Free San Francisco Museums This Weekend!!!

Wow! The normally pricey San Francisco museums offer free days once a month but are adding special weekend FREE days this weekend with great discount deals and no coupons required or coupon codes. If you live in or are visiting San Francisco, don’t miss this change to enjoy amazing museums of art and science. Details below:

Friday, July 16, 2010 de Young Museum free from 5 PM to 8:45 PM

Saturday, July 17, 2010 Asian Art Museum free from 10 AM to 5 PM

Sunday, July 18, 2010 SFMOMA, Contemporary Jewish Museum, MoAD, Zeum and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival free from 11 AM to 4 PM
FREE

Trattoria 1910 Ends its Run in San Francisco

Gallo Salame created a vintage Italian restaurant to celebrate the heritage of one of the world’s most popular meats — right in San Francisco. Gallo began producing salame and pepperoni in San Francisco in 1910, and the restaurant was kicked off by E News’ own Giuliana Rancic and her “Apprentice” husband, Bill Rancic.

The restaurant does take reservations and features appetizers, Italian sandwiches, pasta dishes, and amazing desserts. Gallo has donated $15,000 to homeless charities and additionally 4,000+ pounds of salame to the San Francisco food bank.

You can find Trattoria 1910 – for a limited time — at 90 Natoma in San Francisco and is open for lunch Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm. Appetizers are served Tuesday-Friday also from 5pm to 7pm. Although this limited run restaurant has closed for the season, they made a big impression on San Francisco.

San Francisco Car Rentals -Rent Downtown, Return at Airport?

A reader inquires, “…We want to rent a car from Union Square in San Francisco for one day, drop it off and rent again for the weekend, Saturday and Sunday, but would like to leave car at SFO, San Francisco International Airport.

Is it possible?…”

sfTravel says YES. All car rental online sites will allow a specific pickup point, such as downtown San Francisco — and a DIFFERENT dropoff point such as SFO Airport. Keep in mind you may incur the higher rental car taxes for the airport by returning the car to SFO. Make sure to review all of the pricing and detailed taxes and fee’s. But in the end, yes, you can rent in downtown San Francisco and drop off at the airport.


Get 10% off car rental with Budget!


Hotel Overbooking: Don’t Let It Happen To You

Have you ever arrived at your hotel only to be told that you didn’t really book a room there? If so, you might have thought that you were getting forgetful, thinking that you’d secured your room when really you hadn’t. The truth may be something else entirely. You might be a victim of hotel overbooking.

What is hotel overbooking?

Many hotels allow their rooms to get overbooked. What this means is that they allow more people to book rooms than the number of rooms that they actually have available. If the actual number of people who books rooms shows up to claim those rooms, some of them aren’t available. The hotel may try to turn you away. This is overbooking.

Why would hotels do this?

Hotels choose to overbook for a couple of reasons. For one thing, it’s rare that everyone who books a room is going to show up. The hotel assumes that a few people will cancel and that they won’t end up having a problem accommodating everyone who shows up for a room. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, the hotel can maximize its profits this way. If people do cancel then the hotel charges them a cancellation fee for a room that they’d already planned to give to another paying customer, effectively getting paid twice for one room. In fact, this practice can be so profitable to hotels that there are entire educational courses devoted to teaching hotel management how to do it!

Signs that you’re a victim of hotel overbooking

A hotel is not actually very likely to own up to the fact that it overbooked the rooms. This would be bad for business. Instead, hotels will use a series of excuses to make it seem as though it’s not really their fault that you aren’t going to get the room that you had planned on getting. Here are some signs that you are a victim of overbooking:

• The hotel tries to tell you that it’s your fault that you’re not getting a room. Common excuses hotels will use when turning you away due to overbooking include saying that there’s no room booked under your name, that you must have accidentally booked the room at another location, that your credit card was denied or that you canceled or never confirmed your room. If you’re sure that you booked the room properly then you’ve probably become a victim of overbooking.
• The hotel tries to tell you that they canceled the room. They may say that they sent you an email or left you a voice mail message letting you know in advance that there was a problem with the room and that they would be canceling your stay. If you didn’t really receive a message then there’s a good chance that they just overbooked you.
• The hotel says that there are last minute problems with your room. They tell you that the building recently flooded or that they just had a major power outage in half of the building. Of course, this is sometimes true. However, it may also be an excuse that the hotel is using because they overbooked you.

