San Francisco California Hotels

San Francisco California Hotels - City Information

The popular Journey song “Lights” lyrics are “I want to get back to my City by the Bay”. These lyrics describe author Steve Perry’s yearning for his home, San Francisco, California. Ask your friends who have already visited this city and they will surely have the same sentiment!

Located in northern California with Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay frontage, many of the San Francisco CA hotels, restaurants and attractions have amazing water views. The city is easily reached by plane, train, bus, automobile or boat. San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has many nearby San Francisco California hotels, and offers flights on over forty airlines. It’s an easy ride on the BART train (Bay Area Rapid Transit) from the airport into the city, often just a short walk to your hotel. To explore the areas surrounding the city it is helpful to have a car – for instance, the Napa Valley to the north and Carmel and Monterrey to its south. However, exploration of the city itself can be accomplished by walking or public transportation; don’t miss riding the famous cable cars!

Once you have seen the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, you will know your holiday has really begun! Put on your favorite walking shoes and begin exploring the Embarcadero, Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf – don’t miss the Sea Lions, the delicious clam chowder and Boudin’s famous sourdough bread! Be sure to visit the historic North Beach district, San Francisco’s Little Italy. You will swear you are in a little Italian village with quaint shops and authentic bakeries. Take a short bus ride to sample delicious chocolate treats and browse through Ghirardelli Square; sit on a park bench and take in the remarkable view of Golden Gate Bridge and the Bay. Then walk a couple blocks to take a photo of the iconic crooked Lombard Street.

Make sure that you take a boat out to infamous Alcatraz Island to tour its notorious prison; you will be rewarded with some great San Francisco history along with incredible views of the city’s skyline. Stroll through Chinatown to see unusual foods and immerse yourself in the culture. Getting around the city has never been easier with cablecars, streetcars and busses. Keep this in mind as you are searching our Hotels tab at the top of this page for accommodations. There are hotels everywhere and all the chains are represented. You can find discounted rates if you spend some time. There are also wonderful boutique hotels in beautifully restored buildings. Views can be tremendous, so don’t assume, for example, that Financial District hotels are boring and just for business travelers. Let our City Guide be your source for discount hotel and activity planning – it will be well worth it!

Need more to do? How about taking the family to the Exploratorium where you can learn about the ocean, outer space and everything in between. The San Francisco Zoo features 250 different species and a six-acre Children’s Zoo where you can see friendly Meerkats. There are all sorts of things to do at Golden Gate Park, including museums, a Japanese Tea Garden, children’s playground areas and more – it’s easy to spend hours exploring this 1,000 acre urban oasis.

Depending on the season you have a variety of professional sports from which to choose: the 49ers for football, Golden State Warriors for basketball and two choices for baseball, the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland A’s. For convenience, select one of our discount hotels close to the sporting venue you will be attending - we offer them all!

Museums such as the Legion of Honor and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art will fill your need for culture with their exhibits. Take in a performance at the San Francisco Opera, the second largest in North America. It almost goes without saying that San Francisco is a gastronomic wonderland – all cuisines are represented here, from casual eateries to fine dining. With all the walking, who’s counting calories?

Other things you might want to do include taking a picture of the Haight-Ashbury District street signs to remind you of the 1960s hippie era, and visiting Muir Woods, a nearby outdoor sanctuary where you can take an easy hike surrounded by old-growth coastal redwood trees, tallest in the world. A quick hour drive will bring you to gorgeous Napa Valley wine country for unbelievable scenery and tastings of the best California wines.

Don’t be surprised if San Francisco steals your heart. It is urban sophistication with spectacular water views, a perfect locale for your best vacation. Start planning your visit with OneTravelSource.com.