Where to stay in San Francisco?

[brandonbull]

I am planning a trip to San Francisco and would like some recommendations on where to stay. Also, any ideas on what to do while I am there? What is the best way to get around in San Fran?

 

[ChaoZ]

Where to stay depends on how rich you are. Places to visit: Metreon, downtown, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39. Best way to get around is MUNI.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: ChaoZ
Where to stay depends on how rich you are. Places to visit: Metreon, downtown, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39. Best way to get around is MUNI.

Probably no more than $150 a night. I just don't want to be too far from the main attractions/tourist area.

 

[KLin]

The Mark Hopkins International is a nice hotel.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: brandonbull
Also, any ideas on what to do while I am there?

Power Exchange

 

[brandonbull]

I was looking at avg temps and it seems that it doesn't get hot during the summer. I was thinking about traveling in late Aug/early Sept.

 

[brandonbull]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: brandonbull
Also, any ideas on what to do while I am there?

Power Exchange

I may not be able to sneak that one by the misses

 

[Sukhoi]

To do:

Cable cars
Cable car museum
Blackhawk Auto Museum (if you like older cars)
Downtown
Golden Gate Park
The fort thing right under the south end of the GG bridge
The hills at the NW end of the GG bridge. You get off at the exit just north of the one for the bridge observation area, turn left, and go back under the 101, and then follow the windy road up the hills. Check some maps and you'll understand what I mean. There are also old gun emplacements up there.
Muir Woods
Coastal Highway (Highway 1) both N and S of San Fran
Union Square

We stayed at the Best Western Tuscanny Bay or something like that. It was near Mason and Bay streets. A pretty decent hotel and not too expensive I don't think. It's fairly close to the attractions but you could probably get closer.

 

[gsethi]

Originally posted by: ChaoZ
Where to stay depends on how rich you are. Places to visit: Metreon, downtown, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39. Best way to get around is MUNI.

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
To do:

Cable cars
Cable car museum
Blackhawk Auto Museum (if you like older cars)
Downtown
Golden Gate Park
The fort thing right under the south end of the GG bridge
The hills at the NW end of the GG bridge. You get off at the exit just north of the one for the bridge observation area, turn left, and go back under the 101, and then follow the windy road up the hills. Check some maps and you'll understand what I mean. There are also old gun emplacements up there.
Muir Woods
Coastal Highway (Highway 1) both N and S of San Fran
Union Square

We stayed at the Best Western Tuscanny Bay or something like that. It was near Mason and Bay streets. A pretty decent hotel and not too expensive I don't think. It's fairly close to the attractions but you could probably get closer.

Add Castro St. to that List

 

[slpaulson]

Don't forget Alcatraz and Chinatown.

If you do Alcatraz you will probably want to get tickets at least a few days in advance. That's how it was just after new years, I imagine summer might be worse. I thought the night tour was really cool.

 

[Sukhoi]

Oh yeah Alcatraz is cool, definitely do it! Dunno how I forgot.

IMHO Chinatown is way overrated. If you're Chinese it might be cool but it'd be way down my list of things to spend time doing. Though it is rather close to the cable car museum so you could do those together.

 

[compman25]

Originally posted by: gsethi

Originally posted by: ChaoZ
Where to stay depends on how rich you are. Places to visit: Metreon, downtown, Golden Gate Park, Pier 39. Best way to get around is MUNI.

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
To do:

Cable cars
Cable car museum
Blackhawk Auto Museum (if you like older cars)
Downtown
Golden Gate Park
The fort thing right under the south end of the GG bridge
The hills at the NW end of the GG bridge. You get off at the exit just north of the one for the bridge observation area, turn left, and go back under the 101, and then follow the windy road up the hills. Check some maps and you'll understand what I mean. There are also old gun emplacements up there.
Muir Woods
Coastal Highway (Highway 1) both N and S of San Fran
Union Square

We stayed at the Best Western Tuscanny Bay or something like that. It was near Mason and Bay streets. A pretty decent hotel and not too expensive I don't think. It's fairly close to the attractions but you could probably get closer.

Add Castro St. to that List

And Polk St

 

[Jawo]

Originally posted by: Sukhoi
Oh yeah Alcatraz is cool, definitely do it! Dunno how I forgot.

IMHO Chinatown is way overrated. If you're Chinese it might be cool but it'd be way down my list of things to spend time doing. Though it is rather close to the cable car museum so you could do those together.

I've always liked Chinatown...those therapy balls are nice souveniers

(get your mind out of the gutter ATOT

 

[0roo0roo]

forget the metreon, its just a lame sony store, only reason to go is to watch a movie at the theater.

 

[aphex]

Without a shadow of doubt, stay at the Orchard Hotel on Bush Street....

We stayed there for a few days last summer after reading the reviews on TripAdvisor - http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review...rd_Hotel-San_Francisco_California.html

AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING hotel. Great Location, friendly staff, etc... Just a perfect trip.

 

[GooeyGUI]

Buy a munipass for a week. Bus frequency is pretty good. If you're in a hurry, then take a cab. Avoid holidays and weekends if you don't want to stand in a long line to ride the cable cars. Parking will kill in SF so a car is usually a spendy choice. If so, some of these places that people are suggesting would be hard to reach. There are bus tours out to Muir Woods though. (Redwoods)

"Coit Tower" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coit_Tower

"Japan Town" http://www.sfjapantown.org/

"Exploratoreum" - http://www.exploratorium.edu/
(make reservations for the Tactiledome as soon as you get there.)

Palace of the Legion of Honor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Palace_of_the_Legion_of_Honor

"Fisherman's Wharf" http://www.fishermanswharf.org/

" SF MOMA (SF Museum of Modern Art)" http://www.sfmoma.org/

"the Golden Gate bridge"

"Ghirardelli Square" - http://www.ghirardellisq.com/ghirardellisq/ (Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory)

"Sutro Baths"

"Maritime Hall" - The Maritime Museum is closed for restoration and will reopen in 2009

"the Bay"

California Academy of Sciences - http://www.calacademy.org/

"Japanese Tea Garden" - Link

"Ocean Beach"

"Treasure Island" beautiful view day or night of SF.

"the Presidio" - http://www.nps.gov/prsf/

"Mission Delores" Link

"the Cliff House" http://www.cliffhouse.com/

http://www.baycityguide.com/citysights.html

 

[0roo0roo]

in the doghouse with the mayor?

 

[Dirigible]

Most of the summer is typically cool, but Indian summer is usually in September and is the warmest time of the year. Not exactly broiling, though.

If you stay in the city for activities, there's plenty of good mass transit, you can take a cab, or you can often walk, so you don't really need a car and parking is a pain anyway. If you plan on leaving the city, like to go wine tasting in Napa, go hiking someplace like Muir Woods, or cruise along the coast, rent a car.

 

[GooeyGUI]

I've inserted a bunch of links now. As far as where to stay. You can do pretty well with priceline.com because you pick the quality level. Those hotels will only be in a few locales. The Embarcadero (business dist.), the warf and Union Square. I do caution you about choosing less than four stars on any reservation site. Three stars will do, but not on priceline.

 

[brandonbull]

Looks like a lot of good info/advice.

I live in FL so summer anywhere will pretty much be cooler.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: brandonbull
I am planning a trip to San Francisco and would like some recommendations on where to stay. Also, any ideas on what to do while I am there? What is the best way to get around in San Fran?

Hyatt Regency San Francisco
5 Embarcadero Center,
San Francisco, California, 94111
Tel: 415 788 1234 Fax: 415 398 2567

i bought the week long metro pass. but i didnt use it that much. almost everyplace i went to i walked. i think the goldengate bridge was the only place where it is necessary to take the bus.

DO NOT RENT A CAR. Parking is HELL and/or EXPENSIVE. (I think my Hyatt charged $40/day to park there as a guest.)

 

[zylander]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
forget the metreon, its just a lame sony store, only reason to go is to watch a movie at the theater.

agreed.

everything else I can think of has already been mentioned.

 

[JEDI]

Originally posted by: Astaroth33

Originally posted by: brandonbull
Also, any ideas on what to do while I am there?

Power Exchange

How the F did i miss this when i was in San Fran?!

 

[Sukhoi]

There is one other thing you can do with a SO...

SF has an uber-expensive hotel called the Mandarin Oriental. It is in two skycrapers connected by a glass-enclosed bridge type thing that covers 5 floors or so. Sneak in. Just don't dress like a bum, walk straight through the entrance ignoring all the staff on your way to the elevators. Go up to somewhere around the 45th floor. I don't remember the exact floor numbers. You get a fantastic view from that bridge, especially in the evening.

 

[shopbruin]

you can catch a giants game while you are there. i love pacbell/sbc/at&t park. eat garlic fries!