From Ohio, visiting San Jose for a week-need tips! (San Francisco: appointed, mobile home)

[marcopolo666]

Originally Posted by amb1493

I guess my major concern is what to pack. I've done some research on what the average temperatures are in those areas during that time of year, but I thought I'd ask for some first hand experience. So, what do you all suggest I bring in terms of layers, jeans vs. shorts, hoodies, short-sleeve vs. long-sleeve, etc.?

We'll likely go up to the mountains one day and I'm sure we'll be around the Bay another. Here in Ohio, it gets pretty humid, so 70 degrees in Cincinnati may seem like 80 or 85 elsewhere. So my perception of temperature may be a bit skewed, but any feedback is greatly appreciated, and I will make of it whatever I can!

I already posted a link to clothing discussion thread ("what to pack"). Layers is the key. SF and the ocean-side can be in the 60s when it's over 90 in SJ. You'll want shorts AND jeans, tshirt AND hoodie, and a light jacket and/or windbreaker available to you, as daytime it can be 90, then you go out to eat dinner and at 10PM it may be in the 60s.

It isn't very humid here. I used to call it "dry heat" until I visited somebody living in Reno (5% humidity!). But 80 degrees is pleasant here (so long as you aren't standing on the asphalt in direct sun).

You mentioned the mountains and I forgot to list Roaring Camp railroad in the mountains at Felton (on the way to Santa Cruz). It's a 1890s-style full-size steam locomotive and railroad cars. You can just ride it around the "park" (through a redwood forrest) or you can take it to "commute" to Santa Cruz through the mountains and sequoias for the day. (DON'T miss the afternoon return train, or you'll be stuck in Santa Cruz.)

Sanborn County Park is closer to San Jose, if you just want to go for a hike in the redwoods. It's off highway nine in the mountains. There's also Big Basin state park, which is a pretty large grove of coastal redwoods (100 square miles?). There's camping, but it's usually all booked up by noew unless (maybe) you camp overnight mid-week. But you can visit the park and go hiking (if you can find parking - it's a popular place). It's the closest place to find impressive redwoods near San Jose. You could also go up to Muir woods (Marin county, just north of san francisco). Also in Marin county is Mount Tamalpais State Park. I climbed to the top of Mt Tam (as we locals call it) last year for the first time since I was a kid. There is an absolutely breathtaking panoramic view of the entire north bay, including San Francisco. You can drive almost to the top and just hike the last 1/4mi or 1/2mi up to the peak. Or you can do an all-day trip and hike up 4000 ft from the bottom.

[StandingRoomOnly]

Hmm...early 20s...get tickets to an improv show in San Jose; head to Santa Cruz beach boardwalk (avoid the weekend!) for the day and then a bonfire on seabright beach at night (smores!); in Half Moon Bay you can pay to ride horses on the beach in the morning and walk around the downtown area eating at Chez Shea for lunch; head to Capitola for the day for a surfing lesson, grab some pizza at pizza my heart, and don't forget to stop and get an amazing cupcake at the small shop nearby (forgot the name!); head to SF for a day walking along the embarcadero--fishermans warf and gheradelli square, a ride on the trolly car, head over to Little Italy for dinner at a yelp+ restaurant; Monterey...aquarium time or renting bikes to ride along the trail near cannery row, eat lunch at the Sidewalk Cafe overlooking the water, and enjoy some time on the local small sandy beach near the warf. ...and there are sooo many other places to go and things to do in the area :-)

[bobby_guz_man]

In addition to the other SF places that folks have listed for you, here are some additions from me regarding San Francisco:

1) Coit Tower. Hands down the most beautiful place in SF. Not just the view, but also the ambience.

2) Alamo Square and Ghirardeli Square.

3) Baker's Beach. Do not mind the ugly naked people parading around. Do go ahead and photobomb the numerous outdoor wedding photography sessions taking place

4) Treasure Island. The view from the island into San Francisco's skyline is incredible. Pick a non-foggy day to go.

5) If you want a really authentic San Francisco experience, get some crab fishing nets and do a midnight crab fishing session along the northeast pier. Bundle up!

[bobby_guz_man]

Good grief, no wonder people want to be in the Bay Area, look at all the stuffs we have. Isn't it marvelous?!

[Wry_Martini]

I'd recommend a day trip to Napa for some wine tasting. (You could also do the same in the Gilroy area, but the wine is better in Napa). Lovely countryside and lovely, lovely wine.

It's touristy, but the Alcatraz tour can be fun. My out of town visitors often want to do that.

What type of food do you like? I'm sure we can recommend some places.

