Hec (or any other locals), have you experienced the SF Ghost Hunt or know anyone that has? Just wondering if it's worth the $$.

I haven't done the ghost hunt, but the two tour thingies I've always heard great things about were the annual Scavenger Hunt (which won't be happening during the F2F) and the Noir tour in Nob Hill which is run by a guy who really knows his history about Dashiell Hammett and gives a fantastic tour (in a trenchcoat) of all the places Sam Spade lived and worked, as well as Hammett, plus bits about Frank Harris and other early 20th century SF based writers.

I gotta second David on the Winchester House thing. It's a long drive, which depending on how you go can be long, trafficky, and slow (although less so on the weekends). And there's a ton of stuff to do in the city.

Besides, vids on Saturday! Should probably settle on a time at some point...

Oh, also? SF has fantastic dim sum.

And Cha Cha Cha in the Haight (and the Mission) has yummy sangria and great Caribbean small plates. Fried plantains, yum. (LAistas will be unimpressed, as there's a Cha Cha Cha in LA.)

Well, I come to SF a few times a year and have been meaning to do the Winchester House for quite literally at least 15 years. I'm arriving late Thursday night and am planning on doing some wandering in SF on Friday. The thing with the Winchester house is that I now have a decade of dropping it off the list because it's a drive out of the city. It's either do a drive out of SF or plan a completely different trip up just to go to Winchester House.

Anyone who wants to come along my car will hold five. Kristin has claimed one seat. The house opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday and I'm even happy to get up early to go down and do the tour. If we're there when the place opens then chances are we'll be back in SF by mid afternoon.

That'll be at least 3 hours of car commuting

Good heavens. From where? We drive to feed the cats in San Jose every two days and Winchester Mystery is just about 55 minutes from our house to Santana Row, taking 280. 101 is nasty, but 280, way easier.

In Chinatown, don't forget the incredible House of Nanking.

You know, my husband if from the Bay Area, and I lived there with his family for 6 months, and have visited a bunch, and I've never been to the Winchester House, despite my last name.

Because it's a pain in the butt to get to.

Considering the limited amount of time, it seems less wise to spend a ton of time commuting to food elsewhere when the food nearby is so good.

I know... but I'll be here a while and eating out every meal, and so cheap soul food and exploring is a fun option for me during the week, since I'll have more time than money. So. YMMV, I guess.

OMG, I really have no notion how to plan what all I should see and do while in SF. I am aware that SF is Big and Cool and Full of Stuff, but I haven't a clue what is where, or what I should go and see, or what the logistics of travelling will be. (I'm used to being able to get a cab anywhere in Cairo for ridiculously little money, or being able to get public transport to places in Britain. I'm guessing that SF is more going to be needing cars, though, yeah?)

Am going to the baseball game (as it's America's big sport, and I've never seen a match on the telly, never mind been to one, and it seems like something one should do) and looking forward to it muchly (although gutted that it conflicts with the barbecue - am assuming that I'll be able to do both, but want to do ALL the barbecue. Damn it. Damn it damn it damn it.

Otherwise, though, I haven't the foggiest what I should see. Alcatraz, I guess, and, and, and...God, I don't know. Shiny things.

wanders off to check out the Lonely Planet, or something similar, in order to get a bit of a clue...

It's killing me to miss the baseball game. I'm not a big baseball fan, but I've always found that a unique glimpse of a city is found at their sporting events. Stupid work.

I'm even happy to get up early to go down and do the tour. If we're there when the place opens then chances are we'll be back in SF by mid afternoon.

Getting up early not an issue for me. Have coffee will travel! If we end up short on car space I can look into renting a car for that day.

I'm even happy to get up early to go down and do the tour. If we're there when the place opens then chances are we'll be back in SF by mid afternoon.

This probably won't be an issue for me, either. And I'm not leaving till Tuesday, so I'll have lots of time to wander the Haight, etc.

Wishing I could be everywhere, but... And, cool, I keep meaning to get a Chinatown restaurant for mom and Companion(I suppose as y'all will be meeting him briefly I shouldn't call him Bag of Hammers anymore. Nor Box of Rocks.)