There may be another city with a more dazzling variety of scenic views than San Francisco, but I can’t think of one at the moment. I discover a cool new view every time I’m here. But if you want to appreciate the totality of the city by the bay from one lofty vantage point, I suggest a trip to Twin Peaks.... Read More

This article was written by Barbara Wayman and originally appeared in AAA's Home & Away magazine.

I had the oddest sensation when I was in San Francisco. It happened every time I took a bite at Chef Hubert Keller’s res­taurants. Suddenly I was filled with a deep sense of pity for all the people not around me, because they weren’t tasting the exquisite flavors I was at that moment.

For those who’ve watched Keller on 'Top Chef' or 'Secrets of a Chef' and wondered if his culinary creations were really that good, they can wonder no longer. They are.... Read More

Various things immediately come to mind when you hear the words San Francisco. The Golden Gate Bridge? Definitely. Cable cars? For sure. Sourdough bread? It certainly comes to my mind. You can add sea lions to this list as well.

The blubbery, whiskered marine mammals are the stars at Pier 39, one of the city’s biggest tourist draws. It’s normally a given that as you approach the pier you’ll hear a caterwauling chorus of barking that drowns out everything else, from traffic along the Embarcadero to the cries of those ever-present seagulls. Lolling on the floating docks built especially for them, engaging in mock shoving matches or lazily rolling over like a dog playing dead, the sea lions seem to bask in their reputation as local celebrities. I wouldn’t even be surprised if they started posing for pictures; there certainly are enough camera-toting people positioning themselves for that one special shot. And that’s why it made national news last fall when almost all of them inexplicably disappeared. ... Read More

Who doesn’t love day trips? They’re fun, they’re manageable and they almost always produce fond memories. But they have a built-in limitation: It always seems like you run out of day before you’re ready to end the trip.

That was certainly the case when a friend and I recently embarked on an excursion from San Francisco down to Monterey. After borrowing a day trip necessity—a car—we set out on a cool and delightfully sunny morning, intending to hit Monterey and then head back to the city along coastal Highway 1. I was particularly excited because this was... Read More

Hip hangouts are one thing San Francisco doesn’t lack. This is a city so diverse, so cosmopolitan and so culturally invigorating that it’s basically hip by default. During a recent vacation I had a great time one morning exploring the stretch of Valencia Street that runs through the Mission District. Here’s my report.

If you’re familiar with San Francisco you know the Mission isn’t a neighborhood that reflects obvious wealth like, for example, Pacific Heights. And it certainly has some gritty aspects. But over the last 10 or... Read More

 
 Greetings, Mexican food lovers! I’m back with the second installment of what may well become an ongoing series: San Francisco taquería recommendations. During my November trip to the city I took the advice of www.burritoeater.com and visited seven of the establishments in their current Top 10 (which means there will be a third installment). This very authoritative site currently lists almost 170 reviews. That’s a lot of taquerías, which gives you an idea of just how popular they are in a city renowned for the number and variety of its... Read More

San Francisco without a doubt has one of the country’s great music scenes. It was the epicenter of 1967’s Summer of Love. From the Grateful Dead and the Jefferson Airplane to Wooden Shjips and Or, the Whale, San Francisco bands have been consistently quirky, creative and, in my humble opinion, excellent. And the tradition of making music on the street is alive and well here, whether it’s a shaggy-haired dude bent over an acoustic guitar while sitting cross-legged on the sidewalk or a ragtag crew blazing through a percussion meltdown on everything from bongos to paint cans.

Plus,... Read More

One of Golden Gate Park’s best-known attractions, the Conservatory of Flowers opened to the public way back in 1879. Plant person that I am, I simply cannot pass up a nursery, a garden or a conservatory; heck, I can’t even go to Home Depot to buy light bulbs without also stopping at the garden center and checking out every houseplant in sight. I’d been to this conservatory once before but that was back in the ’90s, so I definitely wanted to visit again—which I did, on a delightfully sunny Sunday morning.

There... Read More

Question:  Connie Atwell asks:  Where are the best places on the water to eat in San Francisco?

Answer:  Tonya Powell, vacation sales specialist at the Chico, Calif. AAA office says:  One recommendation is Scoma's - at Pier 47.  This is a AAA Three Diamond Rated restaurant right in the heart of the Fisherman's Wharf area that has amazing seafood... Read More

Picking the best taquería in San Francisco is like trying to determine the city’s best view; it’s a near impossibility because there are so many choices. By the way, taquería is Spanish for “taco shop.” Some taquerías are nothing more than a street vendor and his or her cart, but most are small restaurants that feature burritos (although other Mexican dishes are often on the menu).

Since a burrito is one of my favorite things to eat, on my last San Francisco visit I did some unofficial research, visiting four different taquerías and... Read More