i went. Alcatraz is kind of a pain to get to (and maybe im just a giant nerd) but really worth it. Super fascinating and bizarre. I've been like 6 times and it doesn't get old. 

[franklyn]

Hi, Roberta,

There are many Bay-Area'ers on this list, so you might get more advice and suggestions than you'd like. Since you are asking on the RBW list and going to visit Riv, I am assuming that you are OK with biking, which I would say is the best way to see the City and the surrounding areas, given the amount of time you have. Recently I hosted my family for a week, and I haven't driven in the City for a while up until then, and driving and looking for parking is highly non-relaxing, especially on a weekend, and especially on a nice-weather weekend which we have been having nonstop (and we really want more rain). 

I would recommend find a bike to use, and work out a itinerary from there. All the major attractions, nature and otherwise, can be reached by bike, and you can see many of them in one day (SF is only 7 x 7 miles!). Here is one potential route that hit many spots that you can do in a morning. 

I also highly recommend a few spots in nearby Marin County: hiking/riding in Mt Tam (biking up old railroad grade or hiking up), Pt Reyes, Tennessee Valley (riding/hiking coastal trail to Muir Beach), Headlands. These are a little further, and driving may allow you to see more of them in 1 day, but definitely bikable if you want to have the "local's experience". 

I would say go to Muir Wood on Monday, as traffic on weekends are really bad.

Have fun!

Franklyn

[Jim M.]

To paraphrase: Walnut Creek is a nice place to live, but I wouldn't want to visit there (other than Riv, and there are a lot of nice hikes on and around Diablo if you want to see Riv's roots). If you want to visit Muir Woods, you now need to make parking reservations or a shuttle reservation. See the Muir Woods website for instructions.

One outing that I highly recommend is walking around the Presidio to see their Andy Goldsworthy collection. They give guided hikes on Saturdays, for which you need reservations, but there is a map here to guide your own walk:

https://www.presidio.gov/places-internal/Shared%20Documents/Goldsworthy-Brochure.pdf

jim m

walnut creek, ca

On Monday, February 12, 2018 at 5:14:58 PM UTC-8, REC wrote:

[Surlyprof]

Roberta,

You may be between exhibits at the DeYoung but the observation deck is well worth a viewing if you’re in the park. You’ll also see Ruth Asawa’s wire sculptures on the way to the elevator. That part’s all free, I believe. You may want to double check that. The new SFMOMA building is nice if your tastes run toward the modern. There’s a nice Calder space with a living wall right outside and a Rauschenberg exhibit now. Listen to the podcast about the building. It’s interesting.
If you’re here on a friday, they used to give tours of Edith Heath’s still operational ceramics factory in Sausalito. You have to schedule ahead of time. That was a really interesting tour.

Have a great trip.
John

[REC]

Thanks to all, so far.  I just decided this morning to make the SF stop--that will be Feb 25-27.

I probably should have mentioned that I own a Joe Appaloosa (so there IS Rivendell content)  and just love it.  The group here, as well as my calls to Riv,  helped me with my decision last April and I appreciated all the input. 

I do like the idea of staying in SF and doing some hikes there (and the Sutro Baths look interesting).  It makes a good use of time.  I went to Muir Woods years ago and was just awed by the experience.

Roberta

[Scott McLain]

I highly recommend the Streets of San Francisco bike tour. They provide the bike. You will get a great tour of the city and it’s history. It is always ranked high on trip advisor. My wife and I vacation in SF every couple of years. This was our favorite thing. Also be sure to get Buy Rite ice cream.

Have Fun!

Scott

[Ash]

Twin peaks is one of my favorite places to visit in the city.  From there you get an incredible 270 deg panoramic view of SF and surroundings including the Golden Gate bridge.  Beautiful both during the day and at night (fog permitting)

As for Walnut Creek, Riv is by far the most interesting place to visit in that town.  There's not much else for a tourist.

Have a fun trip!

[Toshi Takeuchi]

Alcatraz is great, but you might have difficulty making a reservation.  Muir woods now has limited parking that also requires a reservation.  I highly recommend renting a bicycle in the city and riding along the Embarcadero through fisherman's wharf and to the golden gate bridge, followed by a trip across the bridge down into Sausalito, and then a ferry back to San Francisco.  You get to see lots of beautiful scenery and experience a trip on the bay.  If you feel adventurous, then cross the bridge and climb the hill on the West side of the bridge (Conzelman Rd?) to the old gun turrets about a couple hundred feet up.  You look down on the Golden Gate Bridge with the absolute best views of the bridge and city.

