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View Full Version : San Francisco trip in June...bad idea?

Jazzmatazz49
05-19-2007, 10:47 AM
I know there was a thread about things to see and do in S.F. and I've saved all that info. I just noticed that the Gay Pride parade/festival is scheduled for the weekend that we will be there. How big a deal is this? I would never go to New Orleans during Mardi Gras unless I was going to the parades because the crowds are HUGE and such a pain. Is this a similar thing? I am not interested in the parade, and wondered if the city is full to overflowing or if it is just another weekend festival. Any feedback is appreciated.
Canice
05-19-2007, 11:19 AM
Do you have a place to stay already?
I believe they are expecting about half a million people from around the world to be in town (and the city population is only three-quarters of a million) so that would suggest quite a crowd. But honestly, unless you're on the parade route or in the Castro, I don't know how big a deal it is. I usually don't even notice when it's Pride Weekend, to tell the truth.
Jazzmatazz49
05-19-2007, 11:32 AM
We're staying at the JW Marriott, which is not on the parade route as I understand it. If you don't notice the crowds, then we probably won't either. We just didn't want to deal with anything similar to the traffic and crowds such as Spring Break in Ft. Lauderdale, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, or any city during Super Bowl weekend.
Canice
05-19-2007, 11:56 AM
Hmm, I don't know: that hotel is just three blocks from Market Street - the thick of the parade. If there are 500,000 people in town (and the parade itself draws up to a million) you will definitely "feel" it downtown. Plus, I didn't realize you would be driving.
You might want to consider another weekend.
Jazzmatazz49
05-19-2007, 07:10 PM
We are not driving, I just meant sitting in traffic. Maybe that weekend would be the time for the side trip to Napa.
Canice
05-19-2007, 09:13 PM
I understand; by "driving" I just meant having a car. For some weird reason, I never expect people to rent a car when they come here.
Anyhow - yes, that might be the right time to go to Napa or out to West Marin or such. But it depends on what you would otherwise be planning to do in the city that day; might not matter much.
If you have any specific questions, post or PM and I'll help if I can.