We're doing the Eagle Rider thing this year, having never been to the west coast USA before, I seek to tap into the vast pool of knowledge here, what are your recommendations for doing on the free days in Las Vegas and San Francisco? 
One Day In Vegas, One Day in Frisco
- Thread starter Watty100
- Start date
Paul Rochdale
Registered user
I've ridden across the US twice, once in 2001 and again in 2006, and visited both Vegas and San Francisco. LV? An amazing, surreal place created my mankind after WW2 out of nothing. Baking hot in the summer. Cheapest hotels in the US as each has it's own casino which subsides the room costs. I stayed in Circus Circus (hotel) each time which is vast and cheap. Many people visit LV and never leave their hotels, prefering to pump money into slot machines and play the tables. The town doesn't look much during the day but comes alive at night with fantastic fountain displays (Bellaggios), real life pirate ships and battles (Treasure Island), replicas of places such as the Eiffel Tower and one of the the world's most famous hotels, the Venetian with it's indoor canals and gondolas. Two days was enough for me and I needed to get away and my mid-afternoon I was in Death Valley (118F and 100F at midnight, would you believe). My wife flew out and we did get a heliopter flight into Grand Canyon, landing near the bottom and enjoyed a champagne breakfast. A big adult's playground.
San Francisco. After the heat of the desert, the cooling breeze of the Pacific is a relief. Lots of places to walk and see - the Coit Tower, the seafront, boat trips to and around Alcatraz, and more restaurants than you could shake a stick at. My 4th favourite US city after San Diego, Boston and New York.
San Francisco. After the heat of the desert, the cooling breeze of the Pacific is a relief. Lots of places to walk and see - the Coit Tower, the seafront, boat trips to and around Alcatraz, and more restaurants than you could shake a stick at. My 4th favourite US city after San Diego, Boston and New York.
With just a day in each you will be pushed to see everything. As said above Las Vegas is scorching during the day. A ride out to Red Rock Canyon is amazing. Nighttime a walk along the Strip is brilliant. Walk in and out of any of the hotels. As for SF I would suggest a ride on a street car, an open top bus tour of the city is worthwhile, Pier 39 and if you have time a visit to Alcatraz. I preferred SF to Los Angeles, like chalk and cheese. Didn't see many pensioners in SF. Not walking anyway 
10 minutes in Vegas was enough for us last year - we just had a ride up and down the strip on the way to Death Valley - and that was about 5 minutes too long 
San Francisco, on the other hand, was a beautiful city. We loved riding over the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, Fishermans Wharf etc.
Don't waste your money on a group tour as you're just paying for the guides wages. It's easy organizing your own tour, but failing that Eagleriders self-guided tours save you a lot of money to follow the same itinerary
San Francisco, on the other hand, was a beautiful city. We loved riding over the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, Fishermans Wharf etc.
Don't waste your money on a group tour as you're just paying for the guides wages. It's easy organizing your own tour, but failing that Eagleriders self-guided tours save you a lot of money to follow the same itinerary
Paul Rochdale
Registered user
It was so hot when I rode down the Strip that the fan on my Pan European was on non-stop for ages, the only time I can recall that ever happening. I came across devices which sprayed a fine mist on pedestrians as they walked by, and escallators to bridges which crossed the road. I quite enjoyed it, especially when I sought out a couple of micro-breweries, but it was a relief to get back on the road to Stovepipe Wells, a mere 118F
Thanks for the ideas so far...........searching out microbreweries my favourite
Any more suggestions???????????????????????????????????
Any more suggestions???????????????????????????????????
Las Vegas, The Gun Store, go shoot guns!
We tried the Magnum 44, a real experience, great fun and even a bit scary too, brilliant
http://thegunstorelasvegas.com
2900 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas
We tried the Magnum 44, a real experience, great fun and even a bit scary too, brilliant
http://thegunstorelasvegas.com
2900 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas
Fordy
Registered user
So thats beer, guns, food. In that order, obviously. Fantastic, thats my day sorted, the Mrs can sort herself out!!!!!!!!!!
In SF (don't call it Frisco or the locals will shoot you
), you have to ride over the GG bridge as thats the law. Take your jacket as you will freeze! On teh far side, take the first exit before the tunnel and climb up the hill for a brilliant view of the bridge and the city. Much better than the main viewing car park.
