If you liked to rest from the summer heat in the bay, why not head to San Francisco? It is the fourth most popular city in the United States and completely different from the rest of California. In terms of weather, it is much colder than the rest of the state and cold summer fog is a frequent occurrence there. The city is calm, which makes your visit to it more comfortable.
One of the great places to stay is the Fairmont Hotel (one of San Francisco landmarks) that has been on the top of the Nob Hill area since 1906. Its central location on top of Union Square at the tram junction makes it an ideal base for exploring the city. The hotel contains 591 rooms, divided between the main hotel building and the “tower” (all rooms in the tower were recently renovated to a high level).
Despite its size and grandeur, the hotel still has a homely feel, aided by its cozy interior and nice staff. Due to the high location of the hotel, most rooms have great views, either of the city or the bay towards the Golden Gate and Alcatraz Bridge. Even its basic room has a good space and offers all the facilities that you may need (we recommend you join the “Fairmont President” Club, which allows you to use free Wi-Fi technology at any of the chain hotels). The hotel also includes a group of good restaurants if you do not want to try one of the city’s many restaurants. This includes the Centro Café, located on the side of the hotel, and the perfect place for a quick breakfast before going out for the rest of the day (and I think it serves the best milk coffee in San Francisco!)
There is so much to do in San Francisco, where time is the only barrier! But be sure to wear walking shoes as many of the city’s streets are very steep. A great alternative to go sightseeing is the “Gokars Tours”. These are small yellow cars that can be used to walk on one of three roads around the city and the surrounding area. These cars can accommodate two people and include a GPS device that not only tells you your destination, but also provides a comment about the sights and attractions in the itinerary.
You can also go off the lane – but be careful, as ramps and trams can make you pass fun experiences, including getting out to drive the car! We took the “Urban Parks” road that includes driving under the Golden Gate Bridge along the Alcatraz Island along the shores of the Pacific Ocean and across the Golden Gate Park and down to the famous winding Lombard Street. I recommend this as a different way to explore, especially for first time visitors in San Francisco. We went in a convoy of three cars and it was a wonderful day.
If you want to explore further, you can also go out on a trip to the Napa Valley which is about an hour and a half from San Francisco, and enjoys beautiful scenery and is famous for vineyards. You can also stop in some great takeaway stores and farm stores along the way for lunch. There are a number of companies that operate excursions, including options such as traveling in a Hummer limousine, luxury bus, or tour bus style bands!
