What to do in San Fran on a road trip?

Me and my friends are probably taking a road trip to San Francisco during winter break. We're all 16-17. Does anybody have any recommendations of what we should see or do while we're there? Does anybody know where people our age might be?

 

Go to Haight street, that was the 'mecca' for hippies in San Francisco during the 60's. It's a little run down these days but if you go during the day it's still really chill and they got some nice hippie shops and it runs right into Golden Gate Park.

I enjoy going down by Pier 39 just because it's by the water and there are some cool little shops and restaurants there.

The downtown area is a nice area to go too if you are a tourist, just wander around and stuff.

 

Go to Haight street, that was the 'mecca' for hippies in San Francisco during the 60's. It's a little run down these days but if you go during the day it's still really chill and they got some nice hippie shops and it runs right into Golden Gate Park.

I enjoy going down by Pier 39 just because it's by the water and there are some cool little shops and restaurants there.

The downtown area is a nice area to go too if you are a tourist, just wander around and stuff.

 

Definitely visit the Haight. Go to the west end of Haight Street, where it runs into Golden Gate Park: this is the epicenter of the Summer of Love happenings, way back when LSD was still legal. Stay in the park and head to the Hall of Science: take a colorful substance and then trip on the fish, various science exhibits, the planetarium. If you go on Thursday nights after 7 pm it's adults only, drinks and food, and some pretty good live music.

Continue down through the park and head to Fort Point at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the most visually spectacular combos of manmade and nature you'll ever experience. From the parking lot at Ft. Point go up the trail and walk across the bridge. (No jumping, please.)

There's also Japantown near Fillmore and Geary, filled with quirky Japanese goods and damned good food. At the corner of Fillmore and Geary is the old Fillmore West, home of many a great live performance.

Lot's of good music in small venues, best would be Slim's near Folsom Street. Folsom Street is the home to most of the leather bars in SF, so even if you're not into that, it's a fashion show you won't soon forget.

The Mission District (along Mission Street, of all places) is lined with oddball shops and great Mexican food. One block over on Valencia, between 16th and 20th are some truly amazingly unique shops; if you get that far, check out Paxton Gate for some of the strangest taxidermy, mostly involving mice, that you will ever see. Mouse dressed as Satan? Mice dressed as a bride and groom? Mouse with antlers ('mousalope')? It's all there. They also have a Children's Paxton Gate, just a couple blocks up: Paxton Gate has real stuffed animal heads on the wall; the kid's shop has toy stuffed animinal heads on the wall. If you want a cocker spaniel head to put in your office, this is the place to get it.

Great, cheap food all over SF. Avoid Fisherman's Wharf unless you really need the tackiest souvenirs in the world and it's the only place in SF for expensive bad food. The Ferry Building at Pier 1 on the Embarcadero has some great eateries and excellent for people-watching.

If you go in the summer, that's the coldest time of year there (really), so bring a sweatshirt and windbreaker or 2. Best weather is in the fall.

If you rent a car, driving in SF is the best video game ever. Only 2 rules: drive like you own the streets, and drive that car like you just stole it.

Enjoy!