by ummohyeah » Fri Nov 09, 2018 9:32 pm
When in SF, I highly recommend just heading to the Mission district for a whole day or two. The city isn't that big but there's a lot to do, and time runs out quickly, but you can pack a lot in in the mission.
As stated above, driving sucks if you are not used to SF-type driving. When I lived there I had a stick shift and it was okay because it was a tiny car, but I wouldn't recommend it. There's only a few cities in the US where driving is a unique experience all on its own and SF is definitely one of them. It takes 2 minutes for a Lyft to reach you though. Honestly though SF is one of the few cities in the USA where driving (or even taking a cab) is not necessary. Public transit is amazing there but if you are pressed for time don't bother.
If you are in the Mission, here's a good guide (note: very vegan friendly but non-vegans will not miss anything).
Book stores:
Alley Cat Books (24th St) - Best book store in the city by a country mile.
Adobe Books (24th St) - Rustic, charming.
Pens & Needles (Valencia) - Very boutique. Great for zines.
Restaurants:
St. Francis Fountain (24th St) - Great for breakfast food, shakes. Makes amazing
Sun Rise Restaurant (24th St) - Latin American influenced foods. Amazing burritos and bean dishes.
Cha Ya (Valencia) - Japanese cuisine. One of the most unique menus.
Dolores Outpost (Guerrero Street) - Not a restaurant - for street tacos, beer, Japanese cuisine if you need a quick spot to stop if you're out in the Mission or Castro district, it borders Dolores Park where you can drink and smoke weed openly so long as you are not by the playground)
Coffee:
Ritual (Valencia) - It's hip, it's good, it's coffee. Cool.
Bars:
Blind Cat (24th Street) - Bit of a dive. Pool table. Around most other stuff I've recommended. Don't believe anyone who says they're a local (they're not).
Elbo Room (Valencia) - Lots of space if you and your partner want to have a drink and conversation.
The 500 Club (Guerrero Street) - Can get noisy on weekends. Otherwise okay.
24th Street Bar (24th Street) - Don't go around the time people get off work, it gets too many pseudo-business types in there. Other than that, okay.
Last Call (18th Street) - This is actually in the Castro which borders the Mission. You just walk through Dolores park and a few blocks to get to it. It's a great little place, very small and unassuming.
Dispensaries:
Purple Star (Mission Street) - Not much to look at, there are definitely more upscale and expensive dispensaries, but PSMD has: Great products. Knowledgeable staff. In and out.
If you are limited on time the only museum I'd personally recommend is the SF MOMA (which is downtown, not in the Mission). I was last in SF two months ago and the Rene Magritte exhibit they had was awesome. Some of the great Richter pieces are gone unfortunately but the Fisher family has rotated some new ones in, definitely worth seeing. You can see every part of it in about 3-4 hours and it's a great way to kill time, especially if you stop by a dispensary first.
I'd recommend skipping anything too touristy: Haight & Ashbury, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, City Lights Bookstore, etc, unless you are REALLY into that sort of stuff. The best part of SF is the food, drink, and weather. Again I highly recommend spending a good chunk of time in the Mission as it's not like any other part of the valley, really. It's busy, it's very Latin-influenced, it's unassuming, it has everything. There are some other nice spots like Cole Valley, Hayes Market, etc and you can check them out if you don't like the grime and noise of the Mission.
And yeah stay out of the Tenderloin. The city is honestly extremely safe, but the TL is reserved for strip clubs, crack addicts, the homeless (unfortunately the situation is getting worse and worse). The only reason to go there is for Vietnamese food or to see a band at the Hemlock Tavern.
Have fun! Stay safe.