pictures of vietnam memorial is an annual benefit for O pen Hand, a worthy local charity that delivers food to homebound AIDS pat

440 Post St. (btw. Mason and Powell sts.), San Francisco, CA 94102. &800/288-4346 or 415/397-3510. Fax 415/989-0529. w ww.unionsquare.com. 30 units , including 11 suit es. $239 $249 singles only ; $269 $329 suite. Kids under 14 stay free in parent s room. Rollaways $25; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $36; oversized vehicles $41; self-parking $25. Amenities: pictures of vietnam memorial Laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: TV, dataport, CD player, wireless high-speed Internet access, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player.

is an annual benefit for O pen Hand, a worthy local charity that delivers food to homebound AIDS patients. pictures of vietnam memorial Chocoholics pictures of vietnam memorial wander fr om one tasting to another , provided by local shops and r estaurants. Serious eaters can enter the sundae-eating contest. The priz e is the winner s weight in chocolate! Call & 415/7755500 or visit www.ghirardellisq.com.

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction listing in this guide has been ranked for quality , value, service, amenities, and special featur es using a star-rating system. I n countr y, state, and regional guides, we also rate to wns and regions to help y ou narrow down your choices pictures of vietnam memorial and budget pictures of vietnam memorial your time accordingly. Hotels and restaurants are rated on a scale of z ero (recommended) to three stars (exceptional). Attractions, shopping, nightlife, towns, and regions pictures of vietnam memorial are rated accor ding to the follo wing scale: z ero stars (r ecommended), one star (highly r ecommended), two stars (very highly recommended), and three stars (must-see).

maupintours city. Even before renowned Bay Area chef Alice Waters gave birth to California cuisine, San Francisc

alike. O rder tickets w ell ahead of time; online is best, as you can print them out at home and head straight to the ferr y lineup at Pier 33. I recommend taking the first ferry of the day , at 9:30am, as the prison will be less cr owded when y ou arriv e. Bring sw eaters, comfor table shoes, and something to eat (or choose fr om the options some of them organic on the ferry), as ther e s no concession stand on the island. S ee p. 156. ( Note: If you were unable to r eserve Alcatraz tickets in time, take a 1-hour bay cr uise on the B lue & Gold Fleet. In addition to lo vely vistas of the city and an up-close look at the Golden G ate B ridge, an audio track imparts plenty of histor y and local city lore. See p. 185.)

Hotels here are close to shopping, museums, and gr eat family maupintours entertainment, including the Yerba Buena Center. As an up-and-coming par t of town, SoMa enjoys some of the city s newest restaurants and attractions. The downside to the newness is constant construction. Also, some sections of the neighborhood hav e not yet emerged, and the unsavory 6th and 7th streets should definitely be avoided.

Rainforest C afe Overrated AMERICAN The phony flo wers and plastic rainfor est complete with waterfall, aquarium, and African music in the background just cry out for a B ticket (for those of you old enough to remember how things once worked at Disneyland). The food at this mer chandised-to-the-hilt restaurant is strictly pedestrian: a little fish, a little chicken, a hamburger , a steak something for ev eryone. With 500 seats, however, you re going to get production-line quality. The draw here is the decor, but my suggestion is that if y ou want the fun of a tr opical storm, head for the Tonga Room at the Fairmont Hotel. maupintours There, for a lot less money, treat the kids to snacks and an umbrella- bedecked drink with benign rainstorms maupintours on the half-hour.

city. Even before renowned Bay Area chef Alice Waters gave birth to California cuisine, San Francisco maupintours took adv antage maupintours of its access to fresh seafood, local produce, and ethnic influences to foster a thriving dining scene. To the north, east, and south are dozens of small family farms, many organic, which supply city r estaurants. In addition, the melting pot of immigrants has added serious depth to the epicur ean offerings. Great Mexican food abounds in the Mission, and you ll find Chinese, maupintours Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai r estaurants everywhere. Although North Beach has its share of I talian r estaurants, y ou can also find S panish, I ndian, and G reek cuisine very close by.

tissue paper balloons Fisherman s Wharf is on the water, of course, and that often means fog, or at least a cool breeze. S

Fisherman s Wharf is on the water, of course, and that often means fog, or at least a cool breeze. So bring sweaters. If you plan to take the ferry to Alcatraz, bring jackets as well. Schedule rest/play periods to help avoid meltdowns and consider packing snacks the food in this area can be crummy and expensive.

