Verified answer

The trick to SF weather all year round is layers. It tends to be cool in the mornings, warmer as the day progress and then windy and cool in the late afternoons with cool evenings.

Use public transportation in The City, The traffic, parking, one way streets and hills make driving challenging for visitors. Most people in SF don't own cars because we don't need them. You can purchase a multi day transit pass for $28 per person and use it on all buses, trollies, light rail and cable cars.

Your question is far too broad to answer on a board like this. Anytime you go to a new city it is advisable to borrow or purchase a guide book. Guide books will give you info on weather, lodging, eating, attractions, costs, public transportation and maps.

For specific dining recommendations read some of the resolved questions on the SF dining out board or post a detailed question for some suggestions because there are so many great places to eat in the city from cheap to very expensive and good to great and almost every type of food is available.

Here is my Must Do San Francisco

1. Ride a Cable Car, the only moving historical landmark in the world. Stop off at the Cable Car Barn at Washington and Mason to get a full understanding of this unique form of transportation. Riding the Powell Hyde line will allow you to see Lombard Street the famous crooked street.

2. Visit Alcatraz, this former prison is the most popular destination in San Francisco. The bay cruise to and from the island will give you the opportunity to see the skyline from the water a unique perspective. It is wise to purchase tickets before you arrive as tours are often sold out http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

3. Visit Coit Tower, Beautiful murals inside, impressive bay view from the tower or Pioneer Park at the base. Then descend Telegraph hill via the Filbert Steps on the east side of the park for a unique view of how folks on Telegraph Hill live, more beautiful bay views and the chance to hear and see the famous Parrots of Telegraph Hill.

4. Golden Gate Bridge, not just a feat of engineering, this 1.7 mile span offers incredible views of The City, the bay and the Pacific ocean. Be sure to visit Ft. Point under the bridge for a different view of this San Francisco Icon.

5. Explore Golden Gate Park, this large urban park can consume a whole day. The Japanese Tea Garden, California Academy of Science, the DeYoung Art Muesum, the Arboretum, Bison Paddock, and Paddle boats are all worth a look and watch the sun go down over the Pacific over a drink or dinner at the Beach Chalet.

6. Chinatown, the most densely populated portion of San Francisco offers an abundance of shopping, food and unique architecture found outside of Asia. The best place to buy souvenirs to take home to friends and family.

7. North Beach, traditionally the Italian section of the city which has no beach but abounds in quaint shops, great restaurants and The City’s best coffee options.

8. Civic Center, the largest collection of Beaux Arts buildings in the US. Home to San Francisco City Hall, with a dome larger than the US Capital, the Asian Art Museum and the Modern San Francisco Library with its San Francisco History Room housing an eclectic collection of city artifacts and photographs.

9. Yerba Buena Gardens, this urban park is located near the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of The African Diaspora, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, the contemporary Jewish Museum, and the Metreon, it will keep you entertained for hours.

10. Twin Peaks, see The City and the bay spread out at your feet. Especially captivating at night when the lights seem to go on for ever.

I live in Cali and go there all the time. I wouldn't say its warm, its actually pretty cold, like right now its in the 60's. I would say shop around Union square, its AMAZING. Visit FIDM, its a designing college if you want to, go to fishermans warf. Union square and fishermans wharf are definitely the two you have to go to, and Alcatraz... I think you should use public transportation because you often get lost driving around there. GPS's sometimes get confusing.... but I would suggest you to google more on SF. :)

a million. l. a. is somewhat large, and issues are far aside. you may have the skill to get in a number of the flaws on your checklist, perchance no longer all of them. 2. The Santa Monica Pier and Venice Boardwalk are approximately 2 miles aside, and the two worth traveling. Santa Monica because of the fact its renowned, and Venice because of the fact it somewhat is merely freaky. lease a motorbike, and you will commute between the two actual. 3. on account that it is the west coast, sunsets are king. Sunrises are ok, while you're east of downtown and get a image of the solar reflecting off the skyline. Any coastline is a huge region for a sunset. 4. in case you bypass from OC to SF by way of I-5, you additionally could make it in approximately 6-7 hours, utilising rapid. in case you're taking one 0 one, it somewhat is approximately 10 hours. by way of direction a million by way of enormous sur, it somewhat is greater like 12. So in case you arise early, you may make it earlier dark. the large Sur leg isn't probably a rely of site visitors in line with se, yet utilising situations. the line is amazingly twisty, and you're fortunate to person-friendly around 30MPH. in case you get caught in the back of an RV, then you certainly're right down to 20MPH. As for beachs, it somewhat is a SoCal factor. So do your coastline stops in Santa Monica, Malibu, Santa Barbara, and Pismo coastline. as quickly as you're north of Pismo, there's no coastline, somewhat. The mountains dive without postpone into the sea. San Simeon has a coastline the place elephant seals roost, yet many of the sea coast has little or no coastline. 5. ultimate spot for a view of the Golden Gate: on the bridge itself. i've got walked for the time of, pushed for the time of, and biked around the bridge. you somewhat should be on it to get a sense for its awesomeness. 6. submit a question in the SF talk board for hostels there. it somewhat isn't my forte. i consistently stay close to the waterfront on the north factor of the city.

If your vision of California is blonde surfers, conservatism, and sunshine, the only place that still lives up to the stereotype is coastal Orange County and San Diego. It is anybody's guess how long that will last.

San Francisco, on the other hand, is unabashedly diverse and cosmopolitan. The weather resembles London more than any tropical paradise. So come prepared for some fog and wind. The beaches are mostly for strolling as the water is too cold to swim in without a wet suit. The restaurants are innovative. The museums are world-class. Northern California's natural beauty is a sight to behold. And everyone uses the excellent public transport system (subway, commuter rail, ferries, buses, trams, cable cars). The few places you can't get to with transit are, conveniently, the places that tour buses tend to cover.

Access to Alcatraz is restricted by the National Park Service (NPS) to several thousand visitors per day. The tours do vary slightly depending on the time. You can wander around the gardens and outer buildings at your own pace during daylight hours. On the night tours, you are always led around the prison by a ranger with a flashlight. You should reserve your ferry tickets well in advance to ensure you get the date and time of your choice:

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

Other sightseeing mainstays usually classified as "significant" for one reason or another:

- The Golden Gate Bridge

- Coit Tower

- Grace Cathedral

- Chinatown

- Union Square

- North Beach (Little Italy)

- The Haight

- Golden Gate Park, the De Young Museum, and California Academy of Sciences

- The Palace of Fine Arts

- The Palace of the Legion of Honor and the Land's End Trail

- SFMOMA

- Asian Art Museum

- Twin Peaks for the classic skyline view

- Angel Island

Worthwhile Tours:

- Muir Woods

- Wine Country

- Monterey and Carmel

- Yosemite National Park