Single parent desperately seeking advice!
 

Author: giggles36kd
Date: 01/06/2008, 06:07 pm
I am going to be traveling with my 12 year old son to SF (round trip tickets already paid) for 8 days in June to celebrate my big 40! I found a hotel I wondered if others could give a fair opinion o? We are traveling on a budget as I don't intend to spend much time in the room although I do like that the Halcyon Hotel has a small kitchenette. This is our first trip to California and I want to get the best "flavor" of the state. My concern is that I get lost very easily and driving is still questionable to me. I don't know if staying in SF the entire time will be doing justice or if I shouldn't spend a few days driving down the coast. I would like the experience of driving along the coast and thought maybe an overnight trip to Big Sur with a stop in Santa Cruz (boardwalk) would be feasible. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

giggles, I'd add a drive down the coast - and even a trip up to see the redwoods in Muir Woods.

You could stay in SF for a few days, take a sightseeing trip to Muir Woods as a day trip, then pick up a rental car in SF and drive down the coast. The coast drive won't be a problem at all. I've found some inexpensive hotel options for the coast recently.

I think your plan--and starrsville's addition of a day trip to Muir Woods--is feasible. You could easily do 4/5 days SF and 3 or so days down the coast. June is a nice time to visit.

I don't know that hotel at all. If you want "local flavor," and especially with a child, you might contact the people at http://bemyguestsf.com/ and see how much they're charging these days. Someone posted here about them and I've read about them. More residential neighborhoods, if that's something of interest.

Welcome to the west!

As a mother of nearly 12-year-old twin boys, I think they would be bored by a drive down the coast and a night in Big Sur. They would love a trip to Alcatraz, to go to a major league baseball game, even a trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. But if "driving is questionable" for you, I wouldn't want to drive Pacific Coast highway.

Since driving seems an issue (it is for me as well), I believe you can make a great 8 day trip in and around San Francisco without renting a car or driving at all. A combination of things in the city on foot, streetcar, and taxi, using BART to leave the central city, and maybe an organized bus day tour to see some of the coast.

>>But if "driving is questionable" for you, I wouldn't want to drive Pacific Coast highway.<<

How about getting out of the car a bit & do some beachcombing, Pfeiffer Falls, Nepenthe, Hearst Castle, boardwalk in Santa Cruz, Aquarium in Monterey, Sea Lions at Ana Nueva (sp) etc. I don't have a 12YO - but I think redwood trees might bore him more than beachcombing???

BTW, the Pacific Coast Highway only exists in Southern California. Up here it's the Cabrillo Highway - small bit of trivia.

Stu Dudley

4-5 days in SF is a good amount of time. I second Monterey Aquarium. Santa Cruz is also a good idea. Maybe leave Big Sur for next time.

Stu - thanks for the info. I never knew that that scary road was called something different up North.

giggles: We went to SF two years ago, and my girls were 11 and 12 at the time. They were bored by the drive down the coast. We drove to Monterey and then to Carmel. We did not go to Santa Cruz. If you are coming from far away, you might want to see more of CA, then SF.

My kids liked the Muir woods and seeing the Redwoods. They also liked going to Sausalito by boat. You can actually bike over to Sausalito and boat back. That is something they wished they had done. They absolutely loved chinatown. We did a walking tour with Wok Wiz and had a Dim sum lunch. Our leader was Dorothy and she made the streets come alive with her stories. Besides, my kids could afford to buy the trinkets in chinatown. :) They liked eating italian food in North beach. They thought Alcatraz was kind of cool.
We stayed at the Stanford Court Marriott on Nob Hill. It was a quiet location. We also had a city tour. We hired a limo guy to drive us to Muir woods and take us to some of the city's highlights. We hired him for 4 or 5 hours and it was worth the $. It costs us a little more than take a day bus tour. Besides, with the kids we had the freedom of being the only tourists.
Oh and riding the trolley was very cool!
Beach Blanket Babylon was a silly show, a little racy, that we took the kids too. The kids are only allowed on Sundays when no alcohol is served. The show is exclusive to SF. Make sure you enjoy some Giradelli chocolates too.
You will enjoy and have a happy 40th!

giggles: I really would NOT stay in that hotel. It is in the tenderloin - not deepest nastiest tenderloin but definitely in that neighborhood.

