Travel Questions: San Francisco Bay Area

[Palal]

Originally Posted by 612bv3

That's what happens when people revolt against freeways. Go look on mapquest again.

In this particular case, it's a good thing. God only knows what a fwy would've done to this neighborhood.

They should, however, have built a tunnel instead, both here and under Van Ness/Lombard.

[The anti-cheesehead]

Originally Posted by Palal

Also, if you're driving during Rush hour, avoid CA-1 (aka 19th Avenue). You're better off taking the route I gave you. It will take about the same time (provided you don't get out anywhere) and you'll get to see more.
19th is a 6-lane (3 each way) throughfare with nothing but cars.

To underscore my point, today there was an accident on Doyle Drive today (GGB approach) and all 'highway' approaches were jammed up. If people would've taken this route (and many have) they would have avoided traffic altogether.

Oh and one more thing. Unless you're suicidal or want an adrenaline rush, don't drive in the left lane on the GGB.

Can you tell us what day of the week you'll be flying in and approx. what time, so that we could help you avoid bottlenecks, etc.?

I arrive at 11:15 AM and when I leave, I leave at 12:30 PM, so I should be OK.

I'm not too worried about the driving, I have many miles under my belt driving in Los Angeles and Chicago and I've driven in NYC, Boston, and Philly also. I'm the lunatic who hauls ass in the left lane whenever I can.

[Palal]

Originally Posted by The anti-cheesehead

I arrive at 11:15 AM and when I leave, I leave at 12:30 PM, so I should be OK.

I'm not too worried about the driving, I have many miles under my belt driving in Los Angeles and Chicago and I've driven in NYC, Boston, and Philly also. I'm the lunatic who hauls ass in the left lane whenever I can.

Okay then. You should be fine traffic-wise.

[The anti-cheesehead]

One more week! I can't believe I'm getting this excited about a work trip, I guess it's because I've never seen San Francisco.

One of my friend's old roomates is from Orange County, CA and he's kind of a world traveller type of guy. I asked him about San Francisco, and he said "It's one of the world's great cities". He's been everywhere, so I can take his word for it. He even says he likes it a lot better than LA, and that's the area that he's from. I absolutely love LA and pretty much all of Southern California, so I'm not so sure that I could agree with him, but he's seen both cities more than I have, so who knows.

I'm even starting to check the weather for when I get there. weather.com says it's going to be raining (shit) and accuweather.com says partly cloudy (OK). I hope I can get some good pics.

[Monkey]

I'm excited with you, anti-cheesehead!

And please keep us up to date on things, OK?

Tell your world traveler friend to join SCity. We could use an LA person here who doesn't think his hometown is the crown jewel of the universe!

[Palal]

Rain = warm. Clouds tend to warm things up a bit .

Right now it's pretty damn cold here, even though it's sunny.

[Monkey]

What do you mean it's sunny? It's the middle of the night!

Palal is right with his observation, though, anti-cheesehead. And we've had a lovely series of bright, sunny (albeit still a bit chilly) days. Do keep an eye out for that weather page ... of course we all know they're as often right as they're wrong with their predictions.

[612bv3]

Anti-cheesehead, any updates on your trip? Did you have a good time?

[The anti-cheesehead]

HO-LY SHIT. The Bay Area is ridiculously gorgeous. I just got back tonight and the weather was great there on Monday and Tuesday. I had to do a lot of work, but it was worth it just to see the area.

I took 150 pictures, here's some of them:

[Monkey]

Welcome home, anticheesehead!

And enormous thanks for the photos! They are excellent and some are taken from quite unusual places.

I hope you'll share some more with us when you can.

[sbarn]

Wow!! Post more pix, anti-cheesehead! Looks like you had great weather!

[612bv3]

You took some wonderful pictures anti-cheesehead, you're lucky, you were here when the weather was great, it's currently raining on and off here. Lovely picture of the Bay Bridge and Pier 28, which might be the future home of the International Museum of Women if they get the money. Looks like you also went to Coit Tower. I really hope you had a great time.

[The anti-cheesehead]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, I had a good time. I pretty much was only able to check out San Fran on Monday. Here are some more pics:











In & Out Burger. I like it a lot.

[612bv3]

Great pictures!!! I love In and Out Burgers, they're the best fast-food restaurant IMO, they might open one here in Alameda which is driving me crazy. Maybe next time you visit you can go to Barney's at Berkeley, they have the best burgers in the Bay Area IMO.

[The anti-cheesehead]

Thanks. Now, I've been to all three major California cities.....San Diego, Los Angeles, and now San Francisco and the bay area, and they're all gorgeous. This last trip just reaffirms my belief that California is indisputably the most beautiful state in the country, and I've been all over the country. Anyone who thinks otherwise just doesn't know. You guys who live there don't know how good you have it.

I really, really like this pic. It shows the city density and the golden gate:



Here's a few from the Santa Rosa and Napa area:

Wine country, they have vineyards like Iowa has cornfields:









This one is from right outside of the office I was working in in Santa Rosa. I don't know how these people work when they can look out the window and see this. In downtown Minneapolis where I usually work, I look out the window and see the side of an old brick building.



Bodega Bay:

[612bv3]

From the looks of it, you really had a great time. Keep those great pictures comin'!

[JARdan]

Those are some amazing pics!

[Monkey]

Well, JARdan, SF Bay Area people live in an amazing part of the world! Of course we know it's not the only one, but I believe people here have every reason to consider themselves very fortunate, at least as far as their location is concerned.

And, anti-cheesehead: JARdan is right! Those are amazing photos!

I'm really glad to see that you managed to take in so much during your trip.

[eian415ca]

wow. those are cool pics..

[Soulbrotha]

man there is nothing in the world that amazes me like the scenery in San Francisco.