San Francisco: On Second Thoughts

Golden Gate Bridge & Bay

I think the more I look back on San Fran the more I actually like it. San Fran came with a heavy billing – everyone who has done a west coast road trip raves about it, and although I did like it whilst we were there, it didn't quite live up to those lofty expectations.

For us it was just another city, sure there are some cool things to see and do, but so do all cities and at half the price. However, looking back I do realise the appeal it has over most other west coast destinations.

Now although it doesn’t have as good a beaches as the rest of the west coast, there actually is a pretty decent one down near Golden Gate Park. But where it lacks in beaches, and given our upbringing, Californian beaches aren't as amazing to us as to other travellers, it makes up for in other attractions, and free ones at that!

Firstly, it is one of the only cities of late that I have actually enjoyed just wondering around the streets of. Usually after say 10 minutes of this I ask Nic if there is a purpose to our seemingly aimless wandering and put an end to it. But for once I was quite happy just walking through Chinatown and the waterfront and getting a feel for the city. Plus I cocked up the bike hire so I had to be happy with walking!

Coit Tower provides a beautiful outlook of the city's famous bridges, along with the bay area itself and downtown. Then there are the numerous free samples at the markets along the waterfront and a few select places in Chinatown. Half the time I don't even know what I am eating, but free is free!

Coit Tower, San Fran-Oakland Bay Bridge & China Town

And of course no trip to San Fran would be complete without crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. I actually think the Oakland Bridge is better, but still walking or cycling across Golden Gate is worth the effort. We splurged and hired bikes (I got it right the second time round) and I think I took over 50 photos of the same thing, you know just at a slightly different angle each time, or closer up, or with someone in it, etc.

Two very similar, yet entirely different 'views' of Golden Gate

If you have it in you, ride around to Sausalito or the Marin Headlands, but if you are happy with the first 50 photos you have taken of the bridge, ride back across and continue around to the ocean side and make your way to Lincoln and Golden Gate Parks. And don't worry, from this side you can take another 50 photos of the bridge from an entirely new angle!

Golden Gate Park would be an ideal place to spend time with a crew, a few cold beers, a selection of fine cheeses and snacks, and the all important activities bag. As we had none of these necessities, we just rode through it. But again, if you have forked out for a bike, you might as well get the most out of it and get that arse of yours nice and sore. So the more k's you rack up on it, the more chance you have of reaching that 'sore arse' goal.

One more for good measure - Golden Gate viewed from the Lincoln Park

You can also peddle yourself over to the Castro District, or through the Panhandle and the Wiggle, or Alamo and Union Squares but then again you can altogether miss these places if looking at buildings and shopping isn't your thing.

San Fran's 'Painted Ladies'

There ends the 'Free Shite to do in San Fran Tour' brought to you by yours truly, but there are still some decent things to do if you can find that wallet of yours.

Like every man and his dog, you can tag along and check out Alcatraz Island. I would almost say it's worth getting the boat out there just for the views you get, but to be honest that would be lying. That's not to say the views aren't amazing, but not $30 amazing. The tour through the prison cells is interesting enough, but given how popular it is, you'd think they could do a little more with it. But maybe that's why, you don't have to try too hard if you already have 2 million people visiting per year regardless of the quality of your tour.

Maybe these views are worth $30?

And for those wondering, the audio tour hasn't changed in the last 7 years, so if you've been before, it's a safe bet you've seen it all and you can save yourself the coin. It's a detriment to the place where one of it's most interesting features is it's bookstore! That may be a little over the top, but if they shared just a fraction of the stories contained within the books on sale on the actual tour (stories of the actual prisoners and their time on the Rock), I think Alcatraz would be a hell of a lot more captivating.

I should point out that Nic doesn't share any of these opinions, and I probably didn't the first time round, but they do say you get more cynical as you get older!

The Rock

The final stop of the tour with cash would be getting to a Giants game at AT&T Park. Not that I have been to any other baseball fields but I did hear some of the locals saying it is one of the best ball parks in the world. And I would have to agree.

Apparently it's one of the first ball parks in the states not to have full stands of seating encircling the entire field, rather they have left the seating surrounding the outfield (from right field across to left) at not much taller than ground level. What this means is you can actually 'hit it out of the park'. And we were lucky enough to see a Grand Slam do just this (for those of you not in the know a Grand Slam is a home run belted out when the bases are loaded. And according to old mate sitting behind us doesn't actually happen too often – it was the first one he had ever seen live). And given AT&T Park is situated right on the water's edge, hitting it out of this park meant the ball found its way into the bay where it was quickly snapped up by a semi-homeless lad waiting for precisely this moment.

Giants vs. Phillies @ AT&T Park

At first we thought someone from the crowd had actually jumped from the stadium walls into the water, but after walking around the stadium we realised there is a public pier just underneath the walls where old mate was awaiting his opportunity.

So even though we got a belter of a game, I reckon any game at AT&T Park would be worth grabbing the cheapest seats available and checking it out. Plus you can always move around and upgrade those bleacher seats after a few innings.

And if baseball isn't in season there is a fair chance football is, or basketball, or NHL, and I reckon heading to any one of these would be a worthwhile experience whilst in the Bay Area.

San Fran-Oakland Bay Bridge - I actually like this one better than Golden Gate

San Fran originally didn't do much for me, but the more I look back on it the more I see it's charm. Yeah it's pretty overpriced and everyone has the same ideas of how best to spend their time in San Fran as you do, but it's too good a place to not have a good time in.

Downtown San Francisco