pictures of washington dc monuments 28 By Car You can get to S an Francisco along thr ee major highways. Interstate 5 runs through the c

wild animals, and flights of fancy. It usually takes place at the end of the month, but sometimes occurs in O ctober. Admission is fr ee, but donations ar e appreciated. Call & 415/512-1899 or visit www.leap4kids.org.

950 M ason St. (at C alifornia St.), San F rancisco, CA 94108. & 800/441-1414 pictures of washington dc monuments or 415/772-5000. F ax. 95 415/772-5013. w ww.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco. 591 units. $199 $499 double; fr om $500 suit e. K ids under 17 sta y fr ee in par ent s r oom. Rolla ways $30; cribs fr ee. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park ing $50. Amenities: 2 r estaurants; out door t errace; bar ; c oncierge; business c enter; salon; 24-hr. r oom ser vice; babysitting; laundry service; dry cleaning; complimentary morning coffee and tea in lobby. In room: A/C, TV/DVD and games, fax, dataport, high-speed Internet access, minibar, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player, iPod dock in suites.

28 By Car You can get to S an Francisco along thr ee major highways. Interstate 5 runs through the center of the state and intersects pictures of washington dc monuments with Interstate 580, which leads to Interstate 80 to the B ay B ridge. The driv e fr om Los Angeles to San Francisco on I-5 is about 6 hours, pictures of washington dc monuments and there aren t many places to stop for food, so plan accor dingly. H ighway 101 is the other major r oadway fr om Southern California, and it s the r oute to use for reaching Marin County, Napa, and Sonoma, and other points pictures of washington dc monuments nor th. The drive from Los Angeles to S an Francisco pictures of washington dc monuments on 101 takes 7 hours if y ou don t stop along the way. If you are taking pictures of washington dc monuments a leisurely pictures of washington dc monuments drive thr ough California, pictures of washington dc monuments H ighway 1, which r uns along the coast, is the most scenic route and takes y ou by Santa Cruz and M onterey, both fun cities for kids. The trip takes at least 8 hours. Approach the city with patience if y ou have decided to motor her e. The freeways seem to become mor e crowded every day, and afternoon r ush hour on the B ay Bridge is a misnomer: pictures of washington dc monuments no one r ushes anywhere. Traffic on the G olden Gate Bridge on the w eekends is also pr etty dr eadful. Make sure the kids hav e plenty of things to do in the car por table cassette or CD players with books on tape and music ar e nearly as important as a spare tire. Drivers arriving fr om the east will cr oss the Bay Bridge ($4 toll) and head to ward downtown on 5th S treet or to ward North Beach and F isherman s Wharf on F remont Street. Cars coming fr om the south on Highway 101 will see the city skyline on their left a few miles past Monster Park (the former Candlestick Park). Downtown exits here are either 7th or 4th str eets. If you re driving from the coast heading south, you ll enter S an F rancisco b y the G olden G ate Bridge. O nce y ou pass the tollbooth pictures of washington dc monuments ($6 toll unless thr ee or mor e of y ou driv e through on a weekday between 4 and 6pm; at that time it s fr ee for carpoolers), exit along the bay to Van Ness Avenue.

The S errano is one of the mor e family-friendly options in the neighborhood. The richly colored Spanish Revival lobby isn t overwhelmingly large, and cozy seating under a beamed ceiling is arranged in small groups. During the complimentary evening wine reception, a tarot card reader drops by to entertain. As at most Kimpton hotels, one TV channel is dedicated to y oga, and a complimentar y yoga basket is available. Guests can borrow games from an extensive game library to play in the lobb y or in their rooms. In keeping with the whimsical theme, y ou ll find yo-yos, mini Etch A S ketches, and car ds, all for a fee, in the minibars. Another unique per k for y oung families are complimentary strollers and booster seats. Check the w ebsite for family and pet packages. The building dates from the 1920s, although it was entirely renovated in 1999. Rooms are lushly designed with warm colors and patterns, double-paned windo ws, and small, well-stocked bathr ooms. D ouble-doubles ar e too small for a family of four. I nstead, consider a queen delux e with a connecting double-double (best for large families); an executive king with a bed, sofa bed, and large marble bathr oom; or a suite. The suites have a king-size bed and king-size sofa bed, each in its o wn room. Corner rooms have views and are a bit more spacious. The hotel s Ponzu restaurant serves breakfast and tasty Asian-inspired dinner dishes.