A SLICE OF J1 ADVICE – SAN FRANCISCO
INTRODUCTION
Dizzying cable-car drops...sumptuous California cuisine... vibrant street scenes...pulsating
nightlife...the City by the Bay combines attitude and charm like no other place on earth.
Whether you're feeling the love in Height or slicing through the fog of the Golden Gate, this
streetwise and stylish guide will show you why it's so easy to leave your heart in San
Francisco.
The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937 after four years and a mere $35 million.
The 1.2mile structure is the second longest single suspension bridge in the world and
contains two cables with enough steel wire (80,000 miles) to go around the equator three
times. Alcatraz is Spanish for ‘pelican’.
http://www.sanfrancisco.travel/
http://sfgov.org/
http://www.citysearch.com/guide/sanfrancisco-ca-metro
TRANSPORT
San Francisco Airport is south of San Francisco. The airport can get quite busy because it
also handles San Francisco’s domestic and international connections. But that makes
getting to the airport and back easy. There’s a direct train service from Millbrae to San
Francisco with free buses running between Millbrae station and the airport. The first train
goes at 5.00am and the last one leaves Millbrae station at 11.59pm. There are also airport
buses – San Trans buses have direct service to city centre. Amtrak do not have a station in
the centre of San Francisco. The train stop at Jack London Square in Oakland but there is
a free shuttle connection to San Francisco.
San Francisco Municipal Railway (MUNI) runs the city’s public transport. Buses,
trolleybuses and cable cars are easy to use. Its $1.50 to use and you can buy tickets on
board. A weekly pass is $15.00. BART passes are also available, these act like a debit
card, each journey you take is deducted from the value of the card. BART offer online
reductions on these cards. If you want to head further than San Francisco cheap airlines,
Amtrak and buses are fantastic. Greyhound run a cheap service from San Fran to Las
Vegas for $58,if purchased 7 days in advance, the only drawback is that it can take a
hellish 14-19 hrs dependent on connections! Amtrak also run a service, fares start at
$75and go upwards and the journey takes about 13hrs minimum. Flying is an easier and
quicker option, www.orbitz.com offer a wide variety of flights with prices starting from $150
return in August or alternatively fly with Southwest Airlines from Oakland. It’s usually
cheaper, very efficient and the airport is easy to get around.
SOCIAL SCENE
Take a trip to Alcatraz Island, in the middle of San Francisco Bay, once home of Al Capone
and Robert Franklin Stroud (the ‘Birdman of Alcatraz’).Check out the amazing views of the
San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz and the Marin Headlands from the Golden gate Bridge but
be careful – it can often sway 27 feet in high winds!
Check out Ripley’s Believe it Or Not Museum for ‘oddball, silly, weird and funny attractions’
that you can believe (or not!).
Visit Chinatown where hot spots include the over-hyped House of Nan king and its low-key
neighbour, Chef Jig’s, both of which serve up cheap, hot, tasty food with no ambiance or
service whatsoever.
"North Beach is great but if you can wade through the crowds of tourists, its gets even
better. Situated in a valley between Russian and Telegraph Hills, North Beach was once
home to most of the city's Italian residents. During the 1950s and early 1960s, North
Beach was also home to San Francisco's infamous BeatniksGo wine tasting in Sonoma
and Napa Valley, a beautiful day out but don’t forget to bring I.D. There’s so much going on
all over San Francisco all summer – pick up SF weekly for the latest info, but check out:
Golden Gate Park any Sunday
Baseball game in Pac Bell Park
Pride Weekend (end of June)
Fireworks down the Wharf July 4th
Burning Man – If you have energy left at the end of the summer!
Don’t Miss!!
Cycle the Golden Gate Bridge
Take a boat trip in the bay
Latte in Café Trieste
Broadway on a Saturday night
Castro any night!
Haight Street Fair
The Bush Man!
Road Trip!!!! Yosemite, Tahoe, down the coast…
Baker Beach/Ocean Beach
Twisty Lombard Street
Burritos in Mission (yum!!)
