big onion walking tour AFTERNOON TEA The F airmont H otel s lo vely Laur el Cour t restaurant, with ivory pillars surroundi

Dedicated tourists should consider investing in Citypass, which includes a 7-day Muni passport big onion walking tour and tickets to several attractions all at a significant discount. You ll get admission to the California Academy of Sciences, a Blue & Gold Bay Cruise, Aquarium by the Ba y, the San F rancisco Museum of M odern Art, and the Exploratorium. Instead of the Exploratorium, you can opt to visit the de Young Museum or the L egion of Honor (or both, if y ou see them on the same day). If you can manage t o visit all of the abo ve, the Citypass price of $59 f or adults big onion walking tour and $44 for kids age 5 to 17 is very attractive. They can be purchased at the participating attractions, at the Visitor Information Center at Halladie Plaza, or online big onion walking tour at www.citypass.com.

AFTERNOON TEA The F airmont H otel s lo vely Laur el Cour t restaurant, with ivory pillars surrounding lighted domes and a low ceiling that makes the space feel quite intimate, is open for meals almost all day long. Taking the California Street cable car from the foot of Market up to Nob Hill for breakfast sounds like fun to me, but you ll spend a small fortune on your waffles or eggs. Afternoon tea is dear as well, but seems more fitting given the surroundings, and will be especially appreciated by any girls in the family. The kid s tea menu isn t exactly to code: The crustless sandwiches include peanut butter and jelly and tuna salad, and hot cider and cocoa ar e non-tea alternatives. Fairmont Hot el, 950 M ason St. (at C alifornia St.). &415/772-5259. w ww.fairmont.com. big onion walking tour K ids menu , highchairs, boosters. Reservations recommended. Tea service $34 $46, children s tea $30. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Breakfast daily 6:30 10:30am, lunch daily 11:30 2:30pm, dinner Tues Sat 6 10pm; afternoon tea daily 2:30 4:30pm. Muni: No. 1-California bus or California St. cable car to the Fairmont Hotel.

Now y ou can either walk the thr ee extremely steep blocks do wn Hyde Street toward Fisherman s Wharf, or hop back on the cable car. Either way, you ll end up at Victoria Park, a lo vely expanse of grass at the edge of the S an Francisco Bay. Walk left 1 block to G hirardelli Square, an old- time chocolate factor y now housing shops and restaurants. Since it ll be too early for ice cream, you ll have an excuse not to wait in line at the Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and

Fares on buses and str eetcars big onion walking tour are $1.50 for adults and 50 for childr en 5 to 17, seniors 65 and o ver, and disabled individuals. Kids under 5 ride fr ee. Exact change is required. When you enter the front door and drop your fare into the far e box, the driver will hand you a paper transfer, valid for up to 90 minutes of rides in any direction. Turnstiles inside the undergr ound Muni stations accept only coins; change machines are located on the walls next to the BAR T ticket dispensers. Note: F ares are higher for cable cars, the C ultureBus