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Once you've finished with the first-rate Bay Area attractions like Alcatraz,
the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio and, most important, the GAWDA Convention,
what else does the city have to offer? Here are more things to be sure
to see before you head out of town.
- On a mission for art? Already seen the Fine Arts Museum and the galleries
of Sausolito? The Mission District is the place to view great
street art. Good examples are the Carnaval (Harrison between
18th and 19th) and all of Balmy Alley (between Treat and Harrison,
24th and 25th). While in the area, take a deep breath at the 22 O2
Oxygen Bar (795 Valencia Street, at 19th; 415/255-2102), San Francisco's
first oxygen bar. It costs $7 to breathe oxygen-enriched air for ten
minutes, described as an effort to detoxify the system and reverse the
aging process. Guests sip herbal elixirs served in beakers. Need a unique
or hard-to-find gardening tool? You'll probably find it at Paxton
Gate (824 Valencia Street; 415/824-1872; www.paxtongate.com). You
can buy mounted butterflies, beetles and other bugs, exotic plants and
hard-to-find Japanese and English gardening tools.
- Take a walk! The Culinary and Historical Walking Tour of Chinatown,
considered by some to be the best tour in San Francisco, is hosted by
San Francisco icon, Chef Shirley Fong-Torres (415/981-8989; www.wokwiz.com).
Food is included. The Barbary Coast Trail is a 3.8-mile trail
that threads together 20 of San Francisco's most significant historical
sites. Follow the bronze plaques in the sidewalk, or buy a copy of Walking
San Francisco on the Barbary Coast Trail for a full interpretation
of the stops. The Gold Rush Trail is another walking tour of
old San Francisco. Plaques in the sidewalk point out buried ships and
events from the past, and you'll be treated to great views of the bay
(www.goldrushtrail.org).
- Rent a bicycle from Golden Gate Skates and Bikes at Golden
Gate Park (3038 Fulton Street at Sixth Avenue; 415/668-1117) and take
in the scenery of one of America's most beautiful parks. Bicycle through
the Presidio and over the Golden Gate Bridge. Have lunch in Sausalito
and take the ferry back.
- Docked at Pier 45 at Fisherman's Wharf, the USS Pampanito
is a National Historic Landmark. With its near-perfect restoration,
this authentic World War II submarine allows you to see how an 80-man
crew lived in tight quarters. Between checking out the welds, don't
miss the genuine artifacts on display, including the ship's ice cream
maker.
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- Stick around for a few days after Convention to see Major League Baseball's
all-time home run king Barry Bonds knock a ball out of majestic AT&T
Park (415/972-1800). The San Francisco Giants host a four-game
set with the Cincinnati Reds from September 20-23. American League fans
can head across the Bay Bridge and take in the Oakland A's-Seattle
Mariners series at McAfee Coliseum (510/563-2246) from September
17-19.
- Enjoy hours of time on the open waters of San Francisco Bay and the
Pacific Ocean while sport fishing on the Silver Fox for
world-class salmon, halibut, striped bass, lingcod, albacore tuna and
other gamefish. The most daring can even book a “Great White Shark
Expedition” by calling Captain Chris Duba (650/867-6910).
- Hungry? Take the Powell/Mason cable car to North Beach, a quick
walk from Fisherman's Wharf. Get your fill of Italian food on Columbus
Avenue or check out Kennedy's Irish Pub and Curry House, an eclectic
combination of Irish-style tavern, gaming arcade and delicious Indian
food. Across the street from Kennedy's is Bimbo's 365, the home
of Neil Diamond tribute band Super Diamond.
- Lose the double-decker bus in favor a GoCar Tour, the newest
way to tour San Francisco. These small, yellow, computer-guided automobiles
are an exhilarating way to navigate the city's streets. The GPS-assisted
units feature an automated tour guide to give you the background and
local legends of the sites you see. Call 1-800-91GOCAR for more information.
- Relive your childhood at the Burlingame Museum of Pez Memorabilia
(650/347-2301; www.burlingamepezmuseum.com). For $3, visitors get a
tour of the extensive collection and will leave with a grasp of Pez's
role in pop culture. Also on display are vintage toys, including antique
versions of Mr. Potato Head and Erector sets. Fill up on dispensers
and candy at the memorabilia shop before you depart.
- Take the edge off by blowing the frost off a couple cold ones at Heinold's
First and Last Chance, a former hangout of writer Jack London, at
48 Webster Street in Jack London Square in Oakland (510/839-6761). Heinold's
remains virtually the same as it was in 1883, with one significant exception:
its angle. The 1906 earthquake caused severe and irreparable settling
of the foundation that left the bar with a permanent list of some 5
degrees to port. Maybe some welding tips are just what the barkeeps
need!
- Voted by the San Francisco Bay Guardian as the “Best Place
to Jockey for a Last Laptop Table,” Ritual Coffee Roasters
coffee shop (1026 Valencia Street in the Mission District) is the perfect
place to hunker down and catch up on those e-mails you missed while
doing the previous nine things. On a typical weekday morning, this quintessential
San Fran coffeehouse with walls decorated by local artists is packed,
but it is the best place to get the true feel of the San Francisco hustle
and bustle.
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