What to take to San Francisco

JayC

JayC

5 kids,3 dogs,only 1 wife
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I will be going there for business at the end of the month. I have about a day and a half free time - I will be with my wife and 2 kids. According to the hotel website we are just minutes away from Moscone Convention Center, Moscone West, AT&T Park (home of SF Giants), Union Square, The Metreon Entertainment Complex, Yerba Buena Gardens and the SF Museum of Modern Art -- in the heart of SOMA at 2nd and Folsom Street.

One of the kids will be in a stroller, and we do not want to ren a car.

I have:
Digital SLR with all that goes with it
Mamiya 7 with 50/80/150 lenses
Leica M6 with 28/35/50/90 lenses

I would like to give the Mamiya some exercise, but since I have never been to SF, I don't know if that is the best.

Can I get some suggestions as to what to tour/take in, as well as what would be your choice of camera system to take (only one!)

Thanks
Jay
 
Sounds like you're going to be staying near the SF Marriott Courtyard. One fun thing to do w/ kids would be to walk north on 2nd to Market Street, and catch one of the old-time street cars in the direction of the Ferry Building (see the photo below for an example). You can get off at the Ferry Building and explore (on Saturday mornings, there is a farmers' market in front and in back), or stay on the street car down the Embarcadero and get off near Fisherman's Wharf. I know that Fisherman's Wharf is touristy, but there some old ships tied up (e.g., the Balclutha) which you can go on board (kids will likely enjoy). Nearby is Ghirardelli Square, w/ the Ghirardelli chocolate factory for ice cream.

Or you can walk along the Embarcadero in the direction of the Bay Bridge, and will arrive at Pac Bell Park (as many of us diehard Giants fans still know it).

Going back to 2nd and Market, you can catch a cable car at the base of either California St or Powell St where each intersects Market.

If you turn southwest on Mission St from 2nd, you will come to the SF MOMA (fun for adults, ? for kids), and the Metreon Center, w/ cool video games and a low-stress but good little food court.

There are many other fun things to do w/ kids in SF (Chrissy Field and Presidio NP, Golden Gate Park and Steinhardt Aquarium, Ocean Beach) all of which I'd highly recommend, but which will require more planning to get to by public transport. The concierge desk at your hotel may be able to assist you w/ directions.

Enjoy!
 
Oh, I forgot, camera kit: keep it light. Your M6 w/ a 50 and either a 28 or 35 should be more than sufficient. There are some additional shots of the Embarcadero/Ferry building area in my gallery. All were taken w/ a 50 Nokton or an Oly XA.
 
Hi JayC,
You won't be lacking interesting stuff to capture, that's for sure. I don't know what you plan/like to photograph. I'm more comfortable around people with a rangefinder or point&shoot if that's your plan (Chinatown, North Beach are great). I'm not a big fan of Union Square but lotsa people around. If you can take a cab or line over to Golden Gate Park the Conservatory of Flowers, DeYoung Museum, and Japanese Tea Gardens are nice places to wander.
 
Lots of hills,lots of vistas lots of interesting stuff.. I'd take the M6, a 28, and 50. Not much to weigh you down, easier to deal with kidlets. Wider angle lenses give you more opportunities, I think. JM2C...

Regards!
Don
 
I'll leave the recommendations for places to others but - there's no reason why you couldn't use just the Mamiya, I think. Sure, you gotta change rolls a lot, but you know that already.

allan
 
Don't forget the Wild Parrots...I was just there last month and had fun shooting them in a park near the Embarcadero....Take the M system and 1-2 lenses.
 
I took two nikon slr's and two bottles of whiskey with three friends and two rainy days.Returned with only the friends and cameras. Photos are in my gallery(the one in my signature - still didn't develop the BW)
 
South of Market everything is spread out and almost LA-like, while North of Market is tight and compact. Completely different landscapes.

The Ferry Building and surroundings would be great for the family, the Metreon perhaps a little too dark and mall like but it would be close. There's Picasso show at the SFMOMA (crowded and demanding) and an excellent photography collection, but it would be a block of time less for really being in the city. Fisherman's wharf, as Bingley recommends, would not be a bad solution.

