Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [143]
The late, beloved Shirley Fong-Torres led the “I Can’t Believe I Ate My Way Through Chinatown” tour, her culinary valentine to the neighborhood.
Jay Gifford, founder of the Victorian Homes Historical Walking Tour ( 415/252-9485; www.victorianwalk.com) and a San Francisco resident for more than 2 decades, communicates his enthusiasm and love for San Francisco throughout this highly entertaining walking tour. The 21⁄2-hour tour, set at a leisurely pace, starts at the corner of Powell and Post streets at Union Square and incorporates a wealth of knowledge about San Francisco’s Victorian architecture and the city’s history—particularly the periods just before and after the great earthquake and fire of 1906. You’ll stroll through Japantown, Pacific Heights, and Cow Hollow. In the process, you’ll see more than 200 meticulously restored Victorians, including the sites where Mrs. Doubtfire and Party of Five were filmed. Jay’s guests often find that they are the only ones on the quiet neighborhood streets, where tour buses are forbidden. The tour ends in Cow Hollow, where you can have lunch on your own, or return via bus to Union Square, passing through North Beach and Chinatown. Tours run daily and start at 11am rain or shine; cost is $25 per person (cash only).
The best bargain in town, however, is the 30 or so walking tours conducted by San Francisco City Guides ( 415/557-4266; www.sfcityguides.org), a group of 200 trained volunteers who lead free history and architectural walking tours all over San Francisco. Sponsored by the public library, tours range from City Scapes & Public Places to Ghosts, Sinners, & Secret Places, and last 11⁄2 to 2 hours.
GETTING OUTSIDE
Half the fun in San Francisco takes place outdoors. If you’re not in the mood to trek it, there are other things to do that allow you to enjoy the surroundings.
BALLOONING Although you must drive an hour to get to the tour site, hot-air ballooning over the Wine Country is an ethereal experience. Adventures Aloft, PO Box 2500, Vintage 1870, Yountville, CA 94599 ( 800/944-4408 or 707/944-4400; www.nvaloft.com), is Napa Valley’s oldest hot-air balloon company, staffed with full-time professional pilots. Groups are small, and each flight lasts about an hour. The cost of $225 per person (children $190) includes a post-adventure champagne brunch and a framed “first-flight” certificate. Flights launch daily at sunrise (weather permitting).
BEACHES Most days it’s too chilly to hang out at the beach, but when the fog evaporates and the wind dies down, one of the best ways to spend the day is ocean-side in the city. On any truly hot day, thousands flock to the beach to worship the sun, build sand castles, and throw a ball around. Without a wet suit, swimming is a fiercely cold endeavor and is not recommended. In any case, dip at your own risk—there are no lifeguards on duty and San Francisco’s waters are cold and have strong undertows. On the South Bay, Baker Beach is ideal for picnicking, sunning, walking, or fishing against the backdrop of the Golden Gate (though pollution makes your catch not necessarily worthy of eating).
Ocean Beach, at the end of Golden Gate Park, on the westernmost side of the city, is San Francisco’s largest beach—4 miles long. Just offshore, at the northern end of the beach, in front of Cliff House, are the jagged Seal Rocks, inhabited by various shorebirds and a large colony of barking sea lions (bring binoculars for