San Francisco
2012
by Matthew Poole & Erika Lenkert
with Kristin Luna
Published by:
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River St.
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
Copyright 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978/750-8400, fax 978/646-8600. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201/748-6011, fax 201/748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.
Frommers is a trademark or registered trademark of Arthur Frommer. Used under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.
ISBN 978-1-118-02747-9 (paper); 978-1-118-07690-3 (paper); 978-1-118-10522-1 (ebk); 978-1-118-10523-8 (ebk); 978-1-118-10524-5 (ebk)
Editor: Stephen Bassman
Production Editor: Michael Brumitt
Cartographer: Andrew Dolan
Photo Editor: Richard Fox
Design and Layout by Vertigo Design
Graphics and Prepress by Wiley Indianapolis Composition Services
Front cover photo: View of the Golden Gate Bridge from Baker Beach, Presidio National Park Kerrick James / Alamy Images
Back cover photo: Admiring the redwoods at Muir Woods Ron Koeberer / Aurora Photos / Masterfile
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5 4 3 2 1
Opening up the world and the wonders in your own backyard.
Maybe youre finally planning that big trip youve dreamt of for years. Maybe youre ready to hop in the car and go where the road takes you. Or maybe youre visiting far-flung family and friends.
Welcome to travel for grown-ups. Where do you turn for help?
Dedicated to helping you enjoy and enrich your life through travel, AARP has teamed up with Frommers to offer the best advice on must-see destinations, from daytrips to journeys around the world. Well guide you to the best food, accommodations, shopping, nightlife, sights, and activities that suit your lifestyle.
And true to AARPs commitment to help you stretch your dollars, well show you how to get the best value, whether youre traveling near or far. Want to splurge on a fancy hotel and eat cheap, or vice versa? We offer all price ranges. And give you the flexibility to tailor your trip to your budget. Whatever you choose, whatever your budget, well make sure you have memorable and wonder-filled experiences.
So hit the road and enjoy every minute. Well show you the way.
About the Authors
Matthew Poole, a native Californian and San Francisco resident, has authored more than two dozen travel guides to California, Hawaii, and abroad, and is a regular contributor to radio and television travel programs. Before becoming a full-time travel writer and photographer, he worked as an English tutor in Prague, a ski instructor in the Swiss Alps, and a scuba instructor in Maui and Thailand. His other titles include Frommers California, Frommers Irreverent Guide to San Francisco, Frommers San Francisco Day by Day, and Frommers San Francisco Free & Dirt Cheap. You can follow Matthews weekly blog posts about travel adventures in Northern California at LocalGetaways.com.
A native San Franciscan, Erika Lenkert divides her time between San Francisco and Napa Valley, where she is forever seeking the next best restaurant, hotel room, and fun way to savor the region. She frequently writes Every Day with Rachael Ray party guides and offers up tasty local tips on the region for other various magazines. In her spare time she tours the region with her husband, Colie, and daughter, Viva, and authors books, such as The Last-Minute Party Girl: Fashionable, Fearless, and Foolishly Simple Entertaining; The Real Deal Guide to Pregnancy; and Healthy Eating During Pregnancy.
From tracking gorillas in Rwanda to scuba diving with sharks during a South Pacific cyclone, there's not much Kristin Luna won't do for the sake of a story. Kristin has written guidebooks for Frommer's and Globe Pequot Press and was a former contributing writer for Newsweek, Forbes Traveler, and the Travel Channel. She also freelances for Islands, Robb Report, Sherman's Travel, Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, the San Francisco Chronicle, Toronto Globe & Mail, Real Simple, Glamour, Self, and more.
Acknowledgments
I would like to acknowledge the following people for their time and effort in helping me complete this 2012 edition: Kristin Luna, David Lytle, Katy Connor, Erika Lenkert, Yigit Pura, Eugenio Jardim, Heklina, and my unflappable editor, Stephen Bassman.
Matthew Poole
How to Contact Us
In researching this book, we discovered many wonderful placeshotels, restaurants, shops, and more. Were sure youll find others. Please tell us about them, so we can share the information with your fellow travelers in upcoming editions. If you were disappointed with a recommendation, wed love to know that, too. Please write to:
Frommers San Francisco 2012
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
frommersfeedback@wiley.com
Advisory & disclaimer
Travel information can change quickly and unexpectedly, and we strongly advise you to confirm important details locally before traveling, including information on visas, health and safety, traffic and transport, accommodation, shopping and eating out. We also encourage you to stay alert while traveling and to remain aware of your surroundings. Avoid civil disturbances, and keep a close eye on cameras, purses, wallets and other valuables.
While we have endeavored to ensure that the information contained within this guide is accurate and up-to-date at the time of publication, we make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this work and specifically disclaim all warranties, including without limitation warranties of fitness for a particular purpose. We accept no responsibility or liability for any inaccuracy or errors or omissions, or for any inconvenience, loss, damage, costs or expenses of any nature whatsoever incurred or suffered by anyone as a result of any advice or information contained in this guide.