Restaurants: If you’re looking for a real slice of American life head to Blondie’s
Pizza on Powel, North Beach has some great Mexican take-aways as does Mission. Lori’s
and Chevy’s are your typical American Burger joints and the Irish bars do the full Irish
brekkie for anyone who’s homesick!!
Bars: San Fran is strict when it comes to I.D. and the bouncers will usually insist on seeing
a passport. Some of the Irish bars aren’t as strict once they hear the accent. If you want to
see the Irish matches go to The Kezar opposite Golden Gate Park, they also show hurling
and football matches. Other good Irish bars are Fiddler’s Green and Durty Nellies. Here
are a number of other good bars to try out:
La Rocca’s – 957 Columbus Avenue
Kennedy’s – Columbus and Taylor (good drinking deals)
Fuse – Broadway and Kearney (Cocktails mmm!)
The Irish Bank – 10 Mark Lane, Union Square
Mad Dog in the Fog – 530 Haight St (Soccer matches here)
The Top – 422 Haight Street
Clubs: Some clubs will let you in if you’re over 18 but you can’t drink in them.
You WILL be thrown out if they catch you with drink there. Popscene, which is a
little like Freakscene, runs these nights as does a club on 3 rd and Harrison. Other clubs in
San Fran are:
Ten 15 – 1015 Folsom
End Up – 401 Sixth Street (after 2am)
The Top – 422 Haight Street
DNA Lounge – 375 11th Street
Bimbos 365 Club – 1025 Columbus
ACCOMMODATION
The majority of students this past summer lived in Berkeley. Most stayed in frat houses.
Some of the many advantages of living in Berkeley are - the weather is much better there
than in San Francisco, it is cheaper to pay rent in Berkeley (especially in the frat houses),
there are lots of other J1ers there, so there a replenty of parties and opportunities to meet
other students. The downside is many students could not find employment in Berkeley and
were forced to commute to San Francisco to work. Although the journey by BART is quite
short, he service does not run all night. It closes at 12am.
Other students stayed in San Francisco, many in the Post Street Apartments.
Accommodation in the city although still expensive is easier to come by.
Some useful accommodation search engines include:
www.craigslist.com I know you are sick of hearing about it but this site really is the best. It
has EVERYTHING-accommodation, jobs, and nightlife.
http://www.rent.com/apartments/california/
http://www.thesublet.com this place has a section for summer sublets which is ideal.
http://www.sanfrancisco-lofts.com/
http://www.nobhillplace.com/rates.htm Very good neighbourhood, central and more
expensive than most but what they don't tell you is that this apartment building is located
on top of a hill that could rival Mt. Everest (just think how fityou'll be!)
http://www.therentalsource.com/ click on 'free rental listings’ has good picture tours of
apartments.
http://www.vantaggiosuites.com/sf-turk.html
Security very good, place is clean. May have to share kitchen.
Also check out the classifieds in the local papers:
http://www.sfweekly.com
http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Frat Houses in San Francisco:
Frats and Sororities in Berkley are definitely the best way to get cheap accommodation,
frats especially as they are mixed and really cheap. Sorority’s accommodate females only
and not all of them rent.
There are over 20 fraternities on the UC Berkeley campus that rent out rooms for the
summer to both men and women. It is like co-ed fraternity living. While the campus is
large, most frats are clustered together. Below are the names and numbers of the
fraternities with main house phone numbers and street addresses. Average costs run
about $500-$700 for a room for the summer. This does not include food or use of a phone
line.
If you are interested in finding room in one of the frats, call the main number listed and ask
to speak to the person in charge of summer housing. They usually have their own phone
number separate from the main house number.
Fraternity/Sorority: Phone: Address:
Acacia, 510-540-9368 2340 Piedmont Ave
Alpha Delta Phi, 510-540-9257 2422 Prospect/Channing
Alpha Epsilon Pi 510-486-9134 2430 Piedmont Ave
Alpha Gamma Omega 510-540-9133 2713 Haste
Alpha Sigma Phi 510-540-9611 2498 Piedmont
Alpha Tau Omega 510-540-9424 2327 Warring St.
