Tadich is not near the Financial district - it's smack in the middle of it on California Street.

Stu Dudley

Alcatraz tour yes. Fisherman's wharf no (it's enough to see it as you get on ferry to Alcatraz). Ferry Building Marketplace is great. Fun people watching, food shops (olive oil-McEvoy, chocolates-Sharfenberger, bakeries-Miette) and restaurants (Boulettes Larder, Slanted Door and Taylors Refresher).

They've also expanded the mall on Market so we've finally got a Bloomingdales (the Food Court in the mall is actually pretty good).

Other good restaurants - Ame (in the St. Regis, which also has a nice bar), Delfinas in the Mission (cab ride), Frascati (Russian Hill) and 1550 Hyde (agree with poster above).

Hayes Valley is the more bohemian shopping and it's only a short cab from the Westin.

Shopping - Union Square is full of fabulous shopping as is the SF Shopping Center. I see there are other fabulous site seeing suggestions so I won't be redundant. Dining - what is your preference of cuisine? I must add....Oooooh nooooo the pooper scooper is needed again, I see. The top of Macy's for a view and the Cheesecake factory? Come on, there's so much better if you know what's better. Strolling into lobbies of hotels and dining in one restaurant in SF just doesn't really qualify one to give advice. Que Syrahgirl, Syrah....

StuDudley has given you some terrific suggestions. I was going to recommend the Stairway Walks book also. When I was in grad school in the 70's, we actually thought we were trespassing through private backyards on some of these walks! But it turns out they were public! An easy one to find is the stairway from Levi Plaza up to Coit Tower, Take the "F Line" historic trolley on Market Street to the Embarcadero. Get off at Pier 22 (I think - but you can ask the driver) walk through Levi Plaza to the steep hillside stairway. Great view and a glimpse of unique SF living.

book marking - thanks.

Fun stuff to do in and/or from the Bay Area...

3 day weekend:

Crater Lake in Oregon:
http://www.nps.gov/crla/
http://www.craterlakelodges.com/
http://www.pbase.com/cokids/crater_lake

2 day weekend:

Northern California coast and/or coast redwoods:
http://www.humboldtredwoods.org/
http://www.icdc.com/~neubauer/red.htm

Hearst Castle:
http://www.hearstcastle.org/welcome.asp

1 day trip:

Carmel/Monterey:
http://www.monterey.com/

Santa Cruz Boardwalk/Pier:
http://www.beachboardwalk.com/
http://www.inn-california.com/centra...antacruz3.html

Natural Bridges (winter = Monarch Butterflies):
http://www.santacruzstateparks.org/parks/natbridges/

Felton Roaring Camp train ride through the Redwoods:
http://www.roaringcamp.com/

San Jose Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum:
http://www.egyptianmuseum.org/

San Jose History Park at Kelley Park
http://www.historysanjose.org/visiti.../history_park/

Santa Clara Triton Museum of Art
http://www.tritonmuseum.org/

Santa Clara Great America amusement park, opens March/April
(get a Season Pass either in September/October or March/April):
http://www.pgathrills.com/

Here's what I did one spring in San Francisco...

I had lunch at Tommy's Joint on Van Ness, great views
along the bay near the Bay Bridge, more sunny views of
the city from Twin Peaks, drove past Haight + Ashbury out
through Golden Gate Park to the ocean, parked near old
windmill, walked along Ocean Beach up to the Cliff House
and watched the sun set.

Other tourist ideas...

In Golden Gate Park during daytime, there's the Japanese Tea Garden
(cost to get in) and Strybing Arboretum (free):
http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide...s/ggpark.shtml

Lombard Street - world's crookedest street
http://www.htmlhelp.com/~liam/Califo...LombardStreet/

Views from Coit Tower (walk around tower building to front view also)
http://www.inetours.com/Pages/SFNbrhds/Coit_Tower.html

At foot of Market, Hyatt Regency Hotel lobby, or have a drink at revolving
restaurant at top, go out back door to Justin Herman Plaza and waterfront
http://sanfranciscoregency.hyatt.com...tels/index.jsp
http://sanfranciscoregency.hyatt.com...ants/index.jsp

Area at San Francisco side of Golden Gate Bridge, overlooking Fort Point,
but be in right lane ready for parking lot else you'll go over bridge,
I think easier to park on Cliff House (ocean) side of bridge and walk
through tunnel under approach road
http://www.sftravel.com/goldengatebridge.html
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/

China Town, Fisherman's Wharf, the Cannery, Ghirardelli Square
http://www.danheller.com/sf-chinatown.html
http://www.sfgate.com/traveler/guide...ds/wharf.shtml
http://www.thecannery.com/
http://www.ghirardellisq.com/

Pier 39 and the sea lions
http://www.pier39.com/
http://www.pier39restaurants.com/cam.htm

Barbary Coast Trail - self-guided walk
http://www.sfhistory.org/bct/flash_index.html

Cliff House, Sutro Baths
http://www.cliffhouse.com/
http://sfphototour.tripod.com/sutro_baths.html

The Musée Mecanique - used to be located
under the Cliff House, now it's at Pier 45
http://www.mistersf.com/high/index.h...ecanique15.htm

Legion of Honor - Rodin's "The Thinker" in the patio and views
of Golden Gate Bridge on ocean side driving towards the bridge
(El Camino Del Mar St + Sea Cliff Ave)
http://www.napoleonseries.org/review...ms/replica.cfm
http://www.virtuar.com/ysf2/ap-Legion.htm

Twin Peaks - great views of the City
http://cbs5.com/cams/sutrocam/
http://www.gocitykids.com/browse/attraction.jsp?id=391

Tommy's Joynt
http://www.tommysjoynt.com/

Fairmont Hotel - The Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
Happy hour and all-you-can-eat buffet
http://www.tongaroom.com/
http://san-francisco.morehotels.com/...icane-bar.html

Scoma's Restaurant
http://www.scomas.com/

Louis' Restaurant
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...6/15/louis.DTL

Wave Organ - park at far right end of Yacht Club parking lot
(when facing the bay) then walk out to tip of jetty
http://www.roadtripamerica.com/places/waveorg.htm

If you are interested in dining at Scoma's, an above average seafood restaurant and local institution, you may wish to dine at the Sausalito iteration on Bridgeway. The surroundings are superior to those on the Wharf.