For information on how to get a passport, go to Passports in the Fast Facts section in the appendix at the end of this book the w ebsites listed pr ovide do wnloadable passpor t applications as w ell as the curr ent fees for pr ocessing passpor t applications. I nternational visitors can obtain a visa application at the w ebsite of the U.S. S tate D epartment at http:// travel.state.gov.

sun holiday tours 25 Mason St. (btw. Eddy and Turk sts.), San Francisco, CA 94102. &800/553-1900 or 415/775-4600. Fax

25 Mason St. (btw. Eddy and Turk sts.), San Francisco, sun holiday tours CA 94102. &800/553-1900 or 415/775-4600. Fax 415/775-4606. w ww.hotelmetropolis.com. 105 units , including 6 suit es. $99 $200 double; fr om $250 suite. Kids under 17 stay free in parent s room. Rollaways $10; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking

4 466 Bush St. (at Grant A ve.), San Francisco, CA 94108. &888/717-2881 or 415/399-9807. Fax 415/3939917. w ww.theorchardgardenhotel.com. sun holiday tours 86 units , including 9 suit es. $199 $339 double; $349 $489 suite. Rollaways $25; cribs $10. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $40. Amenities: Restaurant; bar; exercise room; concierge; courtesy sun holiday tours car; room service (limited hours); laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, dataport, free high-speed Internet access, sun holiday tours fridge, minibar, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, CD player, iPod alarm clock.

Please be advised that trav el information is subject to change at any time and this is especially true of prices. We therefore suggest that you write or call ahead for confirmation when making your travel sun holiday tours plans. The authors, editors, and publisher cannot be held r esponsible for the experiences of r eaders while trav eling. Your safety is impor tant to us, ho wever, sun holiday tours so w e encourage you to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Keep a close eye on cameras, purses, and wallets, all favorite targets of thieves and pickpockets.

Amici s East C oast Pizzeria PIZZA Located across the street from AT&T Park, this is the second S an Francisco location sun holiday tours (the other is in Co w Hollow) of this r egional pizza joint specializing in East Coast style pizzas baked in wood-fir sun holiday tours ed brick o vens. Although it s not my very favorite pizza in the city, it is pretty good, and there aren t too many other reasonably priced options near the ballpark. The menu features several other items as well, including an assortment of pastas, hearty sandwiches such as Italian sausage or eggplant parmigiana, and salads (the Caesar salad is quite tasty). With friendly waiters, crayons, and speedy service, what more could you need? Kids can get a mini cheese pizza for $7.75, or a small plate of plain noodles for just $2.50.

sex and the city hotspots tour Just because your cellphone works at home doesn t mean it ll wor k else where in the country (thanks

If y ou re in the mar ket for a rhinestone tiara or a set of chopsticks, this is nirvana. Kids lo ve all the little knickknacks: sex and the city hotspots tour you could lose many hours poking around the stores, snacking on freshly baked for tune cookies, and wandering the alleyways. S tockton S treet, sex and the city hotspots tour with its exotic grocery stores and traditional sex and the city hotspots tour herb shops, is equally alluring. Ov erall, Chinatown is great for shopping and eating, and several of its restaurants are listed in chapter 5. Given the noise and cr owds,

Just because your cellphone works at home doesn t mean it ll wor k else where in the country sex and the city hotspots tour (thanks to our nation s fragmented cellphone system). It s a good bet that y our phone will work in major cities. But take a look at y our wir eless company s co verage map on its w ebsite befor e heading out T-Mobile, S print, and N extel ar e par ticularly weak in rural areas. If you need to stay in touch at a destination wher e you know your phone won t work, rent a phone that does fr om InTouch USA (& 800/8727626; www.intouchglobal.com) or a r ental car location, but beware that you ll pay $1 a minute or more for airtime.

davis tours In this one building y ou ll find mor e top-quality lunch options than in man y entire cities. In ke

Best for Teens: The Hotel Triton (342 Grant A ve.; & 800/800-1299 or 415/394-0500) will wake up the most disaffected teenager with r ock n r oll in the lobb y and a design palette that has groovy written all over it. Rooms are small so y ou won t be sharing, but that s good for the kid who needs some space. S ee p. 73. The W H otel lobb y and bar (181 3rd St.; &888/625-5140 or 415/777-5300) is a whirlwind of activity that can be fascinating for teens. The clientele considers itself pretty hip. The location, across from Yerba Buena Center, means instant recreation for the kids at the Metreon. See p. 88. Best for Large Families: The Hyatt at Fisherman s Wharf (555 N. P oint St.; & 800/223-1234 or 415/563-1234) can set y ou up in connecting davis tours double/ doubles and on r equest will pr ovide a fridge. Even better, coin-op davis tours washers and dryers are on every floor, which, if you can get the kids to do a load, will make your r eturn home calmer. S ee p. 90. The absolute davis tours best hotel for big or extended families is The Laur el I nn (444 P residio A ve.; & 800/552-8735 or 415/567-8467), because y ou can request inter connecting r ooms with two double beds and one of the kitchenette units, creating your own custom suite. See p. 100. wakes up at 5am demanding br eakfast. Best for Long S tays: Ar ound the See p. 95. The Marina M otel (2576 Marina, the Cow H ollow M otor I nn Lombard S t.; & 800/346-6118 or & Suites (2190 Lombar d St.; & 415/ 415/921-9406) is close to two gr eat 921-5800) pr ovides apar tment-style

