About Susan J
Susan J., budget traveler extraordinaire, inherited her Yankee frugality from her mother and it has served her well on trips across the US and the UK. Whether scoping out the nightlife scene or searching for that perfect pair of shoes, Susan loves writing and travel. She has lived outside of Seattle, Washington, and in Boston, Massachusetts and Albuquerque, New Mexico. She recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, where she made full use of her Go Oahu Card!
Blog posts written by Susan J
January 10th, 2008 by susan j
Sunday, January 13 (various times)
The city of San Francisco presents family appreciation day with special activities and prizes for kids at 35 of the Bay Area’s best museums and attractions. Get in free to places like de Young Museum, ZEUM at Yerba Buena Garden, and others!
Through Sunday, January 27
Catch an exhibition by Canadian artist Jeff Wall at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit features more than 40 images by this prolific photographer.
Ongoing
The Chabot Space & Science Center presents Dinosaurs Alive!, a “global adventure of science and discovery.”
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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January 8th, 2008 by susan j
Restaurant photo uploaded by star5112
We’re all about keeping travelers up-to-date on all thing San Francisco. This is no easy feat, considering how much is constantly changing in the Bay Area, with new restaurants, bars, museums, you name it popping up all the time.
One of our personal faves for staying current on San Fran’s dining scene is tablehopper, a weekly email written by Marcia Gagliardi. Each issue features reviews of new restaurants and bars, food-related events, news, juicy gossip, and more. Check it out!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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January 4th, 2008 by susan j
Tropical Fish at San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium
Photo uploaded by Orin Optiglot
This weekend, San Francisco’s Steinhart Aquarium is having a blow-out celebration before they close. But don’t worry… they’ll be back and better than ever when they open next fall in a new eco-friendly building in Golden Gate Park. Click here to read about the festivities and exhibits on Sunday, January 6 to commemorate the last day to visit the aquarium in their current location.
Of course, if you plan to visit the Bay Area after January 6, there are plenty of other things to do in the meantime. Why not check out Exploratorium, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, or the Cartoon Art Museum on your next trip to San Francisco?
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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January 4th, 2008 by susan j
Golden Gate Park photo uploaded by Orin Optiglot
According to our friends at TripAdvisor, environmentally conscious travel (or ecotourism, as it’s sometimes called) is one of the top trends predicted by travelers for 2008. With a high percentage of parks and many residents walking using public transportation (BART), San Francisco ranks among the US’s most environmentally friendly cities.
Here’s our guide to going green on your next trip to San Francisco.
- Make like a local and walk, bike, or use public transportation. BART or the Bay Area Rapid Transit District can take you to many of the Bay Area’s tourist attractions, plus it’s often cheaper than renting a car. For a bit of exercise, you could take a walking tour or rent a bike.
- Fly green. Online retailers like Planktos offer flight eco offsets that will balance out the carbon emissions of your plane based on the length of your journey.
- Book an eco-friendly hotel. Hotel Triton in Union Square offers eco-friendly rooms that have water saving devices, energy efficient AC units, among other amenities. Five Star Alliance recommends Hotel Vitale, Hotel Palomar, and Fairmont San Francisco.
- Get an eco-education. San Francisco is home to dozens of beautiful parks and nature preserves. For a taste of the local landscape, check out the Conservatory of Flowers, the University of California Botanical Garden, and San Francisco Botanical Garden at Strybing Arboretum.
- Support green businesses. There are tons of globally conscious shops in the Bay Area, so those are a great place to find one-of-a-kind souvenirs. Check out Azalea Boutique for eco-friendly clothes or Global Exchange for fair trade items like coffee and crafts.
Is there something we’re missing? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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January 2nd, 2008 by susan j
BART photo uploaded by simoom
Riding public transportation is one of the cheapest ways to get around and get to know a new city. After New York City, San Francisco has one of the most used public transport systems in the country, known as BART or Bay Area Rapid Transport.
As of January 1, the BART is increasing the frequency certain trains and, as is often the case in these types of scenarios, also the price of fare. This may be good news for those visiting San Francisco, since the changes mean more trains going out to San Francisco International Airport. You can download BART’s fares and schedule brochure here or use the QuickPlanner to plot out your trip (even download it to your iPod for easy access on the go!).
What do you think? Will these changes improve San Francisco’s transportation system? Leave a comment and let us know!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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December 25th, 2007 by susan j
Christmas photo uploaded by krisdecurtis
Here’s wishing you a very merry Christmas and a happy new year!
We’ll be taking a little blogging break this week, so here are a few posts to tide you over:
Travel-friendly Gifts
Open for the Holidays in San Francisco
San Francisco’s Sweet Tooth: Best Desserts in SF
Happy travels!
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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December 20th, 2007 by susan j
Friday, December 21-Saturday, December 22 (10 am-6 pm)
Fisherman’s Wharf hosts a free Gingerbread Decorating Contest in the Postal Annex at the North Point Shopping Center.
Friday, December 21-Saturday, December 22 (various times)
The Quintessence Snow, a Russian-style winter celebration, performs at the Palace of Fine Arts.
Wednesday, December 26-Saturday, December 29 (noon and 2 pm)
As a special post-holilday treat, the Holiday Animation Film Festival is included in admission to Exploratorium.
Through January 1 (various times)
Get in the holiday mood with the Reindeer Romp and Ice Skating at the San Francisco Zoo.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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December 19th, 2007 by susan j
Holiday photo uploaded by o2ma
In the spirit of holidays, Macy’s Union Square is hosting their 21st annual Holiday Windows Animal Adoption event. This year’s theme is “The Magic of Christmas. Now through Tuesday, January 1, Macy’s store windows will feature giant snow globes depicting San Francisco landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Twin Peaks. The snow globes house live dogs and cats who are available for adoption through the San Francisco Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Read more on the SPCA’s site.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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December 14th, 2007 by susan j
Photo uploaded by tillwe
Good news for those who fly on JetBlue: the budget airline debuted its new JetBlue system last Tuesday on a flight from New York City to San Francisco. The system includes new free entertainment services that would allow passengers to check their emails on certain models of WiFi-enabled Blackberries. Rumor has it that American Airlines will also be testing fee-based in-flight internet access in the future. Read the complete article here.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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December 13th, 2007 by susan j
Friday, December 14 and Saturday, December 15 (8 pm)
Relive the highs and lows of the teen years at Best of Mortified, a hilarious series of readings from real people’s journal and diaries.
Now through January 6, 2008
Learn about the intersection between science and art at From the Depths: Inspiring Science and Art, a special exhibit at the California Academy of Sciences’ Natural History Museum.
Saturday, December 15
Browse for unique holiday gifts at the Art Glass Studio Holiday Sale or the Bazaar Bizarre.
Saturday, December 15 (5: 15 pm)
Watch the San Francisco 49ers battle the Cincinnati Bengals at Monster Park.
Planning a trip to San Francisco? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the Go San Francisco Card.
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