How to avoid becoming a victim of overbooking

There are a few simple tips that you can follow that will limit the likelihood that you will become a victim of overbooking. These tips include:

• Print out all confirmation receipts showing that you booked the room. When you have a piece of paper with a confirmation number showing the exact booking information, a hotel is going to be less capable of turning you away with a flimsy excuse.
• Call the hotel the day before you are set to arrive. Ask to confirm your reservation. Request a confirmation number or the name of the person who confirmed your reservation.
• Arrive as close to check-in time as possible. If the hotel has overbooked it will be the people who arrive later in the day who get walked away from the hotel. Getting there early helps to guarantee that you’ll get your room.
• Notify the hotel if you will be checking in late. Calling that day, especially if you are unexpectedly delayed by late transportation, to let the hotel know what time to expect you will help to secure your room.
• Join a hotel rewards program that offers hotel overbooking protection. That’s right, some rewards programs actually offer protections that help you to avoid this problem or to be financially compensated if it occurs.

What to do if the hotel sends you away

What if you do all of these things and you are still a victim of hotel overbooking? There are a few things that you can do if a hotel sends you away:

• Stand up for yourself. Before you leave the hotel, make sure that you’ve done all that you can to get the room that you booked. Speak to a manager. Ask for a phone number to speak to the regional manager. Clearly express that you are concerned that you are being walked from the hotel due to overbooking and that you’re not happy about the situation.
• Ask for assistance with locating new accommodations. The hotel should help you to find another hotel in the area that has lodging available for you. In fact, the hotel should make it easy for you to get to the other hotel and should actually even pay for your first night’s stay.
• Request a voucher to stay at the hotel in the future. If the hotel overbooked you then they are profiting. Don’t let them profit off of you. Let them know that you are concerned about overbooking and that you want a show of good faith in the form of a voucher for a future stay.
• Write a letter. If you do get sent away from a hotel due to overbooking then you should make sure to let the management know through a letter that you’re not pleased with the situation.
• Add comments to community review sites. It’s worth it to add your two cents and experience to sites like Yelp. Hotels that get frequent complaints about overbooking will stop having people book with them and they will have to fix their ways.
• You can sue the hotel. If the hotel does not help to remedy the situation and you have to pay out of pocket for new lodging then you may be able to get your money back by filing a claim in small claims court. Your agreement to get a room is a legally binding contract that the hotel must be held to.

Wild Education at Gulf of Farallones Visitors’ Center

San Francisco visitors often aren’t aware of the opportunity to visit the Gulf of Farallones Visitors’ Center, which is located in the Presidio neighborhood of the city. To be honest, many of the residents of San Francisco aren’t even familiar with this wonderful educational niche next to the bay. This is unfortunate because it’s a terrific little museum where you can spend a few splendid hours learning a lot about the region’s marine life and natural offerings as well as enjoying the beautiful surrounding area.

What is the Gulf of Farallones Visitors’ Center?

The Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center is a small, free museum filled with interpretive displays that provide information about the nature of the area. Specifically, this visitors’ center is intended to provide information about the National Marine Sanctuaries that are located just outside of the Golden Gate Bridge. Visitors and residents alike can learn a lot of new information about the wildlife and plant life of the surrounding area from spending time at this museum. It’s a great way to gain information about the other species that live near us in San Francisco.

Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association (FMSA)

This visitors’ center is one of several visitor centers associated with the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association (FMSA). This is a group that is dedicated to protecting the wildlife and habitats of the area surrounding the Farallon Islands located close to Golden Gate Bridge. This association was founded back in the late nineteenth century as a way to conserve the natural beauty and wildlife of this area. There are approximately 3 dozen species of marine mammals that have been observed in this area including many endangered species that are being saved in part by the work that this association does. This is one of the most extensive ocean-based animal networks in the world and its preservation relies on education. That education can be obtained in a fun way through the educational information shared at the visitors’ center museum.

What can you do at the Gulf of Farallones Visitors Center?

Some of the activities that people of all ages can enjoy at this little museum include:

• Learn more about the Farallon Islands, the FMSA and the marine mammals living in this great area. This is what the work of the organization is all about and you can come here to get a great sense about what they are doing.
• Indulge in the intense sensory experiences available at the interactive touch tank in the museum. This museum is designed to interest people of all ages so it’s highly interactive and entertaining.
• Enjoy and photograph the amazing fifteen-foot-tall murals of the ocean and ocean life that adorn the walls of this museum. This art definitely adds to the immense beauty of the museum itself.
• Gain information about why it is important to protect the natural life of the Bay Area and what you can do to help as a volunteer if you are so inclined.
• Check with the visitors’ center to find out if any upcoming events are planned. Marine Life fairs, organic food festivals and fun family days are sometimes planned at this museum.

Remember that visiting this small museum is always free so it’s definitely worth it to stop in! Allow 30 minutes to one hour for enjoying the museum and plan for some additional time to enjoy the nearby beach.

Location of Gulf of Farallones Visitors’ Center

This nature museum is located in San Francisco’s Presidio neighborhood at Crissy Field. Just outside of the museum is the beach of the San Francisco Bay. On a sunny day, families crowd around on the sane to enjoy the beach or gather for picnics on the grassy hillside to play there while looking out at a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the water surrounding it. Crissy Field is a local park that’s been restored over time to create a wonderful little rest-and-play area for the Bay Area.

Located Nearby

There are many wonderful things located nearby that you can enjoy during your trip to this visitors’ center. Those things include:

• Dog-friendly and bike-friendly walking trails along the water. Get out and enjoy nature right in San Francisco’s back yard.
• Path to Golden Gate Bridge. There’s no better way to enjoy the bridge than to walk there from Crissy Field.
• Fort Point. Plan your trip to the museum so that you can also visit Fort Point, a historic military fort located within walking distance.
• Various historic landmarks near Crissy Field. Once part of the military life of the city, this area includes historic landmarks and information about the area’s past.
• Bayside beach for swimming, picnicking and other sunny day activities. This is a popular family beach in the city.
• Watch the many people who come out to this area to fly kites. This is a favorite activity on windy days.

Final Facts and Information about the Gulf of Farallones Visitors’ Center

The basic things that you might want to know about this place if you plan to visit include:

Hours of operation: Wednesday through Sunday from 10-4. Official Site

Location: Near the intersection of Mason Street and Fort Point at West Crissy Field in the Presidio. It can be reached via car or by using the MUNI bus system.

Phone number for additional information: 415-561-6625.

Basic Guide to Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing isn’t just an activity. It’s a movement. People from around the globe are joining in on this travel phenomenon. But is it something that is right for you? This guide should help you to better understanding what couchsurfing is, who enjoys it and what the pros and cons of it are. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

What is couchsurfing?

Couchsurfing is a method of traveling that allows you to find free accommodations at destinations all around the world. You link up with people through online interaction. They offer their space to you at no charge. You arrive and take them up on their offer. It can be a terrific way to keep your travels affordable. It also allows you to meet local people when you travel so that you can get the inside scoop on what to see at your destination.

Is it safe?

The number one question that people ask about couchsurfing is whether or not it is safe. The answer is that it is generally safe. You do always take a risk when you choose to stay in the home of a stranger. However, the couchsurfing community is a strong community filled with people who are genuinely interested in sharing positive travel experiences. The CouchSurfing website uses a voucher and verification process to help guarantee the safety of the process. Additionally, you can learn a lot about your hosts from the information that they share on their online profiles so you can get a good gut feeling about who to stay with.

Who does it?

Couchsurfing is done by a community of people who all share some common interests: travel, meeting new people and sharing the travel experience with others.

People who go couchsurfing tend to be:

• people who want to travel at a low cost
• people who are willing to be flexible about where they stay
• people who are comfortable staying in someone else’s home
• people who enjoy getting to know the locals when they travel
• travelers from all around the world

There is a stereotype that couchsurfers are typically college-aged. It is certainly true that a lot of young people in their late teens and early twenties are interested in couchsurfing due to the low cost and the opportunity to meet people when they travel. However, there are people of all ages (including families) who couchsurf when they travel.

People who host couchsurfers tend to be:

• people who enjoy traveling themselves, often they also do couchsurfing when they travel
• people who love to share their homes and entertain others
• people who enjoy the city where they live and want to tell other people about it

Who doesn’t enjoy it?

Couchsurfing isn’t right for everyone. You may not enjoy this method of travel if:

• you enjoy a lot of privacy when you travel. The level of privacy that you get at your host’s home varies a lot from host to host. In some cases, you will be sleeping in a living room or sharing a room and may have no real privacy. In other cases, your host may give you a private space and lots of time to yourself.
• you love plush amenities. Again, this is going to vary from place to place. Some hosts offer amazing rooms. Other times, you’ll literally be sleeping on the couch. If you like hotels with spas and five stars then you may not find couchsurfing to be right for you.
• you enjoy familiarity. Part of the adventure of couchsurfing is that you never know quite what to expect from your host or your experience. However, this doesn’t suit everyone. If you like to stay at familiar hotels where you know what to expect then couchsurfing might not be for you.

