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Qantas Airways Flights from Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to San Francisco (SFO)
As part of booking roundtrip flights which depart from US airports,
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on Qantas Airways, which operates 3 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to San Francisco (SFO), departing between 7:25am and 6:51pm, and one additional non-stop flight regularly scheduled to depart at 6:05pm and arrive at 8:30pm, Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays. The average travel time from Vancouver, Canada to San Francisco, CA is 2 hours and 27 minutes.*
* Some flights must be used with additional international service on this airline.
During your San Francisco vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
San Francisco Zoo (& Children's Zoo)
Located between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Merced, in the southwest corner of the city, the San Francisco Zoo is a fun place to take the kids -- especially if you make it to the hands-on Children's Zoo. The zoo, which was founded at its present site adjacent to the ocean in 1929, is 125 acres, with 100 acres currently developed. Over 950,000 visitors come here annually to see the almost 950 mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Exhibit highlights include the new Lipman Family Lemur Forest, a forest setting for five endangered species of lemurs from Madagascar that features interactive components for the visitor; Gorilla World, a tranquil setting for a family group of western lowland gorillas; Koala Crossing, which connects to the Australian WalkAbout exhibit with its kangaroos, wallaroos, and emu; Penguin Island, home to a large breeding colony of Magellanic Penguins; the Feline Conservation Center, a wooded sanctuary and breeding facility for endangered snow leopards and other small cats; and the Primate Discovery Center, home to rare and endangered monkeys. In the South American Tropical Forest building, a large green anaconda can be found as well as other South American reptile and bird species. Puente al Sur (Bridge to the South) has a pair of giant anteaters, a rare Baird's tapir, and capybaras. The Lion House is home to rare Sumatran and Siberian tigers and African lions. You can see the big cats fed every day at 2pm (except Mon). African Savanna, the latest exhibit, which opened in mid-2004, is a 3-acre mixed-species habitat with giraffes, zebras, antelope, and birds.The 6-acre Children's Zoo offers kids and their families opportunities for close-up encounters with domestic rare breeds of goats, sheep, ponies, and horses in the Family Farm. Touch and feel small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians along the Nature Trail (open Memorial Day to Labor Day), and gaze at eagles and hawks stationed on Hawk Hill. Visitors can see the inner-workings of the Koret Animal Resource Center, a thriving facility that houses the animals used in the educational outreach programs, and visit the incredible Insect Zoo. One of the Children's Zoo's most popular exhibits is the Meerkat and Prairie Dog exhibit, where kids can crawl through tunnels and play in sand, just like these two amazing burrowing species.Don't miss the Little Puffer miniature steam train, which takes passengers around a 1/3-mile track, and the historic Dentzel Carousel (both $2 per ride).
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
Swiss architect Mario Botta, in association with Hellmuth, Obata, and Kassabaum, designed this $65-million museum, which has made SoMa one of the more popular areas to visit, for tourists and residents alike. The museum's permanent collection consists of more than 23,000 works, including close to 5,000 paintings and sculptures by artists such as Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, and Willem de Kooning. Other artists represented are Diego Rivera, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Klee, the Fauvists, and exceptional holdings of Richard Diebenkorn. MOMA was one of the first museums to recognize photography as a major art form; its extensive collection includes more than 12,000 photographs by such notables as Ansel Adams, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Weston, and Henri Cartier-Bresson. Unfortunately, few works are on display at one time, and for the money the experience can be disappointing -- especially compared to the finer museums of New York. Docent-led tours take place daily. Times are posted at the admission desk. Phone for current details of upcoming special events and exhibitions or check MOMA's website.The Caffé Museo, to the right of the museum entrance, offers very good-quality fresh soups, sandwiches, and salads.No matter what, don't miss the MuseumStore, which carries a wonderful array of architectural gifts, books, and trinkets. It's one of the best shops in town.
