Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
218
BASKETBALL
The
Nate Thurmond Courts
on the Panhandle, a narrow stretch of green between Oak
and Fell streets on the eastern edge of Golden Gate Park, are the site of some regular and
lively pickup games. If you want to shoot some hoops to keep y our game up, check the
park listings above for centers with basketball cour ts. You can also phone the
Embarca-
dero YMCA
(
&
415/957-9622;
www.ymcasf.org/embarcadero) about open-court play,
or check with the
Presidio YMCA
(
&
415/447-9602;
www.ymcasf.org/presidio) about
its Saturday night pickup games and youth programs. The
Recreation and Park Depart-
ment,
Police Activities League,
Jewish Community Center,
and
SF Youth Sports
(see
“Baseball” listing, above) field teams, and
City College of San Francisco
(
&
415/239-
3401;
www.ccsf.edu) offers summer basketball camps for kids aged 5 to 14.
BIKING
On Sundays,
Golden Gate Park
is closed to automobile traffic, as bikes and bicyclists of
all sizes arrive in for ce, ready to pedal ar ound the par k's 7 miles of pav ed bike paths or
take to the streets. On other days, two-wheelers need to pay some attention to the auto-
mobile traffic, but in general, driv ers behav e some what r easonably inside the par k.
Another popular route for bikes is the
Embarcadero,
which is flat and as scenic as can
be. You can ride from AT&T Park all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge, with side trips
in the Presidio. The bike paths at Crissy Field and Ocean Beach are also a pleasure. Hel-
mets are recommended for adults and r equired by law for kids under 18. B ike maps are
available from the San Francisco Visitor Information Center at 900 Market St. (at Powell
St.) for $3 and at bike shops ar ound town. Politically active bicyclists can join a Critical
Mass ride (a gr oup of cycling advocates) on the last F riday of the month at the E mbar-
cadero BART station at 5:30pm.
Bike Rentals
Avenue Cyclery
This place offers bike sales and r entals convenient to Golden Gate
Park. Rental rates ar e $8 per hour or $30 per day .
756 Stanyan St.
&
415/387-3155.
www.
avenuecyclery.com.
Bike and Roll
In addition to r enting cy cles ($7-$10/hour or $27-$43/day ,
depending on how fancy a bike y ou rent), Bike and Roll gives you the info you need to
take self-guided tours to Muir Woods National Park, Mt. Tamalpais, or even the popular
ride to Sausalito with a r eturn by ferry. Less ambitious, but still scenic, options include
cycling through a few of San Francisco's lovely in-city parks.
899 Columbus Ave.
&
415/229-
2000.
www.bikeandroll.com.
Bike Hut
The laid-back staff at this nonpr ofit bike r ental unit is exper t at bike and
wheelchair repair and can discuss the best bike r outes. Bike rentals are $5 per hour and
$20 per day. Styles include basic mountain bikes and sev en-speed cruisers. Child seats
and trailers are available. The equipment is used and looks it, but ev erything is ser vice-
able. A decent public bathr oom is nearb y.
Pier 40 (end of Townsend St. at Embar cadero).
&
415/543-4335.
www.thebikehut.com.
Blazing Saddles
If you're wavering about a bike trip acr oss the bay, the folks at
any of five North Beach and Fisherman's Wharf locations of this experienced bike r ental
company will pr ovide y ou with the information and encouragement—including ferr y
tickets for the return to San Francisco—that you'll need to tackle this route. (If you return
late on the ferr y, you can drop off bikes at the 24-hr . Hyde St. location.) The bikes, for
kids as young as age 5 to adults, ar e well maintained. Rental prices ($7/hr. and $28/day,
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