SFO/SYD Layover Advice

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dsbrantjr

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Don Brant
Folks: I will be traveling to Brisbane, Australia to visit family over the Christmas holidays and I'll have an 8-hour layover in SFO and 4 hours in SYD. Does anybody have any suggestions for spending the time productively? Any suggestions for dining, entertainment, rest or relaxation at the airport or very nearby would be appreciated. No elite status, unfortunately.
 
There's really nothing much at SYD, IIRC. It's a fair drive into the city itself, so you'd probably eat up an hour in travel time. But if you can make it fast, Hyde Park in the middle of town (AnZac memorial) is great, the Marriot is on one side, Hard Rock Cafe isn't far away (must find my tshirt). Take a bus or train down to the Quay, eat seafood while gazing at the Opera House. This link has lots of info including how to get into the city.

http://www.sydneyairport.com.au/

As for SFO, again, you're really not near town, but with 8 hours, there are many more options. Remember you'll have to deal with luggage and TSA again. Perhaps Kimberley can arrange an NorCal POA lunch/dinner? IIRC the flight from SFO to SYD leaves rather late at night, so find a good place for dinner.
 
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murphey: Some of the information I am looking for would pertain to recommended dining spots, or perhaps more important, ones to avoid.
 
Getting some sourdough bread at Boudin in the airport cafe is a must. But that leaves you another 7.5 hours to kill. I had a similar layover in LA once. I rented a car and drove around the city for a few hours.
 
Being a stereotypical provintial weaboo, in SF I just head to Iroha right away, then beat around the mall, camp out in Kinokuniya for the remainder of the time. My point is, without knowing what you want it's impossible to suggest anything. SF is a real city, only very small.
 
Everskyward said:
Can you actually read the stuff in Kinokuniya?
Click to expand...
Some of it, yes. Not the one that's shrink-wrapped, obviously.
P.S. A couple of years ago they exiled manga to the ground floor, and there's a lot of space there to browse without interfering with other customers.
 
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zaitcev said:
Some of it, yes. Not the one that's shrink-wrapped, obviously.
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I walked in there once thinking, oh cool a bookstore. I like books. But then there was the language barrier...

I'm sure I've been to Iroha too as I think I've been to every restaurant in that mall at one time or another.
 
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