Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
249
Tips
Comings & Goings
Cable cars will get y ou to Union S quare theaters if you're coming from North
Beach. F rom the M arina or Union Str eet, take a no . 30-St ockton or no .
45-Union/Stockton bus. If you prefer to take a cab to your lodgings afterward,
walk to a big hot el to catch one. You can find a number of park ing garages
near Union S quare with f ees beginning at $10 f or the ev ening.
You can reach the Civic C enter, where the opera, ballet, and symphon y are
located, by any Muni Metro streetcar or any bus along Van Ness Avenue. Don't
walk around this ar ea unescorted after dark t o get back t o the Muni station.
If a taxi isn't immediately available, walk to one of the many nearby restaurants
and ask the host t o call one f or y ou. I f y ou're driving , y ou can park in the
garage on Gr ove Str eet bet ween Franklin and Gough str eets. The garage is
well used b y people att ending performances, so y ou won't be alone walk ing
back to your car af ter a sho w.
Venues located in S oMa or the M ission have troubles similar t o the Civic
Center. You can usually get t o the per formance b y public transpor tation,
but returning late at night b y bus is less int eresting (or perhaps mor e inter-
esting, depending on y our perspec tive). Again, if y ou're att ending a sho w
in this area, don't expect to automatically hail a cab af terwards. Instead, use
your cellphone or walk t o a nearb y restaurant or bar and call one of these
local cab c ompanies:
• Desoto Cab:
&
415/970-1300
• L uxor Cabs:
&
415/282-4141
• Metr o Cab:
&
415/920-0715
• V eteran's Cab:
&
415/552-1300
• Yellow Cab:
&
415/626-2345
10
office.
1805 Gear y Blvd. (at F illmore St.).
&
415/346-6000.
w ww.livenation.com. Tickets $20-
$60.
Fort Mason C enter
At first glance, this complex, a former militar y base betw een
Aquatic Park and the M arina G reen, looks like a large gr oup of abandoned war ehouse
buildings. In fact, on any given day the activity level inside is impressive. Besides its collec-
tion of museums, galleries, and nonpr ofit organizations, Fort Mason supports the Cowell
Theater, the Herbst Pavilion, the Magic Theater, and the B ayfront Theater. The 437-seat
Cowell Theater is the site of per formances by local ar tistic companies such as the S muin
Ballet/SF and the N ew Pickle Circus. The Magic Theater produces ne w works by play-
wrights such as S am S hepard, and the B ayfront Theater is the site of B ay Ar ea The-
atresports, an impr ovisational gr oup. The H erbst P avilion is often used for craft fairs,
garden shows, and other such events. You can find out what's happening at Fort Mason on
its website, or b y calling the information line at
&
415/345-7544.
Tickets may be pur-
chased through its box office.
Marina Blvd., at Buchanan St.
&
415/345-7575
(box office; closed
Sun-Mon).
www.fortmason.org.
