To Dom & Sarah:

Hi! I am in California. If you have any time you should really try to travel south from San Francisco to the Carmel/Monterey/Big Sur area. It's about 91 miles from SF to Carmel. It's a beautiful area and especially what is known as the 17 Mile drive in the Carmel area.
Big Sur sometimes has folk music at one of the restaurants on Highway 101. Really lovely area and very scenic!

Another idea is to get a local newspaper once you are in SF and usually Thursday or Fridays have a section for entertainment for the coming up weekend and week. You might find a folk listing there.

Don't know if you are smokers or not but smoking is not permitted anywhere (meaning restaurant, bar, folk club, etc). Hopefully you are not smokers but just in case you are just thought I'd mention it as there are really strict smoking laws everywhere and this includes bars in California.

The weather in SF can be cool at the time you will be there.
I am in Southern, Calif. about 400 miles south of SF and the weather where I am has been extremely hot with temperature at 113 degrees a few days ago in Los Angeles. It was in the high 90's today.

There are a number of folk clubs in the Bay area and also there are some house concerts. (Are you familiar with those?)

By the way, when you rent a car, most cars are automatic transmission and not stick shift. I know it is quite the opposite there. Some years ago I was in Europe and could not find anywhere to rent a car that was automatic. I did not want a stick shift car.

Have you been to California before?

Lindy