We focus on providing up to date airport shuttle services and pricing into San Francisco Airport (SFO), Oakland Airport (OAK), and San Jose Airport (SJC). We’ve mystery shopped all of our listed providers and updated pricing (it’s gone up!) for all the shuttle, limo, and bus providers. The list also includes service ratings to warn you where we received especially poor phone service, or if riders have reported poor incidents.
Check out our SFO airport shuttles update to research your trip.
→ No CommentsTags:
We get a steady stream of interesting business review requests into our editorial team – and two this week caught our eye:
"Bud" will marry you in his cab. We don’t mean he will get married to you – he’ll perform the nuptials in the cab or in any picturesque San Francisco view you choose. Bud’s a notary, minister, cab driver — and all around interesting guy. If you are looking to be married while sitting in San Francisco traffic – rest assured — you won’t need to look for parking.
"Billion Dollar Babes" are staging a massive fashion sale in San Francisco. No – they’re not fodder for Eliot Spitzer’s friends at $1 billion per pop (would he consider this?). It’s a very cool fashion sale at deep discounts that visits San Francisco rarely for the special sale. It’s at the "Regency Center" at Van Ness and Sutter (1290 Sutter). The sale features every high-brow designer imaginable – we’re too poor to even know most of these names. It costs only $100-$200 per year to be a "Billion Dollar Babe" (a bargain!) – and no joke – you need to be a member to enter this sale. Check out Regency Center (a cool looking historic place) below…
→ 1 CommentTags:
Cavallo Point hotel and spa has arrived in Sausalito and is an incredible new option in enjoying the relaxing environment of Sausalito and the San Francisco area. Converting the former Sausalito Army base into luxury hotel rooms has been a labor of love for the new hotel. Guests are raving about the comfort, luxury, and reasonable convenience into the city. For a relaxing vacation – Sausalito’s Cavallo Point is an amazing alternative to the City’s hustle and bustle.
→ No CommentsTags:
The InterContinental San Francisco is an amazing tower of translucent cool-blue glass windows. The Intercontinental tower’s 32 stories are above the vibrant South of Market (SoMa) neighborhood, and is fast becoming a stunning San Francisco landmark. As the first new hotel in over two decades, it isn’t surprising that InterContinental San Francisco is creating a buzz among both locals and tourists.
Located right next to Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco’s luxury Intercontinental is in an excellent location for both business and fun in San Francisco. With excellent business convenience to Moscone conferences and conventions – the Intercontinental is also within easy walking distance of premium shopping areas—including the famed Westfield San Francisco Center, trendy and upscale restaurants / nightclubs, and several excellent tourist attractions including the Museum of Modern Art and Yerba Buena Center.
Check out our full review of the Intercontinental Hotel – San Francisco’s amazing new hotel landmark.
→ No CommentsTags:
San Francisco’s world of tourism is constantly changing. Hotels change owners; restaurants change names or close. When we were notified earlier this week to update our Alcatraz tour pricing, we dutifully went to work making our updates for the new operator of the tours. But wait – the prices went up – A LOT.
Adults rose by 48% ($16.50 to $24.50); kids rose by 41% ($10.75 to $15.25); but the biggest price increases were reserved for senior citizens who rose by 58% ($14.75 to $23.25). All of these Alcatraz Ticket price comparisons are from July 2006 to March 2008.
We were doubly shocked to find almost no news coverage of these large price increases for San Francisco’s #1 tourist destination. Has no-one noticed a 50% price increase to visit Alcatraz???
Now we understand supply & demand – and are also well aware that many tour operators buy up tickets in bulk to combine with add-on bus tours that drive up the true cost of visiting the island. That said – these are hefty increases that threw us for a loop. We hope that Alcatraz can remain affordable for visits by average families but the price increases have become significant. Even a "family pack" for 2 adults and 2 kids saves a family only $5 from the prices shown above.
The new tour pages note that the tours are "affiliated with" Hornblower Cruises. We hope that the LLC set up to handle Alcatraz tours can maintain the fun and spirit of the cruises and keep prices reasonable for our visitors in the future.
→ No CommentsTags:
There are two things we especially love in San Francisco:
1.) The Presidio Park
2.) Great restaurants.
The folks who started up the Presidio Social Club restaurant (they just call it a club) – combined both of our favorite things into one. The restoration of the Presidio’s former military buildings now has added a great new restaurant in the classic style of the 1940’s period.
The feel is design to evoke the feeling of the period – rest & relaxation with people returning from the war. The "playful" cuisine offers comfort food with a twist, plus San Francisco classics like oyster stew. Ask your server about the "secret" offmenu entrees like the huge bunker-buster burger and dirty dozen donut holes. The bar includes the original mai tai recipe from Trader Vic’s.
