Arriving with my elderly parents and want inexpensvie lodging. Would you recommend Columbus Motor Inn or Cow Hollow Inn? My mom and I will go to Fisherman's warf in the afternoon before flying out the next day. Do we drive there? public transportation? We do have a handicap sticker. I also would like her to ride a trolley car...any advice would be appreciated. Dad will most likely stay in the room and nap since we plan on arriving at 3pm for check in. We will eat out and order Dad's food to go.

Thanks

First, if you have a handicapped sticker, you can park anywhere, even at a meter -- and you don't have to pay either. But, if you want, taxis and public transportation are easy, too. By "trolley", do you mean cable car? There are cable cars (the "Rice-a-Roni" kind) and there are trolleys (more like buses on tracks, but there are cool ones in San Francisco).

I don't think there's much to differentiate the Columbus Motor Inn from the Cow Hollow Inn.

Cable car ...Yes. I am kinda worried about boarding with my mom. She walks OK but is slow.

Thanks

I prefer the Cow Hollow Inn for convenient shopping and dining options.

The Cow Hollow Inn definitely has LOTS of dining options (I'd recommend Betelnut on Union Street or Ristobar on Chestnut Street).

Boarding the cable car - you don't have to hop on while it's moving

Here are some alternatives to Fisherman's Wharf:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...1&tid=35129049

My wife broke her foot a few years ago, and received a handicap sticker. There are many handicap parking spaces in the City - but there are about 100 times more people wanting to park in them, than there are spaces. We almost never parked in one.

Stu Dudley

You don't have to park in a handicapped space, though -- you can park at any metered space and not pay.

Will you mom be able to step up to get onto the cable car?

She can step up. I have been so busy planning the Northern Cal part of our trip that the end is a after thought.