San Francisco Trip Thread

[sbornia]

I was thinking ride through town left on Bolinas Fairfax left on Ridgecrest to Pantoll down to Stinson Beach onto HWY 1 to Muir and out.

I'd be up for this, too. Will try to join you guys.

[spopepro]

Steve covered most of the important stuff. Here's a few additions of stuff I think is good and unique enough to our area:
COCO500 and Bar Agricole have fantastic food and a killer bar program. I haven't managed to get out to the Presidio Social Club, but hear it's great, and it's in the general direction of your hotel.
You can participate in the hipster-activity-du-jour at mission bowl (great cocktails, good beer selection, good enough food), or urban putt (haven't been yet).
If your group has beer people, near the convention center is thirsty bear, Magnolia is on haight (an easy trip from the hood you're staying in).
If you have some time mid day on Tuesday or Thursday, find your lunch at the farmers market at the ferry building.
I'll probably think of a couple of other things once I hit post...

[havisham]

Pac Heights?

Lion's Pub and Fishbowl, obv.

[havisham]

Pac Heights?

Lion's Pub and Fishbowl, obv.

[zetroc]

oh oh oh. Mikkeller Bar, on Mason around the corner from Powell Street at Market. Great, great beer. It gets to be a sardine can between 5 and 8, but it's one of the best spots in the city for beer now.

Check out Schroeder's for German beer. Walzwerk and Suppenkuche are popular as well but I haven't been to either.

[Lionel]

BTW, I am totally flexible on the route. Whatever the locals think is best works for me. I've ridden in Marin only a couple of times so I am hardly a good source of information. I typically ride in the peninsula as Marin is quite a drive for me.

Have you noticed how the Floridians left the thread already. It must be the elevation talk, keep it down please.

[Brandon White]

BTW, I am totally flexible on the route. Whatever the locals think is best works for me. I've ridden in Marin only a couple of times so I am hardly a good source of information. I typically ride in the peninsula as Marin is quite a drive for me.

Have you noticed how the Floridians left the thread already. It must be the elevation talk, keep it down please.

I'm too busy looking up all these suggestions on Yelp!

I'm trying to make my biz trip into a riding trip but having difficulty. I at least want a VSalon hang to happen. Fingers crossed for both though.

[maunahaole]

The Floridians are scheduling their hill repeats on the levees in Stockton.

[nrs5000]

Railroad grade of course has a nice steady gradient. I hear Lionel like riding mixed surfaces, too.

[Matthew Strongin]

I'm just trying to get through this week so I can look through the awesome suggestions and book my flights. I'm looking highly likely for making it out there on Friday the 26th for some riding over the weekend.

[Artie]

I had a blast at TORONADO on Haight. Nice, local divey beer bar. Not sure of the hipster factor but I meet some great people and drank a lot of good beer.


link

[bcm119]

For the beer lovers my suggestions would be:

Divey and/or stinky places:
Toronado (lower Haight). The oldest craft beer bar in the city and while it isn't what it used to be, it is still a pretty great place to have a few pints. They almost always have a few Russian Rivers on.
Zeitgeist. Best in the afternoon outside, or even Sunday morning for bloody marys. Avoid if you don't like the smell of weed. Now with real bathrooms.
Bender's (mission). Decent beer selection, lots of fixies.
City Beer Store (soma). Excellent selection plus a large bottle shop available for take out or drinking on site.
Rosamunde (mission). The infamous sausage place's own bar, convenient to 24th st Bart.
Lucky 13 (market&church). Divey and stinks but fun as a last stop.
Church Key (north beach). Quirky little dive with good beer, not worth a special trip but if you're nearby check it out.

Nicer places with food:

Mikkeler Bar (mid market area), as Zetroc said this is a new place and a very nice addition. It's near Huckleberry bike shop too.
Magnolia (upper Haight). They got rid of the hippie murals, but it's still worth a stop if you like English style beer, they usually have a few casks.
Monks Kettle (Mission). Very nice place but tiny and usually packed.
Bar Agricole (mission). Very good food, kinda pricey.
La Trappe (north beach). Only go there if you're really into Belgian beer; a little odd.

[bcm119]

oh oh oh. Mikkeller Bar, on Mason around the corner from Powell Street at Market. Great, great beer. It gets to be a sardine can between 5 and 8, but it's one of the best spots in the city for beer now.

Check out Schroeder's for German beer. Walzwerk and Suppenkuche are popular as well but I haven't been to either.

