When To Go

Busy with street parties and festivals all year round, San Francisco experiences both great sunshine and dire fog. Although the busiest times in terms of tourism are July and August, these do not offer the best weather. September to November is much quieter but also much more stable, weather-wise.

Top 5 Places To Stay

• Sir Francis Drake Hotel

  Completely renovated in April 2007, this 1928 hotel is a half-block from Union Square and three blocks from the theatre district. Guestrooms have striped walls, modern art prints, framed mirrors, and antique-style armoires.

• Hotel Fusion

  Cable cars and the historic F-line streetcar stop just a block from the friendly Hotel Fusion. Decorated in a mixture of Asian and American styles, the well-maintained guestrooms feature plasma TVs, internet access and Sealy Posturepedic mattresses.

• Hotel Nikko San Francisco

  An oasis of serenity and style, this contemporary high-rise anchors a downtown San Francisco corner. Pillowtop mattresses, down comforters, plump pillows and soft throws encourage restful sleep in Hotel Nikko’s guestrooms, while the light-filled health club features an atrium-enclosed pool, outdoor sundeck and meditation rooms.

• Cathedral Hill

  Guestrooms at Cathedral Hill Hotel overlook San Francisco from balconies or through large windows. Room amenities include Internet access and video games. The hotel's 4th-floor garden-patio houses an outdoor splash pool, and a fitness centre is open 24-hours a day.

• Hotel Mark Twain

  This hotel is three blocks from the Union Square shopping district. Guestrooms are simply furnished, with shutters covering windows that open. There is also a 24-hour exercise room.

Top 5 Things To Do On Your Visit

• Alcatraz

  Scene of a million grizzly film plots, Alcatraz today is no more than a fascinating tourist attraction. It’s well worth the trip, as the former prison has a compelling history and you can’t help but feel eerily isolated when on the island.

• Haight-Ashbury

  The hippy landmark became famous in the summer of love, 1967. It’s got a little more of an organised state of mind now though, and there are some great restaurants to be sampled around here.

• City Lights Bookshop

  Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s bookstore is the sister to Shakespeare & Company in Paris. Like its counterpart, it is a veritable treasure trove of literature and art performances. The poetry readings here are legendary – and common, so try to catch one if you can.

• Silicon Valley

  America’s capital of technology, the Valley is the place to go if you want to get to grips with the latest in gadgetry and electronics. Musée Mechanique caters for games, while things get a little more highbrow at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

• Chinese Culture Center

  San Francisco’s buzzing Chinatown area is awash with restaurants and shops, the Culture Centre offers guided tours to some of the best places.