1. Venice Beach. An exciting place to see, Venice Beach is where street performers, artists, musicians, tourists and locals all come together in this one-of-a-kind destination. You can stroll all the way to Santa Monica along this beach pathway. Bike, blade, skate or surf, one can do almost anything on this beach. Hotel reservations are available online, and it’s a good idea to book early since most beaches are crowded during weekends.

2. Santa Monica Beach. One of the more popular beaches in the region, Santa Monica Beach offers lifeguards on duty, a wide stretch of sand, and easily accessible galleries, shops, and restaurants. This beach is also a great place for strolling and viewing sunrise to sunset.
3. Manhattan Beach. Known for its outstanding surfing and beach volleyball tournaments, Manhattan Beach is is surrounded by condos, shops, restaurants, and several lodging accommodations to keep tourists comfortable in their stay.
4. Marine Beach. Also known as Mother’s Beach due to its gentle wave actions, shallow swimming area and lifeguard supervision, Marine Beach offers volleyball courts, a play area, and picnic locations. This is a great beach for those traveling with kids.
5. Malibu Lagoon Beach. Also known as Surfrider’s Beach, Malibu Lagoon Beach is considered as one of the world’s premier beaches to surf in. The nearby famous Malibu Pier is a great place for saltwater fishing, and along the Malibu Creek Bridge tourists will find picnic tables and a nature area which is a great place for bird-watching.
6. Ocean Beach. OB as the locals call it, is a very laid-back beach popular for its surfing and liberal attitude. This beach has its own “dog beach,” where dogs are allowed to roam freely and has separate swimming and surfing zones.
7. Butterfly Beach. Butterfly Beach, like Ocean Beach, also allows dogs to run freely along the shores. It is also the best beach to watch sunsets in, as it is the most west-facing beach in the state. The beach is also a charming walk towards shops, galleries, and restaurants of Montecito.

Number one you can enjoy empty beaches, cheaper hotel rates, and by in large better service from a more relaxed crew. Recently I had a chance to stay in Pacific Beach, near San Diego.

I arrived in San Diego after a quick commuter from San Francisco. It was an enjoyable and brief flight. I quickly realized that I was near some of the best hot spots in all of California. The weather was awesome and the people were friendly. I’m not that big of a beach nut but I needed some R and R and I was going to get it at any cost.

I had a budget to stick to, however I wanted to have a good time. I hadn’t made any reservations but I knew of a great hotel I had stayed at once before and I made a quick call to see if they had availability for the weekend. Sure enough they did.

Best Hotel Experience Ever
I stayed at the Pacific Terrace Hotel, because I had stayed their before during the peek time they remembered me. So they upgraded my room package so instead of staying in one of the cheaper rooms they upgraded me to one with a better view and accomadations at the same price as the cheaper rooms.

I can’t remember exactly how much I paid but it was in the 100 Dollar a Night area which is dirt cheap for Pacific Beach anytime of the year.

One of the things I recommend about getting great service in high tourist trafficked areas is simple. Repeat visits. If I treat the staff well they will remember me next year, next month, or the next time I’m in town and will repay me with freebies. And freebies in resort hotel towns can be awesome. Not during this stay but at the same hotel I was rewarded by a free dinner from a local restaurant that gets delivered in.

This particular hotel doesn’t have food preparation on site so they deliver all their food in. I ordered from the same restaurant and ordered the same food which tends to be my habit. And because I had treated everyone well the first time I was rewarded with free food. Likewise, remember to always tip your room service and maids. It’s how they make their living. And its how you will get more freebies next-time you stay at the hotel of your choosing.

We only had four full days in the San Francisco Bay area, so I wanted to get as much exposure to the area as possible. I decided not to rent a car, but to stay at the Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco, and take tours to where I wanted to go. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon in the beginning of October, and immediately went walking around the Wharf. What a pleasant surprise of shops and dining areas in a central location. Fisherman’s Wharf is fairly flat, but San Francisco in general is a large amount of hills and valleys, that only the best-fit persons could possibly walk.

