Leave Your Heart In San Francisco. I did.

In San Francisco, you can do things that you can't do anywhere else. You can ride clanging trolley cars down to Fisherman's Wharf. Once there, stare out at the rushing bay, or board a ferry to the infamous once island prison, Alcatraz. At the Wharf, vistors can enjoy chowder out of bread bowls and buy oysters in the hopes that it may contain a pearl. Drive down the Lombard Street, the curviest street in the world, just to say you did.

Quick Tips:

Best Way To Get Around:

Trolleys are a San Francisco tradition, and are just as effective as a form of transportation as buses or taxis. Trolleys run to and from Fisherman's Wharf, and pass many other things along the way. Take the chugging trolley and admire the views of the Bay City streets on the way to your daily destinations.

"This is where you're staying?" my companion asked incredously as I led him into one of San Francisco's most luxurious hotels, The Fairmont. The huge lobby hums with the precision of an extremely well run establishment, and the red carpeting and leather couches welcome you to sit and relax for awhile. Every room in this place is luxurious. Luxurious. . . For the best stay in San Francisco, drop your bag here.

For a unique dining experience, head to "The Stinking Rose", located in North Beach in San Francisco's Little Italy. This is a garlic restaurant, and nearly every item on the menu is made with garlic. (Meatloaf made with garlic, and garlic mashed potatoes, yum!) Even down to dessert, with one of the choices being Gilroy's Famous Garlic ice cream. Strands of Garlic grace the ceiling, and one can even purchase souvenirs to take home.

For a once in a lifetime experience, board a ferry at Fisherman's Wharf and sail across the choppy bay to Alcatraz Island, formerly the Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. See the prison that housed such criminals as Al "Scarface" Capone, and The "Birdman" of Alactraz, Robert Stroud. Visitors can tour the main prison facility, with a tour narrarated on tape. Sometimes former prison guards, and even former (now reformed) inmates will visit and give speeches and hold book signings. Take a step back into the 1950's and 60's, when for most men, a boat ride across the San Francisco Bay marked the end of their correspondence with the real world.

Less than an hour from the city of San Francisco lies one of the most beautiful places in the world, the Sonoma Wine Valley. Winding roads yield grape stalks as far as the eye can see, and the smell of red wine is heavy in the air. Visitors can start at the Visitor's Center for maps and directions to the wineries, and are free to explore them at their leisure. Most wineries offer tours of their operations, and all will let you taste a little of their product on the way out. Glen Ellen and Ravenwood are two wineries that offer excellent wine and hospitality in this quiet and peaceful region.