Lousan

Author: Mark Andersen

San Francisco is an interesting city. It’s the thirteenth most populated city in the U.S. but when it comes to population density it’s ranked second.

It’s very expensive to live in San Francisco. The city’s property values have escalated to among the highest in the nation. However, San Francisco residents have the highest income in the country.

Since it’s so expensive to live in the city, middle class families have moved out and young, single, professionals have moved in.

To accommodate these affluent and childless denizens, a plethora of restaurants, nightclubs and bars have sprung up all over the city. In other words, there’s a lot to do in San Francisco after the sun goes down. (If you want things to do in San Francisco with children, click here.)

Following is an itinerary to utilize everything the nightlife in San Francisco has to offer. During your trip, you’ll tour several of the city’s unique districts and visit many of the city’s main attractions. It won’t take long for you to realize that the “City by the Bay” is just as exciting at night as it is during the day.

SOMA

As the sun sets on San Francisco, you find yourself standing in the SOMA district.

SOMA stands for “South of Market.” This area is located in the eastern part of the city and is home to San Francisco’s top art galleries.

As night descends, you browse through the latest exhibits at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (151 Third Street) and then at the newest editions to the Yerba Buena Arts Center (701 Mission Street).

Looking at art can make one thirsty, so you grab a cocktail at one of the many art-gallery-slash-cocktail-lounges. The Minna Gallery (111 Minna Street) and the Mezzanine (444 Jessie Street) are two of the most popular.

You can stay in SOMA for dinner, but tonight you’re out to see as much of the city as possible, so you continue on to your next destination.

Of course, if you had dined in SOMA you might have visited the Salt House (545 Mission Street) for some excellent American cuisine or the cozy Fringale (570 4th Street) for their exquisite French faire.

And if you had dined in SOMA, you probably would have visited the Supperclub (657 Harrison Street) afterwards. This ultra cool club has patrons dining on beds and sipping pricey cocktails while watching Cirque du Soleil-type shows. It’s a feast for the senses.

THE CASTRO

Your next stop is the Castro district-center of the city’s gay culture. It was here that Harvey Milk, recently portrayed in the movie Milk by actor Sean Penn, opened a camera shop and began his political activism.

You’re traveling to the Castro district to visit the historic movie palace, the Castro Theater (428 Castro Street). This theater shows new and old, domestic and foreign, and mainstream and independent films. It’s also quite the social hot spots for movie buffs.

After taking in a movie, you might want to dine at 2223 Restaurant (2223 Market Street). This affordable restaurant is known to have some of the best food in the city. If you’re not in the mood for American food, the Thai House Express on Castro (599 Castro Street) always receives rave reviews.

After dinner, you partake in some wine tasting at the Swirl on Castro (572 Castro Street). You not only taste wines that come from all over the world but you also browse their showroom full of gifts and wine accessories.

Next stop is the Bar on Church (198 Church). This legendary hot spot has trendsetting deejays, retro furnishing and a patio bar. It is the place to be when you’re in the Castro.

THE FILLMORE

You could hang out at the Bar on Church all night, but you have places to go and a rock band to see. You head north to the historic Fillmore (1805 Geary Boulevard) to catch your favorite band live on stage.

One of the cathedrals of America music, the Fillmore has seen legendary rock bands like the Grateful Dead, The Who, The Doors and The Jimi Hendrix Experience perform on its stage. Today, it books such diverse artists as Blondie, Eagles of Death Metal and DeVotchKa.

THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT

Wanting to relax after the high energy concert (and wanting the ringing from your ears to dissipate), you venture northeast and visit the Cigar Bar & Grill (850 Montgomery Street). You unwind with a nice Montecristo and some smooth Courvosier.

The Cigar Bar & Grill has a friendly, causal atmosphere and is one of the few places open late at night in the Financial District.

MISSION DISTRICT

The night is still young and you’re still thirsty. You venture down to San Francisco’s Mission District for a little bar hoping.

The Mission District is home to a slew of great neighborhood bars like the Thieves Tavern (496 14th Street), Elxir (3200 16th Street), 500 Club (500 Guerrero Street), Delirium (3139 16th Street) and Gestalt Haus (3159 16th Street).

The Beauty Bar (2299 Mission Street) is decorated with the salvaged interior from a Long Island salon. The bar offers music and cocktails seven days a week, but Thursday through Sunday you can get a manicure.

PRESIDIO PET CEMETERY

Now that you’re liquored up and your nails are nicely manicured, you decide it’s time to creep yourself out. So you drop in on the Presidio Pet Cemetery.

It was once the unofficial burial site for deceased pets belonging to families stationed at the Presidio-a former military installation but since 1994 it has belonged to the National Park Service.