[marcopolo666]

Originally Posted by StandingRoomOnly

{...} head to SF for a day walking along the embarcadero--fishermans warf and gheradelli square, a ride on the trolly car, head over to Little Italy for dinner at a yelp+ restaurant; {...}

Being a 3rd-generation bay area native, while I applaud your suggestions, I have a few corrections.

* It's spelled "Ghirardelli Square".

* It's called "Fisherman's Wharf"

* They are "cable cars", not "trolley cars" (unless you really meant the 50s-style electric trams that run down market street, and not the cable cars that are powered by a huge cable circulating under the street)

* Traditionally, it's "North Beach", not "Little Italy" (although I have heard the term "Little Italy" used in the past decade or so). Since my g-dad and dad lived and worked there, I'm a little prickly on this one.

There's also visiting Alcatraz island (the prison tour). You generally have to reserve a bit in advance, and there's no guarantee the weather will be nice. (Mark Twain was erroneously attributed the quote : "The coldest winter I ever experienced was a summer I spent in San Francisco.) Everybody I know who has gone has loved the Alcatraz tour.

Also, Chinatown. Many people enjoy walking the district, down Stockton or Grant to Columbus, then cross over into North Beach for the Italian food.

I've never really understood the attraction of Fisherman's Wharf, except for the crab chowder and crab sandwiches (and Dungeness crab season will be over at the end of July, so no fresh crab). The restaurants are generally overpriced, there are a bunch of crappy ones there although there are *some* good ones. It's full of tourist schlock and crap. Well, I guess that there's Hyde Street Pier (old sailing ships) and the Sea Lions. Personally, I think the Santa Cruz pier (or the lighthouse on West Cliff ave) is a better place for sea lions.

[marcopolo666]

Originally Posted by bobby_guz_man

Good grief, no wonder people want to be in the Bay Area, look at all the stuffs we have. Isn't it marvelous?!

Hey, be careful! Your post is dangerously close to being labeled "smug and pretentious" .

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

My favorite thing to do, even though I've lived here most of my life, is to take a day or evening cruise on SF Bay. The city is amazing to see from the water. You can get on cruises that take you past Alcatraz Island and under the Golden Gate bridge.

This is one I've been on before:

San Francisco Dining Cruises | San Francisco Dinner and Brunch Cruises | Hornblower

But if you just google San Francisco bay cruises or dinner cruises, you'll get more options, if that one doesn't tickle your fancy.

[PhoenixSomeday]

I don't know if someone mentioned it yet, but the Computer History Museum in Mountain View is pretty cool. If you take your time, look at everything, and read all the displays, it can easily take several hours. There's even video game consoles from when I was a kid in the late 80s to mid 90s in the games section of the museum!

Originally Posted by bobby_guz_man

I would skip San Jose's Japanese Garden and go to Hakone Japanese Garden in Saratoga instead. Actually I would skip even San Francisco's Japanese Tea Garden in favor of Hakone. It's THAT good.

YES. We've been to almost all of the Japanese Gardens in the south and east bay, and Hakone in Saratoga is still our favorite. The other ones are neat, and the one in San Jose is pretty big with a lot of water through it....but all of the other ones just feel manufactured; pretty as they are (we haven't been to the one in San Francisco, and aren't sure we want to given the history with the family who built it). Hakone feels so much more natural and organically constructed, but I guess that's what you get when descendents of the Japanese imperial gardeners get involved. It's away from civilization a bit, and it costs money to get in (used to be $5 but it's $7 now), but I think that's exactly what keeps the graffiti tagging thugs out of it, unlike most of the other gardens. It's quiet and leisurely and GREAT for whipping out the dSLR. Spend the quarter to get the koi food and feed them; they all swarm together once they figure out someone is feeding. It's funny, the poor little turtles sometimes get jostled around by the bigger koi during the scramble. It should be nice this time of the year with the spring and summer growth going on. The bamboo forest is pretty cool. The Moonviewing house and the Cultural Exchange Center with the recreated merchant shop/house are pretty nice too.

Originally Posted by bobby_guz_man

7) Villa Montalvo in Saratoga has revolving art galleries and a very scenic, landscaped park, perfect for books and picnic. I'd rather be here than Los Gatos.

The short trail system behind the house is nice too. There's a pretty nice view of the valley from the little lookout spot at the top. You can even see the hangars at Moffett Field from up there.


Shoreline Park is nice too....but damn, all that Canada Goose crap all over some of the trails, and the grass by the lake...

[amb1493]

Awesome! Thanks to everyone for some great suggestions! I will be sure to check some of these places out. If only I could stay for a few months rather than just one week...Feel free to keep the suggestions going! The more options the better.