Ashley

My husband & I are trying to make last minute plans for SF in August. We will arrive on a Tuesday evening & depart for home on Sunday morning. We would love to go to Carmel or Sonoma as a day trip one day. Any suggestions for an itinerary? Also, would love some hotel suggestions & great restaurants. Yes, we are your typical "first-timers" to SF, but we love to have a good time, enjoy great sightseeing, & eat fabulous food. Could you also recommend a great place to go after dinner to hear some jazz? Thanks in advance for all the info.

ashley

I apologize! The title should have read "5 nights in SF", not 4! Sorry!

Jack

Budget?
Hotels will range from $90-$700 per night, restaurants $10-$500.
Big range.

Jack

My wife and I stayed at SealRock Inn, had a fantastic time, it is at the end of bus line, great view, fine rooms, and no driving. Good "protected" free parking.
Hope you enjoy San Francisco. We live in Atlanta.

Ashley

We don't want to spend more than $200 a night on a hotel room & meals, such as dinner, can be up to $150 for both of us. Would love to stay in a hotel that is centrally located to most everything. Thanks!

Lucy

For hotels that are centrally located, try the union square area. My first pick would be the Marriott downtown (4th and Mission), I belive the rates are under $200. You are smack right in the middle of the city. The fisherman's Wharf area is nice as well, but not as much traffic and excitement. The Hotels on Nob Hill are going to run a little higher like The Fairmont, Mark Hopkins, and The Rit-Carlton. Hope this helps.

Christina

Hi Ashley,

I second Lucy in recommending the San Francisco Marriott. I'm a conference planner and we use them every year from our big event. The rooms are nice, the staff is great and the hotel is right in the heart of the city. An excellent nearby restaurant is the E & O Trading Company (the E & O stands for Eastern and Oriental). It's a long walk or short cab ride away and has tasty exotic foods. If you're looking for a fun atmosphere I suggest Buca di Bepos. This Italian restaurant is better in a big group, but now has a menu for just two people (both E & O and Buca di Bepos serve their food family style, so they are great bargains for large groups). Of course if you want authentic Italian food, there is always North Beach, the "Italian" district of San Francisco. I don't know about where to go for great jazz..sorry!

Have a great trip!

Christina

andy

I was there in May and saw a place that featured live jazz every night. Can't remember the name, but it was on Ellis St between Stockton and Powell across the street from John's Grill.

Kate

I got married a few months ago and my guests all stayed at the Best Western Tuscan Inn near Fisherman's Wharf. They all said very good things about it. I think that Fodor's has voted it best hotel in F's Wharf in the past.

Betelnut on Union Street in the "Cow Hollow" area has excellent pan-Asian food. I would avoid the restaurants in the F's Wharf area at all costs. Any Italian restaurant in North Beach (with the exception of The Stinking Rose and Calzone's) is good.

One night I would recommend going on the Alcatraz Night Tour. It's chilly but really cool and a lot less crowded than during the day.

Enjoy SF!

Jena

We stayed at the Fisherman's Wharf Sheraton, which was fine, but I had debated whether to stay there or a hotel called The Orchard in Union Square. It was so adorable. Look it up on the web. When we go back we plan to stay there. It's new (building renovated). I think the rates were about $130/night

joesorce

The Best Western Tuscan Inn is a good place for first-timers to San Francisco. The staff is very helpful.

Try North Beach Pizza which is within walking distance, and the Cheesecake Factory on Macy's 2nd Floor is a fun place for casual dining.

TONI

Try the Hotel Milano....It's great and they offer late summer rates...Usually rooms are over $300, but next week I'll be staying there for $99 per unit...Very European...Right beside the San Francisco Centre (Large indoor mall)...

kam

The Tuscan Inn is the best choice for first timers to SF staying at the Wharf. North BEach area is lovely for walking and having an espresso. Mooses' is good at Washington Square. Agree the the STinking Rose is not great. Try Rose Pistola's instead. Take the ferry over to Sausalito for lunch or better still to Tiburon to Guyamas for a great upscale Mexican lunch with views back to the city. There's just too much info on these boards to tell you all of it. Suggest you look at www.sfgate.com. The day trip to Sonoma would probably be easier than going all the way down to Carmel. Look at www. sonomavalley.com As first timers to SF, I think you probably would be happier at Fishermans Wharf than down at Union Square. On Saturday you'll get to see the fantastic Farmer's Market at the ferry building near Fisherman's Wharf. Some of the great restaurants of SF prepare food at this market so you can breakfast here. Have a great time and just wander. If you want to see Beach Blanket Babylon, you'll need to have advanced tickets (and I would recommend it as first time visitors.) Have fun and welcome.

RG

My wife and I eat out in SF 3-4 times per week. Here are our favorites for places with great, high quality food but that are a little less expensive than the top of the line places. Entrees at these places I list run $15-22.

Yabbies - best seafood I've had. In Russian Hill.
Eos Wine Bar - great california cuisine but a little out of the way in Cole Valley
Cafe Kati - a little more expensive but worth it. In Fillmore/Japantown area.

michele

Sonoma and Napa are both do-able in a day with a return to SF that night. Carmel is a further drive so you might not want to do just a day trip - I'd suggest staying overnight in Monterey or Carmel. The 17 mile drive and Pebble Beach are well worth it. We stayed at the Pacific Inn in Monterey in May and it was lovely, with fireplaces in the rooms, hardwood floors, a dining area, balconies, and down comforters!

As for hotels in SF, I really don't like the Fisherman's Wharf area, personally. It's just very, very touristy. We usually stay in SoMa or near Union Square, most recently at the Westin St. Francis. Also like The Commodore (funky and hip, very art deco like an old ocean liner) and LOVE the Argent. I've always gotten very good deals via Hotwire and Priceline, and never paid more than $125.00 a night.

As for sightseeing, must dos are Golden Gate Park including the Japanese Tea Garden and the Shakespeare Garden and the Museum of Modern Art. There's also a restaurant that plays old movies as you eat. I've forgotten the name, but I think it's in the Mission district, which in itself is worth a trip!

I'd also suggest a walking tour of of Chinatown. We took one by a company with "Wok" something run by a woman called Shirley Fong-Torres. I rarely take tours but I really enjoyed this one, because it gave us a unique insight into Chinatown that we could never have gotten on our own. Things like what all the vegetables in the market are called, and how the Chinese residents prepare their food fresh every day.

I also love North Beach, and getting a slice of pizza at North Beach Pizza, cappucino at one of the cafes, etc. Skip Alcatraz and take a ferry to Sausilito or Tiburon instead.

Good luck and have a great time!!

Michele

Remembered the name of the tour company in Chinatown - it's Wok Wiz. Highly recommended!!