vietnam memorial washington dc 576 Union St. (btw. Stockton and Grant sts.). &415/391-6667. No credit cards. Cups $3.25 $4.65. Sun

576 Union St. (btw. Stockton and Grant sts.). &415/391-6667. No credit cards. Cups $3.25 $4.65. Sun Thurs noon 10pm; F ri Sat noon 11pm. Muni: P owell-Mason cable car t o Union St., and then walk 2 blocks east, or no. 30-Stockton bus to Union St., and then walk 1 block east.

Fisherman s Wharf This is one of the country s most popular tourist attractions, just behind D isneyworld and Disneyland. D epending on wher e y ou are in F isherman s Wharf, it can feel a lot like D isneyland as w ell. S tretching from Van Ness Avenue to Kearny Street, and fr om the piers to B ay S treet, the wharf is home to PIER 39, a conglomeration of tacky tourist shops and o verpriced r estaurants. The pier cer tainly has a lot for kids to lo ve, including an aquarium; a carousel; playful stores like Puppets on the Pier; an endless array of chocolate, ice cream, and cookie shops; and the noisy, smelly, but irresistible sea lions. S teps away fr om the pier , the cheesy attractions continue, with places like Rainforest Cafe offering lackluster food in a gimmicky environment.

1 Ferry Building (at Embar cadero). &866/328-3663. w ww.taylorsrefresher.com. H ighchairs. Reser vations not ac cepted. M ain c ourses $4 $14. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 10:30am 10pm. Muni: F-M arket streetcar or any Market St. streetcar to Embarcadero Station.

sacsayhuamán ruins 2001 Thai Stick THAI The name of this place is so bad that I passed b y it for years before a friend

Crepevine Finds AMERICAN/CREPES This is where we take the kids on a w eekend day when we re on the way to or from the playground and we want a place where we can get a table, order quickly, and enjoy healthy, well-prepared food everyone will like. Although it s always packed on weekends, the ambitious host works hard to gets patrons seated quickly and, given the restaurant sacsayhuamán ruins s large size, he usually does. While you wait for the table, peruse the massive menu board above the counter. The crepes that give the place its names ar e all good the Californian with av ocado, cheddar, and salsa is quite tasty and the kids love the simple ham and cheese combo as are the omelets, salads, and sandwiches. The food will be served quickly, in hearty portions, and you ll soon be fortified for more sightseeing or, should the fashion-conscious sacsayhuamán ruins members of y our family prevail, for some boutique window shopping on Fillmore Street. Other locations are in Noe Valley sacsayhuamán ruins and the Sunset.

2001 Thai Stick THAI The name of this place is so bad that I passed b y it for years before a friend who lives in the neighborhood assured me that the food is actually quite good, and perfect for a casual family meal. H e was right. My kids gobbled up their pad Thai and loved the spring rolls. My green curry with chicken was lightly spiced and had the smooth creaminess of coconut milk without being too rich. I t was perfect. My husband loved the pork in peanut sauce. Even better was the price.

MODERATE Pazzia ITALIAN This restaurant, a quick walk from the Yerba Buena Center and the Museum of Modern Art, serves simple and satisfying dishes like excellent pizza, delicious pasta, and roasted meats and chicken. The uncomplicated menu is a delightful California twist on traditional Italian fare. The staff is warm and friendly to kids, and it s definitely a family-oriented sacsayhuamán ruins little place. If you re in the area and want a real, sit-down meal, there s no better pick for the price.

picture of vietnam memorial When Nature Calls: The best public r estroom here is on the H yde Street Pier. Public bathrooms are

4 127 Ellis St. (btw. Powell picture of vietnam memorial and Mason sts.), San Francisco, CA 94102. &866/778-6169 or 415/392-8800. Fax 415/398-2650. www.monticelloinn.com. 91 units, including 28 suites. $209 double; $249 $359 suite. Kids under 18 stay free in parent s room. No rollaways; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $43; oversized vehicles $53. Amenities: Restaurant; concierge; room service (limited hours); laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, dataport, complimentary wireless Internet access, minibar, coffee- maker (on request), hair dryer, iron, safe, iPod dock.

5 Building 563 Rutger St. (in the P residio, just inside the L ombard Gate). & 415/885-1888. w ww.presidio socialclub.com. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations recommended. Main courses $18 $23 dinner, $10 $16 brunch. V, MC, AE. Dinner Sun Thurs 5:30 9:30pm; F ri Sat 5:30 10:30pm; brunch Sat Sun 10am 2pm. Muni: No. 43-Masonic bus to Lombard and Lyon sts. Walk through picture of vietnam memorial Lombard Gate into Presidio; restaurant uphill to the left.

When Nature Calls: The best public r estroom here is on the H yde Street Pier. Public bathrooms are also located on the second floor of The Cannery, at Ghirardelli, and on PIER 39. Nursing moms will have to grab a blanket and a bench. Try the courtyard at The Cannery or the east side of P IER 39.

