Linda

We will be in San Francisco for 2 days en route in June. What is the best way to spend our time, given that it is limited? We want to stay in SF and will probably not be renting a car. Can you suggest restaurants and hotels that would be real SF experiences and convenient? Our budget is flexible for these 2 days (for once we actually have more money than time!). Thanks.

SF resident

Are you sure you want to come to SF in June. If you are not familial with the weather here, it will be quite cold and foggy at this time of year. Just thought I'd make you aware of that in case you were expecting typical Californai weather.
Where are you en route to?

SF resident

Are you sure you want to come to SF in June. If you are not familiar with the weather here, it will be quite cold and foggy at this time of year. Just thought I'd make you aware of that in case you were expecting typical Californai weather.
Where are you en route to?

xxx

My daughter just returned from a trip with her grandmother to SF. She loved it. Loved shopping at Union Square and seeing Alcatraz. Thought the MOMA was cool and liked Fisherman's Wharf and Ghiradelli Square. Riding the cable cars was fun. Can't wait to go back.

xxx

Forgot to mention-they stayed at Villa Florence which Grandma said was the perfect location. They loved the restaurant there-Kuleto's. They enjoyed tea at the Fairmont and a great dinner at the Empress of China among others.

linda

I hadn't considered the weather, since we have no latitude on the schedule. What do you mean by "cold and foggy?" Will the weather permit us to walk around outside? When is a better time? We are not flexible on this trip, but maybe another time.

SF resident

Usually in the summer months from June thru August highs will be arond 60 degrees. The fog usually burns off by 10:30 AM and rolls in in the afternoon around 2:30 or 3:00. In the summer jackets and sweaters are needed. We rarely use shorts here.

yyy

XXX,

I find it hard to believe that Granma would be confortable staying in mariginal area such as Union Square. Yes, the Villa Florence is not a bad hotel, but the area leaves much to be desired.

yyy

XXX,

I find it hard to believe that Grandma would be comfortable staying in a mariginal area such as Union Square. Yes, the Villa Florence is not a bad hotel, but the area leaves much to be desired.

xxx

They both loved the location of the Villa Florence and didn't think it was in a bad area. We're just trying to share some positive info on the city from our own experience that might help someone like us. You don't need to ruin people's fond memories by bashing them.

yyy

XXX,

I am not "bashing" anyone but am instead stating a reality about the Union Square area. It is not a clean and safe area to be in, especially at night. In fact, some of the stores in the area (FAO Schwartz) will be closing.

linda

So what's a better area? I don't know SF at all. We don't want to be "tourists" - more like "visitors" but we do want to get a sense of the city - a taste so we know what to come back for next time. So I'll restate my original question: what are good areas for family-types (I have teens, not little kids but we're not interested in clubs or night life)and, given a decent budget, which hotels would be a real "experience" for my kids? (We've done lots of Hyatt's & Hiltons - what's special in SF that would appeal and be welcoming to teens?)

Michael

Check out B&B's in Noe Valley and the Upper Sunset. For activities: the Exploratorium if they are science oriented. If they want to see the ocean, take the MUNI's L Taraval or N Judah to the end of the line.

Kim

FAO Schwarz is closing because the parent company is in bankruptcy, NOT because of the neighborhood. Jeez!

gail

Depends on what you mean is a "real SF experience". First, weather - you always run the chance of it being cool and foggy in SF. Just bring layers of clothing - it's not Alaska in January. We froze at PacBell Park in July two years ago but the next day it was quite warm.

While very touristy, our kids about that age loved Fisherman's Wharf. From there we could get to Alcatraz and even took a half day city bus tour (we usually don't do that sort of thing, but it was a great way to get overview of city).

Alex

If your sons like baseball, and the Giants are in town, PacBell Park is one of the best around. If you don't want to sit through the whole game, you can watch up to 3 innings for free just behind the right-field wall.

For restaurants, Scoma's at Fisherman's Wharf is a local institution.

charlotte

My 16 yr.old daughter and I just came back from a fun weekend in SanFrancisco.
Don't let the weather stop you. We were told Jan. would be cold and rainy.Fortunately for us, our weekend was perfect. We had temps. in the high 50's and low 60's and just wore layers withsweaters and jackets. Just being there and walking to all the fun spots warmed us up. She enjoyed Alcatraz, shopping and watching all the sites down by Pier 39. We also took a ferry to Sausilito. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express Fisherman's Wharf and loved it. The staff was wonderful and the location was perfect. Your boys won't have any problem seeing things they'll want to do.

ellen

My kids were 13 & 16 when we went. We liked using the local transportation:Ferry to Sausalito with cioppiano (seafood soup-new to us) at the Seven Seas restaurant.Bus to Haight-Ashbury which they had studied in school! Seeing the sealions(seals?) at Fishermans Wharf.Cable cars.
Chinatown.Lots of walking and gawking. We stayed at the Holiday Inn at Chinatown because it had the cheapest rates when we went. Looked out the window at 6am and watched older Chinese women do tai-chi together in a cement park.Weather varies. Bring sweatshirts and foldup rain ponchos. You'll have a great time

Kim

Check out Japan Center and walk around Fillmore Street. Lots of places to eat, drink, browse and buy in this area. Don't worry about weather -- it'll either be fog or sun, just remember to layer.

If the weather is clear and you have a car, I recommend driving just over the bridge to the Marin headlands. You can hike, picnic or just take in one of the the most spectacular views in the world. Even if you don't have a car, this is actually doable if you aren't averse to walking over the bridge and back. You can easily get transportation to Fort Point, at the base of the bridge, which is a worthwhile destination in itself.

I think you'll be happy staying in Union Square. It's very central to everything with good hotels. I recommend both the Palace and Mandarin if budget isn't an issue.

If your kids are adventurous eaters, a real SF experience is dim sum, for which I recommend Ton Kiang on Geary or Yank Sing in Rincon Center on the Embarcadero.

If you're goingto MOMA, your kids will probably enjoy the Sony Metreon Center. I still prefer to take younger visitors to the Exploratorium.

Chrissy Field is a great place to stroll with kids -- right on the waterfront on the Marina.

Have a great trip!

Sue

Alcatraz is a MUST. I didn't want to go, my husband HAD to, and I enjoyed it immensely. Chinatown & Fisherman's Wharf are also wonderful, as is Sausalito. That's 2 days right there, or possibly up to Muir Woods to see the redwoods. Stay on the Wharf, it's close to everything & you won't need a car.