Beta Theta Pi 510-540-9275 2728 Channing Way
Chi Phi 510-640-9345 2722 Durant Ave
Chi Psi 510-540-9213 2311 Piedmont/Durant
Delta Kappa Epsilon 510-540-9129 2302 Piedmont
Delta Sigma Phi 510-540-9656 2410 Warring
Delta Tau Delta 510-540-9410 2710 Durant/College
Delta Upsilon 510-540-9166 2425 Warring
Kappa Alpha Order 510-540-9091 2425 Piedmont
Kappa Delta Rho 510-540-9138 2739 Channing Way
Kappa Sigma 510-486-9986 2400 Warring
Lambda Chi Alpha 510-540-9784 2421 Prospect
Lambda Phi Epsilon 510-540-9066 2312 Warring/Channing
Phi Delta Theta 510-540-9036 2726 Channing Way
Phi Kappa Tau 510-540-9087 2335 Piedmont
Pi Alpha Phi 510-540-9178 2534 Warring
Pi Kappa Alpha 510-540-9203 2324 Piedmont Ave
Pi Kappa Phi 510-540-9138 2908 Channing
Pi Lambda Phi 510-540-9130 2727 Channing
Psi Upsilon 510-644-0454 2728 Haste St
Sigma Alpha Epsilon 510-540-9210 2722 Bancroft Way
Sigma Alpha Mu 510-540-9417 2714 Durant Ave
Sigma Chi 510-540-9148 2345 College
Sigma Nu 510-845-1892 2710 Bancroft
Sigma Phi Epsilon 510-540-9902 2395 Piedmont Ave
Sigma Pi 510-540-9681 2434 Warring St
Theta Chi 510-540-7244 2499 Piedmont
Theta Delta Chi 510-841-7829 2647 Durant
Theta Xi 510-848-6294 2639 Durant
Zeta Beta Tau 510-845-5292 2438 Warring St
Zeta Psi 510-540-9102 2728 Bancroft
Also www.uscfa.edu is great. Check out the off campus listings in the housing section.
This is probably more useful when you get there but try it now and see if you can get
anything.
Hostels:
HI – Fisherman’s wharf building 240 Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA 94123
Surrounded by beauty, HI Fisherman's Warf is located in a park setting and offers breath
taking views of Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito & Alcatraz. Fisherman's Warf, Ghiradelli
Square, Chinatown and North Beach are within walking distance. Museums, shops and
restaurants are steps away in Lower Fort Mason. Breakfast included, limited parking.
www.norcalhostels.org
Phone: (415) 771 7277
HI – Downtown,
312 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
This hostel is in the middle of bustling Union Square, San Francisco's shopping, and
theatre and gallery district. Right outside the door are a variety of the city's famous
restaurants. Two blocks away are the world-famous cable cars, which will give you a
breath taking ride to Fisherman's Wharf and the Bay. a. 312 Mason Street
www.norcalhostels.org
Phone: (415) 788 5604
HI – City Center,
685 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
www.norcalhostels.org
Phone: (415) 474 5721
Home Away International Hostel, 555 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA
Phone: (415) 864 4646
Adelaide Hostel, 5 Isadora Duncan Lane, San Francisco CA
Phone: (415) 552 8452
Green Tortoise Backpackers Guest-house (highly recommended!!!)
Best Location. Best Facilities. Best Parties! Free Internet. Free Breakfast. Free Sauna.
Free linens. No curfew. Huge Kitchen. Giant common room with Pool table, Football,
Piano, Stereo, cable TV, Bicycle rack and more. Under-bed lockers, mixed and womenonly dorms, private rooms. Clean, Fun, Safe with real Travellers Only. Offer adventure bus
tours all over the country. a. 494 Broadway p. (415) 834-1000 f. (415) 956-4900 $19-$22
for a dorm.
Pacific Trade winds Hostel:
Great hostel but small and books out quickly. Pacific Trade winds is a friendly, small, clean,
and homelike place for Backpackers. Centrally located in a good neighbourhood, walking
distance from bus and train stations, Fisherman's Wharf, nightlife, one block from cable
cars and Chinatown. No Curfew, Lockout, Chores. Free: Internet, linens, tea/coffee,
security lockers, kitchen use, luggage storage, help and smiles from our international staff.
a. 680 Sacramento Street
p. (415) 433-7970
f. (415) 291-8801
Fort Mason International Hostel
162 bed hostel right on the S.F. bay in a park. This is one of S.F.'s best and most popular
hostels.