One day in SF isn't nearly enough but I would book a trip to Alcatraz and have dinner on Pier 39. Doing all those would make a great day to remember
), you have to ride over the GG bridge as thats the law. Take your jacket as you will freeze! On teh far side, take the first exit before the tunnel and climb up the hill for a brilliant view of the bridge and the city. Much better than the main viewing car park.One day in SF isn't nearly enough but I would book a trip to Alcatraz and have dinner on Pier 39. Doing all those would make a great day to remember
One day in SF isn't nearly enough but I would book a trip to Alcatraz and have dinner on Pier 39. Doing all those would make a great day to remember
Never been to Alcatraz yet and I'd have dinner here....
http://www.bakerstreetbistro.com
LV and SF
Don't arrive in Vegas on Friday afternoon. Took us 30 minutes to 1/2 mile on bikes! Harleys got so hot they shut down (self-protection) and we had to paddle-walk them in the heat.
Bellagio fountain is a must-see, Stratosphere Tower pretty good at night for the view of the Strip too. Go back again 5 years' later and it will all have changed again.
SF - Pier 49, tram ride (we had to get out and push!), Lombard Street (the twisty one) and GG Bridge (it was foggy for us!)
Just enjoy, it's all good fun.
A
Don't arrive in Vegas on Friday afternoon. Took us 30 minutes to 1/2 mile on bikes! Harleys got so hot they shut down (self-protection) and we had to paddle-walk them in the heat.
Bellagio fountain is a must-see, Stratosphere Tower pretty good at night for the view of the Strip too. Go back again 5 years' later and it will all have changed again.
SF - Pier 49, tram ride (we had to get out and push!), Lombard Street (the twisty one) and GG Bridge (it was foggy for us!)
Just enjoy, it's all good fun.
A
San Francisco is beautiful. Just ride up and down and around. Russian hill, over the bridge, see Sausalito. I don't think Pier 39 is all that TBH but fisherman's warf has some lovely restaurants, and of course there is Chinatown or gay-a-rama if that's your bag
Vegas - get yourself up the stratosphere and do the rides
Rooms can be cheap - just sign up with the hotel mailing lists and you'll get shed loads of offers. Air conditioned pavements, the flabbiest of the flabby and the loudest of the loud, all life is there. Get down to Fremont street for the roof light show in the old town
Depends which way you're going from there but get if you can, get yourself out to the new Hoover Dam bridge
Vegas - get yourself up the stratosphere and do the rides
Rooms can be cheap - just sign up with the hotel mailing lists and you'll get shed loads of offers. Air conditioned pavements, the flabbiest of the flabby and the loudest of the loud, all life is there. Get down to Fremont street for the roof light show in the old town
Depends which way you're going from there but get if you can, get yourself out to the new Hoover Dam bridge
Thanks for the ideas so far...........searching out microbreweries my favourite
Any more suggestions???????????????????????????????????
Get out of the heat in Vegas and have lunch at the Hofbrauhaus-just like being in the real thing in Munich !!!
Better still-get back on the bike and go ride the ET Highway and Area 51 and have lunch at the Little Ale'inn in Rachel
SF-in one day-impossible.
Personally I would take the Powell-Hyde trolley to the end of the line by Pier 39 and have breakfast down there-there is a great Italian diner just down the road from the final stop.
I would take a boat across to Sausalito and back and try squeeze in Alcatraz.
Have dinner in any one of hundreds of great restaurants .I love The Stinking Rose where even the desserts contain garlic !!!Then finish up in the Buena Vista Cafe which is right where the Powell-Hyde trolley stops down by the pier.They do the best Irish Coffee in the world and I hate the stuff normally.
Pretty well the best breakfasts I've ever had in the world - lighthouse cafe, Sausalito. I'm going back in Sept for more
If you are in SF on a Thursday night you could head for the California Academy of Sciences Nightlife which has science exhibits, a huge fishtank over two or three floors. But the best thing is that no kids are allowed, you can get a drink and food and there is music in different areas, dj's etc. You can go out onto the roof where they have telescopes set up and do some stargazing. It's a really really cool night out. More here.
Cha Cha Cha on Haight Street serves up Cuban and Carribean food. The grub is great and their sangria is lovely.
If you like ribs then Baby Blue's on Mission Street is worth a try.
Cha Cha Cha on Haight Street serves up Cuban and Carribean food. The grub is great and their sangria is lovely.
If you like ribs then Baby Blue's on Mission Street is worth a try.
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