My husband and I are looking at visiting one of the two cities this summer for one week. We're narrowing down by price mostly. Our flights are pretty much the same for either city. Hotel would be the next big expense and I'm looking for a place to start the search. What areas in each city would you recommend? We are 30, looking for safe area, not loud, easy access to sites / transportation. We don't want to spend more than $100 per night - is that even doable in these cities?

San Francisco is a compact city, only 49 square mile total.
I've lived there several times in my life, and consider it a magical city.

It's a city of small neighborhoods, each with its own name and distinct culture.

Place to stay is probably Union Square, particularly if you've never been before. It's the heart of shopping, with theatres nearby. Great restaurants, no matter where you go in the City. SF transportation is excellent, with many bus, cable cars and trolleys running nearby.

You are going to have to stretch that $100 into something more realistic for a large city. I have friends that swear by the Hotel Cornell. All rates include a full breakfast.
http://www.cornellhotel.com/rooms.html It's probably one of the most affordable hotels in the Union Square area, and it's not second rate or run down.

See StuDudley's essay on places to go in SF. It's a masterpiece.

Whatever you do, don't use the "F" word to talk about the City. The City is what we local native call SF.

$100 per night during peak summer months will be tough! You might have to ratchet up your price a bit. Try searching this vacation rental site www.vrbo.com

You didn't mention your interests. Are you interested in museums? Ethnic neighborhoods? Beach culture? San Francisco and Los Angeles are very different.

San Francisco is more compact and easier to get around using public transit. You can use public transit for LA sightseeing, too, but things are more spread out and it takes a lot longer.

I've been to both, and prefer SF hands down. But it all depends on what your interests are. And $100 is going to be tough.

Try this place:

http://www.sfredwoodinn.com/

I've never been, but it has pretty good reviews online and you can get a room for $110. It's on Lombard St and near public transportation. And it has free parking if you will have a car.

Thank you! I think San Fran might be our best bet if it's easy to get around. Plus we've been to LA (stayed in Anaheim though). I'm mostly concerned that it sounds like you need a car in LA and that would be another expense. I will take a look at these SF hotels. For interests, I suppose we want to just see the city and any major sights. I'm really into historical areas with a story. I def would visit Alcatraz and the bridge but what other major things are a must? Also, we would be going in August, is SF hot then? I know it can be a cooler area of Cali. I'm into plus 30 temps (Celsius) which I think is high 80's, low 90's for Farenheit.

I reallydon;t think $100 per night in either city is realistic for a decent hotel in a safe neighborhood. Youm might check Priceline and see what price bidders are getting hotels for - but I wouldn't go below a 3*.

Have you look at the various hotel discount sights?
and yes, you really can;t get around LA conveniently without either a car - or being willing to take forever toget places.

If a car doesn;t fit yuor budget definitely go for SF. (I would do SF anyway since I think it is a much more pleasant city with a lot more to see/do - and much better weather - but then I hate heat.)

San Francisco is almost never high 80slow 90s - it happens, but when it does, it's a major thrill for a day or two and then we all start complaining about the heat It will more likely be in the Mid-60s than the mid-80s.

NicBur, count on having mild weather, fog, sun and wind, all on the same day. You will need a warm jacket with a hood, especially if you go to Alcatraz or Ocean Beach. Don't wear shorts and white tennis shoes, you'll look like a tourist.
If you like history, walking tours are really a good idea. There are some that are even free. Get Lonely Planet guide book, and you will find things beyond the very touristy sights. The Muni bus sytem has apps for you to get around..look up SFMuni. The buses do not always run on time, but do go most everywhere. Avoid commute hours--very crowded. If you want to get to the City from the airport, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) is the fastest way to get into the city...30 minutes for $8.10, runs every 20 minutes. Powell St station for Union Square.
be sure to try ethnic food, especially in the neighborhoods--we have Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese of cOurse, Japanese, and the old standards Italian, French And Indian.

