We found we had had such busy days that the meal out was our evening.
For somewhere a bit different to eat try
http://www.thestinkingrose.com/index.htm
Honestly- the food is fab. Its really popular though so best to book before hand.
Can recommend the Silence of the Lamb shanks I never got round to the garlic icecream!

Thanks Fiona, I think we'll pretty much be the same, busy days and chilled nights. The Stinking Rose looks ace as we both love Garlic

Have a great time- it's some place

There are some great bars in the union Sq area.

We walked walked around and went in loads
Try this place http://www.leftyodouls.biz its a great place and the food is very popular with the locals.

The pier 39 area gets some pretty bad reviews in some tour guides but we found it a good alternative to "down town" the guedes say its to touristy? but after all we are tourists.

Don't forget to pre book your Alcatraz tickets if you want to go?

I've got Alcatraz booked
Planning on doing a few small tours which we'll sort when we get there, want to see the Haight area where all the flower power stuff was and Charles Mansons house + Golden Gate bridge and usual stuff. It's only 3 full days on the way back from Hawaii (week on Oahu and a week on Maui) so we won't see/do everything. It'll just be nice to break the flights up as on the way out the flight is 20hrs Heathrow to Honolulu (change plane at LA)

leftyodouls was our local
Have to say I didn't like Pier 39- we had planned on a night there but seeing it in daytime we decided not to bother.

Its a great place and we left feeling we needed another couple of nights But we will be back!

We found it a safe'ish city but there are parts you wouldn't want to be wandering around in.

China town has a good vibe day and night , much more than our own in Soho. And the cable cars make getting around so easy.

Hope you have a fantastic trip, I am sure you will.

It sure will be a contrast to Maui.

MilleMiglia wrote:

We found it a safe'ish city but there are parts you wouldn't want to be wandering around in.

We're back! It was great but I think we found some of the parts you warned me about

I got a bit confused on the MUNI map and dragged us off in search of a bus stop for number 66... walked for about 8-9 blocks south and west of market/powell and found some quite 'interesting' little areas where the locals liked to stare, suffice to say my hands were in my pockets clenching phone/wallet etc and my wife was not too impressed with my navigation... long story short - there is no MUNI bus 66, the map was showing a GG for 'Golden Gate transport' as I suddenly realised after walking past about 20-25 bus stops looking for 66. Strangely, there were lots of 101 for GG transport though!

We stayed close to a bad area- driving through it in a taxi was scarey enough

We stayed at the Carlton hotel and the rep warned us not to visit the streets behind the hotel. Some guests didn't take heed and then complained that they felt very unsafe when they went to those streets.

luci