My friend asked me the other day to write up directions to some cool spots in SF & Berkeley. Figured it could help someone else too.
get off at university in Berkeley and turn left
go all the way till it dead ends at the college and turn right at Shattuck ave
turn left at Durant ave
go up about 3 ½ blocks and there will parking plaza on the right hand side
exit parking garage on the same side you came in and walk ½ block east
you will walk up to telegraph ave and then turn right
fat slice will be about ½ block up on the left hand side and head shop w/ big ass bong will be right across the street
keep walking south on telegraph for about 4 or 5 blocks and there will be many other random shops (amoeba, Rasputin, head shops, tattoos, etc.)
walk back to car and hopefully you remembered to get your parking ticket validated
exit garage towards your left and then turn right onto haste street
take that back to Shattuck ave and then turn right
turn left onto university and take that till you get back i80 west towards san fran
FROM HERE I’ll direct you to your HOTEL
Take the Fremont street exit and turn left
It will kind of circle around but is still Fremont
Eventually it will turn into Front st. once you pass over Market
One block up, turn left onto Pine street
Go up approx. 7 blocks and turn left onto Stockton Street
Go up 1 block and turn left on bush street
Hotel des Arts is about 1 ½ blocks up on Bush
TOWARDS HAIGHT/ ASHBURY & GOLDEN GATE PARK (japanese tea garden/ art museum, etc.)
Head east on Bush street
Turn left Kearny street
Go up 1 block and turn left at Pine street
Go another 12 blocks and turn left at Van Ness
Go up 7 blocks and turn right at geary blvd
Drive for a bit and Turn left at stanyan street
9 blocks up is haight street
but you want to go another block and a half and on the right hand side will be a parking lot, that is right next to, what looks like a basketball gym or something
if you walk north back to height street and turn right, and if you walk for blocks there are amoeba, more fat slice, giant/ kid robot/ villains, anything else you can think of)
to the left of where haight st. is, is golden gate park
pretty much I can’t give directions while in the park but drive around (there are signs) for Japanese tea garden, wild buffalo, etc. sure you will figure it out
once you are done in that area, the real bay area ocean is not far away
get back on Geary and turn left
go all the way until it dead ends and turn left
you’ll pass a cliffhouse restaurant on the right and if you continue, there will be many many beach stops you pull over at
JUST PICK!
Once you are on geary and you pass over Park Presidio (aka highway 1), and make your first right then your first left, you will be on Clement Street
If you go west on Clement Street, eventually on your left hand side is that crazy fish store but its not far from where you start
Once clement dead ends, either turn around if you haven’t found the store, or turn left then make your first left or right to get back on Geary (left if you want the ocean, right if you want the city)
CHINATOWN
Turn onto bush going east and then turn onto Kearny st
Go up 1 block & turn right onto grant street
Go 7 blocks and turn left and find parking (you’re in the middle of Chinatown)
Mmmkay…that waffle house I could not get the name right for directions but if ound general area (any moron can find it haha)
Head east on bush street
Turn left on kearny street
Go 1 block and turn left on Pine Street
Go 1 more block & turn right on Grant ave
Turn left on Columbus ave
Drive a bunch of blocks
Once you pass over Bay Street, start looking on your left for that waffle place. It will be somewhere between bay and when you dead end. PAY Attention!!!
NIGHTLIFE
Height ashbury area has a bunch of clubs & shit
But if you go bush, to Kearny, to pine street, and take that until Polk street
At Bush & Kearny, there a bomb ass fish & chips place called 7up Fish & Chips, and if you’re in the mood for martini’s, go to Club Bush at the same intersection area
Pretty much you can cruise Haight Street and find a bunch of cool shit
Magnolia Brewery @ 1398 Haight St.
Hanabi Sushi @ 509 Haight St.
Within the couple of blocks on each side of Hanabi, there are many head shops, restaurants, & shopping
JAPANtown
If you head down Pine street, make a left @ Gough
Go 5 blocks and turn right onto Geary Blvd
Go until you reach fillmore and turn right
Turn right into the parking garage and you are right under the japantown mall
EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE CITY IS TOURISTY AREA or maybe I forgot how cool it is. If I remember anything else worth stopping at, I’ll let you know, otherwise enjoy your stay & have fun.