This is correct. If you're looking for a San Francisco experience, Schroeder's is not it, but if you want to drink 80 oz of German lager out of a glass boot, Schroeder's is your place.

[Matthew Strongin]

I got a break in my meetings for the day and realized I needed to book my business travel before all the desirable flights and hotels booked up. So it's official...I'm in. I'll be in San Francisco by Friday afternoon and booked for the weekend in Larkspur. Much riding will ensue. Then off to Santa Clara for work for a couple days before the wife shows up to start our vacation. Then it's a split between somewhere in Napa Valley and San Francisco proper. I've probably been out there 25 times, but this is the first time as an adult it hasn't been entirely for work. I can't wait to spend some time out there just enjoying the place.

[Lionel]

I got a break in my meetings for the day and realized I needed to book my business travel before all the desirable flights and hotels booked up. So it's official...I'm in. I'll be in San Francisco by Friday afternoon and booked for the weekend in Larkspur. Much riding will ensue. Then off to Santa Clara for work for a couple days before the wife shows up to start our vacation. Then it's a split between somewhere in Napa Valley and San Francisco proper. I've probably been out there 25 times, but this is the first time as an adult it hasn't been entirely for work. I can't wait to spend some time out there just enjoying the place.

Ultra cool. Bike ride Sat and bike ride Sunday then. Sat looks like Marin. Maybe Sunday in the Peninsula. The following week-end I am doing that Levi 103 miles gran fondo....

[brc]

There have been many great suggestions in this thread already, but San Francisco also has great Mexican and Chinese food, probably better than what one could find in Florida. Tacolicious, La Taqueria, and Taqueria Vallarta are all solid choices for tacos and burritos. Take your carnitas burrito and eat it outside in Dolores Park at sunset with a Mexican coke, admiring the sparkling view of downtown on a clear September evening. House of Xian Dumpling and Lucky Creation in Chinatown are good, and you can't miss out on Chinese egg tarts at Golden Gate Bakery. Other notable suggestions: Parada 22 in upper Haight for Puerto Rican, Zuni Cafe for the roast chicken/bread salad or burger, Off The Grid in Fort Mason on Friday night. Tony's in North Beach was mentioned before, but you'll often find Tony Gemignani the man himself in his own restaurant making the best darn pizzas around. He's such a nice guy and always smiling and interacting with his customers.

All of the ride suggestions are standard routes, I have nothing to add. You won't be disappointed by Alpine Dam. Make a beer stop at Gestalt Haus in Fairfax. There's a sweet SyCip on display with beer taps for shifters. Might I suggest some cross riding? The Headlands, Tennessee Valley, Railroad Grade to West Point Inn then pavement to East Peak.

If you're in Napa please visit Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Really good pinot noir. And of course any restaurant in Yountville will be terrific. Bouchon, Bottega, Bistro Jeanty, the French Laundry (good luck reserving a table). Napa businesses could use your support too after the recent earthquake.

Most of all, have fun! San Francisco is changing (some say for the worse) thanks to the tech industry. A 2b apartment costs $3000-5000 a month, you can pay $4 for a piece of toast, and the Mission isn't gritty no more, it's Yuppieville. But there are still plenty of cool sites to see, the culinary scene here is incredible, and late September weather is the best out of the year. Life is okay.

[Matthew Strongin]

There have been many great suggestions in this thread already, but San Francisco also has great Mexican and Chinese food, probably better than what one could find in Florida.<snip>

Thanks for the tips. My goal is to spend the first couple days mostly on my bike. But once my wife comes to town these recommendations will really come in handy. And for any of you ever looking to make the trip to Florida...the mexican food here is abysmal. Cuban food, on the other hand...

[Lionel]

Thanks for the tips. My goal is to spend the first couple days mostly on my bike. But once my wife comes to town these recommendations will really come in handy. And for any of you ever looking to make the trip to Florida...the mexican food here is abysmal. Cuban food, on the other hand...

Now the critical question, you are bringing the lobster I assume ? Maybe we ride to Santa Cruz and say hi to Paul....

[Matthew Strongin]

Now the critical question, you are bringing the lobster I assume ? Maybe we ride to Santa Cruz and say hi to Paul....

Yep...and that's an awesome idea.

[Lionel]

Yep...and that's an awesome idea.

Sunday start in or near Palo Alto, ride over the hill to Santa Cruz, say hi to Paul (if he is in the shop.... we can ping him before hand), have lunch come back. That takes a while ;-)