We have been meaning to go to the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center for a while. We stopped by on…read moreour way back from Sausalito. It was really busy and there isn't a ton of parking. Luckily, people were coming and going constantly. So we were able to get a parking spot right by the welcome center. Once you park you have to pay for how long you intend to park there. We thought we would need only 45 minutes, which worked out perfectly. It was a little over $3 for 45 minutes. The welcome center is big inside and offers information about the bridge's history, science, and engineering through displays, photo's and videos. They sell tons of souvenirs all related to the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco. I found a nice navy blue zip-up hoodie that I bought for myself. Checkout was fast and easy and all the employees were very nice and helpful. You can get a lot of nice photos, outside, of the Golden Gate Bridge. We took a few selfies. There is a coffee shop called the round house cafe across from the welcome center that sells coffee, beverages and food. There are also public restrooms available there. It was a beautiful day to be out there. The view of the bridge was so clear and beautiful.

Even though I grew up here, my whole life, I've actually never been to this particular game…read morewelcoming center! Lol since my sister-in-law was visiting from Florida, we decided to do the tourist thing and take her to other iconic places in San Francisco!! There's a day pass parking spot. You can get a lot of people end up getting dropped off by Uber or to buses. Since there were three of us, my boyfriend stayed in the car as we walked around and took pictures! Then we rotated so we didn't have to pay for the parking pass. Lol. We never went in the gift shop so I never looked, but I could see from the outside. They had a lot of the iconic San Francisco paraphernalia along with books and historical references and kids toys and items for purchase. The view was really nice and there's a cool lookout spot where if you can get the angle right it looks like you're on top of the cloud. We waited in line to take the pictures we have of the bridge, everybody was really polite as they all waited in little groups behind and lined up down the walkway. Lol granted there were some influencers around and they spent about five minutes, taking poses and doing dances in front of us, but I guess that's what they do for the gram?! Hee

These are the cleanest public bathrooms in SF. I recommend it if you are at Ocean Beach.read more

The Metro is an old Victorian hotel, redone for your comfort, but keeping its cool style. There is…read morenot another hotel like this in the area. It is sort of Midtown, I think of it has the Haight area. They have a killer Italian eatery downstairs. You want to try that. It is within walking distance to the Golden Gate Park and great shops and food. The rooms are so pretty and they are spotless. The beds are great and the rooms are not huge, but you won't care. I don't think they have AC. I did not need it, we had a fan, but I would ask about it in the summer months. It has everything you need and the staff is wonderful. They will guide you to where ever you want to go. There is so much to do right around there. The prices are fair. I loved the little seating area we had with great Victorian chairs.

The Metro Hotel is fantastic and perfectly located. It's within walking distance of Haight Street…read moreand the Painted Ladies, and every direction offers great views and plenty of parks. The neighborhood is full of coffee shops and eateries just step outside and explore. We've stayed in several rooms at different times, and each one is uniquely designed and spotless. The staff is friendly and very helpful. Can't wait for my next stay at the Metro.

Carl and Dan's Chevron was on 34th Ave and Geary, Always…read moreexcellent service with the best auto repairs. tHank you Dan, best regards DRR

Not open 24 hours. The attendant inside waved me off at 5:30am. No explanation. Very ruderead more

