By Alcira Salguero
Embarcadero corridor along the Ferry Building, Alcira Salguero
Dear Medical Division members,
Hello, and welcome to our Medicine Cabinet! As our MD Administrator, Sara, said earlier, our Medicine Cabinet is like a treasure chest, full of pleasantries and useful information about many aspects of our profession. In preparation for our ATA67 yearly conference in San Francisco, this entry of our Medicine Cabinet focuses on bringing a calming effect to our members who are visiting San Francisco for the first time!
So, let’s start. Take a deep breath, find a comfortable place to sit, sip your favorite tea, coffee, mate or matcha, close your eyes, visualize yourself gazing at a beautiful blue ocean, open your eyes, and voila! You are in San Francisco!
ATA67 will take place at the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero (there are several Hyatts in San Francisco). If you travel light, with a back-pack or carry-on, you can save quite a bit of money traveling on the underground BART system departing from SFO International Terminal and you simply get off at the Embarcadero stop, climb the stairs/escalator and you are at the entry of the Hyatt Regency! The cost is about $10 to12 one way. The ride will take around 25-30 minutes. If you are more comfortable traveling by Uber, Lyft, Yellow Cab, or the like, at the airport you can board at the Middle Island, Level 2. It costs between $45 and $65 one way. During peak hours, the cab ride from the airport to the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero may take from 40 to 60 minutes. The airport website has all the information you need about transportation options, and below is a diagram of the Hyatt’s location for your information.
The Hyatt Regency Embarcadero is located in what is known as the Financial District, where there are lots of high rises, and it is across from the lovely Ferry Building. In the Ferry Building you will find PLENTY of eateries of all sorts of ethnic foods (some of my favorites: Cholita Linda, El Porteño, Hog Island Oyster, Gott’s Roadside, Obour Foods Kiosk (hummus, crackers, delicious, and affordable), Oceana Malasada and Miette Patisserie. For those of you who arrive a couple of days earlier, if you would like to go to Sausalito, Angel Island or Tiburon you can board the ferry at the Ferry Building. If you are interested in going to the Exploratorium which is within 15 minutes walking from the Hyatt Regency.
I was in NY in August, and this was only my second time visiting NY, so we bought the Hop-on-Hop-off. It was slightly expensive but a 3-day ticket was worth it because we were able to see Manhattan from end to end and we stopped and it allowed us to Hop-on-Hop-off at many different places for lunch, coffee, shopping, etc., so it’s worth the money. For those of you who are visiting San Francisco for the first time and wish to see as much as possible, you can check out Hop-on Hop-off San Francisco Tours.
Google maps inquiry, Hyatt Regency Embarcadero, points of interest.
San Francisco is a small city with a great diversity, so you can explore the different neighborhoods, cuisines, shopping and the vibe of the culture. At the Hyatt Regency Embarcadero you will be within a reasonable walking distance to explore North Beach, Chinatown, Russian Hill, and Downtown. Another interesting area of the city because of its food and culture is the Mission neighborhood. To go to the Mission you catch the Muni#14, which departs two blocks from the Hyatt. This bus route will drop you off in the heart of the Mission. You can also take the BART system underground, catch any train going towards Daly City/SFO Airport, get off on Stop #14 or #16, and you will be in the heart of the Mission district. If you are new to SF, it will be nicer to explore the neighborhood with a colleague, friend or partner. I would not recommend going alone for the first time. As in any other city, always remain vigilant of your surroundings and belongings. Here is another site with information for you to explore beautiful San Francisco: Visitor’s Guide | San Francisco Travel.
Last, but not least, all of us in the Leadership Council of the Medical Division who will attend ATA67, are looking forward to seeing all the attendees in person, yeah! So please do not hesitate to contact us if you need assistance while you are in San Francisco. A couple of us are locals and we know a bit about our city 😊!