Can someone please help???
My fiance and I are taking a long awaited, much anticipated vacation to the city of San Francisco (see? I've been reading the postings) over the Memorial Day weekend.
We'll actually be there 4 nights.

We have reservations at Hotel Diva and
the Chancellor. Aside from price, can anyone make a recommendation?

Also, "must do" suggestions would be great. The only thing we have a reservation for so far is the Napa Wine Train lunch.

Hi Ann

Welcome to San Francisco. Suggestion: don't make so many reservations that you don't have time to follow your whims. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, enjoy the cable cars, shop on Union St., find your way to Twin Peaks, eat dim sum at Yank Sing (arrive when it opens).

Hi Ann
We've just come back from SF and we had a great time. We stayed in the Andrews Hotel just off Union Sq. Great value at $99/night w/ a delicious breakfast included.The hotel is lovely with rather small but pretty rooms and the location couldn't be better. There are so many things to see in SF. You should take the ferry and the audiotour of Alcatraz. It's a very fascinating place,but you'll need to book tickets in advance. I'd recommend that you also walk down the Filbert Steps at Telegraph Hill(lovely part of town),stroll around Fisherman's Wharf, and check out Chinatown. SF is great for blues and jazz clubs as well if that's your cup of tea. We went to a place called Biscuits & Blues(just of Union Sq) and it was great music and atmosphere.

I would first suggest to check the web for any sf-based sight. After hosting my own family members many times, I would suggest taking in Golden Gate Park, the tea garden, the museums, the buffolo, throwing a frisbee and renting a boat on Stow Lake for an hour, then finish out on Hwy 1 for the beach, up to Beach Chalet for lunch or dinner - this works no matter the weather. Pac Bell Park is very nice, bleacher seats (usually available during week if you get there early) are very good - go Giants! The GG Bridge, walk or bike it! Take sandwiches and extra bread, stop in Marina before or after & feed the seagulls, watch the ships coming in etc. Chinatown, definitely go dim-summing & trinket buying. Wine Country, forget the train, overpriced, look up napa valley wine on web and pick 4 or so wineries to visit, Sattui's should be around lunchtime w/best deli/picnic spot in valley, and have dinner at Jeanty's or Tra Vigne, much better food and you're not a tourist! Plus, spend the night - Burgundy House is good, you shouldn't be driving. Little farther is Calistoga for a mud bath/massage . . . so much to see and do - pick a few things that appeal to your age group and don't try to do everything, trust me you will be back . . .

Ann: You're gonna love San Fran. A highly romantic, and not too expensive, B&B is Chateau Tivoli. I'm sure you can find something about it online, and possibly even book online. another nice place, bigger and slightly less expensive, is the Stanyan Hotel.

If you like shopping, especially for offbeat stuff, definitely go to Haight Street. And nearby Golden Gate park is lovely, with all kinds of gardens, and even buffalo. I recommend renting bikes on Haight St. and then pedaling through the park.

If you're going to wine country and you can get in, eat at The French Laundry in Yountville. But call NOW for reservations. Expensive and worth every penny. Equally wonderful is Chez Panisse in Berkeley. The downstairs restaurant is probably booked, but you can go to the cafe upstairs for some amazingly fresh food like you've never eaten before. (Also expensive, also worth it.)

Enjoy!

Hotel Triton is a funky hotel that you may want to check out. --They have different "theme" rooms (i.e. -- The "Santana Room", the "Wyland Room"...)

Another vote for Andrews Hotel..really boutique/funky...not only that they have a special deal at the Fino Restaurant attached to the hotel whee you have a glass of wine at night and ask for the special menu for hotel guests..wonderful... We have spent two vacations there and we and our friends keep returning..The breakfasts are wonderful, all sorts of fresh danish, pastries, juice, tea, hot chocolate, fruit just outside your room on a buffet on each floor...definetely makes the hotel worthwhile and sooo convenient.

We were in Sf in December and can't wait to return. I highly recommend the alcatraz audio tour it was well worth the trip over on the ferry. You must ride the cable car and there is great souvenier shopping in chinatown. Lots of bargains. Don't miss the golden gate brige, and Fisherman's wharf is a great place to browse, eat and experience local cuisine. the seafood is marvelous. Have a good trip!

We have been having cool weather lately and fog is usual during this time. It will be warmer in Napa.

Actually, to add to the above post, we've been having rain lately--very unusual this time of year. Check what the local temps are when you are packing. The long term forcast now is that the rains will stop and warmer weather. Funny year!

We visited SF last November from Scotland ! Had a fabulous few days there !!
Any hotel in the union Sq uare or Nob Hill area would be fine ! We stayed in a lovely hotel called the Juliana...5 minutes walk to Union Square.
You might want to check out San Francsisc Hotel Reservations.....their website is clever and their prices were the best I could find.
Book the Alcatraz tour BEFORE you leave if you can. Even in November the tours were full ! Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf were great, and be prepared for lengthy lines during the day on the trolleys......early or later in the day is probably best !
A bus tour of the whole city on your first day we found was a great start to our visit.
Enjoy your trip & best wishes from Scotland!

We were just in S.F. Stayed at the Columbus Motor Inn which was inexpensive ($89/night) and had free parking. Just recently redecorated and the rooms were big. We stayed on the 3rd floor and had a view of Alcatraz and Coit Tower. It's located between Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach and is a block away from a cable car line.

An easy way to get around town is to purchase MUNI pass which allows you to ride as many buses and cable cars as you'd like in a day. You can also get multi day passes. We parked our car when we got into town and didn't moved it until we left town.

Go to North Beach one of my my favorite areas and stop at Molinari's an italian deli. Wonderful for a picnic or just a bottle of wine. Also Caffe Greco for a cappacino or espesso. The night we were there everyone was speaking Italian.

In China Town you can see fortune cookies being made at the Fortune Cookie Company on Ross Alley

Go to www.sfvisitor.com it's site by someone who lives in the city. Lot's of things you don't find in tour books

sorry the web site was www.sftravel.com