Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Hi 111op - I was just in SF for a long weekend. Take a look at my trip report. I especially recommend the new Academy of Science in GG Park.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

There is a complete monthly schedule on the City Guides site

http://www.sfcityguides.org/current_schedule.html

They offer some additional walks in May.

Stu Dudley

The De Young Museum is definitely worth seeing; be sure you go up to the tower for an amazing view. When I was there last month, the tower closed before the rest of the museum, so don't leave it to the end of your visit; we ended up catching the last elevator up.

We visited four vineyards in the Napa Valley in our day trip there. One of them, the Hess Collection, has a substantial gallery of contemporary art, very nice. That one is a bit up in the hills, but the drive shouldn't prove too difficult. Most of the driving in the Napa Valley is very straightforward.

We also took a day trip to Muir Woods and Point Reyes, which are easily combined. Be aware that if you drive out to the lighthouse at Point Reyes it is a very long drive though, so leave enough time. We did it too late in the day I thought, but the silver lining was that there was terrific late afternoon lighting for photography.

We took lots of suggestions from Stu Dudley's thread cited above. A wonderful resource.

My trip report: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...rip-report.cfm

Photos: http://tinyurl.com/bx9gwo

Hi, 111op, we rented a car last Thursday in SF. We used Hotwire to book a car rental online, and then we picked the car up at the Dollar rental agency on O'Farrell Street near Union Square. I think it was $28 with tax to rent a small car.

It was very easy, and the rental company had clear and easy to follow directions to get out of town and back to the car rental return garage. We drove to Sonoma and Healdsburg and then back through Petaluma to San Francisco. It was very simple, and we enjoyed seeing some of the wine country.

Ok, the NYT archive for SF is back in business, so I am browsing some articles there. I also skimmed some of the reports mentioned in this thread.

I can't recall who mentioned Tartine Bakery, but it's written up in an article by Mark Bittman here:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/travel/28Bite.html

I'm sure I'll have some more questions soon.

This is what Mark Bittman has to say about the Ferry Building that's also been frequently recommended (someone suggested it in this thread, in fact).

http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/04/30.../30choice.html

I remember skimming this article when it first came out. It seemed just yesterday, but actually it was published about 3 years ago!

He mentions, among others:

BOULETTES LARDER
THE SLANTED DOOR
TAYLOR'S AUTOMATIC REFRESHER
HOG ISLAND OYSTER COMPANY

(Too lazy to convert to lower case after my copy-paste.)

Ok, thankfully I have a date, but the logistics need to be worked out, so I should really be flying out. I've time to plan still.

I'm checking hotels now. I've topped a thread on Priceline.

The only hotel I see recommended in this thread so far is Hotel Monaco. I've not checked the Klimpton website, but it lists for over $250 on Expedia. I can cross this one out.

The cheapest one I can find with ok reviews is "Good Hotel" (yes, that's the name). The location (112 Seventh) seems iffy. It's near the Civic Center, I think, and near Davies Hall. If memory serves, that area can be indeed be sketchy, but is it really as bad some people seem to think it is?

I've a short list already, and based on what I've seen, $120 (taxes included) a night should be doable.

Thanks!

Look at the Orchard Hotel. The hotel you mentioned is, in fact, in an area that can be sketchy. I think it's a stretch to call 7th Street close to Davies.

If you are a woman and travelling alone I would really say skip the 7th Street place.

Thanks. You must have mentioned Orchard in something else I was reading (maybe even in this thread?). I just checked the hotel's website and it looks very nice, but the cheapest rate (for AAA members) is around $172 (not sure if that includes taxes). I think I can sacrifice luxury to save some money.

It's more than a stretch to call 7th Street "close" to Davies, and yes, it's NOT a nice place to stay (for a single woman or anyone else!). Much better to use Priceline for either Embarcadero or Union Street East areas.

Thanks. From Google maps I see that that area should be well within one mile of Davies (actually I'm thinking it's within 1/2 mile). It doesn't look that far.

I don't really remember that area well, though I've gone to a few concerts in Davies and even waited for buses nearby. I do remember being nervous while waiting for buses.

If you were nervious around Davies - you'll be petrified around 7th.

Stu Dudley

Thanks. Out of curiosity I tried to look up the bus I used to take. It looks like they changed the numbers. So at least that's different. :)

Interestingly I think the bus stop was possibly near the "Good Hotel," though I can't remember for sure. They could have changed the route too, but there's a stop on the current route near Mission Street, and the street name does sound familiar.

I wasn't nervous around Davies. I was nervous when I was waiting for my bus, and I guess the bus stop was not super close to Davies, but a short walking distance away.

I just looked up the Good Hotel on googlemaps and actually its not in that horrible of a location (I wouldn't walk at night from Davies, but it's not bad). And it IS a Joie de Vivre Hotel. If I remember, I'll drive by on my way home tonight and post back.

Thanks. I'm more interested in knowing what it's like out late at night, and I doubt that you'd be driving by at that hour. Still it'd be useful info if you happen to drive by.

I think that the rate is not that competitive with what I can potentially get on Priceline, but I can save on parking (web searches quote parking as around $20 + taxes a night (with possibly 50% off if I book on Orbitz), though I haven't called the hotel directly). In any case, that difference may not be that significant. Now that I know how expensive it is to park, I probably should keep a rental car for only a day or two.

OK, if you're main interest is in knowing how that area is late at night, the simple answer is you wouldn't want to be wandering around there on foot late at night (see Stu's post). But there are always cabs from whereever you are.

Thanks. Remind me again -- public transportation in SF runs 24 hours?

By the way, I think I once stayed at the YMCA on Golden Gate Avenue. That was an "interesting" experience. Slightly different area though.

I'm surprised that there are still these bad pockets in SF with the boom we had. Most of the bad areas of Manhattan you wouldn't dare set foot in 20 years ago have been cleaned up these days.

NYC has done a better job than we have. It's a long story. The "boom" had little to do with it.

Stu Dudley

I still haven't booked my hotel yet. I'll try to do it soon.

Now regarding the car rental -- the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking that I shouldn't drive at all.

Is there something outside the city that's accessible by public transportation? (I've been to Sausalito, to north of GG bridge, to Monterey, etc.) I haven't been to Napa Valley, but I don't know if it's accessible by public transportation.

I know this sounds silly, but since I haven't driven in years, I'll be nervous when I drive. Maybe it's ok, but I'm concerned about it. The more I think about it, the more nervous I get.

If it's really impossible, then I guess I'll have to drive. Then I should probably rent a car for one day? What options should I explore? Is one car rental agency better than another? How much should I expect to pay?

Are there any tips when I pick up the car in that event? Maybe I should drive around in the parking lot before I actually drive outside. (Or maybe I should just stay in the parking lot. :) )

Thanks again!