Area rating=A+. Quiet hours at midnight
$19-$22 per night (as of March 2000)
Fort Mason's Building #240. Marina Blvd @ Laguna Street 771-7277
SF accom. Price guide
Average Prices:
Youth/Traveller hostels:
(some have max 3 wk stay) $17 p/night $120 weekly
Residential hotels: $200 p/room p/week
Roommate finding agency: $60 registration fee
Room in flat (sublet) $700 p/month
1 bedroom studio $1200 p/month
2 Bedroom apartment $2000 p/month
+ Deposit of 1 months rent
Subject to area and standard of apartment.
JOBS
Getting a job in San Francisco isn’t too difficult. A lot of you may actually want to have a
job arranged before you go over, but many employers are reluctant to hire people without
actually meeting them first! If you don’t have a job organised don’t panic.
The Campus Connection
San Francisco,
CA 94102
(415) 982-2211
Good places to look for a job once you get to the city include- Pier 39 – the most“touristy”
place in San Francisco. They usually hire lots of J1 students each year. There are loads of
restaurants, pizza places, coffee shops and stores. They look for seasonal staff so J1er’s
are perfect!
Check it out at www.pier39.com
Also North beach and the Marina have loads of restaurants. San Franciscans love to eat
out. And there are loads of shops on Market St. that hire sales staff for the summer. Plus
many coffee shops and delis in the financial district.
Couple of pointers:
The best way to get a job is just to pound the pavements and hand out resumes to anyone
who will take them.
Resume is NEVER more than a page in length. Keep it short- just job history, some
personal, contact and educational details.
Get a contact phone number. It is possible to buy a phone card that has a message box
whereby employers can call up and leave you a message and you can get back to them.
Get references this especially applies to serving jobs. They usually won’t hire you unless
you say you have some experience and generally they will train you in anyway.
Do dress nicely when you are job hunting. First impressions really do count in this case.
Remember that your visa does not allow you to work in any care taking role ie. you cannot
work as a nanny, in a nursing home or crèche.
Restaurants:
Ana Mandara
The Power House, Modern Vietnamese cuisine, (415)771-6800
http://www.anamandara.com
Boudin Sourdough Bakery and Cafe
Beach Street , Soups, salads and sandwiches, (415)928-7404,
http://www.boudinbakery.com
Frjtz Fries
2nd floor, California Bazaar, Woolen Mill Bldg., Gourmet Belgian Fries and Crepes.
(415)928-3886, http://www.frjtzfries.com
Gaylord India Restaurant
3rd floor, Chocolate Bldg., Fine Indian cuisine, (415)771-8822 , http://www.gaylords.com
Ghirardelli Chocolate Chocolaterie & Café
Corner of North Point and Larkin Streets, Coffee and desert café,
http://www.ghirardelli.com
Ghirardelli Chocolate Manufactory
1st floor, Clock Tower Bldg., Soda fountain, chocolate and gifts, (415)474-3938
http://www.ghirardelli.com
Ghirardelli Chocolate Shop and Caffé
West Plaza, Espresso, chocolate and yogurt, (415)474-1414
Lori's Diner, Fountain Plaza
Nostalgic American Diner, (415)409-1950
http://www.lorisdiner.com
The Mandarin Restaurant
4th floor, Woolen Mill Bldg.,Peking-Szechwan cuisine, (415)673-8812
McCormick and Kuleto's Seafood Restaurant
Beach Street, Wurster Bldg., Traditional American seafood.
Mosaïque, A Lounge Café
1st Floor, Mustard Bldg., Bagels, panini sandwiches, soup, tea and full espresso bar,
(415)409-3021
Pizz'a Chicago
Beach Street, Wurster Bldg., Gourmet deep dish pizza, pasta and salads.
(415)929-7815, http://www.pizzachicago.com
Bubba Gumps - www.bubbagump.com
This is a themed seafood restaurant that hire j1 students each year.
