visiting the white house tickets the American Conser vatory Theater gives Scrooge nightmar es in its annual per formances of A Christ

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San Francisco kids have grown up with sushi, and it s not unusual to see sushi served at lunchtime in some of the cit y s middle and upper schools. Even very young children in the city are used to accompanying their parents on sushi outings. For a fun Japanese dining experience, arrive early when the restaurant is less busy and sit your family down at the sushi bar. Your kids will love watching the sushi chef expertly patting the rice into oblong shapes and placing raw fish on top, or making visiting the white house tickets artistic rolls and slicing them ever so precisely with a very big knife. Finicky eaters may prefer leaving the hamachi (yellowtail) or spicy tuna rolls to their parents and sticking to cooked shrimp or vegetarian rolls. Many sushi restaurants also serve other Japanese dishes like tempura, teriyaki chicken, or udon noodles. Don t forget to order edamame (soybeans in the shell) to start. They re fun to eat and healthy.

the American Conser vatory Theater gives Scrooge nightmar es in its annual per formances of A Christmas C arol. The air is crisp, the temperatures cool. You won t go home with a tan, but you can have quite a bit of fun.

naval museum washington dc San Remo Hotel Built in 1906 by Bank of Italy (later Bank of America) founder A. P. Giannini, this c

2576 Lombard St. (bt w. Broderick and Divisadero sts.), San Francisco, CA 94123. &800/346-6118 or 415/921-9406. Fax 415/921-0364. w ww.marinamotel.com. 39 units. $95 $155 double; $119 $219 suit e. Kitchens available for stays of 5 nights or mor e ($10 extra). Additional person $10. Rollaways and cribs $10. AE, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Dogs welcome in some rooms ($10 per night). In room: TV, free wireless Internet access, fridge, coffeemaker, hair dryer, iron.

space with other big chains such as the Gap, Subway, Ben & Jerry s, and the International 91 House of Pancakes (which is the closest breakfast spot, unless you buy a cup of java from the coffee naval museum washington dc cart inelegantly occupying the lobby). At least the guest rooms and bathrooms are a decent size and, of course, you ve got the bay vistas to remind you that you are, in fact, in San Francisco.

4 Hotel Metropolis The Metropolis is the only hotel in S an Francisco that boasts a suite just for kids. Designed by the hotel s president, who is also a mother, the kids room of the suite has a bunk bed, a child-siz e desk, a huge chalkboar d, and loads of to ys. A bedroom for parents is connected to this miniature play land, as is a living room that can accommodate the nanny or more siblings. The suite is frequently booked and the hotel is considering adding another. If you can t get the suite, ask if any of the interconnecting doubles are available; more adventurous kids may pr efer staying in a guest r oom that actually feels like a hotel, rather than another IKEA-furnished kid s room. All rooms are compact and the bathrooms tiny, but the decor is light and fr esh. You ll find free coffee in the mornings and a complimentar y wine reception Fridays and Saturdays from 4 to 6pm.

San Remo Hotel Built in 1906 by Bank of Italy (later Bank of America) founder A. P. Giannini, this charming I talianate Victorian originally housed I talian immigrants, among others, made homeless after the ear thquake and fire. These days, European travelers and vacationing families on a budget ar e happy to find the S an Remo. An unabashedly old- fashioned pension, the period furnishings, naval museum washington dc bev eled glass, and Victorian detailing take y ou back to a bona fide slice of S an Francisco that s all but disappeared. The bedrooms, which look like they w ere decorated b y someone s grandmother, are small and quaint. R eminiscent of European boarding naval museum washington dc houses, r ooms have no phones, televisions, or en suite bathrooms. naval museum washington dc Guests share one of many polished and tidy r estrooms down the hall.

onondaga coach bus trips CHAINS & FAST FOOD You don t find a lot of national chains or ev en fast-food restaurants in any but

3 When Nature Calls: The ladies lounge at N eiman Marcus has one of the better bathrooms in to wn and is the best indoor place to nurse y our baby. Macy s also has sev eral restrooms. The big hotels are also great for bathroom breaks.

Successful onondaga coach bus trips touring with kids r equires preplanning or an extr emely mellow attitude, and preferably both. (In fact, an extr emely mellow attitude is as impor tant as a warm jacket.) Deciding beforehand, even the night before, what you d like to do each day is much preferable to winging it. Otherwise, you re going to waste time debating whether to go to Fisherman s Wharf or the zoo or Chinatown and not be prepared for any of them. Above, I listed some suggested itineraries that should help y ou plan your time in San Francisco.