We spent our first evening in the Wharf area and scoped out what tours we wanted to take. We watched the weather and found that the next few days were going to be very nice so we opted to take a City tour the first full day, along with a tour of the Muir Woods and Sausalito. The city tour was 3.5 hours of informative information about the specifics of San Francisco along with riding through the different locations with its diversification of culture. While taking this tour, we visited areas such as Union Square, with it’s upscale shops and hotels, North Beach, with it’s array of authentic Italian restaurants, China Town, Nobb Hill, Pacific Heights, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Hyde Street Trolley Car, and not to forget the Golden Gate Bridge. The views of the Bay from many of these areas are breathtaking. After Three and a half hours of driving around San Francisco and several stops, I had a better feeling of the city and what it was about.

In the afternoon, we got back on another bus, (with the same driver who was excellent), and he took us over the Golden Gate Bridge again, and we headed north to the Muir Woods. This four-hour tour included an hour stop at Muir woods, a half hour stop at Sausalito, and a picture stop at the Golden Gate Bridge. Because we had just finished the City tour with the same driver, most of the information, (along with his jokes), were repeated from the morning. He needed a second act because at least half of the tourist was the same from the City Tour. So the first 45 minutes of the tour was not very interesting. After we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge for the second time that day, we headed towards Muir Woods. The bus parked at the entrance to the Woods, and we only had one hour to walk into and back out of the woods. The paths were well marked, and the redwood trees were amazing, but with only one hour, and an elderly gentleman with me, we did not get very far. We only made it about one quarter of a mile into the woods and we felt the need to turn back so we would not miss the bus. What we saw was very interesting, but we could have used a few more hours to get a good chance to explore.

Once we loaded the bus, we headed to Sausalito, but once again we were only allowed one half hour to wonder around. We did not get very far. We then loaded again and stopped one more time at the Golden Gate Bridge peak for pictures and then went back to the Wharf where we unloaded. I felt this tour was rushed and not worth the money. If doing it again, I would have rented a car and explored on my own.

The second full day of San Francisco, we went on a tour of Monterey, Carmel, and the seventeen-mile drive along the coast. This tour started at 9:30 AM and ended at 9:00 PM. Our bus driver left approximately thirty minutes late, which put us behind from the start. We drove along the coast from the beginning and at first saw some great views, but then we ended up driving through farm fields along the coast. For the first two hours, there was nothing impressive except the first few minutes. We stopped at a small town called Davenport, where the driver allowed everyone a half hour break at a small restaurant. We spent the whole half hour waiting in line for the bathroom, and grabbing a drink. I watched the driver receive free food along with a $10.00 bill wrapped in the waxed paper. That disturbed me.

After the break, we were only about a half hour before we arrived in Monterey. Monterey is a quaint town with great shops and dining. We had two hours to explore and grab lunch before we loaded back up for the infamous 17-mile drive between Monterey and Carmel.

The 17-mile drive, which goes through Pebble Beach Golf Course, was spectacular. The views were something I’ve never seen. The driver did stop several times for photo opportunities and time to take in the fabulous views. This seventeen-mile drive was worth the whole trip.

Once you end the seventeen-mile drive, you arrive in Carmel. Carmel is another quaint town with wonderful Bed & Breakfasts, shops, and dining areas. We arrived at 5:20 P.M. and were told we had until 6:30 to explore. We were also informed that the town closes everything down around 6:00 P.M. so we did not have much time. The center of town is about 10 blocks from the beach and although the walk to the beach was down hill, the walk back up was a hike. Once again, traveling with an elderly gentleman did not allow us enough time or effort to see the beach.

We walked the town and grabbed something quick to eat for dinner. The town is fabulous and I would definitely want to spend more time here. We loaded the bus at 6:30, and headed straight back to San Francisco. The driver had to make a stop on the way to use the bathroom, which put us back at our hotel at around 11:00 P.M. after he left everyone off at their hotel.

It was a long day, but well worth the trip. I was angry at the bus driver for a few reasons. First, he had a very strong accent, and my father, myself, and several people around us did not hear half that he said. He made the unnecessary stop in Davenport, and we could have spent that wasted half hour in Carmel, which I felt we did not have enough time. But the trip was very enjoyable and I now know a great place to go and where I would stay and what I would do.