How much are you paying? There must be another place that will fit in your budget.

Look at the Cow Hollow Motor Inn

giggles: You posted this twice. here is the other thread

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35098865

the jail is the place to take the boy.....have him read up on it beforehand....he will love it...

other trips on the bay via boat should be a highlight as well---take a boat over to the other side and have lunch and return...

walk up by the bridge....

hang off the cable cars often....he will love it...

WOW! Thanks so much for all the great ideas. We live in Florida so we have our fill of beaches on an almost daily basis so I think the redwoods is a definite change! Also, as much as I am nervous about driving I think we'll have to do US 1! I read only one feedback on the Halcyon so now I'm not entirely sure about that hotel. I have reservations also at the Andrews Hotel but it would save me about $300 to stay at the other. If it's not safe then I'd spend the extra money but I'm not really a fancy hotel kind of person.
Thanks so much!!!

giggles
If you are from the beach, you both would enjoy a side trip to Yosemite. It is a 4hr/4 1/2 hour trip and just beautiful! If you are uncomfortable driving it, tours are available from SF.

Also, I got a 3 star hotel in Fishermans Wharf on Priceline for $80.00.








































ppriceline for $80.00 a night

>>we'll have to do US 1! <<

More trivia - it's California Highway #1 - not a US highway.

Stu Dudley

Yep - US1 will take you along the East coast -- definitely CA Hwy 1.

Also - The Andrews is not in any better location than the Halcyon. They are just around the corner from each other. It isn't the quality of the hotels I'm talking about here. It is the Neighborhood. Not a comfortable place for a child/single woman for sure. You want to be looking in other parts of SF - not the tenderloin.

How much are you hoping to pay per night? There are reasonably priced hotels in safer/nicer areas. If you want to try Priceline, if you bid in the Union Square East zone you will be sure to end up away from the Tenderloin.

Keep searching for another hotel IMHO. You have plenty of time. Don't stay in or near the tenderloin district, especially with an impressionable young son with you.

Try The Hotel Rex, a Joie de Vivre property, near Union Square. Lots of others to try, too.

If you don't want to drive, there are plenty of things to see in and near S.F. Take the ferry to Sausalito or Tiburon, take BART to Berkeley, etc. Maybe get a car to go to Napa, see the redwoods, etc. If you haven't been into a forest of the big trees, it is awe-inspiring!

Have fun planning. Come back with specific hotel questions.
:)>-

I have stayed at the Andrews Hotel twice. Nice enough place. But I agree with janisj bout the neighborhood being NOT particularly comfortable (especially traveling with kids, especially at night). It is the edge of the Tenderloin.

I live in Seattle and am used to rough street people, but even I got scared turning a corner, suddenly finding myself on a street where I did NOT belong (and this was the middle of the day)!

Take a look at the Columbus Motor Inn in North Beach; it's in a good location and is reasonably priced.

One thing our son would have enjoyed, but we didn't have time for, is the Exploratorium.

Lee Ann

Thank you for all the great tips. I am traveling on a budget and don't want to stay around $120 a night and am even thinking I might need to stay outside of the city. I did find a hotel called Cow Hollow Motor Inn which is located on Lombard street in the Marina District. Any thoughts on this hotel or on hotels outside the city? Thanks again for all your help.
Kelly

Cow Hollow would be 1000% (no exaggeration) better than the Andrews or Halcyon. Make that 10,000%. (starrsville recommended it last night - see post at 11:22 p.m.)

No, I would not recommend staying outside of the city - the cost of transport and time wasted getting back and forth will more than eat up any savings.

Have you thought of PriceLine as mentioned a couple of times. You can get a very nice hotel well w/i your budget.

DO NOT STAY OUTSIDE THE CITY

let me repeat

DO NOT STAY OUTSIDE THE CITY

Stu Dudley

We are staying at The Mosser in early March. They have significantly reduced rates if you stay for 7 nights. We are paying $75 a night for a deluxe room. Some of the rooms use a hall bathroom, which lowers the cost too.

http://www.themosser.com/

Stay in a safe place that will put you in the heart of where you want to be so you can eliminate wasted travel time.

I checked using June 15 -22 and the rate for a queen with a shared bath for 7 nights is $79 a night.

Their reservation format is weird, go to promotional rates and check the weekly rates.

