Going to California... - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

O-Face · 03-05-2007, 09:04 PM

Someone told me there’s a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair.

My girlfriend has some time between her last finals ever and the start of her job, so I bought us some plane tickets to San Francisco, from April 19-28th. I want to give her a little taste of travel life, nothing better than that to motivate saving for a big trip, whenever that will be. SF seems like a cool city from all I’ve heard, and judging from the number of Aussie RTW trippers I met that passed through there, I imagine it’s the nearest place to home to get back amongst backpackers. Basically I want to put together a good trip to get my girl hooked on traveling, and that’s where you, yes you, come in. I know we’ve got some t-punk representation from SF, so I’m hoping to get some pointers on the town.

Being that we live in the cultural backwater that is Calgary, I’d like to see a bit of the music scene in SF, maybe some jazz or blues or punk. Good places to eat, museums worth seeing, places worth checking out, any tips only a local would know… Is there a cheap way to get out on a boat in the bay?

Any suggestions on hostels would be appreciated - green tortoise and the Pacific Tradewinds hostels sound alright, any experience? Good nightlife and international crowd are the usually what I care about most in a hostel, they even trump cleanliness. Eww. But yes, I like the drinky.

And with 10 days, we’ll definitely have time to venture out, probably south for some beach time, any suggestions for places accessible without a car?

And of course, we’re definitely up for some drinks while we’re down there.

**freespiritz** · 03-05-2007, 09:26 PM

So yeah, no good advice from me but I'd love to hang out!

You guys could come hang on the beach with me in Santa Barbara...Patchouli Lover recommended Morro Bay to me, which is closer to SF and looks nice!

I'm thinking of staying in the Amsterdam Hostel in SF...also considering Pacific Tradewinds.

**florencia9699** · 03-06-2007, 04:38 AM

If you wanna get the travel bug on your girl, San Francisco is a great start!! You deffinitely have to check out the Golden Bridge... it's awesome!! I went there with my family, so I don't have a lot of practical info, but a dinner by the beach is sooo cool... you can find some burger joint so it's not expensive, and eat outside by the beach while the sun sets... totally worth it!! And your girlfriend will loooove it

I hope you guys have a great time!!

**BigE** · 03-06-2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by florencia9699

If you wanna get the travel bug on your girl, San Francisco is a great start!! You deffinitely have to check out the Golden Bridge... it's awesome!!

My brother-in-law drove me right over the bridge without stopping.

I went out there last summer. It was awesome. Lots to see and do.

**Diorama** · 03-06-2007, 08:35 PM

Well.......I have a bit of advice. I was just in San Fran four weeks ago!! I stayed at Pacific Tradewinds (was gonna write a report on it one of these days!).. Well I know it's rated really high on hostelworld.com but I don't think it should be. Don't get me wrong , it wasn't that bad. It's really small. I think it only sleeps 30-40 ppl and the atmosphere is really family like (the first night me and my friend partied with everyone from the hostel). However I was pretty disappointed with the 'dorms'. Okay online I booked a four bed dorm . i arrived to find that the 'dorms' are actually just partioned off into four beds. So your room doesn't actually have a ceiling or a door. So the lights go off at 10 pm and on a 10am. Bright neon lights. So basically your in a big 20 bed dorm that's just sectioned off spots for the beds. You hear everything!!! Also on that floor there was only one toilet and two showers. There are two more dorm rooms on the main floor (that have ceilings and doors), however it's right off the noisy lounge. So that was my beef. it just really sucks having a bright neon community light going on at 10am when your hungover. So I say false advertising. I think the adelaide hostel is supposed to be swell.

San Fran rocked! i loved it soooo much. I love all the houses . Such cool victorian style. At fishermans wharf make sure you visit the mechanical museum. It's this really cool place that has these really old arcade games. So fun. Also for night life I went to this really awesome gay karoake bar called Encore. (google for addy). It was so much fun and the owners where really nice. If you go tell the owner (older white dude) that two people from Vancouver that were there four weeks ago sent ya. We had a chat with him. Super cool guy, and he was hitting on my male friend hehe...Anyways theres my scoop.

Have fun in San Fran!!!!

**space virgin** · 03-06-2007, 11:03 PM

The Adelaide hostel is great.

When I was there two years ago they were in the middle of a remodel and the new parts were absolutely beautiful. It's centrally located, great atmosphere (adorable Irish guys running the place

) and reasonably priced. I highly recommend it.

O-Face · 03-06-2007, 11:28 PM

Wow, thanks for the heads up on the hostel, I'll steer clear of that.

freespiritz we'll definately have to hang out, though it looks like we won't be in santa barbara when you will, but in SF at the same time, so we should plan something then. hopefully we can get some tips on good pubs and such. We're gonna spend the first 3 or 4 days in SF, then head down the coast maybe as far as santa barbara 3 or 4 days, stopping wherever looks nice, maybe Morro Bay, then back up to SF.

Speaking of heading down the coast, I had a look at the rent-a-wreck site and it seems they'll give me a neon for 29 bucks a day...that sounds damn good to me, anyone out there have experience renting from them?

**freespiritz** · 03-07-2007, 09:31 PM

I'm game, very game for a hangout, except that I'll be two months shy of 21 and might get kicked out of a pub.

