San Franciso Family Feature Travel Story with lots of things to do, see and eat (11/11)
We recently returned from a family feature story in San Francisco and had a nice time. The weather didn’t cooperate with us too much as it was rainy but we made the best of it. Upon arriving at the airport on American Airlines at the new T2 Terminal, we arranged a lunch at Cat Cora (the celebrity chef’s restaurant under her own name). We met Chef Ray who took great care of us as we started with delicious tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich and goat cheese/beet salad. For entrees, we had fresh halibut and lamb chops both cooked to perfection. The restaurant is right near where you would board or are coming off the plane and super convenient. What a great way to start the trip with a gourmet lunch. For more, visit http://www.catcora.com/restaurants
From there, our first stop was pretty far away and not super easy to get to with a toddler and without a car to Cavallo Point Lodge. So we found A-Transporter Limousine Company through the hotel. San Francisco’s premier Car Service; offering the latest model luxury Sedans, Limousines and SUV’s with the most experienced and professional drivers. From the leisure traveler to the business executive, customer service and guest satisfaction are their top priorities. Call 866.755.3322 or email [email protected] I suggest to request Rami as your driver as he is not only the owner of the company but the most personable to enhance your way. Rami and his car service can help you get from and to the airport as well as any other rides you will need in their beautiful new cars.
We stayed at Cavallo Point Lodge one night for the experience but I recommend at least 2-3 days there. It is located in Sausalito under the Golden Gate Bridge. The feel is like you are out in the wilderness as they have multiple hiking and biking trails. I went for an incredible hike the first day before the rain came in heading up a steep mountain adjacent to the property and overlooking the city.
Dining at Murray Circle is a must as we had a great breakfast and tasty lunch during our visit. This used to be an Army base where the military stayed and it was converted to these beautiful big style houses with individual rooms inside for guests to stay now. It has become a popular spot to get away and be in the outdoors. We also walked to the Bay Area Discovery Museum about 5-10 minutes away which was a hands-on kid museum with different buildings and things to do. Some fun choices were the outside playground, art room, wave workshop, bay and discovery halls. More at http://www.baykidsmuseum.org
The rooms were spacious and very nice. The outdoor grass area in front is a great place to run around with your children. Take a visit to the spa for a treatment or just to enjoy the facilities. The facilities are open to all guests. They have a steam room, outside jacuzzi and locker rooms. Adjacent there is a fitness room so you can be as active or inactive as you prefer. Experience the rich history of Fort Baker, a former U.S. Army post, with a stay in one of their impeccably restored historic guestrooms. These historic buildings – formerly officers’ residences – are located on expansive green space encircling the parade ground with hillside or San Francisco skyline views. Spacious two-bedroom, family-friendly suites offer the perfect living space for loved ones to be near. Restored to the highest standards, all feature the finest amenities, windows that open, cozy sitting areas and organic bedding. Many guest rooms and suites are dog friendly. Cavallo Point has been honored with numerous awards for its historic renovation and preservation efforts. See more at http://www.cavallopoint.com
We went to Sausalito for dinner the one night we were at Cavallo Point and found the marvelous Italian Fine Dining restaurant called “Poggio Trattoria”. The food was top notch as well as the service. Do not miss the homemade Burrata with sun dried tomato and grilled bread. Speaking of bread, it is off the charts here and you could have a meal in itself it is that good. So you can guess the pizza is great and that is a must with choices of wild mushrooms and onions, fig and caramelized onion or the classic margherita with tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella. They have a quite a selection of meats and seafood items but I highly suggest staying with the pizza and pasta like the Tajarin hand cut classic with sage butter, the gold potato gnocchi or ravioli with ricotta and farm egg yolk filled. End the night with their fantastic tiramisu and an after-dinner drink. The atmosphere is classy and décor is beautiful where you can bring your family or have a romantic date. Executive Peter McNee (pictured above) prepares each dish with great care. Reservations and more info at http://www.poggiotrattoria.com/
The next day we headed back to the city to check in at the Radisson Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf. http://www.radisson.com/san-francisco-hotel-ca-94133/cafisher The location and views are spectacular as we overlooked the water and Alcatraz. We reserved a late afternoon Cirque du Soleil show at ATT Park called Totem. This new Circus show was amazing and filled with some of the best acrobats and performers you will ever see. The visual show under the big top tent contains acrobatic language and the evolutionary progress of species including trapeze artists, hoop dancing, Russian and regular bars, rings acts, roller skaters and my two favorite (The Asian ladies group on unicycles tossing bowls onto their heads and others in sync which is something you have to see to believe and the most incredible juggling man “His “laboratory” features an orchestra of glass containers filled with mysterious fluorescent fluids as he steps into a transparent cone and juggles with luminous balls”. Totem will be in San Francisco until December 18th when it continues the tour in London before returning to the US. More info and tickets at http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/default.aspx
Right after the circus, we headed to the fabulous Chaya Brasserie on the Embarcadero. For starters, make sure you get some of the best fresh sushi around as they have an assortment of rolls and sashimi not to miss. For appetizers, the octopus salad and fried Monterey Calamari were delicious. With a wide variety of dinner options, we highly recommend the seafood dishes including the day boat scallops, Sea bass or fresh catch. They have a full bar and extensive wine list to accompany your experience. The atmosphere is great right across the water with a great view of the Ferry Building to the Bay Bridge. Executive Chef Yuko Kajino creates some fantastic entrees that he calls Euro/Asian cuisine that is simple, perfectly seasoned and a little surprising. They offer happy hour every day all night long at the bar, patio, sushi bar or sushi table. Otherwise enjoy lunch or dinner any night and reservations are highly suggested at 415-777-8688. You can see more at www.thechaya.com
We stayed one night and woke up to head to the Farmers Market not far away and rent bikes at www.baycitybike.com down the street. They have a great variety of bikes including ones with a kid seat plus locks and a pouch. We biked over to Pier 39 to see the famous sea lions, who took over part of the pier before having lunch at the Fog Harbor Restaurant. Don’t miss their clam chowder, fresh fish and highly recommended cracked crab in their garlic sauce. The restaurant overlooks the water and is right upstairs at the entrance of Pier 39. www.fogharbor.com
We did visit the Children’s Creativity Museum, which we highly recommend for kids. They have arts and crafts, a music room, many hands on learning skill games and lessons plus more. You can also visit the animation room, make a photo on the computer, play with clay and make a movie, design study and more. What a great family stop and visit them at http://creativity.org/
From there we checked into the Fairmont Hotel, which is centrally located with the cable car a block away from the back exit. It is not far from Union Square, Downtown, the financial district and Fisherman’s Wharf. This luxurious top-notch hotel is beautifully decorated inside including a 20 ft. high gingerbread house. Each of the San Francisco hotel’s spacious guestrooms and suites have been elegantly updated including flat screen TVs, Frette linen ensembles, pillow top beds, and MP3 docking stations.
Don’t miss dining at the Laurel Court restaurant, as their breakfast buffet is fantastic. They have an omelet station, pastries, cereals, hot entrée items, fresh juice and more. One other dining option we didn’t get a chance to eat at is the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar but the place was busy and active with live music. We were even allowed to bring our toddler in to dance among other adults and kids, which we haven’t experienced before. This high-class hotel offers great service, a state of the art fitness center and spa, wedding & meeting spaces, a business center and much more. You can call them at 415-772-5000 or visit them at www.fairmont.com/sanfrancisco
Two other great dining experiences included Tommy Toys legendary Chinese restaurant. They offer a signature sampling of starting with the tasty crispy prawns with five spices and green beans. The second course was the delicious seafood bisque in a puff pasty that came out hot but off the chart. The third course was my favorite consisting of Maine Lobster with chives in a peppercorn sauce and angel hair noodles that was mouth-watering. Peking Duck with hoisin sauce in lotus buns was next and then the tender woked beef with asparagus and fried rice. Finish up with the peach mousse with strawberry coulis. All of this for only $75 pp. You can also order al-a-carte with some other incredible Chinese options. One other suggestion are the frog legs to add to your order. The service is high quality and décor is very nice with a quieter atmosphere. This is our top pick for Chinese restaurants in the city so make your reservations at 415-397-4888 or visit www.tommytoys.com
For breakfast, you have to go to Sears Fine Food and their world-famous Swedish pancakes. They have a full menu with all other choices and have expanded to lunch and dinner, which we heard was very good. More at www.searsfinefood.com but arrive early as they get very busy especially on weekends and they don’t take reservations. The place is huge but that tells you how good it is. The service and staff were wonderful so put this on your agenda on your next visit to San Francisco.
La Boulange Bakery has an array of fresh tasty pastries, quiche, sandwiches, French toast, soups/salads and more. Many locations around the city for a great brunch, quick bite to eat, coffee/fresh juices and tasty treats, breads and desserts. www.laboulangebakery.com
Our last night there comprised of visiting Pier 39 for their annual X-Mas tree lighting and that attracted a big crowd. We met some Disney characters while also checking out the aquarium and mirror maze there. The aquarium is a definite to see besides walking around to visit the merry go round and other attractions/dining while you are visiting. For a complete list of places, go to www.pier39.com