If you are interested in employment with the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant and
Market, please mail or fax your resume to Human Resources Director,940 Called Negocio,
Suite 250, San Clemente, CA 92673, fax 949-366-6261, or e-mail it to the address below.
jenny@bubbagump.com,
NORTH BEACH PIZZA
San Francisco's Most Awarded Pizza. We advise that you call them to apply for a job.
Below are a list of all contact details of their pizzerias throughout San Francisco.
North Beach Pizza - Original Tel (415) 433-2444 Fax (415) 433-7217
1499 Grant Avenue @ Union St, San Francisco, CA 94133
North Beach Pizza - Too! Tel (415) 433-2444 Fax (415) 433-7217
1310 Grant Avenue near Vallejo, San Francisco, CA 94133
North Beach Pizza - SOMA! Tel (415) 433-2444 Fax (415) 433-7217
715 Harrison Street @ 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
North Beach Pizza - Haight Tel (415) 751-2300 Fax (415) 751-4620
1649 Haight Street @ Belvedere, San Francisco, CA 94117
They also show maps of where each pizza place is located. Check it out at
www.northbeachpizza.com
Chevys is a chain of tex-mex restaurants in San Francisco. They have hired j1 students in
the past so they might be worth checking out. There are much nicer individual restaurants
in S.F. but if you want to secure a job before you go this is an option. However people
WILL tip and you can probably have all the free Mexican food you can handle- yummy!!!!
To apply go to http://www.chevys.com click on job opportunities and go to hourly
employees. Good luck!
Their locations in San Francisco are:
Embarcadero Center 2 Embarcadero Center
San Francisco CA 94111, (415) 391-2323
San Francisco 590 Van Ness Ave.
San Francisco CA 94102, (415) 621-8200
San Francisco 3rd & Howard
201 3rd Street ,San Francisco, Ca 94105, 415-543-8060
Stonestown Galleria 3251 20th Ave
Stonestown Galleria, San Francisco CA 94132, (415) 665-8705
Shops:
Ann Taylor, 2nd floor,
Clock Tower Bldg. Quality women’s fashions, (415)775-2872 , http://www.AnnTaylor.com
Carlo Baron Leather,
Lower level, Cocoa Bldg. Fine leather fashions, (415)673-7756 , http://www.leather.com
The Clever Shepherd
3rd floor, Woolen Mill Bldg., Unique British sweaters, (415)474-2774
Crazy Shirts
Fountain Plaza, Embroidered active wear, (415)921-8970 , http://www.crazyshirts.com
Destinations Travel Clothing and Accessories,
Beach Street, Travel related apparel. (415)441-4177
Ghirardelli T’s ,
2nd floor, California Bazaar, Woolen Mill Bldg. Souvenirs, T-shirts and
sweatshirts,(415)474-1115
Kyriakos of Hydra,
Lower Plaza Greek jewelry, imported and domestic fashions. (415)776-0174
Gift Shops:
Aardvark to Zebra,
West Plaza, Animal motif gallery, (415)346-1044
Beastro by the Bay,
West Plaza, Dog and Cat themed gifts, (415)346-1010
Captain's Wharf,
3rd floor, Woolen Mill Bldg.,Brass gift items, (415)921-0889
Fun Time,
2nd floor, California Bazaar, Woolen Mill Bldg, Unique images of time (415)922-4427
Glass Creations, Fountain Plaza,
Glass art, sculptures and gifts, (415) 441-2664
Helpers Home, Lower Plaza,
Arts and crafts, new designers and vintage clothing, (415)441-0779
Kishima Home Décor,
1st floor, Mustard Bldg, Exotic, innovative lamps, Deluxe home furnishings,1-800-7688777 http://www.kishima.com
One Of A Kind
Lower Plaza, Handcrafted wood gifts and accessories, (415)776-3200
Operetta
3rd floor, Woolen Mill Bldg., Unique gifts from Italy, (415)928-4676
Shades of Tiffany
Plaza level, Cocoa Bldg., Unique, handmade, Tiffany-style stained, glass lamps and
accessories, (415)345-8529
The Sharper Image
Fountain Plaza, Innovative specialty retailer, (415)776-144 http://www.sharperimage.com
Tarasco
Upper Plaza, Arts and crafts of Mexico, (415)931-0567
Movie Theatres
Movie theatres hire J1ers every year and there are loads of them located all around the
city. There is also a big theatre district in San Francisco and they hire students as ushers
and to sell programmes every year. The pay is fairly good and the work is easy.