If this sounds like you then you may want to get a hotel instead of couchsurfing.

An alternative to couchsurfing

There is an alternative that lies in between couchsurfing and hotel rentals. That is the option of renting out someone’s room or home at your destination. You can rent a private room in someone’s home or an entire home while they are away. You do pay for the room but the price is usually lower than that of a hotel. You get to meet your hosts and get some insider tips on your destination but you maintain a higher level of privacy. If you’re new to couchsurfing and aren’t sure that it’s right for you then going this route might help you to make a more informed decision about couchsurfing.

Reasons to get a hotel instead

Couchsurfing is a wonderful experience. It allows you to meet new people and to stay for free in their homes during your travels. However, there are some reasons that you might want to foot the bill for a hotel instead. Those reasons include:

• There is no awkwardness at a hotel. Couchsurfing can be awkward if you don’t mesh well with your hosts or simply have a different personality from them.
• You’ll have your privacy. You won’t have to come home at the end of a day of sightseeing and then make conversation with someone if you don’t want to.
• It’s slightly safer. Couchsurfing is considered safe but you do take risks when staying in the homes of strangers. The risk to your personal safety is lower at a good hotel.
• Many of the same benefits. A benefit of couchsurfing is that your hosts can tell you what to see in the city but a good customer service person at the front desk of the hotel can do the same thing.

California’s High Speed Train Arriving Soon?

The drive between San Francisco and Los Angeles can be draining. The drive can take anywhere from 5-9 hours depending on what type of traffic you hit along the way (and where in Los Angeles you’re heading). For the most part, the scenery along this drive is boring. Sure, there are some pretty hills but five or more hours is a long time to look at the same hills. You do have the option of taking the scenic route along the coastline but then you double the amount of time that it takes you to get between these two great cities. Imagine if you could make this trip in less than three hours without having to drive yourself. And what if it would cost you less than it costs to fly or drive between the two cities? That’s exactly what could happen in the future with the development of the new High Speed Rail connecting San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Overview of the California High Speed Rail Authority Project

The project that is going to make this happen is called the California High Speed Rail Authority Project (CHSRA). It is a project that has received billions of dollars in funding so far with the purpose to be building a high-speed train that would connect the San Francisco Bay Area with the city of Los Angeles. Currently the project is in the planning stage. However, construction is expected to begin in 2011. It is believed that the project will take about 8-11 years to complete before it becomes a functional train that riders can use. Once in place, the train ride between the two cities should last approximately two-and-a-half hours and should cost approximately $40 – $55, which is less than the cost of driving in many vehicles.

Reasons People Love this Project

Many people are very excited about the development of the high speed train option. Some of the reasons that people love this project include:

• Quick commute between the two cities. The biggest benefit of the high speed train is that it would make the trip between Los Angeles and San Francisco much faster. This would be a great benefit to residents of either city who would be able to easily visit the other city for the weekend or even the day. People who are interested in living in one city but commuting to the other would potentially have that option whereas they don’t have that choice now.
• Better tourism. The fact that the commute between these two cities would be so short also has the potential to improve tourism in both areas. Many people would love to visit both cities but don’t want to take the time to travel from one to the other and back again during their vacation. The high speed train would be a fun, quick, affordable option, which means that people visiting one area would also likely visit the other.
• Enjoying the scenery. As mentioned before, the scenery between Los Angeles and San Francisco consists of pretty hills but they’re not too fun to enjoy for hours and hours in a car. In contrast, you could look out a high speed train window for a couple of hours and really enjoy this view.
• Green choice. Many people are excited about this project because it’s a green travel option for people who want to go between these two cities. It’s obviously a lot better for the earth for people to all be on a single train together than to be in their separate cars commuting between these two large cities. High speed trains are also more energy-efficient than planes.
• It’s what many other cities offer. High speed trains are used in Asia and Europe. In fact, a recent project will connect these two long-distance areas by high speed train. Adding a high speed train to the United States between these two major California cities would help to put us on par with international travel standards.
• The project creates jobs. In addition to the benefits for travelers, the project will benefit California residents by creating over 150,000 construction jobs over the next ten years. The project will also create long-term jobs.
• The people want it. Finally, people are supportive of this project because their friends and neighbors are supportive of it. In 2008, California voters agreed through Prop 1A that they wanted to spend nearly $10 billion in state money on this project.

