We are heading to the Bay Area in August with our kids (11 and 7). I just booked us at the Best Western Inn at the Square (a pool is a total necessity for us)--we were planning on using this for our "base camp" to see S.F. We have three days.

Does anybody have any advice on getting across the Bay to sightsee without the car? We'll have one but we can leave it parked at the hotel. I know there's a ferry, and BART, but how far/safe/convenient is it to get from Jack London Square to the Oakland City Center BART station?

Anything you'd recommend as a "must see"? It's the first trip here for the kids and I.

Thanks!

Peg

Hi pegcook, you will be a few blocks from Jack London Square. The ferry to SF is about 3 blocks from where you are staying. The BART station is about 10 blocks.

Personally I would not use BART considering everything. I would use the ferry. However if you want to stay in SF later in the evening I believe that will be a problem as think the ferry stops running from SF to Oakland (Jack London Sq) around 8:15pm or so. The website is www.eastbayferry.com

Pegcook, are you sure you want to stay at this BW Inn in Oakland? I ask as this place in on Broadway, and not really where one wants to stay. I know you say that a swimming pool is an absolute necessity but I truly think that you will find, if you are doing this trip to enjoy SF that this area and getting to and from SF is not what you really want. Just my thought, for whatever it is worth.

I agree w/ LoveItaly. I wouldn't choose this property either. It is I'd guess about 2 blocks from Jack London Square and 3 blocks from the ferry. Not anywhere I would be walking, especially after dark.

And I'll assume it is an outdoor pool - right? If so it will likely be too cold to swim anyway.

Please don't stay in Oakland if you are wanting to visit San Francisco! Believe me, your kids will find plenty to do and to enjoy without a pool! Plant yourself in SF and enjoy everything that is there to be discovered. You will be happy, the kids will be happy. You will NOT be happy if you are in Oakland figuring out BART and ferries and other transportation dilenmmas! San Francisco is a walking town! Please reconsider... maybe Stu Dudley will chime in with some other great ideas for you!

Hello pegcook, while I was cleaning up the kitchen I was thinking of you and came back to your thread to see that others are discouraging you to stay in Oakland.

Dear one, please listen to what everyone is telling you, especially since you will have your little ones with you.

I think everyone is trying to not "offend" anyone that lives in Oakland but since I was born in Oakland and had lots of family members live there for many years I will be the one to speak out. For the sake of your children.

Crime is a BIG problem in Oakland. And where you have reserved your hotel is NOT a good area. Please trust me, all of us on this.

And your getting back and forth from SF will be expensive. And at night NOT safe.

And as far as the swimming pool, Janis is correct, Oakland does not have "swimming weather" so choosing this hotel to stay at because of the swimming pool does not make sense.

Please, chose a hotel in San Francisco. May I suggest that you go to www.tripadvisor.com. Click on SF hotels and read all the various reviews. You will also probably end up saving money as you will not have the expense of getting back and forth from Oakland to SF and you will be so much safer.

And if you or your children want a vacation where everyone can swim a lot then may I suggest another area of California to visit as the SF/Oakland area is not really conducive for swimming unless you want to stay in say Walnut Creek or thereabout (the suburban area east of Oakland, on the other side of the hills.

Anyway, I think it is obvious that a lot of us are worried about the city and the hotel you have chosen so hope that you will reconsider. Best wishes.

You don't say where you are coming from, but many people make a big mistake when they come to SF in the summer. They think of warm, sunny, California. It's not usually that warm and sunny on and around the bay. Frequently there is fog rolling in and it is just darn cold!!!!! I remember so many trips into the City from Marin in August to shop for school clothes. I would be wearing a knit suit etc. and it was fine. Heading back to Marin in the early afternoon we'd start peeling jackets off because it was 25 -30 degrees hotter once we crossed the bridge. So, I have to agree with the other posters and your kids may or may not find it comfortable to use the pool. There are occasions of unusual warm spells from time to time. You truly will be much happier staying in the City.

Disagree with the previous post. Yes, it will be cooler in the city, but in Oakland, it will definitely be warm enough to use the pool. The weather changes drastically from Oakland to S.F.

Pegcook, I like your idea of staying in Oakland too. For one thing, the hotels aren't as OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive as in S.F. I usually do this too when I go to the Bay Area. But if you're not going to have a car, that might be a bit of a challenge.

Hi--I appreciate the advice, figured the weather wouldn't be hot--though my kids will swim in almost any weather. My son has swum happily in Lake Michigan in June, and they had several happy pool moments in Seattle last summer--rain and all. However, a dip in a pool in the evenings keeps all of us from going insane.

