San Fran suggestions

But he could then use the line, "Hey baby, did you feel that too?"

 

Wanted to thank everyone again. Because of your suggestions we've been able to pool together quite the list of things to do. We leave tonight. I'll make sure to let everyone know how it went off.

Thanks again.
Wallace

 

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. Mrs. Wallace and I had a great time in SF.

We got a chance to stop by Lefty O'Douls a couple times (actually right by our hotel), Napoli's (best pizza either of us have ever had by the slice) and a few other of the suggestions. If anybody here likes Italian food, check out Mona Lisa's north of Chinatown. Probably the best Italian food I've had. Very cool atmosphere as well.

The wife had ordered us tickets to Teatro ZinZanni for our anniversary dinner. If you haven't heard of it, it's like a Cirque de Soleil-type thing during a five-course meal down in a really neat old set of tents on one of the piers. It was actually pretty dang cool, and the food was fantastic, as was the show. Some of the stuff was just incredible. I'd highly recommend. The best part was the small earthquake during the main course though

We hit up Alcatraz, which we both loved. Whoever gave us the "go early" advice was right on the mark. We had the first boat out there, and as we were leaving, it was starting to get packed.

Also went up Coit Tower. Unfortunately, it was foggy pretty much the whole time we were there, so the views weren't as cool as they could have been.

The wife about died when we ate ice cream at Ghiradelli. Great, great stuff.

I was surprised there was so incredibly much to do/see/take in there. There's a whole list of things we want to do when we go back.

 

Glad you revived this thread.

Wife and I are planning a trip to the Bay Area later this summer as well. I've been a few times, so I'm good as far as things to do in San Francisco proper.

Was wondering if anyone here has ever spent some time in Santa Cruz, and if it was worth it? Thinking about renting a car for a day while we're there and making a jaunt south. What is there to see and do if you're there on like a day trip?

 

The Mystery Spot

 

Go down to Salinas and visit the Steinbeck museum then have lunch a couple of blocks away at his boyhood home.

http://www.steinbeckhouse.com/

After that, head west to Route 1 for a sunset drive north to San Francisco. Along the way, maybe Half Moon Bay, stop for a nice dinner.

 

The wharf is cool. Also, there's an old-style amusement park along the beach. Downtown has some funky shops. It's worth a day, easy, and the drive down Highway 1 is nice.

 

Go up the hill to the UC campus in Santa Cruz. It's great to wander through the woods and check out these critters:




Here's the link to the Mystery Spot, which I love.

http://www.mysteryspot.com/

If you're going for a weekend, and not planning to just loll on the beach, you could do Santa Cruz one day and Monterey the other.
Steinbeck Museum is the only interesting thing in Salinas, although we found a funky little place for pupusa in Salinas.

 

Monterey was a cool spot to visit. Great aquarium.

 

That's what my wife calls it. I say it's just a myth. Oh wait ...

I've got another San Fran question for all you fellow Marriott whores. Any hotel suggestions? I'm interested in balancing location (don't wanna be stuck at SFO) with proximity to the BART lines.

I'm specifically looking at the Stanford Court, the JW and the Marriott Union Square.

Anybody ever stay at any of these? Pluses? Minuses? Any other hotels you'd recommend? Marriott-only, please ... we're doing this on points.

 

Courtyard by Marriott on Second Street -- I've stayed there a bunch of times, walking distance to the ballpark and Union Square, short cab ride to Embarcadero etc. Reasonable money. It's clean. Decent bar downstairs. Starbucks in the lobby. Worth checking out.