The last full day in San Francisco was spent visiting Alcatraz, riding the cable car, and visiting North Beach for a fabulous Italian dinner. Alcatraz is something everyone should see. I was amazed to find out the history of the Island and how it changed from a strategic Fort for our military, to a prison, and then to be occupied by the Indians for almost two years as a quiet protest for their rights. Although there is a lot of walking, (equivalent to walking up a thirteen story building), the national park offers a tram for those who cannot make the walk to the top. Because we had plenty of time, we made the walk.

We enjoyed the narrative presentation by the park ranger, followed by the self-guided audio tour as you walk through the cellblocks. The boat ride to and from the Island was a pleasure and the tour was well worth the effort. I would advise anyone coming to San Francisco to take the time to see Alcatraz. Making reservations is suggested because of limited seating on the Ferry.

In the afternoon, we took a trolley car up Hyde Street, which is the infamous “Rice-A-Roni” background. I’ve been on a trolley car before, but never like this. The steep hills that are climbed along with the valleys in between, makes this ride like a slow roller coaster. We had the pleasure of standing at the back of the car and as we traveled up the hill, you could see the bay from a view that was amazing. I could not get enough pictures of what I saw.

We drove the car to the end, emptied off, and got in line and came back down to a drop off point where we could walk down hill to North Beach, which was known for the Italian restaurants. We had a wonderful meal at “Mona Lisa’s”, which was recommended by our Concierge. The price for our meals was very reasonable, and the food was delicious. After eating, we continued walking down hill to the Wharf and back to our hotel. We had a great day.

Our last day in San Francisco was supposed to be spent either going to Napa Valley, or spending more time around the city. The weather forecast was for rain, so we decided to rent a car and do some riding around. Before we left the City, we drove down Lombard Street, which is the “Crookedest” street in the world, and we visited Ghiradelli candy store, where we purchased some of their famous candies for souvenirs. We drove up towards Napa Valley and the rain stopped us from visiting any wineries, but the drive was nice. We drove back to the airport and headed home. We had a great time and I’m ready for my next venture here. Now that I’ve had a taste of everything, I will plan the next trip accordingly.

Fisherman’s Wharf – Fisherman’s Wharf is an area along the wharf with piers, signs of fishing, shops, and restaurants. Wonder along the streets and see what San Francisco is all about. Known for the crabs, clam chowder, sourdough bread, and Ghiradelli candy, you will eat some of the finest food in America.

Cable Cars – The Hyde Street Cable car route, which is infamous for the “Rice-a-Roni” commercial is a thrill you cannot miss. San Francisco is an array of hills and valleys, and this cable car will take you up and down like a slow roller coaster ride. The views from the bay are fabulous and something you cannot miss.

The Golden Gate Bridge – The Golden Gate Bridge, which is known around the world, has a backdrop of the bay and the mountains, which makes it a picturesque view that will take your breath away.
Union Square- Union Square is similar to New York City with its fashionable shops, dining, and hotels. The hustle and bustle of a big city can be found here with a variety of things to do.

Alcatraz – Everyone should visit the national park Alcatraz. Take the time to enjoy the boat ride to the Island and learn the history from the Park Ranger and the self-guided tour. You will be surprised to learn the original use of Alcatraz, along with the 60’s movement and how it was occupied as a peaceful demonstration for several months.

Lombard Street – Known as the “Crookedest” street in the world, Lombard street is exciting to see and also drive down. But go slow or you could end up in one of the houses attached to this winding road.

China Town – San Francisco has such a diverse culture and none better known than China Town. Stroll through the streets and choose a restaurant with authentic Chinese Foods, or wonder in a small store that carries herbs and spices that are know to “Cure”.

North Beach – Next to China Town is North Beach, which is known for all of the wonderful Italian shops and restaurants. You may need several visits to this area to fulfill the taste of Italy.

Pier 39 – Pier 39 is located at Fisherman’s Wharf, but needs special attention. This pier houses specialty shops and restaurants that one could spend many hours sampling the many specialties San Francisco is know for.

San Francisco Architecture – The tenth spot to visit in San Francisco is really not any one spot. It is found throughout the city. The architecture of the homes and building are a sight in themselves. Take them all in as you wonder around this wonderful city.