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United Airlines Flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO)
Orbitz is pleased to offer airline tickets on United Airlines, which operates 7 regularly scheduled daily non-stop flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO), departing between 6:50am and 10:30pm, and 10 additional non-stop flights, departing between 6:00am and 8:09pm on select days of the week. The average travel time from Los Angeles, CA to San Francisco, CA is 1 hour and 23 minutes.
During your San Francisco vacation, don't miss these great establishments and attractions:
Mission Dolores
San Francisco's oldest standing structure, the Mission San Francisco de Assisi (aka Mission Dolores), has withstood the test of time, as well as two major earthquakes, relatively intact. In 1776, at the behest of Franciscan missionary Junípero Serra, Father Francisco Palou came to the Bay Area to found the sixth in a series of missions that dotted the California coastline. From these humble beginnings grew what was to become the city of San Francisco. The mission's small, simple chapel, built solidly by Native Americans who were converted to Christianity, is a curious mixture of native construction methods and Spanish-colonial style. A statue of Father Serra stands in the mission garden, although the portrait looks somewhat more contemplative, and less energetic, than he must have been in real life. A 45-minute audio tour costs $5; otherwise, admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children.
Aquarium of the Bay
The latest major addition to Fisherman's Wharf is Aquarium of the Bay, a $38-million, 1-million-gallon marine attraction filled with sharks, stingrays, and more. A moving footpath transports visitors through clear acrylic tunnels. The aquarium ultimately is not a destination in itself, but it's a good place to take the kids if you're in the neighborhood.
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.
Make your reservations for discount hotel rooms in the
San Francisco area, including:
Hotel Bijou
Three words sum up this hotel: clean, colorful, and cheap. Although it's on the periphery of the gritty Tenderloin (just 3 blocks off Union Square), once inside this gussied-up 1911 hotel, all's cheery, bright, and perfect for the budget traveler who wants a little style with your savings. Joie de Vivre hotel group disguised the hotel's age with lively decor, a Deco theater theme, and a heck of a lot of vibrant paint. To the left of the small lobby is a "theater" where guests can watch San Francisco-based movies nightly (cute old-fashioned theater seating, though it's just a basic TV showing videos). Upstairs, rooms named after locally made films are small, clean, and colorful (think buttercup, burgundy, and purple), and have all the basics from clock radios, dressers, and small desks to tiny bathrooms (one of which is so small you have to close the door to access the toilet). Alas, a few mattresses could be firmer, and there's only one small and slow elevator. But considering the price, and perks like the continental breakfast and friendly service, you can't go wrong here.
The Clift Hotel
Ian Schrager, king of such ultrahip hotels as New York's Royalton and Paramount, L.A.'s Mondrian, and Miami's Delano, renovated this classic old luxury property in 2001, erasing virtually every trace of its original integrity and replacing it with trendy hipness. No longer the spot for the older clientele, now it's all about young trendsetters who flock here for monochrome pale-purple streamlined rooms with often-miniscule bathrooms, glamorous atmosphere, and a heavy dose of attitude. Situated in the city's Theater District, 2 blocks from Union Square, the hotel's location is still key. The Redwood Room bar underwent renovation and is noticeably different, with its original sexy redwood walls and light fixtures accompanying Philippe Starck's whimsically luxurious and rather uncomfortable interior. Equally trend and expensive Asia de Cuba restaurant adjoins the swank lounge. Guest-room extras include individual climate control, two-line telephones, and windows that open -- a nice touch for guests who appreciate fresh air, but in my mind, the only reason to pay the high prices here is if you're interested in being surrounded by the young and hip. Otherwise, there are far better rooms about town at a similar or less-expensive price.
Hilton San Francisco
Complete with bustling conventioneers and a line to register that resembles airport check-in, the Hilton's lobby is so enormous and busy that it feels more like a convention hall than a hotel. The three connecting buildings (the original 19-story main structure, a 46-story tower topped by a panoramic restaurant, and a 23-story landmark with 386 luxurious rooms and suites) bring swarms of visitors. Even during quieter times, the sheer enormity of the place makes the Hilton somewhat overwhelming.After you get past the sweeping grand lobby, jump on an elevator, and wind through endless corridors to your room, you're likely to find the mystique ends with clean but run-of-the-mill standard-size corporate accommodations. That said, some of the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the main tower's rooms are memorable, and since the hotel continues with ongoing renovations, you're likely to sleep in newish quarters.Unless you're staying in one of the more luxurious units, the feel and decor are impersonal and plain -- perfect for conventioneers, but not for a romantic weekend. One bonus: A 13,000-square-foot health club and day spa was added in 2003. The Hilton has four restaurants: Cityscape, on the 46th floor, offers classic California cuisine and a breathtaking 360-degree view; Intermezzo serves Mediterranean-style food; The Café offers a buffet; and Kiku's of Japan offers -- you guessed it -- Japanese food.
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