San Francisco Itinerary and Restaurant Help!!?

Question

Hey,

My boyfriend and I are going to be graduating college and then taking a trip to San Francisco from May 27-31. Neither of us has ever been, and we're trying to stick to a budget but are willing to splurge for the right attraction/restaurant.

So far, we've decided that we're going to a Giants game on the 20th. Is there any way to get to Oakland easily for an A's game? We're big baseball fans and would love to do both.

We're staying at the Baldwin Hotel. We're also going to do a night tour of Alcatraz. We're thinking of doing a city tour as well - are any better than the others? Is it necessary to do a city tour?

We're really into cooking and food. Any restaurant recommendations would be great. We may splurge one night on a good restaurant, but other than that, we'd like to keep it pretty cheap (but good, of course!!) For lunch, maybe $5-10 a person, and for dinner, $10-20 a person would be ideal. Any suggestions would be EXTREMELY appreciated.

Answer 1

It is very easy to get to the A's game.  BART goes straight there from SF.  Take the fremont line and get off at Coliseum.

City tours are okay,  but you should try walking around.  Here are some highlights to try.   The city tours (the double decker red bus is probably the best bargain) will take you to some but not all of these.

Chinatown - try Dim sum at Gold Mountain on Columbus

Take a Cable Car ride

North Beach - old Italian Section

Walk/Bike across Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Park - De Young Museum and Conservatory of Flowers

Fisherman's Wharf/Pier 39

Union Square

Ferry Building (Located at the Embarcadero)

The Metreon

MOMA

Lombard Street

A ferry ride to Sausalito or Tiburon would be a great add.

For checking out the diversity of SF, walk these neighborhoods:

The Castro District

Marina District

Haight/Ashbury

Restaurants:

Lunches- Farmers Market (at the Ferry Building), Mission (La Cumbre, El Toro, or La Tacqueria), Swan Oyster Depot, Mitchell's Ice Cream

Possible Dinners: Those prices will be tough.  I would suggest some meals at the Food Emporium at the San Francisco Centre Shopping Center or the Metreon.  Its liek a gourmet food court.  For a nice dinner, try one of these: Slanted Door, Zuni, Foreign Cinema, Boulevard, or for a special but very pricey treat, Gary Danko!  for other suggestions try the websites below.  

Put a message on the Chowhound SF Bay Area board, and the members will give you ideas for exactly what you are looking for, and they will give you lots of suggestions.

If you are driving, be aware of the expensive parking at the hotels.  Have fun!!

Answer 2

lunch  the st francis ice cream parlor on 24th and york take bart to 24th and walk down

the old clam house on bayshore is very good and reasonable take a cab  

high end  tommy toys on montgomery