<p>OP here … we stayed at the Lombard Motor Inn (see post #78) as DeniseC suggested. We ordered Alcatraz tickets in advance last summer as suggested above. Great trip!</p>
<p>We often stay at the Laurel Inn in SF. It’s lovely and the price is fair.</p>
<p>[Pacific</a> Heights Area Hotels | Laurel Inn San Francisco Hotel | Romantic Getaway San Francisco](<a href=“http://www.jdvhotels.com/laurel_inn/]Pacific”>http://www.jdvhotels.com/laurel_inn/)</p>
<p>With only 4 days they are not going to have much time to see anything if they are driving up and back from Southern Ca.</p>
<p>I know, I think they will have 3 days in SF. The rest of the time, driving…but if you have never been in CA it is all interesting. Lots of good information for them here. Thank you all!</p>
<p>We’ve stayed at the Grand Hyatt on Union Square. Being walkers, we hoofed it most of the time except for the trip to the wharf. If your friends are shoppers, Union Square is my recommendation.</p>
<p>We usually stay somewhere near Union Square. Our decision is usually based on price. I want something nice but at a good price. If they have a car they need to consider price of parking. Sometimes the hotels around Union Square will have a parking package. The last time we stayed at Hotel Rex. A small hotel close to Union Square and the cable cars. The room was really nice. We had one child with us and we were able to get a room with a queen and a twin. It is part of a small chain with quite a number of places in the city. Have also stayed at the Villa Florence right on Union Square.</p>
<p>Bumping this thread back to the top. We are headed to San Fran this Thursday, staying 5 nights and 6 days. Staying in the Fisherman’s Wharf area, no car, will not leave the city. Looking for any and all suggestions on touristy sites to see, recommended restaurants, etc.</p>
<p>You won’t need a car =) but from the Fisherman’s Wharf area it will be difficult to walk to many places. Fisherman’s Wharf is a very touristy place and the food is pretty mediocre IMO in that area. The cable car is there and cabs are easy to flag down. Union Square for department store shopping is my favorite destination. I love to walk around there at night -lots to see. The last time we were there we met a pastry chef who makes the best black forest cake - his restaurant is the Mission Beach Cafe on Guerrero St. Its a favorite among locals.</p>
<p>The last time I was there we ate at Mamacita in the Marina area. Wonderful authentic Mexican food. Not Americanized but very traditional and great atmosphere. Lots of nice shops and places to stroll after dinner.</p>
<p>Lukester…
- thru 6/15, many of our Great restaurants are having Dine About SF, a set price 3 course meal for lunch or dinner. [San</a> Francisco Dine About Town 2009](<a href=“http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/]San”>http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/taste/dineabouttown/) Try and eat at some of these…not those at FW…
- The North Beach Festival is a lot of fun (this weekend!) [54th</a> Annual North Beach Festival](<a href=“Sf North Beach – Gambling Ideas”>NB Festival – Sf North Beach)
-Rent a bike, go over Golden Gate to Sausalito, take ferry back to Fisherman’s Wharf - Sequeway tours, Go-car tours, even the open top double decker bus tours are good if you’ve never been to SF before.
- Beach Blanket Babylon!!! For 35 years, a SF tradition. Zany musical spoof of current pop culture…great voices, dance and amazing hats (you gotta see it to believe it)
- Take the street cars from FW all the way along the Embarcadero (waterfront) to ATT Park. The SF Giants are at home this weekend, playing rival Oakland A’s…
- On the wharf, see Musee Mechanique ([Welcome</a> to the Musee Mecanique - The Mechanical Musuem](<a href=“http://www.museemechanique.org%5DWelcome”>http://www.museemechanique.org)), a huge collection of antique arcade games that are still working.
- The sea lions on Pier 39…</p>
<p>And bring layers…!</p>
<p>Great ideas! Anyone know how we can get to Muir Woods without a car? Tour company?</p>
<p>I threw “tours to Muir Woods” into Google and got more hits than I care to copy here. No recommendations, unfortunately …</p>
<p>I went to our hotel’s web site. The fee to park your car at the hotel is $48 a day! Glad we won’t have a car. Lots of good ideas. Thanks Gosmom for the Dine About Town recommendation, sounds great. Leaving tomorrow and really looking forward to it.</p>
<p>My D loves Chinatown. She loves all the little shops. Off one of the alleys is an old woman who makes fortune cookies by hand. Maybe one of the other CCers will know the location. She also enjoyed a Sushi place that the sushi went around on little boats. (D went with her school or I would have better details)
A friend loves to go to the sunday church service at the church that was in Pursuit of Happyness with Will Smith for the gospel music.
Wish I had better details.
edit
Church is Glide Memorial
Fortune cookies- Ross Alley</p>
<p>This company - [Segway</a> Tours and Rentals in San Francisco](<a href=“http://www.segwaysfbay.com%5DSegway”>http://www.segwaysfbay.com) was great. One of the only segway tours that are allowed in Golden Gate Park itself.</p>
<p>San Francisco will always be special to our family as it is where my husband and I met. We haven’t been back for a few years, but at the time we really enjoyed staying at the seal rock inn- very near to Cliff house and the Sutro bath ruins.
The whole bay area is so beautiful-enjoy</p>