San Francisco has a lot of different districts/neighborhoods that each have different vibes and qualities. In no particular order, these are the areas that we recommend Keep in mind that we have never stayed in the listed hotels since we are locals, but are able to speak to the areas that they are in. We listed some hotel options but AirBnB/VRBO can be found in these areas as well: Western Addition/Divisadero: - Hotel Metro: Boutique hotel that is located close to our apartment. We love this hotel's location because it is on Divisadero, is close to the panhandle park and Haight Ashbury - Chateau Tivoli Bed and Breakfast: Built in 1892 as a private home, and restored a century later, the Chateau Tivoli offers nine lavishly appointed rooms and suites. Also very close to the iconic Alamo Square Park and Painted Ladies Nob Hill: - Fairmont: Classic luxury SF Hotel known for its views. Has a tiki bar from the 40s converted from a former indoor swimming pool - The Mark Hopkins Hotel: An iconic, historic hotel known for its luxurious accommodations and the famous Top of the Mark sky lounge, offering panoramic views of the city. Japantown: - Hotel Kabuki: A blend of Eastern and Western design, Hotel Kabuki offers a serene and stylish retreat in the heart of San Francisco's Japantown, featuring spacious rooms and a tranquil Japanese garden. - Kimpton Buchanan Hotel: Situated in the heart of Japantown, the Kimpton Buchanan Hotel combines modern luxury with a touch of Japanese flair, providing a unique cultural experience alongside top-notch amenities. Marina: - Hotel Del Sol: A colorful, boutique hotel with a fun, California-inspired theme. - Cow Hollow Inn and Suites: Offers comfortable accommodations in a convenient location.
Sorry, there is a 2000 character limit so I couldn't fit all the recommendations in one section. Mission Dolores - Parker Guest House: Boutique hotel a block away from Dolores Park. Lots of trendy restaurants and bars in this area Pacific Heights: - Hotel Drisco - Laurel Inn Richmond and Sunset: - For those that want to stay in a chiller part of town with less activity, we recommend staying in the Richmond District or the Sunset District! These areas are further out and not as accessible to other areas, but will have a more relaxed, residential feel and are closer to Golden Gate Park and our wedding venue. If you stay in this area, Airbnb is probably your best bet
Downtown/Union Square is where most of our hotels are located, but not our favorite part of town to stay in. If you do choose downtown, we recommend staying out of the Tenderloin District, West side of SOMA, and Civic Center. This means staying East of Taylor St, North of Post St, West of Van Ness, and not between 9th-5th streets South of Market Street.
We recommend using a ride sharing app, like Uber or Lyft to get to the venue! We don't recommend driving but if you do, there is a parking lot. If it fills up, any other parking space will be very far and will require a lot of walking (the nearest street parking is probably a 30 minute walk). We cannot guarantee parking for our guests unfortunately. PLEASE NOTE(!): Fleet week happens to be on the same weekend as our celebration! This means you can expect A LOT of traffic, especially from the north side of the city (Marina, Fisherman's Wharf, Presidio). Please plan accordingly! Public transit is not a good option for this venue unfortunately.
We recommend getting around by doing a combination of walking, taking public transit, and using ride sharing apps. For those unfamiliar with the city, here is a breakdown of options: - Muni: This is our extensive bus, trolleybus, and light rail network that cover most areas of the city. The historic cable cars offer a charming way to explore the central parts of the city. For Muni, download the muni app (MuniMobile) to pay for your fare, which will generate a QR code that you can show to any fare inspector if one comes on the bus. You don't need to show the bus driver that you paid your fare, it is sort of like the honor system. We recommend buying a $5 day pass on the app if you intend of getting on the bus more than once in a day! - BART: This is our regional rail transit system and is meant for getting to/from SF from other cities in the bay. If you take public transit from SFO airport, this is what you would take.
There are 2 airport options for getting into San Francisco: SFO and OAK. We recommend flying into SFO for its convenience and proximity, but both are fine options. After flying in, we recommend taking an Uber or Lyft to your destination since it is the most convenient option, but you can also take BART into the city, which is our regional rail system. Both OAK and SFO are served by BART. We only recommend using BART if your hotel is within walking distance from a BART station, because transferring to a muni bus from a BART station with your luggage can be challenging.
No, we recommend NOT renting a car when visiting San Francisco! If you insist on renting a car, DO NOT leave any of your belongings in the car, even the trunk. Unfortunately the reputation about car break-ins is real here and rental cars and cars with out-of-state plates are the ones that are targeted. Besides, we want you to be able to enjoy yourself at the wedding and not have to worry about driving. Beyond that, the traffic can be hectic, hills can be hard to drive on if you aren't used to it, and parking in the city can be very challenging.
Impossible to list everything, but here is a starting point: Restaurants $: - Arsicault on Arguello (best croissants, prepare to wait in line) - La Palma Mexicatessen - Taqueria Vallarta - Taqueria Guadalajara - Wing Lee Bakery (Dim Sum to go, good for ordering and bringing into Golden Gate Park) - RT Rotisserie - Devil's Teeth Baking Company (breakfast sandwich) - Abu Salim $$: - Cellarmaker House of Pizza (Detroit-style) - Mandalay (Burmese) - Sandy's (NOLA Sandwiches) - Palm City (Sandwiches) - Dumpling Home (Dim Sum) - Beit Rima ("Arabic comfort food") $$$+: - Robin (sushi) - Nopa (classic SF restaurant. Best pork chop in the city) - Ernest (Californian) - Rich Table (Californian) - Liholiho Yacht Club (Hawaiian) - San Ho Won (High end Korean BBQ) - The Progress (Californian) - State Bird Provisions (Californian, same building as The Progress) - Cotogna (Italian) Bars The Page (cash only, dive, one of our favorites) Toronado (cash only, dive beer bar, also a favorite) Smuggler's Cove (legendary tiki bar) Holy Water (bit out of the way, but great) ABV (cocktails, also has good food) Dalva Peacekeeper Comstock Saloon (from the turn of the 20th century, well preserved Saloon from SF's Barbary Coast era. Live music) Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe (hole in the wall North Beach bar)