CHAINS & FAST FOOD You don t find a lot of national onondaga coach bus trips chains or ev en fast-food restaurants in any but the most touristed neighborhoods, such as Union Square and Fisherman s Wharf. F or the most par t you ll find S an Franciscans, with or without kids, pr efer chef-driv en r estaurants with unique identities. As for fast food, you can t do much better than a burrito, but I do understand that kids crav e pizzas or burgers once in a while. I nstead of pointing you to the near est McDonald s, however, onondaga coach bus trips I hav e done my best to offer alternatives including locally owned diners and regional chains onondaga coach bus trips of I talian restaurants, noodle bars, and pizza parlors.

Union S quare Named for the historic plaza it encompasses, U nion Square onondaga coach bus trips is the cultural and commer cial heart of S an F rancisco. This is wher e tourists, and plenty of r esidents, come to shop. The roughly 22 square blocks bordered by Market, Mason, Bush, and Kearny str eets house S an F rancisco s

map of the mall washington dc 145 Jeff erson St. (nex t t o the Wax Museum). &415/440-5610. www.rainforestcafe.com. K ids menu , h

145 Jeff erson St. (nex t t o the Wax Museum). &415/440-5610. www.rainforestcafe.com. K ids menu , highchairs, boosters. Reservations not accepted. Main courses $11 $29; kids menu $6 7. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Sun Thurs 11am 9pm; Fri 11am 10pm; Sat 11am 11pm. Muni: F-M arket streetcar to Mason St.

(p. 130), one of the fe w good family restaurants in the area. 495 Jefferson St. (at Hyde St.), San Francisco, CA 94109. &866/415-0704 or 415/563-0800. Fax 415/5632800. www.argonauthotel.com. 252 units. $199 $249 double; $599 $1,000 suite. Kids under 17 stay free in parent s room. Rollaways $20; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $39; oversized vehicles map of the mall washington dc $54; hybrids $30. Pets welcome. Amenities: Restaurant; concierge; courtesy car; room service (6:15am midnight); babysitting; map of the mall washington dc laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level rooms. In room: A/C, TV/DVD w/movies and games, free high-speed I nternet access, minibar/fridge, coffeemaker, hair dr yer, iron, iPod dock in suites.

smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour MAY Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) is a major Mexican festiv al celebrating the B attle of P uebla again

MAY Cinco de Mayo (5th of May) is a major Mexican festiv al celebrating smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour the B attle of P uebla against F rench occupation forces in 1862. A parade down Mission Street is followed smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour by a festival at Civic Center P laza with music, ar ts, crafts, low-rider cars, and delicious food that most kids will lo ve. The parade is fr ee; the festival has a small admission charge of ar ound $5 for adults (fr ee for kids under 12). Visit www.sfcincodemayo. smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour com. This fiesta is more family-oriented than Carnaval (www.carnaval.com) later in the month, smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour which is wilder and very crowded.

4 127 Ellis St. (btw. Powell and Mason sts.), San Francisco, smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour 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: smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour Restaurant; concierge; room service (limited hours); smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour laundry service; dry cleaning. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, dataport, complimentary wireless Internet smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour access, smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour minibar, coffee- maker (on request), hair dryer, iron, safe, iPod dock.

You ll find no shor tage of noise and congestion her e, but gr een space is another matter. The actual U nion Square plaza, located within S tockton, Powell, G eary, and P ost str eets, once provided the greenery smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour that is other wise absent in the city center , but a 2002 redesign of the plaza did away with a lot of it. A t least the ne w design is better suited to hosting the squar e s fr equent art exhibits and cultural events. Also on the plaza is the TIX B ay Ar ea half- price ticket booth (see chapter 10 for more information on the TIX booth).

the Caribbean islands and r eturn to the United S tates without a visa. F urther smithsonian museum of natural history virtual tour information is av ailable fr om any U.S. embassy or consulate. Canadian citiz ens may enter the United States without visas; they need only proof of residence.

washington dc ww2 memorial Best Hotel Food: The Grand Cafe and Petit Cafe in the Hotel Monaco (501 Geary S t.; & 800/214-4220 o

San Francisco washington dc ww2 memorial Comedy D ay Celebration at G olden G ate P ark s S haron Meadow brings together at least 30 comedians washington dc ww2 memorial for a S unday afternoon full of laughter. Call & 415/820-1570 or visit www.comedyday.com.

