I have always wanted to visit the Palace of Fine Arts after seeing it in so many pictures of San
Francisco. We decided to check it out since it was on the way to the hotel. It was really a beautiful place, and there were lots of people either walking around like us, exploring and taking pictures, or locals jogging or relaxing on one of the benches overlooking the water. There is a place called the Exploratorium that is located at the Palace of Fine Arts that AAA and other sources say is worth spending a couple of hours. Again, my timeline did not allow for this, but I was happy just spending time taking photos outdoors.
After our photography expedition at the Palace of Fine Arts, we headed to our hotel, the Best Western Tuscan Inn. Being San Francisco, parking is in demand, and only valet parking was offered here. The valets/bellmen wear cute little outfits similar to those you might see on a gondolier, but not so masculine given their mauve-ish color. At the front desk, I found that our room was not ready yet, which was fine given that I was checking in about 3 hours early. However, I was pleased to hear that I had been upg
raded to a one-bedroom suite. Also, the front desk clerk took my cell phone number and offered to call me if my room was ready ahead of the official check-in time...a nice touch! Additionally, the Tuscan Inn offers a discounted parking rate for AAA members ($29 instead of $37), and offers wine and cheese in the afternoon and biscotti and coffee in the morning. We left our luggage with bell services and headed out for a stroll at the Fisherman's Wharf.The Fisherman's Wharf was a very quick walk from the hotel, perhaps 5 minutes. It was about lunch time, so we w
ere in search of food, while taking in the surroundings of the vendors selling fresh seafood. While I had researched restaurants before this trip and knew which ones were popular or offered good food, I did not make reservations, nor did I have a strong desire to eat at any particular restaurant. We found one right on the water called the Franciscan. Ironically, this is a sister restaurant to the Crab Pot at Pier 39, which I considered and read great things about (known for their garlic crab). The greatest thing about the Franciscan is the magnificent water views. The restaurant is designed in a way that allows a good view from every seat, as the restaurant is tiered. The service was good, and the food, while not spectacular, was good, and I would return again to enjoy the view. We started with the clam chowder and a butter lettuce salad, and had entrees of a half order of garlic crab (more than enough for one person), and a prime rib french dip sandwich. One of the most spectacular sights we took in while having lunch was seeing pelicans and other birds flying by in formation.After lunch, we continued our stroll in the Fisherman's Wharf area. Some of the area was reminiscent of the touristy areas of Waikiki or an older Las Vegas, with t-shirts and other items for sale. We walked past the Argonaut Hotel, a place I would like to stay if my budget allowed for it. We noticed that here too, the valets where cute outfits befitting the nautical theme of the hotel. Again, maybe not so masculine, but cute nonetheless.
Sometime during this stroll, I received a phone call from the hotel notifying me that my room was now ready. At this point, we were near the cable car turnaround at Beach and Hyde Streets, so we went to pick up 3-day MUNI passes good for a number of transportation options, and watched the cable cars and the people waiting in a line with an estimated wait of 30 to 45 minutes. After this, we headed back to the Tuscan Inn to get settled in our room before heading back out into the city.
To be continued...
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