Want to tour Golden Gate Park. Is it safe?

Eldritch

is insensitive
My family was planing a SF trip to see the Golden Gate Park and it’s Bridge, Union Square, Lombard Street, and the Coit Tower. Is it safe at these locations and any recommendations on how to prevent trouble? Where are the safest places to park? What time is it not safe to be outside? My relatives that lived there moved to Santa Clara because crime was getting it of control. I am getting second thoughts about going there because of news like this:


youtu.be/v7-vftMVZIk

GGP is very safe during the day. In particular, the deYoung, Japanese Tea Garden, and The Steinhart are all a lovely visit within walking distance of each other. Basic Big City protip rules apply. Don't have expensive jewelry, bags, or phones that you leave laying around or loosely dangling that will tempt a snatch and dash artist.

SF is the car burglary King of the world. It has more dope fiends than anyone and zero enforcement for property crime, so window smashing thieves are basically encouraged to use car burglary as a supplemental income program. This means take a car with a locking trunk and leave nothing visible in the car. No papers, not change, not fast food trash, nothing. If they are using a rental car, buy the insurance.

Union Square is fun, but do not cross Mason Street. Mason and Eddy is the corner of the TL. They do not want to be in the TL. No one does. North of Geary street it is mostly ok, but for quite a few blocks there is still TL spill over, so you are best advised to just not cross Mason if you are a tourist. Go the other way towards Embarcadero.

There is a lot of good food and fun little bars in the TL and TenderNob, those are for locals who are comfortable navigating the hood. Don't send your family tourists there, even though they is good Indian food in that area.

You didn't even mention the feral hobos.

San Francisco's Free Range Hobo Preserve is the most well developed and impressive in the entire nation and certainly an amazing opportunity for research and the joy of observing free range hobos in their natural environment, but not all tourists are interested in the natural sciences,
 
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Blankpage

alien
Have you considered touring Fresno instead or any of the other picturesque towns in the valley. Maybe the Manteca water treatment facility.
 

AbsolutEnduser

Throttle Pusher
.. In the video you posted they left luggage and backpacks in the car. ..

notice the out-of-state license plate on the car that was broken into..

Sadly. Talk about obvious things. (Arizona? Rental?)


100% this.

I used to choose parking spaces based on how much broken glass was on the sidewalk and street from break-ins.

Granted, there is some on the ground these days, too. I assume it gets swept in the mornings.
 

DucatiHoney

Administrator
Staff member
Can't say I'm kept up awake at night worrying if someone is going to break into my car. Then again, I don't tint my windows and I leave EVERYTHING open (cupholders, jockey box, the little whatever-storage thing behind the armrests) when I go.

When I parked at 5th and Harrison for work I also put a sign on my dash saying there's nothing in the trunk and state that if you want money, just wait for me, I'll be back in several hours. I've got $7 in my purse and a 9 year old cell phone they can have. Not once was I ever broken into. No, I don't drive a beater (because it doesn't matter--they break into anything.)
 
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I just leave the windows rolled down and also leave everything open like DH. No risk of them getting broken and nothing to be stolen.
 

GAJ

Well-known member
I've never felt unsafe going SF even concerts near the tenderloin that let out at 11pm.

That being said, I always parked in a lot with an attendant.

If I lived in SF with no garage and had to street park I'd buy a reliable beater with crappy paint and whatnot and never so much as leave a Nickle lying ont he carplet as windows even on a beater are hard to replace.
 

HappyHighwayman

Warning: Do Not Engage
Not sure why he’d want to visit he’d be surrounded by dirty liberals. They might rub off on him. The stink will never come out. Then when he goes to his club they’ll know he’s been in contact.
 

ejv

Untitled work in progress
I just leave the windows rolled down and also leave everything open like DH. No risk of them getting broken and nothing to be stolen.

If you want to drive around in a public toilet this is a great way to get started.
 

wazzuFreddo

WuTang is 4 the children
Not the best person to ask since I go on vacation to places the State Department warns you about. :laughing
 

HappyHighwayman

Warning: Do Not Engage
I like when people post on SF Boards "Hey I just moved into a new apartment....is this area safe?"

Let's say we say no...what are they gonna do, move?
 
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