Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [21]
Although in 1989 the group reassembled its scattered members for a swan song as Jefferson Starship, the output was considered a banal repetition of earlier themes, and the energy of those long-faded summers of San Francisco in the late 1960s was never recovered. But despite its decline in its later years, Jefferson Airplane is still considered a band inextricably linked to the Bay Area’s historic and epoch-changing Summer of Love.
A publicity still of Jefferson Airplane.
WHEN TO GO
If you’re dreaming of convertibles, Frisbee on the beach, and tank-topped evenings, change your reservations and head to Los Angeles. Contrary to California’s sunshine-and-bikini image, San Francisco’s weather is “mild” (to put it nicely) and can often be downright bone-chilling because of the wet, foggy air and cool winds—it’s really nothing like Southern California. Summer, the most popular time to visit, is often the coldest time of year, with damp, foggy days; cold, windy nights; and crowded tourist destinations. A good bet is to visit in spring or, better yet, autumn. Just about every September, right about the time San Franciscans mourn being cheated (or fogged) out of another summer, something wonderful happens: The thermometer rises, the skies clear, and the locals call in sick to work and head for the beach. It’s what residents call “Indian summer.” The city is also delightful during winter, when the opera and ballet seasons are in full swing; there are fewer tourists, many hotel prices are lower, and downtown bustles with holiday cheer.
Travel Attire
Even if it’s sunny out, don’t forget to bring a jacket; the weather can change almost instantly from sunny and warm to windy and cold in San Francisco.
San Francisco’s temperate, marine climate usually means relatively mild weather year-round. In summer, chilling fog rolls in most mornings and evenings, and if temperatures top 70°F (21°C), the city is ready to throw a celebration. Even when autumn’s heat occasionally stretches into the 80s (upper 20s Celsius) and 90s (lower 30s Celsius), you should still dress in layers, or by early evening you’ll learn firsthand why sweatshirt sales are a great business at Fisherman’s Wharf. In winter, the mercury seldom falls below freezing and snow is almost unheard of, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be whimpering if you forget your coat. Still, compared to most of the state’s weather conditions, San Francisco’s are consistently pleasant, and even if it’s damp and chilly, head north, east, or south 15 minutes and you can usually find sun again.
The coastal fog is caused by a rare combination of water, wind, and topography. The fog lies off the coast, and rising air currents pull it in when the land heats up. Held back by coastal mountains along a 600-mile front, the low clouds seek out any passage they can find. The easiest access is the slot where the Pacific Ocean penetrates the continental wall—the Golden Gate.
Holidays
Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year’s Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents’ Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas). The Tuesday after the first Monday in November is Election Day, a federal government holiday in presidential-election