Best Hotel Food: The Grand Cafe and Petit Cafe in the Hotel Monaco (501 Geary S t.; & 800/214-4220 or 415/292-0100) pr ovide first-class dining just an elev ator ride away. S ee p. 73. Cortez in the Hotel Adagio (550 Geary B lvd.; & 800/228-8830 washington dc ww2 memorial or 415/775-5000) offers excellent cuisine, but while the ev ening tapas menu may be too sophisticated and pricey for a family meal, br eakfasts ar e w ell ex ecuted. See p. 79. Ponzu in the Serrano Hotel (405 Taylor S t.; & 866/ 289-6561 or 415/885-2500) has a great menu of pan-Asian cuisine. S ee p. 76. The best hotel restaurant for kids has to be Puccini & Pinetti, where kids can design their own pizzas. It s next to the Hotel AbRi (127 Ellis St.; &866/ 778-6169 or 415/392-8800). S ee p. 79. The Dining Room at the Ritz-C arlton (600 Stockton St.; & 800/241-3333 or 415/296-7465) is one of the most highly rated restaurants in town. See p. 96. If P rice I s N o O bject: F or extr eme luxury and pampering, top honors go to the St. Regis (125 3rd St.; & 415/ 284-4000). washington dc ww2 memorial See p. 87. The Four Seasons (757 M arket S t.; & 415/6333000) is a close second. S ee p. 86. If you pr efer mor e traditional opulence, the Ritz-Carlton (600 S tockton S t.; & 800/241-3333 or 415/296-7465) provides a sumptuous hotel experience. See p. 96. If Price Is the Deal Breaker: The most charming budget option near U nion Square is the Golden Gate Hotel (775 Bush St.; &800/835-1118 or 415/3923702). washington dc ww2 memorial Rooms are small but clean and HOW TO FEEL LIKE A SAN FRANCISCO washington dc ww2 memorial FAMILY

Please note: Bay Ar ea R apid Transit (BART; & 415/989-2278) is not M uni. Both systems shar e the same undergr ound stations downtown, but the similarities end there. BART tickets are not valid on Muni and vice v ersa. The only M uni pass usable on BAR T is an adult $45 monthly F ast Pass, and only at cer tain BAR T stations. washington dc ww2 memorial The sleek silv er-and-blue washington dc ww2 memorial BAR T trains travel along the M arket S treet corridor , then make stops on M ission S treet (16th and 24th sts.), in G len Park, and south in Colma and the San Francisco International Airport. Other lines head to Berkeley, Oakland, and other East B ay cities. P urchase BART tickets washington dc ww2 memorial from machines inside the stations. Fare to and fr om any point within San F rancisco is $1.50; outside the city , fares range up to $5.65. F or schedules and route information, call the number abo ve or log on to the w ebsite www.bart.gov.

90 MODERATE Holiday Inn F isherman s Wharf This is one of the fe w hotels in to wn with an outdoor pool and patio, fun to have when the weather cooperates. It s the best part of the property, which sits off busy North Point Street and Columbus Avenue. The entrance is welcoming, but the guest rooms, off a poorly lit hallway, are unimpressive, and some are rather bleak. B athrooms are better; while on the small side, they include some useful amenities such as magnifying mirr ors. The in-house restaurants are mediocre, although washington dc ww2 memorial they do adhere to the Kids Eat F ree corporate promotion for guests under 12 dining with their parents. For the price, you can do better.

mule ride molokai Chinese cuisine c omes in man y guises. If the menu doesn t state what pr ovince the r ecipes hail f

This solidly residential mule ride molokai 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, and Laur el Village, almost an old-fashioned strip mall, draws crowds of locals.

444 P residio A ve. (at C alifornia St.), San F rancisco, CA 94115. &800/552-8735 or 415/567-8467. F ax 415/928-1866. www.thelaurelinn.com. 49 units. $189 $219 double. Rates include continental breakfast. Kids under 12 stay free in parent s room. Additional guests $10. Rollaways mule ride molokai $10; cribs free. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Free parking. Pets welcome w/some restrictions; call for details. Amenities: Nearby health club access ($10); laundry service; dry cleaning. mule ride molokai In room: TV/DVD, dataport, wireless Internet access, hair dryer, mule ride molokai iron, CD player.

Chinese cuisine c omes in man y guises. If the menu doesn t state what pr ovince the r ecipes hail fr om, can y ou t ell y our Shanghai fr om y our Sz echuan? Here s a little cheat sheet y ou can use t o impress your kids.