Two things our daughter enjoys - flights and hotels. This holiday we decided to ditch the flight…read moreand stay close to home. With that, we needed to find a hotel worthy of our daughter's standards. Plans of a concert and beach play, for her, began our hotel search in San Francisco. The search ended with photos offering separate spaces for the two people who need them the most - my daughter and husband. Our little person is as independent as can be, enjoying space to exist and explore without constant eyes, navigating entertainment without having to share and access to snacks and her cold thermos of water. Clift Royal Sonesta provided that. With two separate living spaces in the Two Queen Bed Junior Suite, she was able to do just that. The long comfy sofa, oversized window, smart tv, refrigerator and multiple desks and end tables in the living area allowed us to give that to her. The smart tv, oversized window and luxurious bed and bedding afforded my husband the opportunity to relax without interruption enjoying his entertainment. The man at check in was professional, shared dining and room credit information. The woman at check out was friendly and reviewed our final bill to apply unused credits. With the Sonesta Travel Pass (hotel's membership) you receive complimentary premium WiFi, otherwise it is $9.95/day with basic WiFi offered complimentary. The Travel Pass is free to sign up for and sent to your email upon checking in. There is no onsite parking, nor street parking in front of the hotel. Parking options are three parking garages within the vicinity ranging from $38 to $60 a day. The garage of Mason & O'Farrell is the cheapest at $38, filling up quicker than the others we were told. At this location there are in/out privileges for $43, speak to an attendant to access. On Sundays and holidays, metered street parking is free if you are able to find a nearby open spot - we were. The Redwood Room is an onsite lounge providing a cocktail bar and small bites - purposed for an evening affair. Fredericks is an onsite American cafe serving coffee, pastries and comfort food til 11a or noon. There is no room service available. You can order online, over the phone or in person to go. In person ordering allows you to hear about specials not provided online. Depending on the room you book and special offer, your booking is comped with X amount of dollars in room credit to use at the bar and for food. If you have a little person with a limited palette there are plenty of eating options from Super Duper to a convenience store, Ghirardelli's and Trader Joe's. The Bart line is within walking distance and opens up these options immensely. The interior of Clift Royal Sonesta is historic - compliment and not. The convenience of charging is not adapt as USB ports do not support USB-C cables - a popular charging cable utilized for at least the last 3 years. Ensure you bring your outlet block to support your cable. The walls are extremely thin, you can hear the wheels of housekeeping carts bumping across the floor at 4:45a, the conversations of connecting rooms and people walking down the hall. The exterior of Clift Royal Sonesta is noisy with traffic, excessively loud music, constant honking and chatter from bystanders beginning early morning. My preference for a stay is a serene environment to increase the assurance of well being, sleep and solitude for ourselves. Onsite valet is preferred, at minimum onsite parking, a feature I did not take the time to notice when booking here. The likelihood of rebooking is gravely slim; however, if we needed to book in this area The Clift Royal Sonesta would be our stay.

The Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 was a year-long party San Francisco threw to…read morecelebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, and to prove to the world that, after the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906, San Francisco was back. The Clift was built in anticipation of the influx of visitors who would surely need someplace to stay. After more than a century, this grande dame is still welcoming guests with style and grace. Though the lobby is more contemporary, once you get upstairs, you can still feel what it must have been like once upon a time. You'll find the staff friendly and helpful, and you can't beat the location: in the same block as The Curran Theatre and ACT's Toni Rembe Theater (f.k.a. the Geary), and just a short walk from Union Square. If the play's the thing, the Clift is the hotel. If you're looking for up-to-the-minute everything, look elsewhere. You'll find electrical outlets and USB ports near the bedside, and the bathrooms are updated. I found the bedding comfortable. But the charm of the Clift is the way it transports you to an earlier time. Artwork in the halls and rooms recalls the 1915 World's Fair. The Redwood Room off the lobby (see my separate review) offers an Art Deco escape from 21st century madness. Federicks, their breakfast salon, is also pretty good (see my separate review). Caveat: Not all rooms have a desk space where you could sit and open a laptop to work. If you need this, be sure to say so when booking and at check-in. Room rates are dynamic, but when I've done a weekend staycation here, they are usually a bit less than what you might pay at another first-class hotel in the Union Square area. The Clift is part of The Hotel Collection by American Express, so if you book through the AmEx Travel Portal, there are some extra perks, especially if you are an AmEx Platinum cardmember. History, charm, a prime location, an attentive staff, one of the best spots for a cocktail (or a mocktail) ... what more do you want from a hotel?

I had a meeting with some guests who were staying at the Hotel Kabuki just a few days ago. I have…read moreto say, the lobby area is extremely charming with tasteful decor. Obviously others thought so since it had quite a few people lounging about. Guests were enjoying breakfast in the back area on the ground floor when I arrived. Plus the decor didn't stop at the lobby. It continued on in the hallways with pretty prints or photos transporting visitors to Japan. A small center open space had nice greenery/plants. A calm atmosphere in the middle of the City,if I can't make it to Japan for a vacation it might be nice to have a staycation at the Hotel Kabuki (a Hyatt property).

In the heart of Japan town, the mall is attached to this hotel and the lobby itself is modern and…read morehas a campy lodge feel. The gym is well equipped and there is a complimentary latte machine. My room was the corner king and is in the same tier as a Hyatt place in terms of the layout and feel. The bed was comfortable, but the acoustics are terrible. I could hear closet doors opening everything on the street dogs barking from several rooms away etc. The hotel had air plugs in my night stand so this must be a well known problem. Breakfast is not included, and the dining options within the hotel are limited.

