Top 3 San Francisco Hotels
Ritz-Carlton San Francisco
600 Stockton St.
Tel. 415-296-7465
This Nob Hill landmark, consistently voted one of the world's top hotels, borders the Financial District. The Club Level, named Best in America by Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, provides guests with a dedicated concierge, access to an exclusive level, and complimentary food and beverage throughout the day.
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Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco
757 Market Street
Tel. 415-633-3000
Opened October 2001 two blocks from the Moscone Convention Center and Union Square shopping, this first-class newcomer is winning fans quickly. Extra-spacious guest rooms feature two-line phones and high-speed Internet access. Directly linked to the hotel, Sports Club/LA features a junior Olympic pool.
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Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco
222 Sansome St.
415-276-9888
The only San Francisco hotel to win the Mobil Travel Guide Five-Star Award, this Financial District property is renowned for its peaceful sleeping environment (ideal for overcoming jet lag). The hotel occupies the top floors of the city's tallest building, and views are extraordinary. Binoculars and limousine service are available. The hotel is walking distance to Union Square, Chinatown, cable cars, North Beach, and Fisherman's Wharf.
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Top 2 San Francisco Shopping Areas
Union Square
Hop a cab or a cable car to Union Square, home to world's greatest specialty stores: Neiman-Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Cartier, Bulgari, and Tiffany are all concentrated in this four-block area. Designer-conscious shoppers can indulge cravings for Chanel, Armani, Gucci, Hermès, and Louis Vuitton in clothing and accessories boutiques.
Haight-Ashbury
Legendary Haight-Ashbury, birthplace of the hippies, still draws visitors 30+ years after the Summer of Love. Trendy boutiques and skateboard shops now border the district's funky used clothing shops, bookstores, and tattoo parlors. Music-lovers agree: The extensive and eclectic
Amoeba Music store (1855 Haight Street, 415-831-1200) is alone worth the trip.
Top 4 San Francisco Restaurants
Postrio
545 Post St.
Tel. 415-776-7825
Wolfgang Puck's Union Square outpost delights diners with signature dishes from the celebrity chef. If torn between starting with the shrimp-and-pork potstickers or the house-smoked salmon with dill crème fraiche, share. Smoked lobster, bacon, and arugula elevate a mundane lunch-hour club sandwich to culinary greatness.
Aqua
252 California St.
Tel. 415-956-9662
Seafood-lovers savor the intensely flavorful cooking in this relaxed yet elegant downtown space. A five-course lunch tasting menu is available, and entrées such as clam-crusted Alaskan halibut and seared petrale sole are extraordinary.
Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
Tel. 510-548-5525
Birthplace of new American cuisine, Chez Panisse is just across the bay and indisputably worth the trip. The freshest ingredients go into Alice Waters' imaginative, Mediterranean-inspired dishes. Her prix-fixe menu changes daily, and advance reservations are essential.
Top 3 San Francisco Bars
Top of the Mark
Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental Hotel
One Nob Hill
Tel. 415-616-6916
Reward yourselves with a visit to this sophisticated sky lounge. Come in time for the sunset views, kick back with an exotic Golden Gate or Earthquake cocktail, and feel on top of the world.
Bix
56 Gold St.
415-433-6300
Local celebs and visiting dignitaries know the way to this swanky jazz supper club at the edge of the Financial District. Hidden away like a speakeasy, this art-moderne boîte evokes the glamour of 1940's Hollywood.
Bliss Bar
4026 24th St.
Tel. 415-826-6200
Ten minutes from Union Square by taxi, this trendy spot caters to a well-dressed young crowd. As the DJ (he's the one in the window) spins jazz, hip-hop, and bossa rhythms, quaff a Cosmo with infused vodka.
Top 5 San Francisco Museums
Cable Car Museum
1201 Mason St.
Tel. 415-474-1887
Exploratorium
Palace of Fine Arts, 3601 Lyon St.
Tel. 415-561-0360
Legion of Honor (European art)
34th Ave. and Clement St.
Tel. 415-863-3330
Museum of Modern Art
151 Third St.
Tel. 415-357-4000
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