Hotel: Union Sq. or Fisherman's Wharf?
 

Hello!

I'm planning a trip to SF in spring break, March 13-20. I want to stay at an area that is safe for a girl traveling by herself (I have heard from friends who visited that some areas are not very safe, hence my parents' concern). Basically, it's down to 2 hotels (unless you have other suggestions which would be great) :
Mystic Hotel by Charlie Palmer in Union Sq. or Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Fisherman's Wharf. I have heard that Union Sq. is in the middle of everywhere which is good but some areas are not very safe. About Fisherman's Wharf, I don't know if it is pretty distant or in a quiet area or if it better than my other option.

I have not decided on an itinerary so if you can help with that, it would be great as well! I like to do a lot of walking in the city, take a cruise, go to the beach, some shopping, take the city sightseeing bus and will be meeting friends for some time. I still haven't done my research but hotel prices are going up pretty fast so I'd like to settle that first.

Thanks!

SF natives will say stay away from fisherman's wharf . . . But for a tourist it isn't bad. And both Hotels are in totally safe areas. But the Mystic would be my choice, not for safety, but because it is practically next door to the Grand Hyatt, and close to both Chinatown and Union Square.

Are you old enough to check into a hotel by yourself?

I heard tell of some noisy street re-construction going on around Union Square...not sure if it will be completed soon or not.

San Remo Hotel has a room available and will save you some dough, if you don't mind the shared baths down the hall. Very nice location near the Wharf, check the reviews. Radisson at the Wharf is fine too.

janisj thanks! If you have any ideas about the itinerary let me know.

vjpblovesitaly yes, I am by a couple of years but my parents are always worried about safety.

clarkgriswold I prefer a private bathroom but I'll check out the Radisson.

I did some more research and found out some recent bad reviews about the Mystic hotel (cleanliness, people banging at doors and homeless people outside approaching you) so I think I will stay away from Union Sq.

If you have any idea about other areas/hotels please tell me.

Thanks

If either of your parents were in the military (either retired, active or reservists) you can stay at a wonder hotel called Marine Memorial Hotel in Union Square. We've stayed there and it is very lovely, safe, good rates and in a nice area.

http://www.marineclub.com/

>> . . . homeless people outside approaching you) so I think I will stay away from Union Sq.
<<

Homeless people will approach you no matter where you go/stay. Union Square is one of the VERY safest parts of the city. I'm afraid that if homeless people scare you off you will be pretty uneasy anywhere in SF. Just the facts -- there are a lot of homeless and you will see them in EVERY neighborhood. More than in most other urban areas you may have visited.

But don't let that deter you. just ignore them.

I think of Fisherman's Wharf as having a number of homeless as well. Most are harmless and won't bother you.

If you want a non San Francisco experience, stay at the Wharf. Personally, I would stay somewhere at the foot of Market St in the Embarcadero area. Union Sq is attracting more & more vagrants every year.

Here are some ideas for things to do & see.

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

Stu - to be fair most every part of the city is attracting more and more. The Embarcadero isn't immune.

Union Square for sure!

I didn't think there was that much going on around the Wharf when I was there on a solo trip. I did like that I could see the sea lions from there, though.

If you're interested, see if the free Victorian Home Walk tour is still around--it explains the different types of architecture--they meet in Union Square to begin the tour. www.victorianwalk.com 415/252-9485. I enjoyed it!

The Embarcadero from Howard toward Fisherman's Wharf actually has been somewhat immune so far. There is one regular encampment on the Embarcadero under the Bay Bridge, but besides that, it is much much worse (and getting more so all the time) around Union Square (particularly on the east side of Market side on Fourth), in the Powell, Montgomery and Embarcadero BART/Muni stations, on Drumm Street between California and Sacramento, under the freeway at Harrison and 5th , and on 13th around Bryant (near the food truck park)(where the OP would have no reason to go). Mostly, the homeless do NOT approach people, they're just there, which makes walking in some areas somewhat unpleasant but not dangerous. OP, either Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf will be fine -- note that my 27 year old daughter lives with us in the city, and she has never had a problem.

We spent last week "showing off" San Francisco to my 41 YO second cousin from Denmark and his 9 YO daughter. We encountered a LOT more homeless people around Union Sq than we did around the Ferry Bldg/Embarcadero area, Financial district, Union St, Pier 39, Noe Valley, Fillmore St/Pacific Heights, North Beach, even Haight-Ashbury. Actually, the 9 YO was quite "afraid" at times around Union Sq - and they are from Copenhagen - a large city. They didn't understand "why" the homeless are out on the streets & yelling & talking "jibberish/profanity" to passers-by. We spent a good part of one evening trying to explain the "why" to them.

We go downtown for dinner at least once a month, and it seems like there is someone sleeping in every doorway on some streets.

Stu Dudley

All, thank you for your help! I think I'll stick to Fisherman's Wharf like some of you said, it seems to be a better and quieter place to stay.

I'd like to go on some boat cruises, go to the beach and maybe a trip somewhere around SF (an or two tops by train). Any suggestions?

Thanks

Fisherman's Wharf is very touristy, so if that is what you want, then its a good choice. Since you are staying for a week, I would definitely stay in the Union Square area because you will exhaust anything that Fisherman's Wharf has to offer in a day. This is a city, so you have urban issues, such as noise and homeless, but staying in a busy area like Union Square means that there is a lot going on and a lot of people out at all hours, and therefore safer. Plus you can easily take transit around to other areas of the city.

I'm concerned though that your plans may not match up with what SF has to offer though. You mention going to the beach, but SF isn't really a "beach" city. You can go out to Ocean Beach, but it may or may not be the beach experience that you are looking for. The average high in March is 62 degrees and hopefully we'll get at least a few inches of rain that month.

Stu, I just saw the link you posted. Great ideas!

november_moon I'm just looking for something different to do because I've never been to the West Coast and I've been seeing snow for the past couple of months so I'm looking for outdoor activities.

>>All, thank you for your help! I think I'll stick to Fisherman's Wharf like some of you said, it seems to be a better and quieter place to stay.<<

FW is not a quiet area. Fine to stay there if you want -- but it is definitely tourist central and as crowded (if not more so) than US.

I might have misworded it. I mean quieter with regards to homeless and such.

The hotel in US had good reviews about it in general but there were many saying they did not like the area for the homeless people that bothered them at times, the noise (people banging at hotel doors), construction... While the hotel in FW had good reviews and mainly from families.

I have been reading tons of reviews to make up my mind but if you think I've missed something, please let me know.

>> if you think I've missed something<<

Like I stated earlier - try the Embarcadero area for a hotel. Fewer vagrants, and lots of nice areas to walk through, see the bay, go to food markets, jog along the bay, restaurants galore, etc. Great public transportation hub.

Personally, I would never recommend staying at the Wharf area - that's not San Francisco. I would also not want to stay in the Union Sq area because of the current construction and the homeless. Lombard St hotels close to Gough would be a great choice - neighborhood feel, lots of restaurants & shops, and it's where the people of your age "hang out".


Stu Dudley

Thanks Stu. I tried searching for Embarcadero/Lombard St on Booking.com but I'm still getting FW/US hotels. Do you know a hotel I can look at? That would be a starting point and I can search around it.

Thanks