San Francisco - Union Square area

[wickey's friend]

Hi! I'm attending a conference in SF in early June, and my hotel is in the Union Square area. I have never been to SF, and I know nothing.

I do want to go to Fisherman's Wharf (and will go by trolley/cable car), and I have a voucher for an hour-long Bay Tour.

A couple of the nights, I'll have on my own, and a couple will have events until about 10. Is it safe to walk around later, or do I need to take cabs, etc?

What's the weather like then? I'm always cold, so I know I'll need to bring a jacket anyway.

Help! Thanks!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Enjoy your conference. I love San Francisco.......http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2451585

I've been out and about the touristy areas till about 10 pm; but never alone. Usually I'm there with DH, his family or my cousin and her friends.

I normally go in June/July and ALWAYS take a jacket with me, just to be safe, and pack clothes that I can layer on/off.

Have fun!




ps. Kimmar is Queen????

 

[wickey's friend]

Enjoy your conference. I love San Francisco.......http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2451585

I've been out and about the touristy areas till about 10 pm; but never alone. Usually I'm there with DH, his family or my cousin and her friends.

I normally go in June/July and ALWAYS take a jacket with me, just to be safe, and pack clothes that I can layer on/off.

Have fun!




ps. Kimmar is Queen????

Thanks!!!! I'm off to the thread now.


(I know -- I'm a suck up to kimmar! )

 

[GrandBob]

The Union Square area itself is fine -- around Macy's, Saks, St. Francis, etc. Should have no problems at any time of the day. But don't go west from there, towards the Tenderloin area, at night. E.g., don't wander down Eddy or Ellis streets, etc. The Tenderloin can be a little dicey after hours. Stick around the obvious tourist and retail areas, and you'll be fine.

The weather is always variable in San Francisco. You could have warm, sunny days; or you could have the fog roll in and be shivering. When I lived in SF, we used to say that the entertainment for locals was to watch tourists in Bermuda shorts turning blue Take clothes for both warm and cool, and dress in layers.

-Bob

 

[usedmedia]

Hi! I'm attending a conference in SF in early June, and my hotel is in the Union Square area. I have never been to SF, and I know nothing.

I do want to go to Fisherman's Wharf (and will go by trolley/cable car), and I have a voucher for an hour-long Bay Tour.

A couple of the nights, I'll have on my own, and a couple will have events until about 10. Is it safe to walk around later, or do I need to take cabs, etc?

What's the weather like then? I'm always cold, so I know I'll need to bring a jacket anyway.

Help! Thanks!

As a resident of the area, I echo the the recommendation to dress in layers. In can be very pleasant during the day, but at night it can get chilly, even during the summer. It sounds like you'll only have nights free?

When you go to Fisherman's wharf, keep in mind it is VERY touristy. T-shirt and postcard shops, that type of thing. Even though it's a vital part of San Francisco's history, most locals avoid it like the plague. What I do like there is the Ghiradelli Ice Cream shop in Ghiradelli Square and the Boudin Sourdough bakery on the wharf. Both of these establishments have long ties to San Francisco and are lots of fun to go to. A few years ago all of the tourist shops were kicked out of Ghiradelli Square and they remodeled it to make it more upscale.

If you're a foodie I would also recommend doing some research on restaurants in the area. This will enable you to make reservations ahead of time rather then running around last minute and ending up eating bland hotel or chain food. SF is up there with Chicago and NY with fine dining options, with lots of Michelin-starred restaurants.

Enjoy your stay!

 

[DisneylandForever]

The Union Square area itself is fine -- around Macy's, Saks, St. Francis, etc. Should have no problems at any time of the day. But don't go west from there, towards the Tenderloin area, at night. E.g., don't wander down Eddy or Ellis streets, etc. The Tenderloin can be a little dicey after hours. Stick around the obvious tourist and retail areas, and you'll be fine.

The weather is always variable in San Francisco. You could have warm, sunny days; or you could have the fog roll in and be shivering. When I lived in SF, we used to say that the entertainment for locals was to watch tourists in Bermuda shorts turning blue Take clothes for both warm and cool, and dress in layers.

-Bob

Bob took the words right out of my mouth. Union Square itself is fine. But just 2 blocks away is the Tenderloin. It's not the worst area of SF, but it's pretty bad. Careful not to wander that way at night.

Last summer was cold and rainy for us. But we had a few super hot days. It's always a crapshoot here. It never gets "freezing," but it will be chilly at night, especially close to the Bay.

usedmedia is right too, about the food here. Among the best in the country. North Beach (or "Little Italy") and Chinatown are just blocks away. In fact the entrance to Chinatown is adjacent to the Union Square area (Bush St and Grant Ave).

Are you a sports fan? The Giants have a 10 game home stand in early June. Come see the world champs play in the world's best ballpark!

 

[GAN]

A few years ago we walked a big part of the city -there were some areas where we thought we sketchy but overall it was not bad. Fair warning though ...the maps do not show HILLS! We also stayed in the Union Sq area, and wanted to go to the Fairmont to check out the Tonga Room. I told my wife it was right around the corner -which it was, and straight up a massive hill. It was a great laugh -not to mention some good exercise. We definitely needed a drink by the time we got there.