Planning a trip in September to San Francisco and Monterey...need some help with how I should split up the trip.

Our flight will arrive around 11:30am. I was thinking about getting a rental car for a few days and staying 2-3 nights at the Old Monterey Bed Inn.

After that, I was going to stay at the Washington Square Inn and probably ditch the rental car. We have some friends in Oakland/San Rafeal area, so I think I'll need the car initially. Is it the general consensus that once in San Francisco, a rental car is no longer needed? How difficult do you think it would be to return it and then get into the city and back to our hotel?

Also, is the Washington Square Inn a good spot to stay? I don't mind walking and/or hopping a cable car to see the sights.

I can answer part of your question. I do not believe a rental car is necessary once you are in the city. If you can return your car to SFO, you will have easy access to BART to the city.

It's easy to get to SF from the airport by BART, but your hotel is nowhere near a BART Station, so you would have to walk or take a bus or cab from BART. It's a little more than a mile.

Thanks, distance from Hotel to BART station is something I never would have thought of. How about the Hotel Rex? I've read some good reviews...however, sounds as if it's in a different part of the city. Is Union Square really that far from the Washington Square Inn/North Beach? My husband are not opposed to walking, but don't want to be too far from the action.

Really, neither one is "too far from the action" - they're just in different neighborhoods. Union Square is the "Fifth Avenue" of San Francisco -- it's where all the high-end (and other) shopping is, along with nice hotels and restaurants, and theatre. The Washington Square Inn appears to be in North Beach, which is the "Little Italy" of San Francisco, and is immediately adjacent to Chinatown, near the financial district, near the Wharf etc. Both are walking distance to the Embarcadero. Look at this system map of the muni railway system and you can find both.

http://transit.511.org/static/provid...2200713107.gif