Currently, the cemetery is closed to new members, but that doesn’t stop some grieving pet owners from secretly burying their departed loved ones. Of course burials at the Presidio now have to be done under the cover of night to avoid the wrath of law enforcement.

HAIGHT-ASHBURY

With the sun about to rise and a tear in your eye from reading Fluffy’s tombstone, you stroll into the Haight-Ashbury neighbor for some breakfast.

After all, where else can you go when you reek of smoke, alcohol and dead pets but the birthplace of the hippies?

You grab a coffee at the extremely laid-back Horseshoe Cafe (566 Haight Street). And then you have breakfast at Kate’s Kitchen (471 Haight Street). You had to wait for a table, but breakfast at Kate’s is always worth it.

Since the morning is still crisp, you take a leisurely stroll around Golden Gate Park before returning home.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS

The San Francisco Giants play at AT&T Park (24 Willie Mays Plaza). The park is located in the SOMA district and is surrounded by a bevy of restaurants and bars.

Civic Center/Tenderloin is San Francisco’s own theater district. There you’ll find the Curran, Golden Gate, Herbst, Orpheum and Warfield Theaters. It’s also the home to the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, the San Francisco Opera (the second largest opera company on the continent) and the San Francisco Ballet.

Beach Blanket Babylon is a San Francisco institution. The zany musical spoof of pop culture performs at Club Fugazi (678 Green Street) in San Francisco’s North Beach district. Now in its 34th year, it’s the longest running musical revue in theatre history.

SAYING GOODBYE TO THE CITY BY THE BAY

Regardless of where you start or where you finish, San Francisco is rich in culture, arts and entertainment. The city is well organized, easy to navigate and teeming with vivacious nightlife.

While it’s possible to see a lot of the city in one night, it’s also possible to spend multiple nights exploring just one neighborhood. For these culturally rich and fascinating districts make San Francisco a truly unique American city.

Source: articlesbase.com

Author: Martin Vernon

“The Bed and Breakfast Experience” describes the differences offered by bed and breakfasts compared to hotels. Essentially you enjoy the amenities of a hotel with added personal touches. Someone once described a bed and breakfast as the next best thing to staying with friends. You are even greeted by name! There are no “cookie-cutter” aspects to a stay in a bed and breakfast – each home is as individual as its owners.

There’s somewhere for everyone to stay: you can choose from a downtown heritage home, waterfront guest house, country manor house, elegant inn, country cottage, contemporary home, farm or a woodland retreat.

It can be a daunting task to find reliably good quality accommodation when browsing through websites. Look for professional-looking sites: these reflect the qualities of the B&B. They should offer a website availability calendar with easy online reservations as well as a toll-free telephone service. Further, reputable bed and breakfasts often subscribe to organisations with inspection and approval standards. If you book with a bed and breakfast which meets these requirements you should be assured that you will not be disappointed. For example, in Canada the national ratings system, Canada Select, assesses amenities and quality of décor. 4, 4.5 or 5 Stars indicate the best quality.

Business travellers have traditionally sought their accommodation in hotels catering to their requirements. But things are changing with many bed and breakfasts now offering all their business needs free of charge: high-speed wireless internet, desks, telephone, computer and printer. The provision of free local telephone calls, free parking, free movies, free newspaper and free beverages make for savings – and that is not to mention an inclusive memorable breakfast. Themed unique furnishings and comfortable décor help to make the stay pleasingly memorable. There is, or should be, no sense of trespassing in someone’s home; privacy is paramount. The days are long gone when staying at a bed and breakfast entailed sleeping in someone’s spare room with basic amenities (possibly including a tired shag carpet) and a shared bathroom “down the hall”!

The B&B is typically a private residence whose owners choose to have this business lifestyle because they enjoy meeting people. A high level of service with an attention to detailed is almost guaranteed; after all, their livelihood depends on it. Some welcome families, others pets, whilst others are adult oriented. Your hosts gladly provide insights into the areas tourist attractions and activities, restaurant recommendations as well as tips and local secrets. The inclusive breakfast has local produce, fresh jams, delicious baked goods and mouth-watering specialties.

Many bed and breakfasts are in attractive older homes oozing charm furnished by antiques, while others offer modern crisp elegance and contemporary art. Luxuriate in fine linens on a comfortable bed, soak in a two-person bubbling whirlpool bathtub and snuggle up in armchairs to enjoy the ambience of a fireplace – just the place for a romantic or quiet break. Beautiful gardens are often a feature too for quiet relaxation. Smaller boutique hotels are now incorporating some of the successful qualities of bed and breakfasts into their renovations.

