Diane Susan Petty - Frommers EasyGuide to San Francisco 2014

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Editor: Pauline Frommer

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Diane Susan Petty was born in Toronto, Canada where she made the grave mistake of getting a useless law degree, instead of going to journalism school. She moved to the Bay Area in 1995, and, after wreaking havoc on the U.S. economy for years as a mortgage banker, decided she wanted a more meaningful life. Naturally, she became a travel writer. She has written a number of stories for the San Francisco Chronicle and other outlets since then, and works part time for United Airlines. She spends as much time as possible traveling the world on a very modest budget with her wonderful husband and two children.

ABOUT THE FROMMER TRAVEL GUIDES

For most of the past 50 years, Frommers has been the leading series of travel guides in North America, accounting for as many as 24% of all guidebooks sold. I think I know why.

Though we hope our books are entertaining, we nevertheless deal with travel in a serious fashion. Our guidebooks have never looked on such journeys as a mere recreation, but as a far more important human function, a time of learning and introspection, an essential part of a civilized life. We stress the culture, lifestyle, history and beliefs of the destinations we cover, and urge our readers to seek out people and new ideas as the chief rewards of travel.

We have never shied from controversy. We have, from the beginning, encouraged our authors to be intensely judgmental, criticalboth pro and conin their comments, and wholly independent. Our only clients are our readers, and we have triggered the ire of countless prominent sorts, from a tourist newspaper we called practically worthless (it unsuccessfully sued us) to the many rip-offs weve condemned.

And because we believe that travel should be available to everyone regardless of their incomes, we have always been cost-conscious at every level of expenditure. Though we have broadened our recommendations beyond the budget category, we insist that every lodging we include be sensibly priced. We use every form of media to assist our readers, and are particularly proud of our feisty daily website, the award-winning Frommers.com.

I have high hopes for the future of Frommers. May these guidebooks, in all the years ahead, continue to reflect the joy of travel and the freedom that travel represents. May they always pursue a cost-conscious path, so that people of all incomes can enjoy the rewards of travel. And may they create, for both the traveler and the persons among whom we travel, a community of friends, where all human beings live in harmony and peace.

Arthur Frommer

S an Franciscos reputation as a rollicking city where almost anything goes dates back to the boom-or-bust days of the California gold rush. Its always been this way: This city is so beautiful, exciting, diverse, and cosmopolitan that you can always find something new to see and do no matter if its your 1st or 50th visit. Oh, and bring a warm jacket: Bob Hope once remarked that San Francisco is the city of four seasonsevery day.

THE best ONLY-IN-SAN FRANCISCO EXPERIENCES

A PowellHyde Cable Car Ride: Skip the less-scenic California line and take the PowellHyde cable car down to Fishermans Wharfthe ride is worth the wait. When you reach the top of Nob Hill, grab the rail with one hand and hold your camera with the other, because youre about to see a view of the bay thatll make you weepy..

An Adventure at Alcatraz: Even if you loathe tourist attractions, youll dig Alcatraz. Just looking at the Rock from across the bay is enough to give you the heebie-jeebiesand the park rangers have put together an excellent audio tour with narration by former inmates and guards. Heck, even the boat ride across the bay is worth the price..

Visit the Painted ladies of Alamo Square: We may be a liberal city, but we dont mean that kind of painted ladies; this is, after all, a family-oriented guidebook. These Painted Ladies are that row of Victorian houses youve no doubt seen on postcards with the modern Financial District buildings off in the background..

A Sourdough Bread Bowl Filled with Clam Chowder: There is no better way to take the chill off a freezing July day in San Francisco than a loaf of Boudin bread, brilliantly hollowed out to form a primitive chowder vessel, filled with hot steamy clam and potato soup.

A Walk Across the Golden Gate Bridge: Don your windbreaker and walking shoes and prepare for a wind-blasted, exhilarating journey across San Franciscos most famous landmark. Its simply one of those things you have to do at least once in your life..

A Stroll Through Chinatown: Chinatown is a tripabout as close to experiencing Asia as you can get without a passport. Skip the ersatz camera and luggage stores and head straight for the food markets, where a cornucopia of critters that youll never see at Safeway sit in boxes waiting for the wok. (Is that an armadillo?) Better yet, take one of Shirley Fong-Torress Wok Wiz tours of Chinatown..