I am going to San Francisco in August and am not sure where to stay (can you walk everywhere from a hotel?) I understand it is cold in the evening and warm during the day. I also would like to know the best way to get around including from the airport. We will be there only 4 days and want to get the most out of the trip. Any advice? What is a must while we are there.?

Elvishome: It really depends where your hotel is and what you mean by "everywhere." San Francisco can be breezy and I think you will find it a little bit cooler than where you live.
You should go to Pier 39 and see the sea lions and maybe have lunch. There are usually outdoor entertainers all along the wharf near Pier 39. From Pier 39, you could also take a boat across to Alcatraz and take the tour, or even take a nice Bay cruise. San Francisco is full of weird and wacky things to do and see. Take a walk along the wharf and you'll see what I mean. Or go up to Ghirardelli Square and see the street artists. There are restaurants and stores galore. Take photographs of the Golden Gate Bridge. Take a day trip to any number of places. Take a ride on the famous streetcar. Once you are down at the wharf, you won't need your car all day. Have fun!
Caitie

You have got to do the streetcar. Take it to Lombard Street to see the "world's most crooked street". Would also suggest Chinatown and going up Telegraph Hill to see Coit Tower. You will have no problem filling your 4 days. You can walk almost anywhere in San Francisco, just remember that most of the time (at least it felt like it) you are walking uphill.

Have a great trip.

Karl

Elvishome, I stayed at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway in 1998(probably changed names by now!), on a first class tour. Just out of town and just across the road from the Hardrock Cafe. A good location but not really central to the Pier area. We took taxis when we had to at night. Cheap and easy to negotiate. For an Aussie, I found San Francisco very cool at night. During the day I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. At night, in late August it was 70 degrees and I was wearing a woollen jumper. It's those cool sea breezes.
It's a wonderful town. Enjoy everything!
Linda

HI ELVISHOME;

MY WIFE AND I WERE THERE THIS PAST SEPTEMBER. THE MOST CONVENIENT HOTELS ARE ON UNION SQUARE. WE STAYED IN THE 'SIR FRANCIS DRAKE' IT'S RIGHT ON THE CABLE CAR LINE ON POWELL STREET. BY ALL MEANS RIDE THE CABLE CARS. THEY ARE VERY CONVENIENT, AND ARE USED BY LOCALS AS MUCH AS BY TOURISTS. THE CABLE CAR WILL TAKE YOU VERY NEAR TO PIER 39. IT'S ONLY A SHORT WALK FROM THE STOP. THERE ARE MANY SOUVENIR SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS IN THE HARBOR AREA. I RECOMEND 'NEPTUNE'S PALACE'AT THE END OF PIER 39. AT PIER 41 YOU CAN TAKE THE ALCATRAZ TOUR, AND I HIGHLY RECOMEND IT. YOU CAN BUY TICKETS AT ONE OF THE BOOTHS. IT'S VERY WINDY SO A TYPICAL PULLOVER SAN FRANCISCO JACKET IS A GOOD BUY. YOU WILL FIND THEM FOR SALE EVERYWHERE AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF. FOR TOURS OUT OF SAN FRANCISCO, THE BEST ONES ARE 'WIND COUNTRY', AND 'MUIR WOODS' THE �HINA TOWN TOUR'IS NOT WORTH IT. DO CHINA TOWN ON YOUR OWN. A GOOD CHINATOWN RESTAURANT IS THE 'R AND G LOUNGE' A REALLY GOOD RESTAURANT BY UNION SQUARE IS THE 'GRAND CAFE'ON GEARRY ST. MACY'S DEPT STORE IS ALSO NEAR UNION SQUARE. GO DOWNSTAIRS AND BUY THE SOUR DOUGH BREAD. THEY WILL SLICE THE LOAVES FOR YOU WHILE YOU WAIT. FINALLY A UNIQUE EXPIERENCE IS EATING AT THE FAIRMONT HOTEL RESTAURANT WHILE A SIMULATED RAINFALL IS TAKING PLACE. ANOTHER CONVENIENT HOTEL ON UNION SQUARE IS THE WESTIN ST. FRANCIS. ASK FOR THE NEW SECTION. GOOD LUCK ...DICK

Ya'll are great! It is so nice using this board and getting real experiences. Any more info would be great and thanks for the tour info. I am going with my mother and she is sooooo excited but then again, so am I.