p. 150. A much smaller outdoor dining area next to a pleasant lawn can be found at Town s End (2 Townsend davis tours St.; &415/512-0749). See p. 123. Best Delivery: For basic I talian at terrific prices davis tours deliv ered to y our hotel or home, Pasta Pomodoro (1875 U nion St. and other locations; & 415/7717900) is a v ery good thing. I ts salads and fresh vegetables really round out a meal. See p. 137. HOW TO FEEL LIKE A SAN FRANCISCO FAMILY

4 600 St ockton St. (at C alifornia St.), San F rancisco, CA 94108. &800/241-3333 or 415/296-7465. F ax 415/291-0288. www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/san_francisco. 336 units. From $439 double; davis tours from $529 suite. Additional person $30. Rollaways and cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $62. Pets under 10 lb. welcome. Amenities: 2 restaurants; 2 bars; indoor pool; health club; c oncierge; courtesy car; business center; 24-hr. room service; massage; laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level rooms. In room: A/C, TV/DVD w/mo vies and games , datapor t, wir eless high-speed I nternet ac cess, minibar , fridge , c offeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player, iPod dock.

In this one building y ou ll find mor e top-quality lunch options than in man y entire cities. In keeping with its r ole as the epic enter of San F rancisco davis tours s food scene (p. 161), the Ferry Building davis tours entails more than a biweekly farmers market and esoteric gourmet shops selling the finest-grade olive oil, rare breed pork, or exotic fungi. davis tours Many of the cit y s best restaurants have lunch counters here, with scrumptious to go versions of their sit-down fare, and other shops pr offer unusual, irresistible take-out goodies.

national monuments in washington dc Although this Eastern-influenced hotel caters largely to corporate travelers, it holds one of the fe

Innkeepers John and Renate Kenaste, and daughter G abriele, are polite hosts who maintain some nice touches in their family-r un inn such as vintage national monuments in washington dc claw-foot tubs, an antique bird-cage elevator, and complimentar y afternoon tea with homemade cookies. The continental breakfast included in the room rate features coffee, tea, croissants, and muffins. There s also Humphrey, a friendly golden r etriever. Note: During peak months in summer, rates push the Golden Gate into the moderate price category.

When choosing a part of town in which to stay, think about family members special needs or inter ests. Perhaps a little one takes a midday nap , so a central location would be best. I f y ou hav e activ e y oung children, y ou may appr eciate the playgrounds within walking distance of Marina or N ob H ill hotels. Teens may pr efer Union S quare or S oMa for pr oximity to shopping and the Metreon. If your family s main inter ests ar e classic attractions such as Alcatraz and Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman s Wharf could be the place (although

Although this Eastern-influenced hotel caters largely to corporate travelers, it holds one of the fe w, and one of the most spacious, indoor swimming pools in the city. The pool is connected to the N ikko s health club, but the staff insists that guests tend to exercise in the early morning and evening, which means the rest of the day children can splash around freely. The pool is located in an expansive glass-roofed atrium, which also houses ex ercise equipment and J apanese hot tubs, so y ou can wor k out or enjoy a soak while y ou keep on ey e on the kids. A full-ser vice spa is set to open in 2009. Decor is tastefully understated, and rooms get a lot of natural sunlight. With a pullout sofa and guest washr oom, the N ikko s junior suites ar e quite family-friendly. E ven standard double-double rooms are large and have entryways that give the impression of more space. Views start above the 10th floor. Rooms on the three executive-level Nikko Floors also have vanities and more spacious bathrooms, and the Nikko Lounge offers national monuments in washington dc board games and Internet access, so your teenagers national monuments in washington dc can still IM their pals at home. The Nikko welcomes all pets. (Just be sure to inform the hotel if y ou plan to leave a Great Dane in y our r oom for the day , so they can aler t the housekeeping national monuments in washington dc staff!) The white marble lobby is stark, but kids will enjoy the indoor fountain, which has become a multi- currency wishing well. The hotel houses an on-site Starbucks and Anzu restaurant, which specializes in sushi and steak, but has a childr en s menu as well.