San Francisco has the now dated reputation of being the city of ‘free love, of ‘flower power’ and of alternative lifestyle. As an Australian visiting for the first time it is these ideologies from the 1960s and images of cable cars, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz that filled my expectations. To most Americans, particularly those from California that would seem probably very naïve, and now with just four days in the Bay city under my belt, even I feel embarrassed by my preconceptions.
So here are some of the events that changed my view and can maybe provide a few tips for those also visiting San Francisco for the first time. My visit took place from February 25 to March 1, 2010 as I flew in from New York having attended a conference on behalf of New Holland Publishers. I did have some work to do while in the city as a representative of the company lives there, but mostly I had the time to myself.
One thing that become very apparent once in the city is that of all the places I have visited overseas, San Francisco is the most like where I live in Sydney, Australia. There are there inevitable difference between the United States and Australia, but both cities are dominated by the water on their doorstep, the bay for SF and the harbor for Sydney and both cities have a relatively relaxed feel for locations that our home to millions of people.
My exploration of the city was via a small amount of escorting by my colleague, three bus tours and of course the cable car system.
Firstly on the subject of transport, San Francisco is blessed with a great public transport system; however the taxi industry is amongst the worst I have found in an English speaking western country. The contrast with New York, from where I had just arrived, could not have been greater. New York has a highly regulated system where as the quality of cabs in San Francisco is variable, some were simply dirty, there is a reluctance to provide proper receipts and more than once I was overcharged by being taken intentionally in an indirect route.
From the airport I went directly to my hotel, The Argonaut at Fisherman’s Wharf. This area of the city is a buzz of tourist activity including its proximity to the aura of the bay and boat tours to the Golden Gate and Alcatraz, however I wouldn’t recommend it as a place to stay. To get a better feel for the real San Francisco you would be much better served by staying downtown. The hotel was pleasant enough if not more than a little tacky with its maritime theme, including a pillow on the bed in the shape of a ships steering wheel or helm to be precise and staff dressed in uniforms as merchant seamen.
The double storey carousel as part of the Pier 39 development
Having arrived about lunchtime on a Thursday, I spent the first afternoon exploring the area immediately around the hotel, including the re-developed Pier 39, which was about two blocks away. This area is full of tourist type shops, a double storey merry-go-round plus a plethora of bars, restaurants and seafood stops for which the precinct is famous. I don’t eat seafood but judged in the queues for the crab and other goodies on offer it must have been pretty good! By night, a met up with my colleague and off for a bite to eat at Fog City Diner, still on the waterfront area but a couple of kilometers to the east of Fisherman’s Wharf. A very well presented diner with basic food.
Friday was primarily a work day with the exception of a great dinner at a restaurant with the best pasta I have ever had, including in Italy. Trattoria Contadina is divine and that is reflected in its popularity with locals. This showed the benefit of having a local to advice and we were a bit hopeful in turning up without a reservation. However, been from overseas and there for only a short period of time, the staff accommodated us to eat at the bar and it was a great night. Trattoria Contadina is a 1800 Mason Street.
Approaching Alcatraz by ferry
On the Saturday it was time to explore the water, firstly with a trip to Alcatraz. Now the only tour offered that actually land at this infamous prison island are those by the National Parks Service from Pier 33. Now the reputation of these tours is that you have to book well in advance but I was lucky enough in late February just to turn up and to get on board a tour within half an hour. The cost was $US26 but if you are going to San Francisco it is something you simply must do.
The physical size of Alcatraz does not match t the size of its reputation and having seen pretty much all there was to see it only took about three hours including the return ferry ride. However, you have to actually go there to appreciate how daunting it would have been for these hardened criminals to be in such a fortress and yet able to here the celebrations that took place in the city. The visit also served to dispel a couple of month; despite what the movies tell you it is possible to swim from Alcatraz to the mainland (there is in fact an annual event) and the birdman from Alcatraz as played by Burt Lancaster is nothing like reality. The real Birdman was a murderous dangerous man.
San Francisco's cable cars
There was enough time left over in the day after visiting Alcatraz that I also managed a separate cruise on the bay to sail under the Golden Gate and managed a cable car ride from near the hotel to downtown’s Union Square and return. It is worth looking at the packages offered by the SFMTA as a single one-way trip on a cable car is $5 ($10 return). The cable car is fuller of tourists than locals but it is a great way to see the hilly residential streetscapes featured in so many movies and television shows.
The Saturday night co-incidentally was Chinese New Year, so it was off to Chinatown. A great night, but I have to say once you have been to one China town in a major western city; you have been pretty much to them all. Getting a cab back to Fisherman’s Wharf was near impossible in the early hours and it is a scary walk, and a heck of a long one from Chinatown back to Argonaut.
By Sunday I only had a bit over a day and a half left so I bought a 24 hour pass with City Sightseeing for their bus trips and was able to use the $US50 ticket for three trips.
Firstly was the downtown tour which takes you from Fisherman’s Wharf along towards the Bay Bridge where you see the magnificent Ferry Building and many other landmarks before arriving at Union Square. The return journey takes you via the Bank of America building which provided the exterior shots for the Towering Inferno film, and Lombard Street, the landmark crooked street featured in so many movies and travelogues.
That evening it was time for the night tour which is a safe way to see the city and takes in a much a route much further to the east to incorporate the financial district, Bay Bridge and also a thrilling ride in a bus down one of the steepest straight streets; California Street. I did this in a cable car as well, but the bus trip made it intentionally scary!
Buildings and parklands from the 1915 World Fair
The third tour took place on my last day, the Monday, and was City Sightseeing’s Golden Gate and Sausalito tour. A trip via the wonderful gardens from the 1915 World Expo, the Presidio (former military centre and now partly a movie studio for George Lucas), to the car park on the northern side of the bridge for a photo opportunity and onto the village of Sauslito.
It was during this trip I can up against one of the disadvantages of being in a group. A couple of stupid girl from Texas were way overdue for our departure from the Golden Gate Bridge stop and that meant we were only in Sausalito for about 20 minutes. Don’t you hate that!
Anyway, the trip over the bay gave me a taste for how much more there is to explore in the bay area including the Naper Valley.
In between my coach trips I also went on a street car ride and another cable car ride and visited the cable car museum. This is well worth a short visit. There is only a small tourist component with most of the building the actual engine room that drives all of the cables for the cable cars.
After four and a bit days in San Francisco, I feel that was long enough for the city itself. Sure, there was plenty more to see, but there are also so many other places in the world to visit.
San Francisco is an enjoyable but much the same as any other large western city. It points of difference are its geography with the bay and hills and earthquake history and its relatively laid back feel.