Located at 563 Ruger Street (yup – that Ruger) – the club features weeknight specials including whole roast pig; lobster pot pie; and rum & ginger spareribs. It’s all yummy with a great drink menu too that includes the gunpowder cocktail gin gimlet – with spicy cayenne thrown in.
Don’t miss the friendly social table made from the polished burled slab of a tree trunk. The communal table is a great way to meet other diners and is one of the most popular tables at the restaurant. You can wine and dine like the "greatest generation"…
Desserts include banana cream pie and s’mores. Food at the Presidio was never so good as this. Can’t recommend it enough to combine an amazing attraction with an excellent new restaurant concept – check out the Presidio Social Club and become a "member" today. There are some opening "hot new restaurant" service hiccups reported, so don’t come in a hurry.
(415) 885-1888
→ 2 CommentsTags:
If you’re planning a trip to the Bay Area, or live in the Bay Area an just love wine – plan for these upcoming food & wine festivals in 2008. You can enjoy food and wine in a beautiful outdoor setting at some of the world’s finest wineries. Throughout Napa, Sonoma, and the Russian River area – there are wine festivals almost every month of the year. Here are some of our favorite wine country festivals in 2008:
It’s a fun, grass-roots, eco-event on April 20th, featuring a walk around tasting of spring wine releases from nearby Green Valley. The festival features DeLoach Vineyards, Dutton-Goldfield, Freeman Family Winery, Hartford Court, Iron Horse Vineyards, Marimar Estate, Orogeny and Patz & Hall.
The day’s speaker will be Gil Grosvenor, Chairman of National Geographic.
The festival features interpretations of “world street food” – everything either grown on the Iron Horse estate or come from farms within a 100 mile radius.
Tickets will cost from $50 General Admission and $250 for the All Access Pass, which includes a private reception at the Victorian home of Iron Horse founders Audrey & Barry Sterling.
During August 29-31, you can enjoy premier wine and food festival, combining the best of Sonoma’s wine and food and a Wine Auction. The festival features more than 200 wineries and chefs, plus winemaker lunches and dinners, a grand tasting. A low-key and fun way to end the summer in Sonoma’s wine country.
If you’re truly a high roller – this invitation only wine auction raises over $10 million over 4 days by auctioning Napa Valley‘s best wines. Packages include luxury cars; celebrity experiences, and other amazing items. Lifestyles of the rich and famous is here for you – with all you can eat and drink while you help a number of worthy Bay Area and national charities. Request your invitation early – these folks are serious about wine and helping folks. Pulling up to an event like this might best include a limousine – for both glamour and safety…
Whichever festival you choose – enjoy San Francisco’s neighboring wine valleys on a sunny day.
→ No CommentsTags:
If you’re headed to San Francisco for a vacation or "business trip" – one "don’t-miss" way to spend a few hours is to enjoy one of the bay cruises that go past Alcatraz and Golden Gate Bridge. We highly recommend any opportunity to enjoy San Francisco from the water.
There are two main tour companies offering large group cruises – the Red and White Fleet and Blue and Gold Fleet. We’ve reviewed both tours for your decision making pleasure. See you in San Francisco!
→ 1 CommentTags:
Recent articles on travel trends indicate that travelers are looking for more personal customization in their room stays. One company – Pure Rooms – is featuring rooms in specific major hotel chains – in specific cities – that are certified with the maximum cleanliness and allergy free state.
Pure Rooms have the following special features:
It all sounds great – except in December 2007 – we were unable to find a single hotel room for San Francisco – or even anywhere in California.
With our family’s allergies – this type of hotel room would be a welcome change – and we are hoping that it can be provided soon for the San Francisco area. Kimpton Hotels operates many hotels around San Francisco – and does special cleaning after pets are in a room. But this type of cleaning – post-pet – is a fraction of what Pure rooms would be.
Consider this post to be an open invitation to the San Francisco hotel community to offer this level of allergy protection – for at least a fraction of rooms in San Francisco. We’re sure it is coming soon, but we need it sooner.
→ No CommentsTags:
San Francisco’s Crowne Plaza Hotel at Union Square is still there, but it is no longer a Crowne Plaza. An investment firm ("Felcor") has purchased the property and renamed it to Hotel 480. There are future plans to improve the property – which at over 400 rooms is one of San Francisco’s biggest hotels and in a very convenient spot at Union Square.
The location is great and although we liked Crowne Plaza – we applaud the upcoming improvements to the property.
Check out Marriott Union Square – San Francisco’s "newest" (named) hotel at SFTravel.
2009 Update – It seems like Felcor had bigger plans for this hotel and the Hotel 480 name was merely a stealth way to conceal the amazing new renovation. This property is now the San Francisco Marriott at Union Square. Get your Marriott Rewards card ready! What will it’s name be next week — we can only speculate!!!
→ No CommentsTags: