We're considering a late summer vacay to either San Fran or San Diego area.

What's your preference?
Good convenient hotel?
Things to do in the city and within driving distance?
Restaurants?

I lean more toward San Francisco than San Diego on the score of 'restaurants' and 'things to do within driving distance'.

Particularly the Napa Valley, Sausalito, Muir Woods and San Francisco itself is very walkable.

I like San Diego, but in a choice between these two cities, I prefer San Francisco.

I'll let you know about San Francisco after the 16th. My husband and I fly there on the 11th. I haven't been to San Diego, though. I will tell you we've already got tickets for a Napa Valley Tour <an all day event> and Alcatraz.

I'll look forward to hearing all about your trip Skittles!

bring a sweater if you go with Frisco...

If you're taking kids San Diego...adults only I'd say San Fran. San Diego is warmer though.

San Diego has a lot to offer. Beaches, the Zoo, Balboa Park, Sea World. Old Town San Diego is a great place to visit alos. Temecula is less than an hour from San Diego and they have all kinds of winerys and the drive is beautiful.

San Francisco is great too. When we went a couple of years ago we did the Alcatraz tour and went to the wharf and it was a lot of fun. Also, if you drive to San Jose (about an hour away) you can go to the Winchester House. It's a great tour and very interesting.

True! We lived in Foster City CA back when my daughter was born. It was chilly in the summer.

We're going to San Francisco next Thursday and will be staying at a Best Western on the wharf, which has gotten good reviews. We've been several times to SF and I absolutely love it. Dress warm.

I don't think you'll need a car. The public transportation is great. If you want to get a lot of sightseeing in, I encourage you to get a Go San Francisco Card. The 3-day runs about $90 and has loads of fun adventures; if Alcatraz is something you want to do (we haven't done it yet), the card offers an option to include this for an additional cost.

There's so much to eat there! Our fave dim sum place is Dol Ho, which is a hole in the wall but has great food. And do check out the Bourbon & Branch speakeasy. The prices seem high, but the quality is superb.

San Francisco is definitely cold. We were there in August and just about froze!

Just hubby and I, but we like all of the kid stuff too

We're not renting a car. Don't know exactly how we'll be getting around, but I know that public transportation is plentiful. We're staying at the Hilton at Union Square. My husband as business meetings there from the 14th-16th, so we're just tacking on a couple of extra days.

Tickets already purchased for Alcatraz - doing an 'early bird' one on Tuesday. Also, the Napa Valley tour starts at the Ferry Building. We'll be ferried back across upon our return.

Can't wait - very, very excited.

San Diego, we stayed at the Catamaran Resort, really nice, on the bay. Easy to get anywhere from it.

Duchess,

Are you taking the Napa Wine Train Tour? We're looking into that as an add-on to a business trip I have to The City in May. I saw they had the ferry pick-up option.

We're taking the shuttle up - picnic lunch - going to 4 wineries - then ferry back across the bay. The website is here:

http://www.winecountrytourshuttle.com/

I didn't think it was expensive <$98 per person> and it's an 8 1/2 hour day. We're really looking forward to it.

That looks like a fun tour. Domaine Chandon is one of our favorites! I hope you get to take the full tour there - it's really interesting to see how it all works.

Depends...identify yourself "EggStrodinary"....

San Diego is easier to get around in a car. Liek others said, plenty to do in SF without needing a car but it is cold. San Diego will be warm to hot. Tons to keep you busy here, pay things and free things. I would know...I lived here my whoel life and ain't never leaving.

Remember Dip - never say never. I never thought I'd move away from my hometown either - but I did at almost 44 years old.

San Diego is another place I would like to visit some day.

My wife and I love visiting both places. Each has very unique aspects and it would be hard to pick one over the other. You could do like we did one time - we flew to San Diego, spend some time there, rented a convertible and drove up Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) thru Malibu, Big Sur, Carmel/Monterey and on to San Francisco, then spent a couple of days there, and flew home from there. Fantastic trip!

That is EXACTLY the trip I want to make!!!

We'd love to do that Flyboy - we have friends in SD and it would be nice to see them, but to do that right, I'd want 2 weeks and just don't have that much time right now.

Dip - we've been hearing good things about the wine region just north of SD - are you familiar with it?

Pooh! Pooh is vacationing with the hubs. Girl, you gotta come to SD!

Soem things to do whiel here...

Hiek Torrey Pines state park. Pay to park but it's cheap. The hikes are all on cliffs overlookign the ocean. There's also one hiek that goes down to the beach (when it's nto closed). Torrey Pines is between La Jolla and Del Mar, btoh of which have nice fancy restaurants to eat at and romantic beach walks. Not sure, btu it might still be horse racing season at del mar when you are here. I've never been to the races but every year I want to go.


Check out Coronado. Feels liek an Island but it isn't. It's just across the bay from downtown. Lots of old military officers retire there. City is very clean and well kept. Orange Ave has restaurants and little shops to poke in. Then walk through the famous Hotel Del Coronado and up the beach towards the naval air station. So cool when the jets come in for landings right over the beach. If you rent bikes, take them here--it's flat and great for riding. There's also a pay ferry going between coronado and downtown.

Poitn Loma lighthouse--also cheap, just pay for parking. Offers beautiful views and a paved hike down the point closer to the water. See all the way to Mexico and all of San Diego on a clear day.

OB (Ocean Beach) is kinda fun and you can do that when you do Point Loma. Newport Ave reminds me of a vintage beach town. The bums are pretty much old hippies and locals get to knwo them. Walk down the pier. Get a burger at Hodads (can be a wait and you'll likely have to share a table with someone). The walls are covered in license plates from all over.

PB (Pacific Beach) is kinda liek OB, but more modern and no hippies. Garnet Ave is the place to go there--lots of shops. Also a pier but you can't go all the way down it. You can, however, rent a little cottage on it if you have the dough. Don't knwo what it costs to stay on Crystal Pier btu I know it's more than I like to spend (I'm cheap).

Old Town is a must--very mexican and spanish inspired and compelte with a historic park (old buildings). Lots of mexican restaurants with great food (cafe coyote or old town mexican cafe) and shops. Soem cool pottery shops here too.

Balboa Park si beautiful and has tons of Museums. Google it--the museums are free on certain days each month. Balboa Park is very near HIllcrest, our local gay-friendly community. Tons of great restaurants and cool shops to browse.

As far as hotels, I don't see a need to get one on the coast (beach or bay)--you pay a premium to stay there. Try Mission Valley or Fashion Valley--they are really central and onyl about 10 minutes from the beach (minus finding a pakring spot).


Ummm...need anythign more to convince you? It's a summer vacation--it shoudl feel liek one!

Temecula is out local wine country and about an hour north up the 15 from downtown sandiego. I did a tour up there once and liked one of the wineries (wilson creek), but I'm nto a wine drinker and have onyl been once. My bff lives up there and her fave is South Coast.