The Tea Garden and Strybing Arborteum in the GG Park might be worth the half day trip. The view from the new De Young Tower (it closes at 4pm) is quite something. The tower on an axis to the grid of the city and you can see the Marin Hills and the Ocean and everything is toy and jewel like. Nice, slightly expensive cafe in the Museum. The N Judah muni car would be a good way to go--you pass through lovely neighborhoods--DeBoce Triangle and Cole Valley--along the way. The streetcar stop would be Ninth & Irving.

North Beach and the cafes there are great. It's crowed and intense and a bit of a schlep (through Chinatown) to get there, but you do feel you're in a hybrid American European world.

The Mamiya 7 might be too slow going in this context. I'd stick with the M6 and a 35/28 and 50, as above.
 
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I'd take the M6 as that's what I use in this City.

Public transportation is available to any part of the city.

Places to go that are somewhat off the beaten path:

I hate the Wharf and most locals do as well but for the kids go to the Musee Mecanique (warning has sound). It's an museum of old vintage pinball machines and coin operated games. You can take the F Line there which are the old historic trolly lines similiar to what you'll find in New Orleans. From there you can walk around the wharf if you want or go to Crissy Field which is a short walk away. Don't miss Ft. Point under Golden Gate Bridge.

Golden Gate Park on a Sunday - you'll find Stow Lake, Japanese Tea Garden, the new de Young Museum, Botanical Gardens and the Conservatory. But on Sunday, part of the park is closed to cars and you can roller blade, bike or walk on JFK drive and people watch. You can take the N Line from downtown to the Park.

Randall Museum is great for the kids and you'll get a great view of the City.

Alcatraz isn't off the beaten path but a suggestion to you is to buy your ferry tickets early. You can purchase them online now and I recommend it as it gets sold out.

SF Zoo - it's a schlep but would be fun for the little ones.

Palace of Fine Arts and the Exploratorium.

There are free walking tours (donations accepted) available for various places throughout the city. As a local I've taken a few of them and they are fun and informative.

I'll try to think of more places...
 
Russian Hill, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, Legion of Honor, Golden Gate Park, China Town, Market street, Castro District, City Hall, Cable Cars, Trolleys on Market, Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Mission Dolores, these are just a few, and all are easily accessible with public transportation. In San Francisco, public transportation means stroller, handicapped, cane, crutch, old people friendly. Of course, I didn't state the obvious, THE PEOPLE of San Francisco. If you can't find something to photograph in San Francisco, see a therapist.
 
ManGo, I've been to London and it is one of the other cities in world worth visiting. You've got to come to San Francisco. I agree a 35mm lens, and I find the RF is the best. Oh, anachronistically, you will see some flower children there.
 
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Go the the end of Market Street, and take the ferry to Sausalito, walk around a bit, and ride it back.

Great shots on the water, and from the Sausalito water front, looking toward the city.
 
Ditto what Summaron and agi said. And especially the Palace of Fine Arts and the Exploratorium (how could I have forgotten those in my earlier post!). The latter is an interactive science museum mainly for kids, and has lots of cool stuff to try. The Palace of Fine Arts is the last (or one of the last) remnant of the 1911 Pan Pacific Exhibition. Both are near Crissy Field (a former landing strip, now an expanse of lawn right on the Bay, w/ restored wetlands), and not far beyond the end of Crissy Field (and directly beneath the south end of the Golden Gate Bridge) is Fort Point. All are photogenic, worth visiting, and highly kid-friendly places.
 
charjohncarter said:
Oh, anachronistically, you will see some flower children there.
Click to expand...

I forgot about the Haight. Maybe not for the kids though.🙂

I agree with others that taking a ferry to Sausalito or Larkspur is a great way to see the city and the bay. Another vote for Crissy Field and the Ft. Point.
 
San Fran is an old haunt for me. On the last trip in October, my RF kit was perfect (M4, 35/2.8, 90/4). Union Square, Chinatown, Coit Tower and Cafe Trieste make a good walk.
 
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