I'm interested in going to Muir Woods on the 19th, maybe the 20th...would you guys be interested in doing that too?

Amsterdam and Adelaide both have pretty good ratings on hostelworld. I may still be sticking with the Amsterdam Hostel if it's cheaper - I'm mainly about budget at this point.

O-Face · 03-11-2007, 01:16 PM

Yeah for sure, Muir woods sounds good, I was hoping to get into some of the redwoods while we're down there. We fly in on the evening of the 19th, so the 20th works for us. I'm thinking we'll probably stay at adelaide, sounds like a good common room situation, then probably green tortoise for the last couple nights after our trip down the coast.

My boss suggested checking out the hearst castle in san simeon, anyone been there?

**freespiritz** · 03-11-2007, 08:30 PM

Aight, we'll have a tentative Muir woods date for the 20th then if that sounds good to you.

I'm still debating on hostels, but...I'll figure that out eventually.

iomaggio · 03-14-2007, 12:43 PM

A few things:

Arguably the best place to see a show in SF would be at a club called The Bottom of the Hill -- google and mapquest will give you all the details and directions.

This can be somewhat touristy, but if you can deal with that then Vesuvio is a beautiful bar in the heart of Little Italy/North Beach. It's simply a wonderful atmosphere, very warm and pretty.

And right next to Vesuvio is City Lights Bookstore, made famous by all the Beats. Especially check out the poetry room upstairs.

Alamo Square is also very, very beautiful -- possibly the best view in all the city.

Hope some of the above helps.

lula · 03-23-2007, 07:10 PM

i posted this under another thread, but thought you might use it as well

i live in the city, here are some things i like to do on my days off:

-breakfast:
either Boogaloos on Valencia (for dinner style brunch)
or pastries at Tartine on Guerrero and 18th, soooo so good

-Missed Breakfast:
bloody maries at Zeitgiest on Valencia and Duboce, hands down, road house style outside bar with picnic tables and bbq

-Lunch:
pizzeria delfina, best in the city, guerrero and 18th
also, if it's nice out, go to Dolores Park a block away on Dolores and 18th, always super packed and tons o fun
the Creamery on the same block also has awesome ice cream, try the burnt carmel

-Outdoors:
take the ferry (at pier 39, but otherwise avoid this area at all costs!) to angel island, bring lunch, hike to the top of the mountian and enjoy the best view of the city you'll find, or hike to the secret beer gardens in Muir Woods

-Night:
you could wander around the mission going to dive bars, the attic (24th), pops (also 24th, but a ways away) and the phone booth (25th and van ness) are a few of my favorites, if your into something fancier, try the bourbon and branch, you have to make reservations and get a password the day of to be allowed in

enjoy!

**Delaney** · 03-26-2007, 09:44 AM

I went to the Hearst Castle, I found it very interesting but I like that kind of thing. If you are driving down the coast anyway I definitely think its worth the stop! Here is the website: http://www.hearstcastle.org/

**omisan** · 03-26-2007, 02:38 PM

Dammit, Dio, I didn't know you were in SF. I know Encore alllll too well. One of my b-day parties last November was held there, and let's just say I can't *remember* most of the night, some of which apparently includes giving all the girls lapdances and taking my pants off at some point.

O-Face: There's been much good advice dispensed on this thread, as well as this one: http://travelpunk.com/boards/showthread.php?t=13281

O-Face · 03-26-2007, 08:25 PM

Wow thanks for all the tips everyone, it looks like we'll be eatin well down there. Luckily we've got quite a few days we can get to a lot of those places. I'm thinking about picking up a 3lb tent to bring along the drive down the coast, any suggestions on good campsites between SF and Santa Barbara?

Freespiritz-sounds good for Muir woods for the 20th, maybe we'll find that secret beer gardens, who checks ID in the woods, really...? We're booked into the Adelaide.

Oh hey, about Alamo square, is that part of the intro to Full House? I saw pics and it looked familiar...

**freespiritz** · 03-27-2007, 09:19 AM

Yeah, we'll get to those beer gardens and have a proper tpunk meetup.

I'll drop you a pm w/ my contact info soon!

**freespiritz** · 04-04-2007, 09:51 AM

So I can't seem to send you PMs...we should swap contact info, though!!

**omisan** · 04-04-2007, 12:09 PM

O-Face - yeah, Alamo Square is from Full House. I used to live there, but not in one of those fancy Victorians. More of a battleship grey one with no decor on it.

As far as camping between SF and Santa Barbara goes, Big Sur is very popular, as is Pinnacles over near Soledad. I'd google 'em for ya, but I'm a bit short on time

O-Face · 04-04-2007, 05:41 PM

freespiritz - my pm settings should be good to go now, they must have changed with the upgrade of the forum.

omisan - thanks for the camping tips, now i just gotta pick me up a little tent. Good to know I brought those images of full house with me all these years, ohh, the useless things i remember from childhood...

O-Face · 05-01-2007, 09:43 PM

We're back from San Francisco, and I think I've successfully infected my gf with the travelbug. Eww.
Anyway, the trip was awesome, thanks all for your tips, and for your viewing pleasure I've got the pics up on picasa - its my first time putting pics online so any comments - particularly if I did it wrong somehow~would be appreciated.

Here they be:

http://picasaweb.google.com/colincarnegie