Susan56

We are planning a trip to San Francisco and then on to Yosemite and Sequoia for this August. We will be traveling with our two kids 12 and 16. We would like to stay in the Fisherman's Wharf area. I have gotten fairly decent hotel rates from both the Sheraton and the Holiday Inn. Any preferences between the two? Other recommendations? We would like the hotel to have a pool (both of these do).

Curious

Susan56,

If you would do a fodors text search on Fishermans Wharf Hotels, you would probably get at least 500 responses. It has been asked/answered daily.

Question; Why are you going to both Yosemite and Sequoia? It would seem to me that Yosemite would satisfy any National Parks thirst.

Curious

Susan56

Curious,
I have not seen any recent information on these hotels, so I thought I would ask the question and get some new information. (as opposed to a text search). As for the 2 parks, this trip if for my husband's birthday and it was his idea to go to Sequoia to see the trees. I was the one who looked at the map and decided that we should also see Yosemite.

J_Correa

I think it depends on what you like to do. If you like the outdoors, then I don't think that anything could satisfy your thirst for national parks. On the other hand, if you are more interested in urban things then I think a trip to Yosemite would be enough.

If you have time and would like to see some coastal redwood forests while you are in California, I recommend taking a day trip to Big Basin State Park outside of Boulder Creek in the Santa Cruz mountains. I think the contrast between the coastal range and the Sierra Nevadas is very interesting to see.

cd

Hi Susan
We are doing this trip in April and are really looking forward to it. Are you aware that Mariposa Grove in Yosemite have the huge redwoods?

Susan56

My husband was really set on seeing Sequoia. At this point we have our plane tickets and I have reservations in the parks, but I could change my plans around to spend less time in the park if we are overdoing it. I had planned on 3 4 nights in San Francisco, 3 nights in Yosemite and 2 nights in Seqouia - comments?

Quinty

Your plan sounds fine - enjoy.
As for those hotels there have been recent comments and I believe that the Sheraton would be the winner.

J_Correa

I agree - sounds like a good plan too me. Can't beat 5 nights in the woods!

Where are you staying in Yosemite?

Susan56

We have reservations at the Yosemite Lodge. I reserved one room for all four of us, but I am now thinking of calling and trying to get two rooms. In Sequoia we are staying at Wuksachi Lodge. At Wuksachi our room has 2 queen beds and a sofa bed, so that should do, but I am concerned that the lodge rooms at Yosemite might not comfortablyu fit all 4 of us. Any thoughts on these accomodation? I have yet to look into the activities at the park, I figured I have time for that.

escholtzia

Wuksachi is great-sounds like you got one of the big corner rooms. The dining room is nice but does not have a very big menu. You may want to bring a cooler and have breakfast and/or lunch in your room. Spring in Sequoia is one of the prettiest seasons. Not sure why you are going to Yosemite, though...

jayne

I would like to recommend Tenya Lodge at the Southern edge of Yosemite. It is near the entrance where the Mariposa Groves are. Plus as you drive into the valley area you come to the "front" side of the valley overlook parking lot - STOP there and enjoy. It is an unbelievable view. Have someone take your picture together as a family - you will love it. Also, as a side, I don't know what you are looking for in San Francisco but while I like Fisherman's Whaarf it has a little bit of a junky feel because of the endless t-shirt shops etc. That said it is near the water and that can't be beat. We just went with our two pre-teen boys. You can rent an electric car (it looks like a fancy golf cart) for a spin around town. We didn't even though my kids thought it would be great. They are down near the other piers - on the right side of the wharf. We loved the beach area near Ghiredella(sp?) Square -watch for the swimmers in the water - they are memebers of a swim club there. We loved Alcatrez Island, CHINATOWN and Nob Hill. The area around Nob Hill is residential, so as you are walking there it is neat to see tiny cottages and beautiful homes. You can take the cable car to Union Square which is a great ride - then walk around there which has a big city hip urban feel - neat hotels and shops, then from there you can walk to Chinatown, keep going you will walk out to South Beach which is Italian, then you can walk to Nob Hill, then through Levi's plaza (beautiful fountains/park), past the Fog City Dinner(looks like a neat place to eat), then out to the piers along the waterfront - walk to the left and you will be back in Fisherman's Wharf. This can be done in a day and you will be a flavor of San Francisco. Before you head out to Yosemite, drive over the bridge and look back at the city. It is worth it even if that is all you do over there. Also, remember to bring lots of pullovers and jackets - you might wear shorts but the wind can be freezing in August!

jayne

oops!! I meant you will GET a flavor of San Francisco. Also, big mistake - I meant Coit Tower not Nob Hill, although that area is nice too. We took the cable car from the Ghirardelli Square area.

joesorce

Check out www.columbusmotorinn.com which is close to Fishermans Wharf and has some 2-room units. Also parking is included here which is a HUGE plus in San Francisco.
The Radisson is the only hotel that is really right on Fishermans Wharf, and it is pretty basic/no thrills. The Sheraton and the Best Western Tuscan are much better choices than the Holiday Inn.

CalgirlSusan

The Sheraton is a much nicer property than the Holiday Inn.