The SF Public Library has a whole lot of walking tours which will really add a lot to your trip
http://www.earbox.com/W-nixoninchina.htm

sorry, make that
http://www.sfcityguides.org/
For the free SF walking tours

You should get yourselves these passes to save money on public transport and admission to some top sites.
http://www.citypass.com/san-francisco

Are you keen walkers with strong knees and good shoes?
Here's one walking tour suggestion from Frommer's:
http://www.frommers.com/destinations...029020034.html
The above walking tour ends at Washington Square. I would add to this Coit Tower, which you can reach by way of the #39 bus that leaves from Washington Square. The interior of Coit Tower is decorated with historic murals. The views from Coit Tower are beautiful on a clear sunny day. Admission into the tower to see the ground-floor murals is free, but you must pay if you want to ride up in the elevator to the top of the tower.
http://sfrecpark.org/CoitTower.aspx

From Coit Tower, you can take the #39 bus back down the hill and then walk up Columbus Avenue to Stockton Street or to Grant Avenue (Chinatown). Or walk from Coit Tower down Telegraph Hill's Filbert Street Steps in the direction of the bay, eventually making your way over to the waterfront, known as The Embarcadero. To clear up any confusion, Coit Tower is atop a small and steep neighborhood called Telegraph Hill, and some of the Telegraph Hill streets are so steep they have steps. Filbert Street Staps has more than 300.
At The Embarcadero, go left if you would like to visit touristy Fisherman's Wharf, or go right to reach the historic Ferry Building, which is now a beautifully renovated shopping and dining center. The ferries also still leave from here.
http://www.sisterbetty.org/stairways/filbertsteps.htm
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-stairs-c...o-5727066.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filbert...(San_Francisco)

There is also a street car that runs the length of The Embarcadero, if you tire of walking. The Ferry Building sits on The Embacadero at the foot of Market Street, which is the main artery of the downtown business/shopping district. You can catch a bus here that will take you up Market St. You can also go underground and catch the N-metro line, which will take you close to Golden Gate Park. This is just one way to get to the park, there are also busses that go from near the Ferry Building to Golden Gate Park, one of these passes SF City Hall/Civic Center, which you might be interested in seeing as you are interested in history. The buildings around civic center are beautiful examples of Beaux Arts architecture.
http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mfleet/histcars.php
http://www.sfmta.com/cms/mmaps/indxmaps.htm

Don't miss Golden Gate Park, visit the deYoung Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, and the Japanese Tea Garden at the Golden Gate Park Concourse. The City Pass includes admission to the deYoung and California Academy of Sciences. If you enjoy flowers, you might also enjoy the Victorian era Conservatory of Flowers, which is close to the de Young Museum.

Here's a scenic walk suggestion that will take hours. so maybe bring a bagged lunch or picnic food (keep in mind you have to carry this stuff). Take the bus to Marina Green (use the below Trip Planner link to figure out what bus to take). Walk along the Marina Green in the direction of the Golden Gate Bridge, continuing along Marina Blvd. past the yacht harbor, to Baker Street, to the Palace of Fine Arts to admire the building and pond. There is a on-hands science museum here, The Exploratorium, mainly for kids. After this, go back out to Baker Street, walk in the direction of the Bay, enter the Presidio to walk along the Golden Gate Promenade or along Mason Street, past Crissy Field, all the way to Fort Point (which dates back to the Civil War).
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm

Unfortunately, I do not think there is a bus that goes to Fort Point. This historic spot is incredibly situated under the Golden Gate Bridge. It might be worth your while to sign up for a city tour that might take you to some or all of these out-of-the-way spots, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Fort Point, Ocean Beach, the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park. You can catch public transit and/or walk to all these spots on your own, but it will take much longer, which can be a drag if you are carrying things. like cameras, sweaters and guidebooks.
http://tripplanner.transit.511.org/

Some of the churches worth seeing, if you are in their vicinity: Grace Cathedral on Nob Hill; Mission Dolores, which dates back to the original Spanish settlement; Old St. Mary's in Chinatown, which dates back to the Gold Rush and 1906 San Francisco earthquake; St. Patrick's Parish on Mission Street across from Yerba Buena Gardens.
http://www.oldsaintmarys.org/html/history.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission...o_de_As%C3%ADs
http://www.gracecathedral.org/visit/...l-history-art/

You can see Victorian houses all over San Francisco, but the iconic postcard view, which has also been featured in many Hollywood movies, are the Victorian houses seen from Alamo Square.
NoCaliGal gave you a great suggestion for the free walking tours, Here is a link to the Alamo Square description: http://www.sfcityguides.org/desc.html?tour=46

Wow- thank you everyone for the great information!!