World-class 4-star hotel…read more I try to take a staycation and stay at the Omni once a year or so. This past weekend was a superlative experience, as usual. Extremely warm welcome at the front desk, starting the visit off right. Free drink coupon (coffee or beer), fridge delivered up to your room if they have one available, and welcome note in the room. Speaking of the rooms, they are spacious, feature classical design, a large LG television, and a nice closet and bathroom. The beds are very comfortable and make for good nights' sleeps. The heat/AC works well. The only slight downgrade would be for the fitness center, which is merely fine in today's ecosystem. Dumbbells go up to 70s, Pelotons, pull-up bar, a couple benches. Could use heavier weights and more options for legs. Rates are currently fantastic for weekends, and Omni might well be the best value hotel in San Francisco. Can't wait to return. P.S. Visit Monte's Bar at night for great people watching, good drinks (expensive, but well made cocktails), and a diverse crowd.

Congratulations to beautiful bride…read more Such an honor to be there on your special day "Makeup & Hair Design" The Omni Hotel is so beautiful with all is deco. All the employees was helpful and sweet. A must visit hotel.

After more than 20 years of visiting San Francisco and typically staying around Nob Hill, I never…read morethought I'd find myself choosing a hotel near Fisherman's Wharf. I'm glad I did. Argonaut Hotel is a beautiful property with a fascinating history, housed in a historic waterfront warehouse that gives the hotel a unique character you don't find in many chain hotels. The nautical theme could easily feel gimmicky, but here it feels thoughtful and well-executed. The location is hard to beat. You're steps from Fisherman's Wharf, a short walk to Ghirardelli Square, and practically next door to Buena Vista Cafe. It made exploring the waterfront incredibly easy, especially with kids. Speaking of kids, we traveled with ours, and for the first couple of days they were still operating on East Coast time. That meant some very early mornings, and I'm sure a few of our neighboring rooms would have preferred a little more sleep. Thankfully, the hotel felt welcoming to families, and we never felt out of place traveling with children. The rooms were spacious, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed. After long days exploring the city, it was nice to come back to a room that didn't feel cramped. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed staying in this part of the city. Yes, it's touristy, but it's also lively, convenient, and full of classic San Francisco experiences. It was a very different experience from our usual Nob Hill stays, but in a good way. I would absolutely stay here again.

The rooms, location, and restaurant are all excellent. Never had such a spacious room in the city!…read moreAnd the bus, streetcar, and cable car lines are so close by it may as well be a transit center. We drive up to San Francisco every summer to visit family and friends, and this year we decided to stay at the Argonaut on Fisherman's Wharf as we wanted a more touristy experience and so we could be close to our old office buildings to show the kid, especially since this was our first trip with our 8 month old. Unfortunately, the valet/arrival/departure experience was a major disappointment, to the point where we canceled our plans with our friends in the peninsula as the valet mentioned that the next day could be just as bad. The valet entrance is located on Jefferson Street just off Hyde, and the small loading area fills up quickly. Between guests unloading luggage, cars abandoned by valet, and limited space, traffic backs up fast. Keep in mind this is a one lane street with 4 parking spots in front for valet that they parked 6 cars haphazardly into and on the regular circuit course for converibles, tour buses, and Port vehicles. It was chaotic, with frequent circling, honking, yelling, enging reving, congestion, calling a hotel lobby to get a recorded line that wasn't of any help, and a now crying baby. And to top it all off, on departure I get back a scratched up key fob. While we enjoyed many aspects of the hotel, the stressful arrival experience was significant enough that we will be going back to the nearby Marriott which has a much better parking situation as well as free local desserts, coffees, and events for guests. If you have a car please look elsewhere for accommodations. If not, its a great location and the restaurant and cleaning staff were very courteous and kind. Front desk and valet were disappointing.

Certain people come into your lives and they break your heart open - with goodness…read more I dedicate this review to GT Jimmy - my friend and my driver on my Green Tortoise trip - back when. To be honest it's hard sometimes for me to remember a time when I excitedly plunged myself into an epic adventure with 27 strangers - on one very special bus. Nowadays - I'd pack way too much: my special pillow, my favorite travel blanket, art supplies, Tylenol PM, too many clothes and 'just incases' crammed beside an excessive amount of toiletries. But back then - I was different. I craved the freedom of not knowing what to expect. I don't remember wearing any makeup. Donned my favorite worn jeans, a Grateful Dead hat, and my puffy red coat - the whole time. And I didn't miss a thing. I didn't want for anything. The food was delicious and perfect. The company was friendly and warm. The music was lulling and inspiring. The sights were breathtaking. The bus was comfortable and cozy. And our gentle hearted leader and driver - Jimmy - guided us with humility and quick witted humor - into the desert and beyond. I miss those days of letting go - and letting the bus just take you there. Trust.

I hope they are still open after all these years! I took a Death Valley trip and a Yosemite trip…read morelater. They were both awesome!