2017-11-13 03:33:00
SAN FRANCISCO PACKS A LOT OF APPEAL INTO 49 SQUARE MILES. No matter what your clients’ interests are, there are possibilities here that will always delight and entertain them. Whether you’re working on an itinerary for fickle foodies or first-time visitors in search of classic San Francisco experiences, here are suggestions for some of the many ways to experience the City by the Bay. THREE DAYS OF ARTS & CULTURE MUST-SEE MUSEUMS, WORLD-CLASS PERFORMING ARTS AND MORE. DAY ONE MORNING For an unforgettable start, travelers can take a morning stroll through Golden Gate Park before taking in the de Young Museum and its collections of American painting, sculpture and decorative arts as well as art from Africa, Oceania and the Americas. The museum’s glass-walled observation tower has an amazing 360-degree view of the city. For more stunning scenery, visitors can head to the nearby Conservatory of Flowers to stroll among rare tropical flowers and plants from around the world. AFTERNOON Take the scenic route via the Great Highway and Sutro Heights and enjoy breathtaking views of the Pacific. Lincoln Park, which overlooks the Golden Gate, is where the Legion of Honor, the de Young’s “sister” museum, is located. The core of the Legion of Honor’s collection was amassed by Adolph B. and Alma de Bretteville Spreckels, whose particular collecting focus was 18th- and 19th-century French art. Today its holdings span 4,000 years and include European painting, sculpture, and decorative arts, ancient art from the Mediterranean basin, and the largest collection of works on paper in the American West. DAY TWO MORNING Travelers can head to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco where they can enjoy the museum’s unrivaled collection of 18,000 art treasures and antiquities from more than 6,000 years of Asian history. AFTERNOON Stop at the museum’s popular Café Asia and explore a menu that includes everything from noodle salad to salmon burgers. Be sure to save room for dessert; Humphry Slocombe has created a custom ice cream blend for them: Adzuki Almond Cookie. Other options include pho — silky noodles floating in a hearty broth — or banh mi, French-influenced sandwiches on a baguette from nearby cafes in Little Saigon. Once you’ve recharged, spend some more time exploring the museum’s impressive collection, or stroll around the Civic Center neighborhood to see its Beaux Arts architecture. EVENING To round out a full day of culture, travelers can take in a performance at one of the city’s many theaters. The San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center features opera, symphony classics and ballet. Or visit one of the SHN theaters — the SHN Orpheum and the SHN Golden Gate — where some of the city’s biggest theater productions are held. The Curran, which reopened after a major restoration and renovation, is becoming known for its innovative stage works. DAY THREE MORNING No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a visit to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The recent Snøhetta-designed expansion includes seven floors of new and renovated galleries tailored to the collection, enabling SFMOMA to display more of its 32,000 modern and contemporary artworks. An entire floor is also dedicated to photography. Visitors will want to linger on the six art-filled terraces, sculptural staircase and Roman steps. There’s also free access to 45,000 square feet of the ground floor galleries, and free admission for visitors ages 18 and under. AFTERNOON Throughout the day, guests can refuel with an artisanal coffee at SFMOMA’s café or enjoy small afternoon bites in the tranquil sculpture garden. If time permits there’s still the Museum of the African Diaspora, the California Historical Society and Contemporary Jewish Museum in close proximity. Or add them to your “to do” list for another day. EVENING Programming at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), located opposite SFMOMA, often includes evening performances. One of the most innovative contemporary art centers, YBCA offers an eclectic calendar of leading edge exhibitions, performances and films. FOODIES FEAST FOR A DAY GET A TASTE OF WHY BON APPÉTIT RECENTLY DUBBED SAN FRANCISCO “THE BEST FOOD CITY IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.” MORNING Jump start a culinary adventure at the Ferry Building Marketplace. A foodie’s dream come true, the restored historic structure is home to artisan producers, specialty shops, local food and fun restaurants. For breakfast, visitors can enjoy fresh baked pastries at Mariposa Baking Company, artisanal coffee at Blue Bottle or the renowned brunch at Boulette’s Larder. Or they can grab some treats for later such as the exquisite organic peaches at Frog Hollow or bento boxes from Delica. There’s also locally made ice cream at Humphry Slocombe. AFTERNOON Foodies can dig deeper into San Francisco’s local specialties with the city’s array of food tours. Edible Excursions visits several tempting locations in Japantown including Benkyodo Confections, one of the area’s first businesses. There are plenty of ways for visitors to dig deeper into local specialties. To get a taste of Chinatown’s delicacies, suggest All About Chinatown Walking Tours or Wok Wiz Chinatown Walking Tours. Check out one of the tantalizing trips by Avital Food Tours, Local Tastes of the City Tours or SF Adventure Tours Beers & Bites circuit to eat around more neighborhoods. EVENING For some nighttime revelry, San Francisco offers an abundance of locally produced beer, wine and liquor. Visitors can head to 21st Amendment Brewery, Woods Bar & Brewery or Thirsty Bear for an ample variety of craft brews. To sample the hard stuff, Anchor