58 Chocolate Shop (p. 244). I nstead, take in the view of the bay and Alcatraz Island and walk do wn thr ough Victoria P ark to the water s edge. A t any time of day , y ou re likely to find har dy (or perhaps just crazy) souls swimming in the frigid 50-something degree waters, often without wetsuits. Many are part of the D olphin Club, founded by German immigrants in 1877, whose clubhouse now sits on the Hyde Street Pier.

jt tours VIETNAMESE This may well be the most popular r estaurant in San Francisco. No matter that it has twi

With so many tantalizing options, it would be a shame to stick to pizza simply because y ou hav e the kids in to w although S an F rancisco does hav e some excellent pizzerias, which are listed in this chapter. E xperiencing the city s fabulous food needn t deplete y our wallet; jt tours ethnic restaurants ar e often inexpensiv e, and many moderately priced r estaurants ar e home to capable, aspiring y oung chefs. Likewise, many of the city s best chefs, whose original r estaurants may be fairly grown-up, jt tours also hav e casual eateries wher e they can sho wcase their talent at mor e affordable prices.

VIETNAMESE This may well be the most popular r estaurant in San Francisco. No matter that it has twice r elocated to bigger spaces, mo ving from its original site in the M ission to a larger space in the E mbarcadero to its curr ent location in an enormous corner of the F erry B uilding. The huge space, o verlooking the water and framed by walls of glass, is still nearly impossible to get into without reservations. Even the expansive bar ar ea has an hour-long wait on w eekend evenings. But fame has not made Charles Phan, the owner behind this success story, rest on his laurels. The restaurant continues to produce mouth-watering delicacies based on traditional Vietnamese dishes such

capitol of washington dc 2 Townsend St. (at Embarcadero). &415/512-0749. www.townsend-restaurant.com. Highchairs, boosters. R

2 Townsend capitol of washington dc St. (at Embarcadero). &415/512-0749. www.townsend-restaurant.com. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations recommended. Main courses $6.50 $12 brunch, $11 $23 dinner; prix-fixe $22 ($18 on Tues). capitol of washington dc AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast Tues Fri 7:30 11am, lunch 11:30am 2pm, dinner Tues Thurs 5:30 9pm and Fri Sat 5:30 9:30pm; Sat Sun 8am 2:30pm. Muni: N-Judah streetcar to Brannan Station, and then walk south toward Townsend St.

V. Valet parking $39; oversized vehicles up to $75. Amenities: Restaurant; exercise room; courtesy car; business capitol of washington dc center; room service (limited hours); massage (in-room); babysitting; laundry service; same-day dry cleaning; executive-level rooms. In room: Portable A/C, TV w/movies and video games, dataport, free high-speed Internet access, minibar/fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron, safe, CD player, iPod dock. Hotel Bijou Movie-loving families can check out the 10-seat scr eening r oom, Le Petit Theatre Bijou, off the hotel lobby. A double bill of films shot in San Francisco plays every evening at 7 and 9:30pm. The hotel will also featur e kids movies on request at other times of the day. There s even a candy counter at the front desk, and coffee available any time of day.

big onion walking tour This solidly residential neighborhood is a good choice for young families or anyone who wants r espi

MODERATE Nob Hill Inn Finds One of the only moderately priced accommodations big onion walking tour on Nob Hill is also an excellent big onion walking tour option for families. big onion walking tour Built more than a hundred years ago as a private home, the 21-unit inn has been r efurbished in Victorian-era antiques, r eproduction artwork, top-quality fabrics and a charming big onion walking tour antique elev ator. Antiques and little children may not seem to go together, but what the Nob Hill has going for it are a number of suites with one or two bedr ooms and a sofa sleeper in the living r oom. Most of these suites have a kitchenette complete with a cooking range, sink, r efrigerator, microwave

This solidly residential neighborhood is a good choice for young families or anyone who wants r espite fr om the urban jungle. S acramento S treet shopping has something for everyone, kids included, big onion walking tour and Laur el Village, almost big onion walking tour an old-fashioned strip mall, draws crowds of locals.

126 comes on trays, the music is loud, and the price is right. O n a sunny day , choose an outdoor table and order one of the awesome milk shakes or a root beer float all made with San Francisco s luscious Double Rainbow ice cream.

washington dc best museums Financial D istrict E ncompassing prime r eal estate r oughly betw een Montgomery Street and the E m

remains one of the largest bridges in the world and carries more than 270,000 vehicles each da y more traffic than an y other t oll bridge. 1937 The Golden G ate Bridge opens t o pedestrian traffic on M ay 26 and t o

Financial D istrict E ncompassing prime r eal estate r oughly betw een Montgomery Street and the E mbarcadero on the w est side of M arket Street, the F inancial D istrict is the business center of San Francisco. The once-controversial Transamerica P yramid at Montgomery and Clay str eets is a skyline landmark, worth a closer look for the miniatur e for est of r edwood tr ees planted next to the building on the east side. Eating lunch ar ound here is easy: