Vacations Blog

With its upscale restaurants, landmark buildings, beautiful bridges and breathtaking views, San Francisco always tops the lists of favorite US cities and tourist destinations.  Many people come to visit during the summer months and get disappointed by the cold fog and damp weather. However you would be pleasantly surprised if you made a trip to the city during this time of year.  The winter months often bring cold temperatures but very blue skies during the day and nights full of stars.

San Francisco is almost more beautiful at night during the holidays than any other time of year – and that is saying something.

During the holidays living in the City is such a gift: the bright lights on the Embarcadero Center row of buildings, outlined to look like giant present boxes; the beautiful window displays in high-end stores like Gump’s and multi-colored lights adorning neighborhood parks and homes. Walk through any of these areas of the city and you can’t help but smile and get a little more into the holiday spirit.

If you are visiting the City or planning to in the future and want to experience a uniquely San Francisco evening, I have the perfect recipe for you. The itinerary will need a little planning but should only require one phone call for the dinner reservation.  This evening is a local favorite for a romantic date but it can be adjusted for just a great night out with friends or family.

First thing you want to do is plan on wearing some warm layers of clothing, especially a scarf and gloves.  San Francisco at night, during this time of year, can be very cold. Wear some nice holiday clothes and comfortable shoes and you will be set for the evening.

Begin the evening with a drink at the beautiful Big Four Restaurant on Nob Hill. Located inside the Huntington Hotel, this secret spot doesn’t have the view that you can get from the Top of the Mark, but this is the place locals go. Filled with beautiful dark wood, the bar area is rich and a historic reminder of the robber barons that built San Francisco.

After a glass of wine or cold cocktail, walk slowly across California Street, watching out for the cable cars and taxi drivers heading across town. Criss-cross the street and stroll through Huntington Park, a wonderful small city park situated between Grace Cathedral and The Fairmont Hotel.  It is one of my favorite parks to visit at night during the holidays because the neighborhood association installs beautiful old-fashion lights in the trees.

Walk through the park towards your dinner reservations, at Venticello Ristorante on Taylor Street. This wonderful Italian restaurant has a warm intimate setting that reminds you of San Francisco society pages from the 1920s. I have had dinners where I have watched patrons walk in that could have been related to Grace Kelly or Kim Novak, in their style of dress and manner. The food is classic Italian with homemade pastas, risotto and roasted meats. The fireplace and wood oven add warmth to your dinner setting along with a backdrop of cable cars going up and down California Street.

After your dinner walk down Taylor Street to Jackson Street and catch the Powell-Hyde Cable Car, with its maroon colored sign, to head towards the waterfront and Hyde Street Pier.  The cable car ride will be very chilly but you can cuddle up inside the center of the car or wrap your scarf tighter and hang onto the outer poles like a local.

Your ride will take you up past Nob Hill and across Russian Hill until you head down Hyde Street to the end of the line. Hop off and turning your back to the bay, walk into The Buena Vista Cafe – home of the perfect Irish Coffee!

Irish Coffee

The recipe of this famous drink was created in 1952 when the restaurant owner and a well known travel writer worked to re-create a highly touted “Irish Coffee” served at Shannon Airport in Ireland.

The Irish Coffee served here at the Buena Vista is the perfect night cap any night of the year, but especially in winter.  How and when you decide to end your evening is up to you, but after all the lights, rich foods, fresh air and drinks – I recommend taking a cab home. Enjoy!

If you’re planning a trip, check out flights to San Francisco.

Photo credits to bill lim, tinou, shayne kaye and rick

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

If you only visit Sea World when you go to San Diego, you’re missing out on a lot. Besides, how many times can you watch a whale jump through the air chasing a sardine? On your next trip, check out these romantic hotels – one of them is great for hookups, of both the romantic and the internet kind…

We recently stayed at the Sheraton Hotel & Marina, and while I know my husband chose it for its beautiful pool with cascading fountains and their cafe on the water, I know he also picked it for that one thing he knew would make me swoon: a plush internet lounge with WiFi. Because nothing says ‘I Love You’ like free Internet connection with a killer download speed.

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of Sheratons, but because we’re part of the Starwood program we decided to give the chain another try while on a recent visit to San Diego. We were pleasantly surprised – the hotel was in a beautiful location overlooking the marina, appeared to have been recently renovated and had excellent service. After lounging by the pool, we moved to the outdoor patio for a romantic evening sipping martinis by one of their outdoor fire pits. One definite buzzkill was the room service breakfast bill the next morning – how is it possible to spend almost $80 on a mediocre meal? I’ll tell you how – by cleverly hiding both a delivery charge and a room service fee in the bill, on top of which I unknowingly added a very generous tip. Luckily I was able to console myself with some quality time at Link, the internet lounge.

But one of our favorite places to stay is still the W Hotel located downtown. We love the modern, sleek rooms and the hip vibe – although if they heard me using the words ‘hip vibe’ they’d probably set me up in a room with a tub of Epson salts, a glass next to the bed for my teeth and a DVD boxed set of the Golden Girls. The Sand Bar on the roof is amazing – grab a private cabana, wiggle your toes in the (real) sand and sip a Mai Tai next to the one you love. You’d swear you were alone on a deserted tropical island if it weren’t for the techno music blaring on the speakers and the waiter who keeps showing up to ply you with expensive booze.

Not quite in San Diego, but close, is the Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach. We haven’t been there for years, but it was one of the first hotels my husband and I stayed at together when we were dating (Yes, unmarried and in the same room! Sorry, mom.) This place truly is spectacular, and if you get one of the rooms on the upper floor of the main tower you’ll have a breathtaking view – a perfectly framed, unencumbered view of the ocean, sky and clouds. Now if that doesn’t scream romance I don’t know what does.

Photo: W Hotel, San Diego

From guest blogger Marsha Takeda-Morrison of Sweatpantsmom

Just because it’s a sweltering night in L.A. doesn’t mean you have to lock yourself in your air-conditioned house downing pints of Ben and Jerry’s. Sure it’s fun, but sooner or later that freezer of yours will be empty and you’ll have to run out for more ice cream anyways, so why not make a night of it? Here are some ways to enjoy the nightlife in L.A. – don’t stay out too late and you can still stop at 7-Eleven on the way home for another pint of Cherry Garcia.

A movie at a cemetery may not be your idea of a fun (and even romantic) evening but lots of people think this event is anything but dead. Join the crowds at the Cinespia outdoor movie screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery where you can enjoy old classics and new hits like “The Thin Man” and “27 Dresses” alongside the final resting places of stars such as Rudolph Valentino and Charlie Chaplin. Bring along a meal, a bottle of wine and party with the festive crowd amongst the crypts. Don’t forget to bring some dessert to share with the ghost of William Randolph Hearst, who is said to frequently visit the crypt of his mistress, Marion Davies.

I can only describe Summer Sessions at the Getty as a sort of highbrow wave. The well-heeled denizens of the art world come together with the pulsating bodies of twenty-somethings looking for a good free outdoor event with strong booze. But it sure is fun! Come dance to high-energy electronica and world music spun by first-rate DJs in the Getty Center courtyard, and then cool off with a drink at one of their outdoor bars. The strangest thing I saw the last time I was there was an elderly museum employee tearing up the dance floor to a techno remix of “I Will Survive.” Really!

Technically not in Los Angeles, but only a short 90-minute drive for the adventurous. The W Hotel in San Diego has a great rooftop bar called the Sand Bar that features a heated sand floor (yes, real sand to get inside your shoes), fire pits, private cabanas and nightly movie screenings. The best part? Unlike a real beach, there’s no sunscreen required, and a waiter delivers your drink on a tray instead of you having to fish it out of your own ice chest.

For a rooftop bar closer to home, there’s the Roof Bar at the Standard Downtown. Order a mai-tai and then lay down on one the vibrating space-pod waterbeds (you may have to wait a while for your turn.) This place is teeming with hipsters, so make sure you have your best Prada bag (or excellent knock-off) slung over your shoulder that night. There’s a live DJ on Sunday afternoons, but the cover is a steep $20 – I guess with a name like Roof Bar you’d have to expect the prices to be sky-high.

Photo: StandardHotels.com