Recent San Francisco Experiences

[Anonymous]

I live in the East Bay, and I have lived and worked off-and-on in the Bay Area (including in SF-proper) for the past 20 years. I do think that SF has reached a breaking point in terms of an explosion in homelessness (and encampments everywhere) and all of the other problems that come with it.

That being said, these things are unlikely to be a big issue for tourists unless you intend to tour the Tenderloin or one of the many homeless encampments. I don't know how old your kids are, OP, but mine are 2 and 4. We take them to museums etc in SF a couple of times a month. On Monday, we took them to the SFMoMA. Yeah, my daughter commented that it smelled a little right outside the Howard St entrance, but she loved it inside. We go pretty regularly to the Cal Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. We love taking visitors to the View Lounge in the Marriott. The Ferry Terminal is a great place to pick up a casual lunch and watch the ferries and get a close up view of the Bay Bridge. And the Exploratorium remains probably the best science museum in the world.

And none of the above includes any of the stuff to do outside of SF itself. So, basically, I wouldn't let some of the problems SF is undergoing prevent you from visiting. Those things are unlikely to ruin your visit unless you really try.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh great, a friend and I are going next week for 5 days (just two women.) I really hope this is exagerrated.

I do know two older (early 60s) family members who just went in April and their only comment was that there were a lot of homeless people.... which SF is well known for. These are Fox News watching 60 year olds, so I hope that's an accurate representation of what they saw. They stayed in Union Square, which is also where we are staying.

You will be FINE. Use a smidge of street sense. If you look down a street and only see homeless people, don't walk down it. When walking past mentally unwell loud homeless people, just give them a wide berth on the sidewalk. I've lived here 15 years and only ONCE been attacked by a homeless person - he was in his wrong mind and clearly thought I was somebody else.

I honestly disagree with the people who say "Just stick to the Marina and Pac Heights and you'll be fine" because I think that would give you a false sense of security and you would lower your guard there. Don't walk down 6th Street. Don't wander around Civic Center at night (if you're there at night, walk purposefully). People's phones are stolen most often around Market between 4th and 5th Streets, so don't walk around with your phone in your hand. Use it for maps and buses while in a store, and then put it away to walk around. I use the app Routesy for knowing when buses are coming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh great, a friend and I are going next week for 5 days (just two women.) I really hope this is exagerrated.

I do know two older (early 60s) family members who just went in April and their only comment was that there were a lot of homeless people.... which SF is well known for. These are Fox News watching 60 year olds, so I hope that's an accurate representation of what they saw. They stayed in Union Square, which is also where we are staying.

You will have a great trip. The only downside (hopefully!) will be the homeless/dirt.

I live in California, I love California, I think it's the best state in the country. But the homeless issue is real and SF is the epicenter.
The city needs to do something because it's going to lose tourism over it.

[Anonymous]

I recently traveled to SF from London for work and saw some friends.

Staying at Grand Hyatt -- I went out to meet my friends and not two blocks from the entrance my foot went into some kind of poop. I think it was human. I've never been so mortified in my life. I was in tears by the time I returned to the lobby. The hotel staff was great, and I just gave them a pair of $600 heels to throw out.

I guess it could happen anywhere, but it happened to me in SF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I recently traveled to SF from London for work and saw some friends.

Staying at Grand Hyatt -- I went out to meet my friends and not two blocks from the entrance my foot went into some kind of poop. I think it was human. I've never been so mortified in my life. I was in tears by the time I returned to the lobby. The hotel staff was great, and I just gave them a pair of $600 heels to throw out.

I guess it could happen anywhere, but it happened to me in SF.

Ugh, that's horrible. I'm sorry, PP!

[Anonymous]

I work for a SF based tech company and travel there 6xs a year that's 5xs too many. Dirty dirty dirty. The homeless and seemingly never ending junkies are so aggressive. Makes me appreciate how clean DC actually is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh great, a friend and I are going next week for 5 days (just two women.) I really hope this is exagerrated.

I do know two older (early 60s) family members who just went in April and their only comment was that there were a lot of homeless people.... which SF is well known for. These are Fox News watching 60 year olds, so I hope that's an accurate representation of what they saw. They stayed in Union Square, which is also where we are staying.

Tons of homeless people in union square. I was targeted by homeless youth the last time I was there, and I was nearly mugged. A local saw then casing me, approached me and scared them off. I had noticed them as well and sensed something was off, so I was grateful to the local who stepped in. He said it happens a lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I recently traveled to SF from London for work and saw some friends.

Staying at Grand Hyatt -- I went out to meet my friends and not two blocks from the entrance my foot went into some kind of poop. I think it was human. I've never been so mortified in my life. I was in tears by the time I returned to the lobby. The hotel staff was great, and I just gave them a pair of $600 heels to throw out.

I guess it could happen anywhere, but it happened to me in SF.

Who doesn't look where they're stepping? Could be a crack in the sidewalk, could be money, could be puke, could be anything. Were you one of those annoying people who walk down the street staring at their phones and that's why you didn't see the poop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I recently traveled to SF from London for work and saw some friends.

Staying at Grand Hyatt -- I went out to meet my friends and not two blocks from the entrance my foot went into some kind of poop. I think it was human. I've never been so mortified in my life. I was in tears by the time I returned to the lobby. The hotel staff was great, and I just gave them a pair of $600 heels to throw out.

I guess it could happen anywhere, but it happened to me in SF.

Who doesn't look where they're stepping? Could be a crack in the sidewalk, could be money, could be puke, could be anything. Were you one of those annoying people who walk down the street staring at their phones and that's why you didn't see the poop?

Don't be an a$$

[Anonymous]

Here is a local news report about Union Square at Christmastime.

Those poor business owners.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2017/11/28/holiday-decorations-cant-hide-homeless-situation-in-san-francisco-union-square/

[Anonymous]

I think it's fine safety-wise, but it really just feels dirty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's fine safety-wise, but it really just feels dirty.

Yes.

Human feces will do that to a place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was surprised by the smoking. Not pot just regular cigarettes everywhere. I couldn’t walk down the street without smoke blowing in my face.

Yes! I was there last month and noticed the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I recently traveled to SF from London for work and saw some friends.

Staying at Grand Hyatt -- I went out to meet my friends and not two blocks from the entrance my foot went into some kind of poop. I think it was human. I've never been so mortified in my life. I was in tears by the time I returned to the lobby. The hotel staff was great, and I just gave them a pair of $600 heels to throw out.

I guess it could happen anywhere, but it happened to me in SF.

Who doesn't look where they're stepping? Could be a crack in the sidewalk, could be money, could be puke, could be anything. Were you one of those annoying people who walk down the street staring at their phones and that's why you didn't see the poop?

Do you never look up when you are walking? You sound like one of those annoying phone people you mentioned

[Anonymous]

It's just gross anymore. Not sure why people think It's so great. Bleh