Complaints People Have About this Project

Not everyone is supportive of this project. Even people who do like the idea of it have some concerns and complaints about the way that it’s been planned. Some of the complaints that people have about this project include:

• It’s very expensive. A 2008 report called The California High Speed Rail Proposal: A Due Diligence Report estimates that this project could cost more than $80 billion! That’s a lot of money. The project may cost less than this but it will still cost many billions of dollars, which will be paid in large part by the taxpayers. Not everyone is supportive of the project for this reason even though it does have the potential to increase tourism income in the state. One argument against this concern is that we have to do something to handle the influx of traffic in the state and this option isn’t any more expensive (and may even be more profitable) than building new airports or highways.
• Concerns that people won’t ride it. Many people are concerned that the train won’t get the type of use out of it that it needs to justify its cost. The Rail Authority has predicted that over 60 million people will use it annually by 2030 but the same Due Diligence report says it may only be a third of that.
• The train isn’t ready yet. There is currently no high speed train in existence that reaches the speed of 220 mph that is the project’s goal and yet also meet’s the safety standards of the project. Many people are concerned that this just isn’t going to be a reality.
• Some people are afraid of high speed trains. Although these trains are used in other parts of the world, not all U.S. residents are used to them. The idea of being on a train that travels at over 200 mph still frightens some people. In actuality, it is probably a lot safer to travel in a high speed train than in a car on California highways but this fear does still deter people from considering this to be a viable option for traveling between cities.

Imagining the Future

This high speed train between San Francisco and Los Angeles is in the works. Construction should begin next year. Although the ten or so years that it takes for the project to be completed sounds like a really long time, it’s going to go by in the blink of an eye. When it is ready, this high speed train is going to provide a cost-effective, green transportation option for people who wish to travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Imagine getting on the train in San Francisco, reading a book or taking a nap or checking out the scenery for a couple of hours and then arriving in Los Angeles. That is going to be our future!

It’s Not Too Early To Start Planning for Outside Lands 2010

San Francisco’s Outside Lands music and arts festival is a relatively young festival. The 2010 event is only going to be its third year in a row. Despite this, it is one of the most popular outdoor music festivals in Northern California. Set in the beautiful Golden Gate Park, this festival is in close proximity to a number of wonderful attractions. Planning your trip to the event now can help to guarantee that you have enough time to see the city as well as enough time to enjoy the three days of live music that you’re there to see. Plus, planning now will help you to get the best hotel room located close to the festival!

What is San Francisco’s Outside Lands Music Festival?

The Outside Lands music festival is an outdoor music festival that is held at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. It’s a summer event that will be held in August 2010. This festival is more than just a music festival, though. It’s a three-day event celebrating many different types of art and live performance. Although music is the big draw (with past headliners including Pearl Jam, Incubus, the Black Eyed Peas and Dave Matthews Band) there are also many different arts activities to participate in during the long weekend. Moreover, this is a green festival with a number of opportunities to enjoy eco-friendly activities and education.

Best Hotels for Outside Lands Visitors

One of the things that you will want to make sure to do in advance is to plan which San Francisco hotel you want to stay at. Some people want to stay as close to the park as possible. This allows them to be in close walking distance to the event. It’s nice to be positioned this way so that you can go to and from the event over the course of the three days, heading back to the hotel to rest as needed. However, staying at a hotel near the park isn’t your only option. If you stay at a hotel in the Financial District or Union Square area, you’ll be very close to the underground MUNI buses that can take you straight to the event. Some visitors prefer this option because they want to stay in the city’s best hotels in these popular neighborhoods.

The best San Francisco hotels for Outside Lands visitors who want to be close to the park are:

• OceanView Motel. Located on Judah Street, this motel offers a good opportunity to have an ocean view during your stay in the city. It is located on the west end of Golden Gate Park so it’s a short walk to the Outside Lands festival. The motel itself is nothing to speak of (and first-time visitors should know that it gets really chilly out by the ocean, even in August) but if you’re hoping to stay near the water then this is a good choice.
• Stanyan Park Hotel. This hotel is located at the Eastern end of Golden Gate Park, which also means that it’s within nice walking distance to the festival. It’s a small hotel housed in a historic building. It tends to be quiet which is a relief for some Outside Lands festival attendees although others would prefer a more party atmosphere.
• Red Victorian. This hotel is located right on Haight Street, a short walk from the East end of Golden Gate Park. If you want to do some thrift store shopping and browsing for vinyl during your stay then you might as well stay here because it’s all within walking distance from your hotel’s front door.