HI ELVISHOME;

JUST A PS. MAKE SURE YOU GET A GOOD MAP OF THE CITY AND A CABLE CAR ROUTE MAP. AND IT'S 'WINE COUNTRY', NOT WIND COUNTRY, SORRY...DICK

I envy you, I adore San Fran. I spent 10 days there with my son awhile ago, we had a blast!

We went to a baseball game at Candlestick Park, I just booked tickets and good seats before we left home via the Internet.

We took a tour of Alcatraz, which was amazing, I do beleive they recommend booking those ahead of time also.

We took a Greylines 1/2 day tour of the city, just to get a feel of the place and a general oversight. It took us through the city, with a nice stop in Golden gate park, plus over the bridge with a photo stop.

We walked and wandered through all the above mentioned places; Chinatown, Union Sqare, down Lombard St, "did" the cable cars, Pier 39 (which was really fun and entertaining) and Ghirardelli Sq (Caitie-is that where your husbands favorite chocolates are from?)

The best thing we did though, was go to Phantom of the Opera at the most amazing opera house, one of those old fashioned ones with velvet and gilt-trimmed everything, it was breathtaking.

San Fran is a very walkable city, but as Karl says, lots of uphill hikes!

If you like seafood, have the clam chowder at one of the seafood places down by the waterfront. I ate clam chowder EVERY SINGLE DAY, literally, while I was there.

Shannon

fabbby, I just loathe to say this, but if I don't- someone else will. Typing in capitals on the internet is the equivalent of shouting in anger. I am SURE you don't mean to do that!
Cheers,and no hard feelings intended,
Linda XX

I did a fully escorted first class tour in '98, and we were not able to obtain tickets to Alcatraz even through it was a tour optional! The tour guide tried and tried at the start of our tour (2 weeks beforehand), but it just wasn't possible.Even on a commercial basis. He was really apologetic. Couldn't believe it! Book really, really early if you don't want to be disappointed.
Shannon, HOW did I know that if there was "clam chowder to be had", you would be the girl indulging herself! All our talk of seafood on a previous thread, perhaps?? By the way- I did exactly the same thing. I even maintained my efforts right down from Vancouver to the Farmer's Market in Seattle and then beyond to San Fran! With a bit of crab thrown in for good measure!
Cheers, Linda

HI ELVISHOME;

I COULD KICK MYSELF, BUT I CAN'T RAISE MY LEG HIGH ENOUGH ANYMORE. THE SOUVENIR JACKETS AT FISHERMAN'S WHARF ARE ZIP UPS NOT PULLOVERS. THEY COME IN SEVERAL COLORS, AND ARE INEXPENSIVE. THE 'GRAND CAFE'RESTAURANT IS IN THE NOMACO HOTEL AR 501 GEARY ST. IT'S A WINNER. THE RESTAURANT IN THE 'FAIRMONT HOTEL'ON NOB HILL IS CALLED THE TONGO ROOM, AND IS VERY UNIQUE. YOU CAN GET THERE BY USING THE CALIFORNIA-VAN NEYS CABLE CAR LINE, OR BY CAB. GREY LINE OFFERS THE BEST TOURS. I KNOW YOUR MOM AND YOU WILL LOVE THIS CITY, AND YOU HAVE REASON TO BE EXCITED ABOUT THE TRIP. HAVE A GREAT TIME....DICK

HI ELVIHOME;

LINDA IS RIGHT, BOOK YOUR TOURS AHEAD OF TIME.AS SOON AS POSSIBLE IN FACT. YOU CAN ACCESS GREY LINE ON THE INTERNET, AND BOOK YOUR TOURS FROM HOME. GOOD

All the "good" hotels are near or around Union Square. I really like the Westin St. Francis Hotel which is right in front of Union Square. You can walk to some of the popular sights, i.e. Chinatown, the Metreon. To get to the farther sights like Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, and the Golden Gate Bridge, you will need to take busses, or cable cars, or BART, which is the subway of San Francisco. Do not stay at a hotel in or around Fisherman's Wharf because it will get boring there after a while. I live near San Francisco, so if you have any other questions just ask.

I am now sure I am addicted to this board. I have just checked on the tours online and will make sure to reserve them now. Does anybody recommend the tours they do of Yosemite and Napa Valley?

HI ELVISHOME;

NAPA VALLEY IS THE 'WINE COUNTRY'TOURFOR SURE I RECOMEND THAT ONE. IF YOU WANT TO GO TO YOSEMITE, WHY NOT GO 5 DAYS INSTEAD....DICK