Visitng San Francisco — Rachel & Peter

Visiting San Francisco

Whether it's your first or latest trip to SF, you have a great reason to be here this April! Your wedding hosts also happen to be two of the best guides in town. If we can assist with any plans before or during your visit, please don't hesitate to ask. Meanwhile, here are a few tips and links to spark ideas, answer questions, and help you make the most of your stay.

Standard City Stuff

Make sure to check out some the local calendars to see what's happening around the week of April 3rd.

When you're not celebrating our wedding, try to see a band at one of SF's great venues:

Although SFMOMA is closed for major renovations, there are plenty of other great museums in town:

Most museums offer weekly nighttime programs (with drinks!) and monthly free days (usually during the first week of the month) which may align with your visit.

If you want to take in a ballgame, the surging Golden State Warriors are a quick BART ride from downtown SF, as are the Oakland A's. And of course, San Francisco's beloved AT&T Park is home to our world champion Giants.

Being a Good Tourist

Ignore the manifestos about "what not to do" as a tourist in SF. The city owes its character to the vibrant mix of locals, transplants and visitors, and the city's icons are the real deal. If you're here and have the chance, you owe it to yourself to:

Ride a cable car
Visit the Golden Gate Bridge
Go to Alcatraz
Spend some time in Golden Gate Park
Check out the Ferry Building, a hub of food shops and fantastic restaurants, with a busy weekend farmer's market.
Walk or bike ride along the Embarcadero, a great way to see the waterfront
Take a regular commuter ferry to Sausalito or Larkspur and back for an inexpensive trip out on the bay.
Hop on MUNI's historic F-Liine streetcars as a fun (but very slow) trip up Market Street

Neighborhoods

The best way to get a real sense of San Francisco is to spend time in a few of its diverse districts. Since the city is so compact, it's easy to transport yourself around town and explore the variety.

For a great overview of how things are divided, check out: http://www.sanfrancisco.com/neighborhoods/

Eat and Drink

A strong argument could be made that food and alcohol drive life in SF more than anything else. There's no shorthand for the vast culinary landscape here; just dive in, and don't ever settle for a mediocre meal. A few lists to get you started:

SFGATE: The most romantic restaurants

Burritos: get one!

SFGATE: The best pizza

Off the Grid

The best sandwiches in SF

Happy hours + food

Get Outside

If you have the time and/or transportation, consider getting out of town to explore beyond the city borders. SF's central location makes it a perfect jumping off point for the rest of Northern California.

An hour's drive -- or less -- north gets you to Marin County, or south to San Mateo County, and great spots like Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay
To the east, Berkeley and Oakland are a short car or BART ride away
The wine counties of Sonoma and Napa are about a two hour drive north and east.
Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur are about 3 hours to the south.
Lake Tahoe is about a 3.5 hours away
Getting to Yosemite National Park is about a 4.5 hour drive.

Visiting San Francisco

Standard City Stuff

Make sure to check out some the local calendars to see what's happening around the week of April 3rd.

When you're not celebrating our wedding, try to see a band at one of SF's great venues:

Although SFMOMA is closed for major renovations, there are plenty of other great museums in town:

Most museums offer weekly nighttime programs (with drinks!) and monthly free days (usually during the first week of the month) which may align with your visit.

If you want to take in a ballgame, the surging Golden State Warriors are a quick BART ride from downtown SF, as are the Oakland A's. And of course, San Francisco's beloved AT&T Park is home to our world champion Giants.

Being a Good Tourist

Ignore the manifestos about "what not to do" as a tourist in SF. The city owes its character to the vibrant mix of locals, transplants and visitors, and the city's icons are the real deal. If you're here and have the chance, you owe it to yourself to:

Ride a cable car

Visit the Golden Gate Bridge

Go to Alcatraz

Spend some time in Golden Gate Park

Check out the Ferry Building, a hub of food shops and fantastic restaurants, with a busy weekend farmer's market.

Walk or bike ride along the Embarcadero, a great way to see the waterfront

Take a regular commuter ferry to Sausalito or Larkspur and back for an inexpensive trip out on the bay.

Hop on MUNI's historic F-Liine streetcars as a fun (but very slow) trip up Market Street

Neighborhoods

The best way to get a real sense of San Francisco is to spend time in a few of its diverse districts. Since the city is so compact, it's easy to transport yourself around town and explore the variety.

For a great overview of how things are divided, check out: http://www.sanfrancisco.com/neighborhoods/

Eat and Drink

A strong argument could be made that food and alcohol drive life in SF more than anything else. There's no shorthand for the vast culinary landscape here; just dive in, and don't ever settle for a mediocre meal. A few lists to get you started:

Get Outside

If you have the time and/or transportation, consider getting out of town to explore beyond the city borders. SF's central location makes it a perfect jumping off point for the rest of Northern California.

An hour's drive -- or less -- north gets you to Marin County, or south to San Mateo County, and great spots like Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay

To the east, Berkeley and Oakland are a short car or BART ride away

The wine counties of Sonoma and Napa are about a two hour drive north and east.

Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur are about 3 hours to the south.

Lake Tahoe is about a 3.5 hours away

Getting to Yosemite National Park is about a 4.5 hour drive.