Thread: What to do in San Francisco

For everyone who will start and/or end a cruise in San Francisco, the people who have been there/done that should post their experiences here. I am surprised nobody has done that on this board yet. I am going back there and would love to use your input, both good and bad, not only about the cruise ship ports but also about what you did during your pre-cruise and/or post-cruise stay. Certainly other travelers woulld want similar information from those who have been to San Francisco on their cruise vacations. All ideas are welcome here.

SF has lots to do, from fisherman's wharf, alcatraz, harbor tour, ducktours of the city, riding the cable cars, the combo science, aquarium, planetarium museum in Golden Gate park, the japanese gardens there, coit tower, a ride to Muir Woods and sausalito over the golden gate bridge and many others. Whatever you like you can find there. The only thing I was not impressed with was their chinese food, not as good as NY's. No matter what you choose, you should enjoy a day or two there.

I would like to reiterate all of the previous post's suggestions. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities even though I have not been back in three decades. No city combines the water with the land in such a wonderful way. Looking down from the hills to San Francisco bay is a sight that will remain with you forever.


If I remember, I had excellent Chinese food in San Francisco. One of the guys with my social group was from the city and took us to a place he went to when he was growing up. It was my first experience with dim sum and to this day I do not know half of what we had. I do remember that no one spoke a word of English. The place was off the main roads, we had to walk a few blocks up alleys to get there.

The first time I went to San Francisco, I tried sushi. I don't know what kind it was, but I hated it. Fast forward about five years to New York. I loved the sushi I had there so much I ordered seconds! So my impression, right or wrong, is NYC has better sushi than SF. For the record, I had always assumed I will never eat sushi before that first bite in 1998.

When I said I am going back to SF, I was thinking about the fact that there is a lot to do I did not have time for in two trips. Not only that, but one place I want to go is a church and I was there on a Sunday when it had services all day long. There also was no time for that science museum, called the California Academy of Sciences, or the Buffalo Paddock at GGP.

I would not know about the sushi in NYC. I find NYC outstanding. It is alive!! Oh, wait I am from San Francisco. We do have sushi and I always find it delightful (with the exception of anything with mayo - It is my early childhood ).

Hamano on Castro in Noe Valley will frequently have a line out the door (I admit - the establishmeint is small). But the food is great. Do not hesitate to ask about any of the dishes. Hamano sushi will always be of the highest quality. They serve at a sushi bar or tables.

We went to a restaurant in NYC with my daughter when we were there three four years ago. I don't know about the sushi but Lure had some of the best calamari I have ever tasted.

Again - similar to the top - I found Alcatraz to be absolutely fascinating and they do an awesome audio tour. Other suggestions, walk across the Golden Gate Bridge or take a ferry to Sausilito for plenty of cute art galleries and shops

Alcatraz was interesting but I preferred Chinatown area or Lombard street or just traveling along with the cable cars where ever they went.

We did a moonlight dinner cruise. Went under the Golden Gate Bridge. Magical.