We are traveling with a 3 1/2 year old in July, landing at SF airport 11PM. We wanted to spend the next day touring SF. Where should we stay? IN the city or near the airport and then venture into the city? Should we rent a car or take taxi into city, then use mass transit? Im confused!!!!!!!!!!

I'd just go into the city that night, that way you'll be ready to go as soon as you get up in the morning. Plus it's a lot easier to get a shuttle into the city from the airport as opposed to finding cheap transportation from a hotel. San Francisco is not an easy city to drive in and find parking. And if you do, it will cost a fortune. Just parking at your hotel will be very costly. Spend the money on cabs when you get there and worry less about walking and finding parking. And get a hotel in a good location, so you're close to where you want to go.

Susan:

Please take the airport shuttle to/from a downtown hotel (about $11 per adult). I stayed at the Commodore Hotel, nice, safe, clean, but not upscale. A bit small rooms, but good location.
You can take the nearby trolleys to all areas of the city. They come around every several minutes. Your kid will love it. You can get a day pass ($6?) instead of $2 per ride (get on/off when you want). Take shuttle back to airport (just call ahead). You'll probably like the Alcatraz boat tour (red & white boats) and the Pier area. They don't tell you this, but at the end of the trolley lines (like the Pier area), there is often a wait for a trolley (about 15 mins), especially just before dinner, or other busy tourist times. So plan ahead if you're trying to be somewhere on time. Good luck.

I agree that you soukd stay in a downtown hotel--Union Square or wharf area is probably easiest. Your child is too young to appreciate Alcatraz, but you can easily take another ferry ride on the Bay. The poster above is sctually referring to the cable cara, for which there is often a wait. There are also streetcars and buses ($1 per ride, free for your child0 that are easy to negotiate. www.transitinfo.org/counties provides comprehensive information. Renting a car would me more trouble than it's worth.

THANK YOU FOR GREAT ADVICE. NOW, AS I AM NEW TO RENTING CARS, SHOULD I ARRANGE THROUGH THE HOTEL TO RENT A CAR TO GET OUT OF S.F. AS WE ARE GOING TO NAPA VALLEY THEN TO VISIT FRIENDS. ANY OTHER INFO (AS I LOVE TO BE PREPARED) WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. ANY PERSONAL OPINIONS ON ANY NORTHERN CA PLACES TO VISIT, STAY, ETC.

Hi Susan,
2 years ago we did a very similar junket with our then 3 1/2 year old. Our experience: Stayed at The Clift in town, which is expensive but extremely child friendly. Spent the day touring on foot and by trolley--Pier, Chinatown etc. and had a BALL. There is a fabulous playground just uphill from the Transamerica pyramid in Chinatown and the aquarium, seals and carousel at the pier were great fun.
Once in Napa...beware that of all of our many travels with our young children, it is the LEAST child friendly place we have ever been (we were visiting dear friends or I'd never have done it). The only outing we enjoyed was Fort Ross up on the coast. Make sure your accommodations in Napa are truly child friendly...ours claimed to be but we were barely tolerated...