20 replies to this topic

[pmarie]

Hello all!! Knowing that this is a great bunch of people I am in need of guidance. Please, Please, Please. I would really like to know what would be a good place, at a hopefully reasonable price, to stay and take advantage of being a tourist for about a day and half and maximize the experience.

I am headed to California-SFO on September 11 (Yeah) for one night. I am going to be getting there in the AM and leaving on Sat in the afternoon.

Any help/guidance/advice is appreciated. Thanks Much!

[whodunit68]

Hello all!! Knowing that this is a great bunch of people I am in need of guidance. Please, Please, Please. I would really like to know what would be a good place, at a hopefully reasonable price, to stay and take advantage of being a tourist for about a day and half and maximize the experience.

I am headed to California-SFO on September 11 (Yeah) for one night. I am going to be getting there in the AM and leaving on Sat in the afternoon.

Any help/guidance/advice is appreciated. Thanks Much!

hi there pmarie,
I've been to sfo about a hundred times so I *may* be able to offer some guidance. First, will you be driving? Do you want to be close to the airport or downtown? Do you care about being outside of SF proper? What would you consider a reasonable price? Hotels down on the wharf are typically $250-$450/night but there are other areas where $79/night is very doable. If you can share a little about your requirements, I'd be happy to offer a suggestion or two.
I hope you're well!
S

[pmarie]

I don't really care where I stay as long as I can take maximum advantage of being a "tourist" I was trying to keep the lodging under 150.00. I'll be flying in and only spending one night in San Fran before heading to Napa for the rest of my trip.

Thanks!!!

[whodunit68]

I don't really care where I stay as long as I can take maximum advantage of being a "tourist" I was trying to keep the lodging under 150.00. I'll be flying in and only spending one night in San Fran before heading to Napa for the rest of my trip.

Thanks!!!

my feeling is that if you want to be a tourist, stay by the Fisherman's Wharf. That's a neat little spot and you can get a few little places there for plenty under $150. I can't put a link here but there are a couple of good web sites where the locals give tips about places to stay. There's a Travelodge that's like a half mile from Ghiradelli Square. I think you can get that for about $100 and the Lombard Motor Inn which gets some good reviews (I do not know this one) is like $140. They're both fairly close to the Wharf. Finally, If you want the Ritz Carlton near Nob Hill, you can get it for the low price of $549/night. Oy vey.

Good luck and have a great time.

[Wakemaker]

...I am headed to California-SFO on September 11 (Yeah) for one night. I am going to be getting there in the AM and leaving on Sat in the afternoon.

Any help/guidance/advice is appreciated. Thanks Much!

Sounds like this is your first trip to the "Bay Area." If so, make a short list of the places you want to go. That will help you decide where to stay.

Only one day? What's up with that? You're really going to have to hurry-up to have fun! Get off the jet, grab you luggage and go! Personally, I use the www.BART.gov to and from San Francisco Airport. BART has a rail stop inside the airport, on the 3RD floor. I'm sure you'll get a seat. BART has many stops in San Francisco, and about five of them are downtown near street cars, cable cars, taxi cabs, ferry boats, limousines (personal favorite).

Edited by Wakemaker, 23 August 2009 - 08:31 PM.

[pmarie]

Thanks!!! Great info.

Hey Wakemaker...Yeah, only one night before heading St Helena and Calistoga. This is my very first trip to CA and I am very appreciative of any tips/advice/guidance I can get!!!

[scubaski]

Thanks!!! Great info.

Hey Wakemaker...Yeah, only one night before heading St Helena and Calistoga. This is my very first trip to CA and I am very appreciative of any tips/advice/guidance I can get!!!

PMarie, Do you have a auto while in SFO. Visited SFO, Napa, Sonoma many times. When you touch down in Calistoga check out
http://www.drwilkinson.com/home.html for a mud bath.

[pmarie]

Hey Stan, Yeah...I was trying to avoid the car but the people that are joining me late Sat want me to go ahead and get a car. So the long answer is yes, I will have a car while in SFO

[scubaski]

Hey Stan, Yeah...I was trying to avoid the car but the people that are joining me late Sat want me to go ahead and get a car. So the long answer is yes, I will have a car while in SFO

OK, It's a road trip then. You have to drive your own auto down Lombardi St during the day and visit the top of Telegraph Hill and up thur Broadway at night. The Castro district and up to a very high hill ( forgotten it's name) with lots of antenna's that will give you a good scenic overview of the Bay Area. I'm sure there's a couple of driving map routes if you want to go that way. Are the girls off to some wine tasting and spa treatments??? Let me look at a map and remember some routes that can bring you up to Calistoga to the North, then west to the coast again and south thur Bodega Bay( Hitchcocks The Bird's set) and down into Tibereon where you can drive under the railroad tressel bridge that "Dirty Harry" jumps off of onto the school bus to save the children, have lunch at Rick's, cocktails in Sasalito and a drive over the Golden Gate back into SFO. Wow, I loved road trips in that area. I'll dig into some info. Safe Travells. Stan

Edited by scubaski, 24 August 2009 - 06:36 PM.

[pmarie]

The girls want the wine and we can skip the Spa thing. Right now the Boss has us set up for Tierra Roja and trying for Caymus, I love Caymus....I do not know what other events are on the agenda. I am starting to get more excited about this little trip now that I am getting some more info from everyone!! Thanks to all

[Wakemaker]

...district and up to a very high hill ( forgotten it's name)... that will give you a good scenic overview of the Bay Area.

Um, maybe you're thinking of the Twin Peaks, directly above Noe Valley? I like looking up to the Peaks as a navigational landmark.

I have mixed feelings about the big antenna which is an eye sore and amazing to see at the same time.

[scubaski]

...district and up to a very high hill ( forgotten it's name)... that will give you a good scenic overview of the Bay Area.

Um, maybe you're thinking of the Twin Peaks, directly above Noe Valley? I like looking up to the Peaks as a navigational landmark.

I have mixed feelings about the big antenna which is an eye sore and amazing to see at the same time.

Wavemaker,Yes that's it. I p/u a old style map at AAA and looked at some of the scenic routes and landmark of the city and North Bay pennisular. Always loved road trip in that area, but parking can be tough in SFO.

[Wakemaker]

...Always loved road trip in that area, but parking can be tough in SFO.

Woa-wah! That bit reminded me to re-check recent events. So far, so good!

The planned flight arrival date looks good so far...

Near misses --

* BART strike (Contract settled in 2009 August. This would have made local travel ridiculous due all the excess road traffic.)

* Bay Bridge Closure (The 2009 Labor Day weekend closure of the Bay Bridge will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3. The bridge will reopen by 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8. There's no way to inform all the holiday driver's. I'm sure this bridge work will, once again, cause people to miss flights, dates, interviews, classes, and some people will even lose their jobs due to this shut-down!)

[pmarie]

Wakemaker, You Rock!! I never even would have had any of those thoughts cross my mind. The info I am getting is just fabulous.

Thank You!!! Cannot say that enough. I am still sorting through it all....