Hyatt At Fisherman's Wharf

Cable Cars
Although they may not be San Francisco's most practical means of transportation, cable cars are certainly the best loved and are a must-experience when visiting the city. Designated official historic landmarks by the National Park Service in 1964, they clank up and down the city's steep hills like mobile museum pieces, tirelessly hauling thousands of tourists each day to nowhere in particular.London-born engineer Andrew Hallidie invented San Francisco's cable cars in 1869. He got the idea by serendipity. As the story goes, Hallidie was watching a team of overworked horses haul a heavily laden carriage up a steep San Francisco slope. As he watched, one horse slipped and the car rolled back, dragging the other tired beasts with it. At that moment, Hallidie resolved that he would invent a mechanical contraption to replace such horses, and just 4 years later, in 1873, the first cable car made its maiden run from the top of Clay Street. Promptly ridiculed as "Hallidie's Folly," the cars were slow to gain acceptance. One early onlooker voiced the general opinion by exclaiming, "I don't believe it -- the damned thing works!"Even today, many visitors have difficulty believing that these vehicles, which have no engines, actually work. The cars, each weighing about 6 tons, run along a steel cable, enclosed under the street in a center rail. You can't see the cable unless you peer straight down into the crack, but you'll hear its characteristic clickity-clanking sound whenever you're nearby. The cars move when the gripper (not the driver) pulls back a lever that closes a pincerlike "grip" on the cable. The speed of the car, therefore, is determined by the speed of the cable, which is a constant 9 1/2 mph -- never more, never less.The two types of cable cars in use hold a maximum of 90 and 100 passengers, and the limits are rigidly enforced. The best views are from the outer running boards, where you have to hold on tightly when taking curves.Hallidie's cable cars have been imitated and used throughout the world, but all have been replaced by more efficient means of transportation. San Francisco planned to do so, too, but the proposal met with so much opposition that the cable cars' perpetuation was actually written into the city charter in 1955. The mandate cannot be revoked without the approval of a majority of the city's voters -- a distant and doubtful prospect.San Francisco's three existing cable car lines form the world's only surviving system of cable cars, which you can experience for yourself should you choose to wait in the endless boarding line (up to a 2-hr. wait in summer).

Ferry Building Marketplace (and Farmers' Market)
There's no better way to enjoy a San Francisco morning than strolling this gourmet marketplace in the newly renovated Ferry Building and snacking your way through breakfast or lunch. Tasty tenants, open daily, include many of the best of Northern California's gourmet bounty: Cowgirl Creamery's Artisan Cheese Shop, Recchiuti Confections (amazing!), Scharffen Berger Chocolate, Acme breads, Wine Country's gourmet diner Taylor's Refresher, famed Vietnamese restaurant The Slanted Door, and myriad other restaurants, eateries, and wine bars.An added bonus and San Francisco favorite is the Farmers' Market, which is open alfresco on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm and Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm. Drop by to peruse stands hawking the finest Northern California fruits, vegetables, breads, dairy, flowers, and readymade snacks by a few local restaurants. You can also pick up locally made vinegars and oils -- they make wonderful gifts. Drop in on Sunday from 8am to 2pm for the gardener's market, which focuses on plants but also has a bit of produce. Even when the market's closed, the glistening Ferry Building is now a worthy stop thanks to its new restaurants and shops.

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.

Hotel Monaco San Francisco - a Kimpton Hotel
Hotel Monaco is located at 501 Geary Street at Taylor Street. Just one block away from nearby theatres/American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) and the Curran Theatre. Two blocks west from Union Square the center for the city's finest retail shopping, dining, and entertainment. Close to a variety of area attractions, two blocks from the Powell Street Cable Car Line which travels to Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, and Ghirardelli Square. Walking distance to Chinatown, Mascone Convention Center, art ...

Holiday Inn SAN FRANCISCO-CIVIC CENTER
The Holiday Inn Civic Center Hotel is a AAA 3 Diamond, full service hotel located in the San Francisco Performing Arts and Government District. Our hotel location is just steps from City Hall, Orpheum Theater, San Francisco®s Opera and Ballet, Davies Symphony Hall and Asian Art Museum. Guests at the Holiday Inn Civic Center Hotel San Francisco will enjoy our complimentary Wireless Internet access throughout the hotel, free HBO, outdoor heated pool and sundeck, fitness center, and on site ...

Executive Hotel Vintage Court
A boutique Nob Hill hotel next to Cable Car line. Room includes complimentary continental breakfast and evening wine reception in our newly renovated lobby. On the Nob Hill side of Union Square, the boutique Executive Hotel Vintage Court offers an exceptional location for all travelers. Celebrating the nearby wine country in its design and hospitality, the Executive Hotel Vintage Court is "a little piece of wine country two blocks above Union Square." A fully NON-SMOKING hotel, Executive Hotel ...