The best San Francisco hotels for Outside Lands visitors who want to be downtown or near Union Square are:

• Parc 55. There isn’t much to say about this hotel because everything about it is perfect. It’s got the right location, amazing rooms, terrific amenities, stunning views … If you want a terrific San Francisco hotel then you simply can’t go wrong with this one.
• Hotel Palomar. Are you going to be bringing your pooch with you to San Francisco to spend the weekend outside? If so then you will want to stay in one of the city’s best pet-friendly hotels. This Union Square hotel goes above and beyond for your pets. It’s an artsy hotel, which is just the right mood that you want for your stay during Outside Lands.
• Orchard Hotel. Many people attending Outside Lands really want to stay in a boutique hotel. These are people who like artistic, creative, unique things. The Orchard Hotel does not disappoint.
• W Hotel. Of course, not everyone wants to stay in a boutique hotel. Some people are seeking a five-star experience from a name that they know well. Enjoy the swanky luxury of the W in the evenings after spending all day in the park listening to music.

What Else to See in Golden Gate Park

Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival is located in Golden Gate Park. The event itself is going to give you plenty to do but if you’ve got some extra time to check out the rest of the park then you should. Golden Gate Park is truly an amazing public space with lots to see. Some of the highlights that you won’t want to miss out on while you are there include the Japanese Tea Gardens, the Conservatory of Flowers, the Rose Garden, the Botanical Gardens, the bison enclosure, the California Academy of Sciences and the DeYoung Museum.

Other Attractions in the Neighboring Area

Golden Gate Park holds many treasures for you to enjoy but you might want to get out and about away from the park for a little while. That’s not a problem since there are so many wonderful San Francisco attractions located really close to the festival. Be sure to check out the shopping and dining of Haight Street, of course. Hike out to the ocean and visit the ruins of the Sutro Baths. Catch a movie at the Red Vic Movie House, a co-op owned second-run theatre with booth seats and popcorn served in wooden bowls. Take a bus over to Hayes Valley, a cute little neighborhood filled with boutique stores and great restaurants. Do some shopping down at Union Square. Enjoy the city!

Tips for Truly Enjoying Outside Lands 2010

Some final tips for making sure that your Outside Lands 2010 festival is amazing:

• Wear layers. San Francisco weather is unpredictable. It can go from cold to hot in the span of minutes. Wear layers to make yourself as comfy as possible.
• Bring comfortable walking shoes. There’s no point in trying to park or drive in the area with so many people around for the festival. Plan to use public transportation instead.
• Book your hotel in advance. They fill up quickly in the summer especially during festival time.
• Get festival tickets for all three days. It’s better to just pay for all three days in advance and see all of the bands that you are interested in than to try to figure out which single day to pay for.
• Go for a whole week. The festival will take up all of your time. Make the trip more relaxing and see more of the sights by going for an entire week. San Francisco is amazing; it’s worth it.

Have a great time!

Why you should never, ever stay in a San Francisco hotel…

San Francisco is an amazing city. It’s filled with a lot of interesting activities. And there are hundreds of hotels to choose from here. So why wouldn’t you ever stay in a San Francisco hotel? Because you can get a much more interesting travel experience if you stay in a Sausalito hotel instead.

Sausalito, a small city that lies just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge, is a wonderfully relaxing destination. You will still be located close to anything that you may want to do while you’re in San Francisco. However, your experience of a serene vacation will be turned up a notch when you stay in Sausalito.

Take a look at these ten reasons that a Sausalito hotel is always a better choice than a San Francisco hotel is.

