San Francisco
Gear up for a guys’ escapade in California that’s all about baseball, golf, and good times. We cracked open cold ones at Oracle Park, cheered for home runs, then swapped bats for golf clubs on some killer courses. This was an unforgettable weekend in the city by the bay, where swings and strikes met skyscrapers and fairways.
Oracle Park Ballpark
There is a ton of traffic around the wharf area, so be sure to give yourself lots of time to get around. If you’re staying down on the wharf, I suggest walking to the ballpark because the walk is waterfront and there’s numerous pubs, bars & restaurants on the way to Oracle Park. One of our favorite pubs to stop for beer was the Hi Dive Bar which is pretty much halfway between our hotel the Riu Plaza and Oracle Park. It has a great atmosphere and really good servers even when it’s crazy busy (which it was). It is an awesome place to go if you’re rootin’ for the hometeam.
Pier 23 is a bit more high end than the Hi Dive, and it has great views of the cruise ship docking, a fun crowd and delicious appies.
We made a few other stops for a beer on our way, it was nice to break up the walk and get pumped up for the game. If you’re not able to make the walk, or maybe you want to walk halfway – taking the public transit system is a cheap alternative. It does take some time because all the stops though, so allow for that.
Oracle Park is smaller than other ball parks we’ve been to, so any seat is good. When we go to ball games, we usually buy our tickets, then move around the seats throughout the game to check out different views.
Oracle Park is one of the best viewing experiences in the MLB, but be prepared for rapid changing weather conditions. The wind coming off the bay can freeze your nuts off.
-
- Oracle Park
-
- Oracle Park
-
- Bay Bridge
-
- Bay Bridge
Golfing in
San Fran
TPC Harding Park – this is a high end course ($$)
Presidio Golf Course – this course is in great shape, close to the wharf and has good food and drink service ($)
Half Moon Bay Golf Links – ocean front, good food and beverage (this is where the movie American Wedding was filmed) ($)
Lincoln Park Golf Course – an old course, right close to the wharf, great views of the the Golden Gate Bridge from this course ($)
Accomodation
We stayed at the Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman’s Wharf which was nice to be close to everything we needed. There’s a grocery & liquor store next door, an outdoor pool and $35 Breakfast Buffet (or an iHop next door if you’d rather)
Eats
Aliotos Restaurant – good seafood, reasonably priced, relaxed atmosphere
Franciscan Crab Restaurant – the Skillet Seafood Compos is very good!
Oakland
I suggest to take the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to Oakland, it stops right in front of the ball park. Otherwise cabs/uber/lyft won’t want to take you or pick you up after because of heavy traffic across the Bay Bridge.
Oakland Coliseum has a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere, and the game tickets and beer are way cheaper here
Tips:
- Use Uber or Lyft to save money (cabs/taxi’s likely won’t take you across the Bay Bridge on game days)
- Get ball tickets on the MLB Ball Park App to avoid ticket lines
- Allow for lots of time to get to the game
- Dress in Layers – With it being my second trip here, I found the weather can change quite rapidly – especially between Oakland and San Fran, even though they aren’t that far apart. Depending on time of year, even wearing thermal underwear for the ball games and golf is crucial due to the fog/moisture and unpredictable winds off the bay.
Have a question about my trip? Comment below and I’ll see if I can find the answer in my beer fog memory…
Leave a Reply