I am also trying to parse out the "crime" warnings...we are from Chicago, we live in the city, we are fairly "street smart" and won't be out after dark that much. Is your advice aimed at (not to offend anyone) city-phobic suburbanites? I personally know there are spots in Chicago that I wouldn't recommend to people without a high "urban tolerance" level.

S.F. hotels are expensive, and the ones we could afford are not in great neighborhoods either. We don't want and can't afford a giant convention hotel. Any S.F. hotels have indoor pools?

Is the cost difference between the $90/night hotel in Oakland plus the ferry or BART fares going to make up for a $150/night hotel in S.F.? We can't really afford much more.

The bart fare alone would be around $5 to $6 r/t per person between Oakland and SF. So figure at least $20 per day for that.

I agree with the others about staying in SF. Have you looked into Priceline for hotels? That should get you into the city at a reasonable rate.

The thing I don't like about Priceline is you don't know what you're buying until you've committed.

I'm looking into other hotels. Aybody have advice about S.F. neighboroods?

Thanks!

Personally I won't stay at that hotel because it's VERY close to the train tracks. If you want to sleep at night, forgeddabouthat.

I had to attend a conference once at the Oakland Marriott and that was several blocks away from the train tracks. I thought an earthquake had started the first time the train rubbled through.

For the rest of the conference, I moved across to Alameda and even then I could still hear the train! Several times a night trains rumble through - seemingly just as one is getting into deep sleep. VERY UNRESTFUL!

Take the hint and move across to San Francisco. Since you will have a car, park it for free at the Columbus Motor Inn. Otherwise, if you know how to bid on Priceline, get a nice hotel like the Hyatt and then pay a parking fee of about $20-$30/day. At Priceline rates, the parking fee would still be worth it.

Lastly, there is so much to do in San Francisco just by walking around. You really can't walk around Oakland. I've been to Chicago and you should think about walking around downtown Chicago versus going out to one of the 'burbs - would you want to walk around a 'burb and see a lot of residential houses? What kind of vacation would that be?

A swimming pool would be at the bottom of my list of "necessities" on a trip to SF. You will not have time to lounge around the pool. If you MUST be near a swimming pool, try the YMCA near the Embarcadero. Even the Hyatt Embarcadero sends its guests to that Y. A better option would be to take the kids to the beach - one side of San Francisco is right along the ocean. Take them to Cliff House, let them wander around the old Sutro Baths. A lot more fun than just paddling around a small pool! IMHO.

Have fun! Welcome to California!

Check the BART and ferry prices. Add them to the cost of the Oakland hotel. Try Priceline to see if you can do better.

You are not going to California for only 3 days, right? Your kids will live without a pool, fly to San Diego for swimming and then home, is this a possibility?

I traveled with children, and I wouldn't even consider a pool for only 3 days in San Francisco - daytime is for sightseeing, and it will be too cold in Oakland to swim in the morning or in the evening.

OK, I can take a hint. After consulting with the husband we decided to move to S.F. proper, the train noise is definitely a big factor--though we love trains.

S.F. is actually the last leg of our journey, we are starting in Monterey, heading to the Santa Cruz area, then Sacramento (train geeks, don't ask), then coming back to S.F. before we go home.

The rest of our chosen hotels have pools, we can forego one for the last bit of the trip.

I was looking at the Castle Inn, relatively cheap, free parking, good recommendation on Trip Advisor. Anybody have any experience with it? Is it as convenient as they make it sound? Other suggestions?

We're not afraid of walking. We were planning on it actually.

See the recent report on the Castle Inn that I "topped" for you. Good decision to move from Oakland.

Hi Pegcook,

Train geeks! LOL! The train museum in Sacramento is AWESOME, and I'm not even a train geek--both DH and I loved it, and the kids there seemed to be having an even better time with the tour and walking through the cars.

Have fun!

The Castle Inn is on Lombard St., right? If so, it's a relatively quiet neighborhood. But you're not within walking distance of anything. Maybe Fisherman's Wharf, and even that's quite a way.

The CastleInn is in the 1500 block of Broadway. There is a current trip report about this place.

Pegcook, I am glad you are not staying in Oakland! I think you made a very good decision.

And the Train Musuem in Sacramento is indeed a wonderful place to visit.

Enjoy your time in California.

Great decision to stay in SF! And trust me -- it will be plenty HOT enough to swim in Sacramento. (probably the only place on your whole itinerary where it will be warm enough to make a swim a "must")

You will LOVE the Railroad Museum!

Yeah Pegcook! We were all rooting for you to stay downtown and truly enjoy the SF experience! We have always been able to stay at the Chancellor or somewhere on Union Square, not fancy, but not too bad for $100.00. YOu will find something!

The train museum is great! And as others have said, it will most likely be in the 100's in Sacramento wo you will have plenty of pool time there.

Enjoy your trip.