1. Sausalito is rich with charm.  This is probably one of the most charming towns that you’ll ever visit. It has small town feel with the liberal attitude of the Bay Area. Sausalito welcomes in creative folks from all walks of life. This is no place where you’ll be bothered by starving artists begging you for change, though. Sausalito is an upscale town that is rich with charm and elegance.
2. The intimacy lets you actually meet artists and store owners. Being a small town, there is a sense of intimacy in Sausalito. When you enter a gallery to look at the art work, the artist will actually be there in the room and willing to talk to you. When you choose a souvenir gift from a small store, there’s a good chance that it will be wrapped by the store’s owner. San Francisco is a big city where you might not get the chance to rub shoulders with interesting residents. Sausalito is a small place where you’ll get to meet them all face to face.
3. You’ll have easy access to interesting attractions. Most people don’t realize it but there are a lot of interesting things that you can do in Sausalito. There is the Sausalito Wooden Boat Tour where you not only get a historic tour but also get a chance to enjoy a waterside treasure hunt! There is the Bay Model where you can go to see how the entire Bay-Delta water system actually works. And there’s the Bay Area Discovery Museum which is fun for all ages.
4. It will give you a unique experience of the Bay Area. No matter how many times you’ve been to San Francisco, you will discover something new about the Bay Area by staying in Sausalito. There’s a different feeling in the air over here, a dimension of Northern California that the rest of the Bay Area just doesn’t evoke. It will seem as though you’re visiting the area for the first time.
5. It gives you an excuse to ferry to San Francisco. You will probably want to spend some of your time in San Francisco. It’s right across the bay from Sausalito so it’s easy to get there by car. However, it’s a lot more fun to go by ferry. Any excuse to take a ferry across the bay, soaking up the views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, is a good excuse in our book.


Sausalito near San Francisco

6. The hotels here are of a higher caliber. There’s no doubt that there are a lot of great hotels in San Francisco. There are also a lot of not-so-great hotels there. It’s tough to know if the one that you’re choosing is the best hotel in the best neighborhood. You won’t have this problem when you stay in Sausalito. There are fewer hotels to choose from here and they are all of the highest possible caliber. You can’t go wrong.
7. You’ll be closer to nicer beaches. Many people come to California to see the ocean. They’re a little bit disappointed when they visit San Francisco only to find that the ocean (which is at the end of a long trek across the city) is cold and usually unwelcoming. The beaches are a little bit nicer in the North Bay. Plus you have the bay itself where people enjoy boating and kayaking. Staying in Sausalito puts you a lot closer to this nicer water.
8. It’s even easier to get around on foot or bicycle than it is in San Francisco. It’s true that you can get around San Francisco by walking or bicycling. However, it’s even truer that you can get around Sausalito this way. The smaller area and fewer crazy hills makes this a relaxing place to meander. You won’t need a rental car here.
9. The evenings are quiet and peaceful so you experience maximum relaxation. Sausalito has things going on for you to enjoy. However, it’s not the type of town where there’s a club on every corner. The evenings here are quiet and relaxing. When you go on a vacation, you need to take some downtime to rejuvenate. You need to spend time just exploring a new place without a lot of noise. Sausalito offers exactly this type of refreshing escape.
10. You get to see the view of the San Francisco skyline every day. San Francisco is a beautiful city. Sure, it’s beautiful close-up from within the city limits. However it’s even more beautiful when you’re standing slightly away from the city and taking in the whole skyline. You’ll be able to enjoy that wonderful view every single day when you decide to stay at a hotel in Sausalito.

So why wouldn’t you stay in a San Francisco hotel? Because you’ll be staying in Sausalito instead!

The Walt Disney Family Museum blesses San Francisco with its magic…

Do you love all things Disney? Do you enjoy visiting museums to learn more about the things that you love? Are you curious about the details of the creative life? Would you like to check out a new family-friendly activity in San Francisco? You don’t have to answer yes to all of these questions to enjoy the Walt Disney Family Museum; you just need to be intrigued by at least one of them. That’s because this new San Francisco museum is a great treat for a number of different types of travelers who might want to check it out.

The Basics about the Walt Disney Family Museum

The Walt Disney Family Museum opened in the Presidio neighborhood in late 2009. It is designed to share with you the detailed, interesting life history of Walt Disney, a man we all know was a creative entrepreneur but about whose life most of us actually know very little. The museum is housed in the different historic buildings which are themselves of interesting to many people in San Francisco. Great for folks of all ages, this museum not only has permanent galleries but also hosts many special events to keep you interested no matter how many times you might visit here.

