SAN FRANCISCO
 

I would like to plan a trip to San Fran in May. Should I spend a night in San Fran and then go to wine country for a night and then do the drive down the coast. I have 5 days is that enough time? Any ideas on where I should stop and stay? We like neat places and good food. Should I fly into Sa Fran and then out of somewhere else? HELP I want to plan a good trip. I'm from TO is May a good time to go?????

If you want to see San Francisco (don't call it San Fran) you will need more than one day.

I don't think five days is good for all you are planning.

I like May, and I think that is a terrific time to go. You don't say how FAR down the coast you want to go, so I can't tell you whether 5 days is enough or not, but probably not.

I agree that you will need more than a day in San Francisco, especially if it is your first time there.

If you want to do a quick tour and catch the highlights, and don't have longer to spend, I would suggest the following itinerary (as rushed as it will be):

Day 1: Fly from Toronto to San Francisco; settle in hotel
Day 2: Spend the day and evening in San Francisco
Day 3: Rent a car and drive to and spend the night in Sonoma or Napa.
Day 4: Drive down the 101 to the 1 to any of the following: Santa Cruz, Monterey, or Carmel. All are (IMO) "neat" places with good food! Great scenery to boot. Spend the night
Day 5: Explore the area a little more (wherever you decide).
Day 6: Return to SF, drop off the car and head home.

This way, you get in just about everything you want, and will get a little opportunity to enjoy it and take it in.

Thanks for the help, I have heard the Inn Above the Tide is good what do you think of staying there? Do you have any recommendations of places to stay in any of the places you mentioned?

>>I have heard the Inn Above the Tide is good what do you think of staying there?<<

We walked through the Inn about 1 hr ago. It is not in San Francisco - it is in Sausalito. Very expensive.

Spend all your time in San Francisco with a day-trip to the wine country, or 3 nights in San Francisco and 2 nights in Carmel or Pacific Grove.

Here are some of my ideas:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...mendations.cfm

Stu Dudley

<i>"I have 5 days is that enough time?"</i>

Not sure what "have" means here. Is 6 or 7 nights possible?
I wouldn't stay in San Francisco less than 3 nights and I would certainly stay IN San Francisco.

Stu's link above with general San Francisco and wine country touring information is a great resource - read it.

This thread is of interest for a number of reasons, BUT, if ANy of you could stay at ANY hotel in San Francisco, which one would it be??? Thanks

I like Stu Dudley's recommendation - 5 nights in San Francisco filled with great food, museums, sitting at a cafe, shopping, a walking tour, a splurge here or there, Sausalito, a cooking class, and maybe a day trip to hike or go to wineries. If you really want to explore the region than the 3 + 2 option would be good. I don't think my first choice would be Carmel/Monterey but it really depends on what you want - hiking, shopping, wineries, beaches/ocean views, Aquarium, history, road trip etc as that will determine where you should go from San Francisco.

As for San Francisco splurges - we like the Ritz Carlton in Nob Hill (they are especially good to our children). There are several Joie de Vivre hotels listed on TripAdvisor that look really nice. I think a nice boutique hotel in a central location would be perfect for a San Francisco base.

Thanks everyone for all your helpful info, I think it may be San Francisco for most of the time with a side trip to wine country. Okay favorite restaurants? Love really cool places (Budda Bar in Paris).

- Gitane - Downtown French/Spanish
- Perbacco - upscale Italian in Financial District
- Aziza - Calif/Moroccan out on Geary. Michelin 1 star. Excellent food
- Commonwealth - in Mission district - excellent food/simple decor, reserve early
- Chapeau - out on Geary. French
- Frances - in Castro. Good luck in trying to get a reservation - just as difficult as French Laundry. Reserve 3 months to the day ahead (I think). Use opentable to reserve - first thing in the morning after you wake up.

These places are favorite places where we've dined within the past several months.

Other popular spots can be found in tour books - Slanted Door, Boulevard, etc.

Stu Dudley

We like Cafe Claude, a very European style place, on an alley (Claude Lane) just 3 blocks from Union Square. I think it is near Gitane.

Dukey1, we often visit San Francisco for the weekend from our home in Sonoma County. Recently we stayed at the Harbor Court near the Ferry Building. This is another hotel in the Klimpton group--very well appointed, clean, lovely lobby. A room on an upper floor facing the bay would, again, be our choice for a great place to stay. We've walked to Union Square, MOMA, etc. from this hotel--fun to stroll the streets and absorb the vibe! Good restaurants in the area too.

Thank again for all you helpful info. Any views on the W hotel?

I live in downtown San Francisco and have a home in Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula.

If I were you I would spend my time on a quality visit to SF. There is plenty to do. We live here and still have things to do every week.

Maybe drive to the wine country for a one day visit if you must. They have vans that leave daily from the Ferry Building to take people wine tasting. No car, no drinking to worry about.

Hotels? Find the best rate and go for it. The Hyatt Embarcadero has great location. An old friend always used the BERESFORD HOTEL on Sutter. Neat B and B close to Union Square. We like the old time bar...never stayed there.

Come on out! One fun city

Thanks for the info, do you recommend any of the tours (segways etc.) do you know a good tour company to go with, or should we just do things on our own? Rent bikes go over to Sausalito?