If you are in Emeryville, then you are 10 miles from the Oakland Hills--Redwood Regional Park.  Go to the Skyline gate and take a hike along the rim trail, or hike down into the Redwoods on the French Trail.  There will be some elevation gain, but wonderful hiking and beautiful redwoods.  That is in my neck of the woods.  You are welcome to borrow a bike from me (I ride a 54 cm, but also have a smaller mixte Cheviot) and ride along Skyline Blvd to Grizzly Peak Blvd, where there are amazing views of the bay. 

I know you said that you won't be biking, but hard for me to not recommend it :).

Toshi in Oakland

[Kevin Lindsey]

So far, no one's mentioned the obvious: take a walk across the Golden Gate bridge and, if you're up for a bit of a hike, do the headlands on the opposite side (Marin).  The walk over the water is thrilling in and of itself, but to see the bridge and its art deco designs up close is really neat, and the headlands offers the classic view of it all (bridge, city, ocean, everything).

And, yes, Rivendell is a hoot.

Kevin Lindsey

Alexandria, VA

[Justin, Oakland]

My standards for giving folks a tour are:
Drive over the Bay bridge because living in oakland is the best.
Get coffee someplace and decide which museum to go to. My preferences are:
DeYoung
Cal academy of Science
SFMOMA
Museum of the African Diaspora

The first two are in GG Park, the second two are in SOMA. I would choose one of the pairs. Either way after you go to them I would head to GG Park and explore th lakes, SF Botanical Garden, Tulip Gardens and Bison. Head out to Ocean Beach and up towards Lands End/Sutro Baths. Explore/hike that area and then drive back via the Presidio.

That’s a day that will tire you out for sure.

Muir Woods is great but you have to get a reservation for parking now.
Marin Headlands are perhaps th happiest place on earth. Bike, hike or drive over. You won’t be sorry.
I’m going to plug th dark horses that are our wonderful East Bay Regional Parks. Tilden, Sibley, Joaquin Miller, Redwood and more all have amazing hiking, biking and geology to see. I love the Big Trees area in Joaquin Miller and the hiking there is sublime. Sibley is wide open, windy and gives you amazing Vistas. Tilden is the wild version of GG Park.

Oakland also has OMCA which is an amazing museum and is very underrated.

Walnut Creek is a suburban bedroom community with a large big box store downtown. Aside from Riv it’s geared towards driving and buying. Stop by Riv, borrow a bike and get directions to She’ll ridge or Diablo or Briones. Bring your legs!


This is one man’s opinions and do not represent anything but his own wants and desires.

-Justin

[Tom M]

Not a resident, but visited last year. City Lights Books is great. SF Giants ballpark tour is great. If you're into microbrews, this place http://www.mikkellerbar.com/sf/ is pretty great. Sorry, not much nature on my list. We stayed downtown and found the city quite walkable, despite the hills. I'll agree with everyone who recommended Alcatraz.

Tom Milani,

Alexandria, VA

On Monday, February 12, 2018 at 8:14:58 PM UTC-5, REC wrote:

[Justin, Oakland]

Also: I have a Betty Foy 55cm, Saluki 58cm and a couple other 56-58ish Bikes you could borrow from Maxwell Park in East Oakland if you’d like.

-Justin

[Eric Norris]

Roberta:

Other than RBW, Walnut Creek doesn’t offer much other than a small downtown filled with expensive shops. I suggest getting thee to San Francisco* as quickly as possible and starting there. 

If you get to SF around lunch, check out the Ferry Terminal’s great selection of gourmet offerings. They have everything from burgers to truffles to ice cream. You can gain a few pounds there.

Fisherman’s Wharf is very touristy, but a walk along the Embarcadero is still fun.

Walk to Coit Tower and take in the views from way up there.

Go to the Mission District and check out the art, shops, and the great local thrift and antique stores.

Rent a bike and join the army of tourists riding over the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito.

Go to the Napa Valley, which is about 45 minutes away by car. If you go there, pass through Napa and head straight for St Helena (nice, but pricey) or Calistoga (easier to have a great time on a budget).

Have fun!

* Note: the locals call SF “The City,” as in, “Let’s go to The City today!” No need to say *which* city—they’ll know.

Eric N

www.CampyOnly.com

CampyOnlyGuy.blogspot.com

Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy

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[John A. Bennett]

San Francisco

Hit: 

Golden Gate Park. 

Valencia Street. 

Stockton Street (the real Chinatown; skip Grant Avenue). 

City Lights Books in North Beach. 

Coit Tower (for the view from the parking lot) and North Beach 

Golden Gate Bridge, & Fort Point

Land's End (Sutro Baths, etc.)
The Embarcadero (good on a bike or walking, bad for driving)

Skip: Fisherman's Wharf, Ghirardelli Square, The Cannery

John, SF (1980-2012)

On Monday, February 12, 2018 at 5:14:58 PM UTC-8, REC wrote:

[Justin August]

Do not call it SF. Only call it Frisco if you grew up there.

-J

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