What to do for an afternoon in San Francisco?

[E-Brennan]

I'll be in San Francisco in April and will have a few free hours one weekday afternoon.  From a transgender perspective (or merely a tourist perspective), is there anything I should see or do?  Never really explored there much, but since it's such an important LGBT town, I feel as if I should make an effort instead of just wandering aimlessly.

Thoughts?  Suggestions?

[Missadventure]

I grew up there, and miss it so much... Um... I could give you a laundry list of things to do... But, really, I feel like a lot of people could chime in here with the same exact list. So, what I'll do instead is give you a request. Go to the Tonga Room (it's in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel), and drink a Bora Bora Horror for me. 

Though, really, the penultimate San Francisco tourist things are to ride a cable car and walk across the golden gate bridge, so, barring anything else, start with those.

[Jill F]

I grew up there, and miss it so much... Um... I could give you a laundry list of things to do... But, really, I feel like a lot of people could chime in here with the same exact list. So, what I'll do instead is give you a request. Go to the Tonga Room (it's in the basement of the Fairmont Hotel), and drink a Bora Bora Horror for me. 

Though, really, the penultimate San Francisco tourist things are to ride a cable car and walk across the golden gate bridge, so, barring anything else, start with those.

OMG, I've totally been there.  I love all things Tiki, and even have my own Tiki bar in my den.

[Missadventure]

OMG, I've totally been there.  I love all things Tiki, and even have my own Tiki bar in my den.

I too am a lover of all things Tiki. Somewhere I've got a list someone complied of the 12 best tiki bars in the US. I've been to 7 of them.

The number one on that list, while not nearly flamboyant as the tonga room, is Forbidden Island, which is across the bay in Alameda. It has a much broader and more inventive drink menu, as well as being a smaller and more romantic venue.

[Jill F]

I too am a lover of all things Tiki. Somewhere I've got a list someone complied of the 12 best tiki bars in the US. I've been to 7 of them.

The number one on that list, while not nearly flamboyant as the tonga room, is Forbidden Island, which is across the bay in Alameda. It has a much broader and more inventive drink menu, as well as being a smaller and more romantic venue.

How awesome is that?  In LA we have Tiki Ti, Trader Vic's, Tonga Hut, Tiki No, Don the Beachcomber (OC) and in San Diego there's Bali Hai.  I also have been to Frankie's in Las Vegas.  My bar is made out of bamboo ply and retro mid-century modern light up panels.  I also have two rare Tiki Fender Stratocasters in there (31 total made, 25 released) that I got on the cheap.  I hope they turn into major collector's items.  Anyway, I have a lot of tiki mugs that I've picked up here and there that I display as bartifacts (see Jill-isms thread, and yes, I paid for them  ).

[Missadventure]

How awesome is that?  In LA we have Tiki Ti, Trader Vic's, Tonga Hut, Tiki No, Don the Beachcomber (OC) and in San Diego there's Bali Hai.  I also have been to Frankie's in Las Vegas.  My bar is made out of bamboo ply and retro mid-century modern light up panels.  I also have two rare Tiki Fender Stratocasters in there (31 total made, 25 released) that I got on the cheap.  I hope they turn into major collector's items.  Anyway, I have a lot of tiki mugs that I've picked up here and there that I display as bartifacts (see Jill-isms thread, and yes, I paid for them  ).

I've been to all of those places except Tonga Hut and Tiki No. I LOVED Bali Hai.

Out here where I live now in the midwest there are no tiki bars, nor are there people who know what tiki is. But, up in Chicago about 2.5 hours away there's Three Dots and a Dash, which looks pretty interesting. One of these days I'm gonna have to head up that way to check it out.

The Tiki Strats are awesome. Even if they don't turn into collectors items, they will always be rare and awesome.`

I have sadly lost all my tiki mugs during my many many moves. But, I still have my massive exotica collection on vinyl, which is great for setting the appropriate ambiance when I'm sitting around the house drinking Mai Tais.

[TerriT]

A few hours won't really be enough for anything. If I had 2 hours to do whatever I wanted though it would be at the ceviche bar at La Mar. The regular trans bars and stuff aren't worth visiting. Castro is the epicenter, but it's definitely a gay scene. Food is the best thing to do.

[big kim]

Always wanted to go there since I saw Bullitt

[E-Brennan]

One important thing I forgot to mention - it can't involve alcohol.   

Looks like I'll be making my way down to the Golden Gate for a nice stroll.

[barbie]

I was in San Francisco in December 2011. Strolling in the street was difficult, because there were too many street  people. Even one woman grasped my hands, begging some money.

At one night, I went for touring cruise.



barbie~~

[TerriT]

I was in San Francisco in December 2011. Strolling in the street was difficult, because there were too many street  people. Even one woman grasped my hands, begging some money.

At one night, I went for touring cruise.



barbie~~

Lots of that in sf.

[Lisa55]

Cant help with the trans related activities but am all ears for others input.  My only encounter was driving through Castro and it just seemed like any other neighbourhood but with a few rainbow flags.

What you do for only a few hours though will probably be affected by your starting point and how many those few hours there are.  SF can be real easy to get around on public transport, but it can also be a right pain, so if there is a bus route up to golden gate from where you are its not far away, but if you need to make a couple of changes it will seem like its in another state.

You could ride the cable car, hop off and take a look at Lombard st, maybe carry on walking down and back up to Coit tower.  If your on market you could hop on the F-Train to the embarcadero and on to fisherman's wharf to look for sea lions, maybe take a look around the Boudin bakery/museum.  If your in the financial district, china town is next door, head for bush and grant for the china town "gate".  Maybe head out to take a look at the painted ladies, no not our sisters in castro, the picture postcard row of pastel painted houses, though its a bit of a hilly trek from the main bus route and just someone's home at the end of the day lol.

If you have your own transport then you can get a bit more out of the city and head over the golden gate bridge, stop off at the view points and take a walk out over the bridge, Drive up the road to the west just on the north side that has nice views back to the city behind the golden gate bridge.

In April presumably it will still be quiet, The cable cars are so much nicer at night when you can sit comfortably, rather than jammed in (you have to experience that too though). maybe only a few of you getting an impromptu private tour. We have been know to just ride the circuit on the same car at 10pm in January just to take in the sights and sounds of the city at night. Also good if your nervous about being out in the city at night as you can see it from the protection of the cable car and I get the impression the drivers and brake man wont take any s*&t from anyone causing problems on board.   On that note the F-Train at night can be a little more raucous with drunks etc.

Whatever you chose to do, you cant do it all in that time, but have fun.