109253 5 Location 572461 <p>As someone who prides himself on knowing exactly where to go, or more importantly, where to not go when traveling, I recently discovered something in San Francisco that caught me a little bit off-guard. I've been to this great city many times over the years for business or for quick weekend getaways and have explored nearly every neighborhood, eaten at some of the best restaurants and checked out all the major museums. Or so I thought. On a recent trip to Frisco (the locals prefer you don't call it that!), I was talked into a jaunt to Fisherman's Wharf by my companion who wanted to watch the barking sea lions. I reluctantly agreed and honestly had one of the best experiences I've had in a long time. In addition to the sea lions, an attraction that I'll call a must for anyone visiting San francisco, there's a handful of truly incredible museums. Though not on par with SFMOMA or The de Young Museums, The Ripley's Believe it or not and The Wax Museum are both quite interesting and fun (especially if you're with kids!). As a WWII buff, I was blown away by the USS Pampanito, a real submarine converted into a museum and memorial. As a WWII buff I was blown away and frankly a bit disappointed that I'd never really known about it. Also: A place called The Musee Mecanique on Pier 45 is a must-see. This unique collection of mechanically operated musical instruments and antique arcade machines was a such a blast! I'll never go back to Frisco without visiting that place. We had dinner at Scomas, which I'd heard about but never been. Possible the best cioppino I've ever had! And then a cable car ride back to my hotel in Union Square. What a great day! Even more importantly though, I learned something...just because a place is popular with tourists, doesn't mean it's not worth a visit. Next stop, Times Square. Or, maybe not...</p> 2008-02-28T06:29:20-08:00 816283651 2008-02-17T16:00:00-08:00 0 16 250178 6616560 109253 0 0.0 2008-02-14T16:00:00-08:00 Published 0.0 2008-02-28T06:29:20-08:00 94208 0