The Museum’s Ten Permanent Galleries

The Walt Disney Family Museum is set up with ten permanent galleries that will take you through the life and creative work of Walt Disney himself. Those ten galleries, presented in chronological order are:

1. His First Days. If you’ve ever wondered how this man got his start then you should go all the way back to the early days of his childhood. The first museum gallery will tell you about that.
2. Moving to Hollywood. It took some hard work for Walt Disney to get his start. He moved to Hollywood and tried to make it. This gallery shows you those first days in Hollywood and takes you through the time when Mickey Mouse was “born”.
3. The Mickey Mouse Days. Mickey Mouse was developed and explored throughout the 1930’s. It’s interesting to see how that happened in this gallery.
4. Feature Length Films. Walt Disney eventually started making feature-length films starting with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This is the gallery that true Disney fans are really going to love.
5. The Million Dollar Turning Point. Snow White was so successful that Walt Disney was finally making millions of dollars. That meant that he could unleash his creativity without limitation. See what he did first with that in this gallery.
6. Rough Times. You might think that Walt Disney was living on easy street after that but you’d be wrong. World War II combined with a long artists’ strike made for rough times at Walt Disney Studios in the 1940;s. Learning about how this was overcome is definitely inspiring.
7. Getting Back on Track. This gallery describes the nitty-gritty details of how the studios got back on track after those rough times.
8. Nature Documentaries. Did you know that Walt Disney did a series of really fascinating nature documentaries? This gallery is great for anyone who is green-minded.
9. On TV. Television came into people’s homes in the 1950’s and 1960’s and Walt Disney found ways to come along with it.
10. The End. The final gallery is about the end of Walt Disney’s life. He may be gone but his legacy clearly lives on and every room of this museum celebrates that fact.

10 Things to do at the Walt Disney Family Museum

Of course when you visit this all ages museum your main purpose in doing so will be to check out those gallery displays. However there are a lot of other things that you can do while you’re here as well. Ten other activities to enjoy at the Walt Disney Family Museum are:

1. See a movie. A Walt Disney museum wouldn’t be complete if you couldn’t view movies there, right? The museum has a state-of-the-art digital theatre where movies are screened regularly.
2. Hear a lecture. In addition to film screenings, the museum offers lectures that can provide you with additional insight into Walt Disney and his work.
3. Listen to music. An interesting dimension of this museum is that they host live music events here as well. What a treat!
4. Buy something from the museum store. The store here is a great place where you can get Walt Disney items that you don’t normally see in regular stores. It’s a treat just to browse here as well.
5. Get a great meal. The cafe at the Walt Disney Family Museum isn’t just any regular cafe. It’s a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Yum.
6. Relax in the courtyard. This museum has a beautiful courtyard area where it’s enjoyable to relax between viewing the galleries.
7. Go on a Disney Discovery Day. The museum offers some great interactive and art opportunities throughout the month.
8. Learn about Walt + Technology. The technology behind Walt Disney’s creations, and the way that technology has changed over time, is a really interesting topic that you can learn more about.
9. Take a class. Pretty soon the new museum is going to start offering classes for both kids and adults. They’ll also be offering a kids’ summer camp. Be one of the first to sign up!
10. Check the calendar. There’s an online calendar that you can use to find out what else is going on at the museum.

The Museum Buildings and Location

The Walt Disney Family Museum is located in the Presidio, a beautiful part of San Francisco that a lot of people fail to fully explore. The museum is housed in three historic buildings – the offices, the storage area and the public gallery itself – in the midst of this beautiful area. One portion of the public gallery is in historic barracks that date back to the nineteenth century. However, there’s a beautiful addition to this area as well in the form of a U-shaped steel and glass building. Once you’re done at the museum, you should definitely time to explore the Presidio or even take the short walk over to the Golden Gate Bridge.

What you Need to Know

Other things you might need to know if you want to visit this great museum are:

• Cost. Admission tickets are timed-entry tickets. They cost $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, $12.50 for kids 6-17 and free for kids under 6. You can become a member and get free entry with your membership. Tickets can be purchased on-site or online up to 60 days in advance of your visit.
• Address. The museum is located at The Presidio of San Francisco, 104 Montgomery Street. Note that if you just try to find 104 Montgomery Street on a map you’re going to end up in a different part of town. Make sure that you’re in the Presidio. Google Map here.
• Getting There and Parking. You can drive directly to the museum and park in the museum’s parking lot. Alternatively public transportation will get you there. Use 511 transit to plan your route.
• Hours. The museum is open from 10-6 daily except for Tuesdays when it’s closed. The museum is also closed on select major holidays.

Have fun! Official website link – Walt Disney Family Museum