Pier 39
PIER 39 is a multilevel waterfront complex a few blocks east of Fisherman's Wharf. Constructed on an abandoned cargo pier, it is, ostensibly, a re-creation of a turn-of-the-20th-century street scene, but don't expect a slice of old-time maritime life. This is the busiest mall of the lot and allegedly welcomes 11 million visitors per year. It has more than 100 stores, 11 bay-view restaurants, a two-tiered Venetian carousel, a Hard Rock Cafe, and arcade and aquarium entertainment for the kids. And everything's slated toward helping you part with your travel dollars. It's the place that locals love to hate. That said, it does have a few perks: absolutely beautiful natural surroundings of bay views, fresh sea air, and hundreds of sunbathing sea lions lounging along its neighboring dock.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
San Francisco area, including:
The Palace Hotel
The original 1875 Palace was one of the world's largest and most luxurious hotels, and every time you walk through the doors, you'll be reminded how incredibly majestic old luxury really is. Rebuilt after the 1906 quake, and most recently renovated in 2002 (guest rooms only), its most spectacular attributes remain the regal lobby and the Garden Court, a San Francisco landmark restaurant that was restored to its original 1909 grandeur. A double row of massive Italian-marble Ionic columns flank the court, and 10 huge chandeliers dangle above. The real heart-stopper, however, is the 80,000-pane stained-glass ceiling (good special effects made Mike Douglas look like he fell through it in the movie The Game). Regrettably, the rooms aren't quite as grand. But they're vastly improved and emulate yesteryear's refinement with mahogany four-poster beds, warm gold paint and upholstery, and tasteful artwork.The Garden Court is famous for its $75 brunch on special holidays and a scaled-down version on regular weekends. Maxfield's Restaurant, a traditional San Francisco grill, serves lunch and dinner. Kyo-ya, an authentic Japanese restaurant, is highly regarded; and The Pied Piper Bar is named after the $2.5-million Maxfield Parrish mural that dominates the room.
W San Francisco Hotel
Starwood Hotels & Resorts' 31-story property is as modern and hip as its fashionable clientele. Sophisticated, slick, and stylish, it suits its neighbors, which include the Museum of Modern Art, the Moscone Center, and the Metreon Sony entertainment center. The striking gray granite facade, piped with polished black stone, complements the octagonal three-story glass entrance and lobby. The hip, urban style extends to the guest rooms, which have a residential feel. Each contains a "luxury" feather bed with a goose-down comforter and pillows, Waterworks linens, an oversize dark-wood desk, an upholstered chaise longue, and louvered blinds that open to (usually) great city views. Each room also contains a compact media wall complete with a Sony CD and videocassette player, an extensive CD library, and a 27-inch color TV with Internet service (and an infrared keyboard). Bathrooms are supersleek and stocked with Aveda products. Furthering the supercool vibe is a bi-level bar and XYZ restaurant, which serves fresh and bold American fare within a zippy white-on-white interior. All in all, since 2000, this has been one of the top places to be.
The Phoenix Hotel
If you'd like to tell your friends back home that you stayed in the same hotel as Linda Ronstadt, Arlo Guthrie, Moby, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, this is the place. On the fringes of San Francisco's less-than-pleasant Tenderloin District, this retro 1950s-style hotel is a gathering place for visiting rock musicians, writers, and filmmakers who crave a dose of Southern California -- hence the palm trees and pastel colors. The focal point of the Palm Springs-style hotel is a small, heated outdoor pool adorned with a mural by artist Francis Forlenza and ensconced in a modern-sculpture garden.The rooms, while more pop than plush, were upgraded in 1998 with more updates in the works for late 2004, and are comfortably equipped with bright festive furnishings, potted plants, and original local art. In addition to the usual amenities, the hotel offers VCRs and movies on request and a party vibe that's not part of the package at most city hotels. Some big bonuses: free parking and the hotel's hot new restaurant and club, the very groovy and very hip Bambuddha Lounge (tel. 415/885-5088), which serves Southeast Asian cuisine with cocktail-lounge flair.
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