United Artists Galaxy 4 (Regal Entertainment Group)
1285 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-474-8790
United Artists Coronet (Regal Entertainment Group)
3575 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94118, 415-752-6600
United Artists Alexandria (Regal Entertainment Group)
5400 Geary Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94121, 415-752-5251
United Artists Metro (Regal Entertainment Group)
2055 Union St., San Francisco, CA 94123, 415-931-1685
United Artists Stonestown (Regal Entertainment Group)
501 Buckingham Way, San Francisco, CA 94132, 415-221-8182
United Artists Vogue (Regal Entertainment Group)
3290 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-929-9837
Loews Theatres Metreon (LCE)
101 Fourth St, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-369-6200
Loews IMAX Theatre (LCE)
101 Fourth Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-369-6200
Embarcadero Center Cinemas (Landmark Theatres)
1 Embarcadero Centre, San Francisco, CA 94111, 415-352-0835
Clay Theatre (Landmark Theatres)
2261 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-346-1124
AMC Van Ness 14 (American Multi-Cinema)
1000 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94109, 415-922-4262
AMC Kabuki 8 (American Multi-Cinema)
1881 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94115, 415-931-9800
The biggest and most popular theatre in san francisco is the sony metreon. this is a huge
shopping mall with lots of restaurants, cool shops and some of the biggest movie screens
you will ever see. You can check it out at http://www.metreon.com/
JOBS IN THEATER DISTRICT
O.k. so you won't be on the stage, but anyone interested could get a very cushy and well
paid job selling programmes, advertising the shows or working as an usher. You would
mainly be working in this district- Union Square/Theater District
American Conservatory Theatre
Geary theatre
415 Geary Street at Mason,San Francisco, Ph-415.749.2250
Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; Ph-415-978-2787
Next Stage Theatre, 1620 Gough; Ph- 415-345-7575.
Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; Ph- 415-345-7575
Actors Theatre of San Francisco, 533 Sutter; Ph-415-436-9400
Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason; Ph-415-364-3037
Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St; Ph-415-392-4400.
New Conservatory Theatre Centre, 25 Van Ness; Ph-415-861-8972.
Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; Ph-415-551-2020.
Second Stage Theatre, 533 Sutter; Ph-415-970-2425.
There are also theatre listings for Berkley available at
http://www.sfbg.com/37/26/x_list_stage.html
The Rainforest Cafe
Is located on Fishermans Wharf. It is huge (including a very large gift shop, and a trendy
bar) and very popular with tourists. They traditionally hire students for the summer. But be
warned-the pay is good but you may have to refer to yourself as a "safari leader" instead
of a waitress, you'll get a very trendy uniform and may have serve such delights as
"leaping lizard lettuce wraps"
The Rainforest cafe in San Francisco is located at:
Wax Museum Building,
145 Jefferson Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 440-5610
Fax: (415) 440-5650
www.rainforestcafe.com
Previous J1ers were employed at:
Judy’s cafe
Scott and chestnut
The starry plough (Berkeley)
There are Ben & Jerry's ice cream stores located all over San Francisco where J1ers have
found summer work before. You can apply via their website http://www.benjerry.com/
The Ghirardelli centre- is world famous for it's chocolate. The shopping centre isn't at all
tacky- there is a big open plaza filled with restaurants and shops. It's located on the wharf,
so there are beautiful views of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. This area is very busy
and ghirardelli is very popular with tourists (it's located in the same area as pier 39-but its
way more up market and less tacky!)It's a very beautiful, historical building- this former
chocolate factory is one of the city's quaintest shopping malls and most popular
landmarks. It dates from 1864, when it served as a factory making Civil War uniforms, but
it's best known as the former chocolate and spice factory of Domingo Ghirardelli (say
"Gear-a-deli"). A clock tower, an exact replica of the one at France's Château de Blois,
Crowns the complex. Check it out at: http://www.ghirardellisq.com/
Jobs outside San Francisco
I know most of you are too busy packing right now to even think about jobs at the moment
but for anyone who's interested here's some more info.
