tour of mt nebo September and O ctober are usually great months in S an F rancisco; the fog disappears and the air i

September and O ctober are usually great months in S an F rancisco; the fog disappears and the air is warm. O f course, school schedules may be an issue, but perhaps you can fit in a long w eekend in the city. Fall brings a huge spike in conventions, but business is normally conducted during the w eek, leaving hotels to offer weekend packages and discounts.

Finds ITALIAN So you brought the kids to N orth Beach and you just want a nice Italian restaurant where you can have a tasty, reasonably priced meal? And each tiny restaurant is already full and the street is jammed with other hungry- looking tourists? H ere s a hint: G et away fr om the cr owds and star t heading up U nion Street (and I do mean up the hill is quite steep) 2 blocks to this quaint, family-owned eatery. Trattoria tour of mt nebo Contadina isn t exactly spacious, and you may still wait if you don t have reservations, but the r estaurant does hav e more tables and a mor e welcoming feel than many of its counterpar ts on Columbus S treet. In keeping with the ma-and-pa atmosphere, the food is hear ty and no nonsense. The linguini with co-o wner Anna M aria s homemade Italian meatballs will take you back to your own childhood, and the spinach, meat- and cheese-filled ravioli, ser ved in a por cini mushroom cream sauce, is rich and delicious. There s no kids menu, but the kitchen will happily serve up half orders at this very family-friendly trattoria. 1800 M ason St. (at Union St.). &415/982-5728. www.trattoriacontadina.com. H ighchairs, tour of mt nebo boost ers. Reservations r ecommended. M ain c ourses $14 $27. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Sun Thurs 5 9pm; F ri Sat 5 9:30pm. Muni: Powell-Mason cable car to Union St., or no. 30-Stockton bus to Union St., and then walk west (up) 2 blocks.