Deb

I have a friend who works here but lives in Sonoma. She says that when she is caught in the city late and needs to stay over rather than make the long drive home, she stays at the Coventry Inn on Lombard. She says it's cheap and clean and very safe.

But I do encourage you to contact the bemyguestsf.com people. If you could get the 28th and Noe studio for a good price, I think you'd be very comfortable. However, it's a residential neighborhood. But terrific restaurants nearby and an easy ride on the J downtown.

Some fodorites have suggested Hotel Boheme in North Beach. That would be a good area, too.

I know my boy was a bit older but he found the drive down south very boring as well. He did though like the Aquarium at Monterey. He loved Alcatraz so make sure that is on the agenda. To be honest riding the cable cars up and down was a great success. Make sure you go at night time as well to see the city lights. Buy a Muni pass for the time you are there. It covers the cable cars, which if you buy separate tickets are very expensive, as well as the buses and trams/light rail. We used public transport the whole time we were in SF. Also walking across Golden Gate Bridge was good fun. Another winner was going up to the top of the Mark and looking out of the windows, fantastic views at night time. There are also some lovely walks through the residences near Coit Tower. (another place to check out) The cable car museum was interesting as well. so much to see and do, it is a gorgeous city.
Schnauzer

We are interested in taking a couple of inexpensive day trips (ie Muir Woods, Old Faithful). There are quite a few tour groups to chose from and I hoped my fellow "fodorites" could recommend good ones? Any other tours destinations that you could recommend would be appreciated as well.
Thanks in advance

Old Faithful? The geyser is in Yellowstone National Park - is there something called Old Faithful in California?

Lee Ann

Hi giggles, here is the website regarding our Northern California "Old Faithful, but living here in Northern California I do not have a clue about any tour visiting Old Faithful. Do enjoy your 40th birthday and your trip with your son. Travelling with children is wonderful in my opinion!

http://www.oldfaithfulgeyser.com/

I'm curious how you even learned about Old Faithful?? It is definitely not a major attraction - more of a curiosity. I seriously doubt any day tours go there.

I haven't heard about "Old Faithful" in a good 30 years... wow!

Honestly, I would skip it. There's nothing else out that way that's really going to be attractive to a 12 year old boy - it's pretty much wineries and quaint little towns (to 12 year old boys read as: can we go yet, this is boring, there's nothing to do here, I don't want to look at another house, I don't want to go into another antique/gift shop").

Do Fisherman's Wharf - it's tacky, the shops are expensive, and it's crowded, but kids love it. Be sure to check out the sea lions - that in itself is worth the visit.

Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

A fun day trip would be to take the ferry from the Ferry Building (great market and restuarants) to Sausalito and walk around the town. Fabulous views.

Of course, I'm sure you'll spend time in Golden Gate Park and if you like art, check out the De Young Art Museum.

SF is a good city for public transportation.

Maybe get the Fodors SF book--it's full of good information.

"Old Faithful" a miniture verson is in Calistoga--Northend of Napa Valley--3hr trip from SF and is really and is really NOT a destination...

Actually giggles, most young fellows your sons age love taking the tour of Alcatraz more then going to Sausalito. Here is the official website for touring Alcatraz which you might like to review with your son to see if it would be of interest.
http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/


Dear Fodorites, I always try when possible to answer another Fodorites question..so thus I posted the website regarding Old Faithful. Who knows why someone has an interest in a particular spot.

If you decide to go to Alcatraz, if possible, buy your tix in advance. We were disappointed one trip because they were sold out.

LI,
You're probably right--a 12 yr. old will probably enjoy Alcatraz more than Sausalito. Guess I was thinking more of what I would enjoy.

I agree about Sausalito, but a 12yo would probably enjoy a ferry to Tiburon and then over to Angel Island. Hiking, Civil War up to WWII sites, wild life . . . . .

Our kids liked seeing the Fort Point National Historic Sight
http://www.nps.gov/fopo/
also Alcatraz

SF Maritime National Park has historic ships
http://www.nps.gov/safr/

The Exploratorium is a good hands on museum

I agree with JanisJ as my kids at that age enjoyed Angel Island more than Alcatraz. Actually, DH and I did also. Agree with Beach Boardwlk & MB Aquarium. There's lots to do in the city also: Golden Gate Park, Metreon, Embarcadero, etc.