The Chancellor is right on Union Square, and an easy tram or walk down to Fisherman's Wharf. It's a historical boutique hotel, lots of character, and pretty reasonable considering the location. Just don't expect a large, modern room.
Just got back from San Fran with my wife and 1 year old daughter:
- Use UBER or LYFT when you land. Pickup is terminal one of departures. Much cheaper and easier then cabs
- we stayed at the Hotel Zephyr. Can’t beat the location and hotel was pretty nice. No pool, but a block from the pier. Price was good for San Fran (220ish)
- Try and catch a Giants game. Seriously was the best part of the trip. Even if not a baseball fan, it was one of the best stadiums I have been too.
-try and get out on the Bay. We did a 2 hour one for ~60 American. If the weather is good, it’s an amazing experience
- you can hit most of the tourist stuff in a day. Golden Gate, Lombard Street, Pier 39, Coit Tower.
I would recommend not staying near Fisherman’s Wharf. It is insanely tourististy and overrun. Plus, you can easily walk there if you stay somewhere nicer a bit south (the Union Square area is popular as well, but less grunge, and EASY walking distance.
I much prefer to be in the tourist area of San Fran. Lots of fun in the area, anything else is a cab ride away.
I have stayed at the Argonaut hotel several times, prices vary.
Among things not yet mentioned, the Walt Disney Family Museum was surprisingly interesting. Also, the Japanese Tea Garden is as relaxing a walk as the name implies.
I stayed near Union Square and thought that was a great location. Lots of interesting things around and not as tacky touristy as Fisherman's Wharf. We did visit the wharf one day, but that was enough for me.
We went to Alcatraz (day trip) and it was great. Definitely buy tickets ahead. We also went out to Napa Valley one day on the "wine train." We did an evening ghost stories walking tour near out hotel and another walking tour of Chinatown. We took a ride on the street cars and went to Lombard Street, but walked it instead of driving, so that we could stop and enjoy the view as much as we wanted without getting in others' way. We went to a cheap tickets booth at Union Square and got tickets to a little underground improv comedy club across the street from our hotel which was a lot of fun, but that was several years ago, so it's likely not there anymore.
Just a word of warning - San Francisco can be downright COLD in the summer. My aunt grew up there and she warned me, but I didn't take her seriously enough. I took along some sweaters but during the walking tour of Chinatown I was freezing! The other thing she recommended was getting an ice cream sundae at Ghirardellis. I did follow that advice and it was delicious.
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I stayed at a hotel on Grant Ave, right across the road from Dragons Gate, can’t recall its name. But an easy walk to the cable cars, street cars, Chinatown (oldest in NA), Union Square etc.
I lucked out on the weather last time, no need for a long sleeve or pants, but that was in October. I have heard many many times summer is cold.
One place a little off the beaten path is mission Delores park. Get a bottle of wine and go for a picnic in a nice park overlooking downtown and the bay. Also the mission beach cafe has a fantastic brunch. Put your name on the list then go wander around the neighbourhood
One of the Munis goes right there as does one of the Buses that goes down Van Ness.
If you have kids the exploratorium is awesome. If you don't have kids and love hands on science centers the exploratorium is awesome.
If you're a big music & movie fan, you can't go wrong spending an hour or two at Amoeba Records on Haight St. Easily the best independent record store in the world. It's basically Disneyland for music nerds.
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Don't let anyone suggest you get a car for the duration of a trip. It's an odd suggestion for first time visitors asking for advice as there's nowhere to park most places and parking fees at anywhere near these locations most people are talking about is astronomical.
That's not to say you can't get a car for day trips, but to be clear, flying in, renting a car at SFO and thinking you can park it at a hotel near the warf, drive everywhere and return it when you fly out couldn't be a worse idea. Needless and insanely expensive. It's very easy to get around in the city and anything outside of day trips can be done via Uber / Lyft for a song.
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Don't let anyone suggest you get a car for the duration of a trip. It's an odd suggestion for first time visitors asking for advice as there's nowhere to park most places and parking fees at anywhere near these locations most people are talking about is astronomical.
This isn’t true, not if you look a little bit that is. Just don’t play into the obviously tourist trap parking lots/garages, park a block or two away from your destination, and you’ll be fine.
In the many, many times I’ve been down there, most have been with a rental, and I’ve never found it to be astronomical or even that much different than carting yourself via Uber/Lyft.
It’s just different than Calgary, but having a rental car down there isn’t a bad idea by any means whatsoever.