Distilling Company on Potrero Hill and Hanger One Vodka headquarters in Alameda are the places to be. A DAY OF FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES THAT APPEAL TO KIDS AND PARENTS. MORNING Families can start their day in Golden Gate Park at the California Academy of Sciences. This massive, one-of-a-kind institution houses an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum and four-story tropical rainforest all under one living roof that’s covered by 1.7 million native plants. Their Academy Café and The Terrace restaurant feature plenty of kid-friendly options, so lunch can be enjoyed without leaving the museum. AFTERNOON For some Disney-style fun, the Presidio features a 40,000-square-foot museum celebrating the life, art and imagination of famed animator Walt Disney. Favorite exhibits at The Walt Disney Family Museum include a 13-foot model of Disneyland and a Fantasia-themed theater that screens Disney classics six days a week. In the late afternoon, families can head to the Exploratorium. Located on Pier 15, this interactive museum blends hands-on activities that will delight younger visitors with thought-provoking exhibits that will keep parents engaged, too. EVENING On PIER 39, families will enjoy watching the popular colony of sea lions with stunning waterfront views at sunset. There are also dozens of shops, restaurants and attractions including the Aquarium of the Bay. Older kids will love the nearby San Francisco Dungeon with its thrilling drop ride and interactive storytelling. A DAY OF LGBTQ CULTURE SAN FRANCISCO IS A WORLD CAPITAL FOR LGBTQ CULTURE. MORNING Recommend kicking off the day with brunch and a morning stroll through the Castro District that has proudly dubbed itself the “Gayest Place on Earth.” Home to myriad businesses catering to the LGBTQ community, local landmarks include the historic Castro Theatre, Pink Triangle Park and Harvey Milk Plaza. For a more informed view of the community, opt for one of the many walking tours offered including FOOT! Fun Walking Tours’ “Come Out to the Castro.” AFTERNOON Visitors can head over to the GLBT History Museum. Affectionately known as the “Queer Smithsonian,” this archive is the first of its kind in the United States. Run by the GLBT Historical Society, the museum houses dynamic exhibits and hosts programs exploring a variety of topics. Leave an hour or so to browse the aisles of Cliff’s Variety, a Castro favorite since 1938. EVENING Travelers can catch a performance of the renowned San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus. The world’s first openly gay men’s chorus blends a season of local performances with ongoing social and political activism. Afterwards, LGBTQ visitors can discover the vibrant nightlife and popular clubs in the Castro district. A ONE-DAY SHOPPING SPREE SAN FRANCISCO FEATURES SOME OF THE BEST SHOPPING THE NATION HAS TO OFFER. MORNING Union Square is a shopper’s paradise and a great place to commence a full day of shopping. It’s home to big-name stores such as Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Uniqlo and Bloomingdale’s as well as well-known local stores including Gump’s, Brooks and Tourbillon Boutique. Visitors can also enjoy one of the outdoor cafes on Maiden Lane for brunch and people watching. AFTERNOON Travelers looking for one-of-a-kind items will love the unique shops and chic boutiques in North Beach. Browse the aisles of City Lights Booksellers and Publishers, founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin. It is a mecca for booklovers all over the world. A few blocks away on upper Grant Avenue visit Schein & Schein which is stocked with map collectibles from $5 to $5,000; located just three blocks from Coit Tower, they also offer items in their gift shop. For an abundance of apparel and gifts made in San Francisco, recommend SFMade. Their website is an exhaustive guide to more than 500 San Francisco-based manufacturers. EVENING With more than 200 stores and restaurants — including luxury retailers such as Kate Spade, Tiffany & Co. and Michael Kors — Westfield San Francisco Centre truly offers something for everyone. After a full day of shopping, travelers can rest their feet and catch a movie at the theater. 2018’S TOP ART MUSEUM EXHIBITIONS COUTURE KOREA The first exhibition to consider Korean fashion as an expression of social and cultural values, Couture Korea showcases historical Korean fashion and its modern interpretations with more than 120 works. ASIAN ART MUSEUM THROUGH FEB. 4 CASANOVA: THE SEDUCTION OF EUROPE Approximately 90 works, including paintings by Canaletto and Jean- Honore Fragonard, sculptures and period furnishings bring the world of the famed adventurer and man of letters to life. LEGION OF HONOR FEB. 20 – MAY 28 THE ART OF GLEN KEANE Experience the work of renowned Disney artist Glen Keane who brought to life some of the most indelible animated characters of modern time — from the imposing Beast and fearless Tarzan, to the daring heroines Ariel, Pocahontas and Rapunzel. THE WALT DISNEY FAMILY MUSEUM FEB. 22 – SEPT.3 THE CULT OF THE MACHINE Precisionism flourished in the U.S. in the ‘20s and ‘30s, reconciling realism with abstraction. More than 150 masterworks by Charles Sheeler, Georgia O’Keeffe, Charles Demuth and others will shed light on the aesthetic and intellectual concerns undergirding this significant strand of early American modernism. DE YOUNG MUSEUM MARCH 24 – AUG. 12 RENÉ MAGRITTE: THE FIFTH SEASON Nine tightly focused immersive galleries, each keyed to a major series or pictorial theme, explore Magritte’s late paintings (1943-1967). SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART (SFMOMA) MAY 19 – OCT. 28
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