Thinking about heading to California in mid August as GMAN Jr. has never been to Cali with the exception of layovers at LAX.
I’m leaning towards SF because the touristy stuff is more centralized and easier to navigate as LA and SD are way more spread out. Hotel rates in SF are pretty decent due to whatever tourism issues still linger. I think my son would get a kick out of things like the Golden Gate, Alcatraz, the Wharf, Giants baseball game, and all that.
All that stated, how bad is the homeless situation in touristy parts of each of those cities?
LA is cool but in my experience it takes some time and maybe a couple of trips for it to grow on you.
SD is also great but best for 21+.
SF has a lot of cool stuff near each other. That would be my recommendation as well. I wouldn’t let the homeless situation put you off. It’s a problem but far from unmanageable.
You will see homelessness in SF and if you don’t wander into the Tenderloin then it’s not really that bad. Land’s End and Golden Gate Park are great but will need transpo to get there as they are not near in proximity like GG bridge, Alcatraz, Pier 39, Giants, etc. There are great places to go across the GG bridge like Stinson Beach, Muir Woods or Alamere Falls. It really depends what you want your experience to be. Lots of great restaurants from Michelin stars to local mom/pop, and pretty much any nation under the sun is represented here. Of course if you keep going North then you get into Napa and Sonoma for wine country. Like I said, a lot to do and see.
Edit to add that it’s a shortish hop to Monterey/Carmel where you can probably get in 13 or 14 holes at Pebble Beach with the twilight rate/walk on.
Any of the three would work, and five days is enough to pack a lot in. If LA, a must could be the LA Phil at the Hollywood Bowl. Arrive early for a picnic and then the concert.
Wherever you go, I’d recommend one to two days out of the city — neighboring towns, parks/hikes, beaches and coasts, wineries, etc. all three have wilderness and solid attractions within a one to two hour drive.
Spend a couple hours in SF. Rent a car. Drive 2 hours. Spend 4.5 days in Yosemite. Drive back to SFO and fly home.
SF is great. The De Young museum in Golden Gate park is one of the few Herzog & De Muron buildings in the US. The missile sites above Rodeo beach in Marin Headlands are pretty cool. Muir Woods, Muir Beach, Stinson Beach.
I live in coastal Florida so beaches aren’t on the priority list. Plus, and no offense Californians, Cali beaches suck in comparison and the water is fucking cold.
I love all three places and lived in San Francisco for 25 years. Bang for your book would probably be San Francisco. Bring heavy jackets because that fog will come rolling in about 2 PM every single day.
I get that. There is zero chance I’m going into NorCal waters unless at gunpoint.
My reply was also in response to people that mentioned LA and SD area beaches. Florida beaches are just exponentially better and the water isn’t 70 degrees in the middle of the summer. I’ve been in the Pacific in LA and SD and the water is fucking cold. No thank you.
That Mark Twain statement isn’t a joke. You can tell the tourists in SF because they are wearing shorts and have cheap sweatshirts they hastily bought at the tourist shops. Especially coming from Florida, it will be cold. Unless of course you are there the one week a year they get a heat wave.
As said, beaches are a different experience. You don’t go there to soak up the sun, you go there to experience nature. They are cold, damp and raw and not a single bikini to be seen. You can also take a day or overnight trip down to Santa Cruz or Monterey and stop at the mostly deserted coves along PCH. Read Steinbeck and get depressed.
+1 on the Exploratorium if either of you have any sort of engineering or scientific bent. Another highlight for the day you visit the Pier is the Musee Mecanique. Ride in a Waymo. Get a Super Duper. You’ll need parking reservations if you go to Muir Woods
Mixing in other activities, run along Crissy Field and up to the batteries. Ride over the bridge. Swim in the cove. Most authentic experience is had if just wearing the speedo.
The last visit I had, the homeless weren’t as bad as they were a few years ago. The big camps have been cleaned out. The city knows it was getting a bad rep and actually did something about it. They are still around, but that is just life in a big city.