If this is to be your first bed and breakfast experience it very likely will not be your last.

Source: articlesbase.com

Author: Robert

The City by the Bay. There’s only one place that could refer to–San Francisco. This historic city offers so much to see and do, you can visit again and again without growing tired of it. And when you do go, you can find just the right San Francisco lodging among Rentalo’s San Francisco vacation rentals.

Perhaps you will choose one of the many San Francisco bed and breakfasts we offer to use as your home base to begin your days of discovery. The city has a lively and fascinating history. Originally settled as a fishing village, San Francisco was transformed almost overnight into a fabulous city thanks to the ‘49ers. No, not the football team–the delirious hopefuls who rushed here from across the country when gold was discovered in 1849. The city has been attracting folks from across the country ever since. During the Internet revolution, a number of newly minted business tycoons chose this California city as their home, particularly in the tony Nob Hill area. This change over time has resulted in a fascinating mix of modern and Victorian architecture here. Naturally, this variety is reflected in our offerings of San Francisco vacation rentals.
The constantly growing and changing population has helped the city evolve into a veritable melting pot of cultures. People of all walks of life are pleased to call San Francisco home. If you’d like to experience it for yourself, your best bet for San Francisco lodging is to peruse Rentalo’s extensive listings.

Perhaps one of our San Francisco hotels will be situated just where you want to settle yourself for your visit. We have so many San Francisco vacation rentals located along the steep winding streets of the city that your personal desires are sure to be met by one of them. Maybe you’ll want to enjoy the majestic sweep of the Golden Gate Bridge from your window. You can enjoy the breathtaking drive across it on your way to spending a day at the Golden Gate Recreational Area. Or you might wish to be settled within walking distance of some of the city’s 65 museums. You’ll definitely want to experience a ride on the fabled cable cars, which happen to be the only moving National Historic Landmark. Our site will help you identify the San Francisco lodging in the best location for you.

Perhaps you’ll want to choose one of the San Francisco hotels near Union Square. What trip would be complete without visiting one of the top four shopping districts in the nation? Your main problem in planning a trip to this bustling city will be trying to fit everything in. Don’t make it harder on yourself by trying to arrange your San Francisco lodging without Rentalo. Our far-reaching offerings range from homey San Francisco bed and breakfasts to the fanciest of San Francisco vacation rentals. Pick out the options that fit your needs and budget, and start planning your City by the Bay getaway today! Your only regret will be that you didn’t do so sooner.

Source: ArticlesBase.com

Author: Leng Chun Hung

Are you ready for a romantic getaway in California? Because there are plenty of hotspots, you will never be lack of choices when planning a vacation in California. Here, we’ll look at a few places that you might want to try!

If You and Your Partner are Wine Lovers…

You will absolutely adore the wineries dotting the northern cities during your vacation in California. The wine country is filled with the beauty of vineyards and the rich, sweet taste of wines and similar adult beverages.

Best of all, you will be shock at how affordable the cost will be, so plan on taking home some of the “good stuff” to remind yourself of your romantic getaway in California!

If You and Your Partner are Fun-Lovers

Why not head to Disneyland for to renew your romance? It’s a small world after all… so no matter where you stay, you can get there in a hop, skip, and a jump.

Though Florida’s Disneyworld tends to take much of the spotlight away from Disneyland, do not forget the fact that Disneyland is the first amusement park and destination hotspot of its kind. And it absolutely caters to lovers, making it an ideal romantic getaway in California!

If You and Your Partner are Free Spirits…

There is nothing better than a drive up (or down) the coastline for a trip in the sunny state that you will surely remember for years to come. Enjoy the sea breezes and the towns that dot the coast as you cruise through this sunny state. Taste the variations of foods from the natural, healthy food inspired north to the Mexican-inspired south.

Just make sure you give yourselves a full week or two to enjoy your in the sunny State, as it should never be rushed.

If You and Your Partner are into Entertainment…

Hollywood is the place for you! There is so much to see there, and Tinseltown should be part of this vacation. Who knows? You might even spot a few celebrity or starlets, so bring along your camera. And head to Rodeo Drive for a shopping experience of a lifetime if you have just won the lottery!

If You and Your Partner are into Cultural Activities…

San Francisco has it all! The history, the arts, the sports… it is all there on this romantic getaway in California! And depending upon the time of year, you can actually broker some pretty decent rates at some of the downtown hotels. Or, if you prefer, you can always stay at a bed and breakfast near the city… but far enough away to feel a tad rustic.

There are absolutely endless possibilities for a romantic getaway in California, so plan yours now!

Source: ArticlesBase.com