I think it's really important not to limit yourself completely to San Francisco. There are lots
of great places outside the city where it may be cheaper to live and easier to find work.
Also some of the employers have been known in the past to provide free accommodation
for students.
"Great America" is a huge theme park located about 45/50 miles south of San Francisco in
Santa Clara, which can offer summer employment to J1 students.
https://www.cagreatamerica.com/jobs
Also don't rule out the possibility of Lake Tahoe. This is an incredibly beautiful area and the
nightlife is none too dull either. This is where most San Franciscians holiday and you
would be lucky to spend a summer here. The main places that hire J1ers each year
include the following casinos and hotels- Harvey’s/ Harrah’s and Caesars. If you are
interested in applying for jobs at any of these places the contact info is:
http://www.harrahs.com/employment
Finally, it may also be worthwhile checking out the Six Flags Amusement park (includesMarine World). Located 30 miles outside San Francisco in Vallejo. You can apply on their
website at www.sixflags.com
BEACHES NEAR SAN FRANCISCO
Although San Francisco is not known for its beaches, it has an abundance of them and
they are all beautiful. More often than not the weather is good in the city and it is possible
to use the beaches there, however if it should be overcast, just have cross the Golden
Gate Bridge (10 minutes from most places in the city) it is all sunshine and blue skies in
Marin.
Here are some of the beaches:
Baker Beach
This section of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area offers an opportunity for strolling
in the sand and taking in nice views of the Golden Gate Bridge, but the water there is
unsafe for swimming.
China Beach
Relax a bit at China Beach (clothing optional) (however most people. are usually wearing a
swimsuit of SOME description), where swimming in the surf is safe and monitored by a
lifeguard on duty mid April to mid October. It's adjacent to Baker Beach in the Golden Gate
National Recreation Area. China Beach is located at Sea cliff and 28th Ave.
Ocean Beach
Running the entire west side of San Francisco, ocean beach is the city's largest beach.
One can walk unimpeded all the way to San Mateo County. Fort Funston is located along
the same beach at the south end of the city. The Pacific Ocean can sometimes offer great
Surfing along Ocean Beach. It is incredibly beautiful, occasionally there might be parties
held out here at night as well. This beach is
quite historic and there is lots to see and do- walk up a small hill to watch the wildlife at
Seal Rock and gaze down into the remains of the historic Sutro Bath House. Enjoy a drink
in the main-floor lounge of the famous Cliff House, and then visit the Muse Mecanique and
Camera Obscura nearby.
INFO & TIPS
Buy a 7 day MUNI pass for $11, or ‘do San Fran in a day’a city pass covers most
museums and transport for a day. You can get monthly passes for €45 for an adult. A youth
monthly pass is available for $10, so if you look under the age of 17 you might be able to
save some money! Always hang onto your ticket as they can be used for free transfers on
buses for up to 90 minutes.
Tip between 15%-20% on your restaurant/bar bill or cab-fare. $1 per drink otherwise.
Get 'The San Fran Weekly (or view it on www.sfweekly.com ). Apartments, jobs, garage
sales & entertainment guide - AKA the bible.
Minimum wage is $8.50 p/h, except in tipping positions where it's $2.83 - $3.09 p/h
If under 21 don't look for bar/waiter/waitressing work. It's not legal to serve drink as a
minor.
Take the FIRST job you get, the first 3 weeks are the most expensive of the whole
summer, you can always leave when you get another one.
Negotiate when you're taking an apartment, it can't hurt & may save you a fortune.
GET AIR CONDITIONING!
Buy an air mattress from Sports-Mart
Kit out your apartment with second hand stuff.
WI-FI ACCESS
http://www.flysfo.com/wi-fi
http://www.openwifispots.com/city_free_wifi_wireless_hotspot-San_Francisco_CA.aspx