San Francisco - which Priceline area?

Flying into San Francisco from Atlanta (first trip ever to California) on April 16th for a Celebrity cruise on the 17th.

We plan to arrive around noon so may have the afternoon to mosey around (don't know where yet).

I took a look at Priceline and they have these 8 areas to choose from - which one would you recommend for accommodations for one night?

• Cathedral Hill
  
• Civic Center
  
• Fisherman's Wharf
  
• San Francisco Airport
  
• San Mateo
  
• South San Francisco
  
• Union Square East - Embarcadero
  
• Union Square West
  

How far is the airport from any of these areas? Any idea what taxi fares would run?

Thanks so much ... I'm lost when it comes to the West Coast! :) I'm certainly open to any suggestions.

Diane

Hi Diane;

So you WILL be joining us, after all?? GREAT!!!

Here's what we did: went onto Priceline for the Fisherman's Wharf area-only a short distance to the cruise pier, but lots to see. We're arriving on Saturday morning and figure there will be enough to see around there for one day. Originally bid $60 for a 3* hotel but go no offers. Bid up to $85, but still got no offers. If you add another area, sometimes you can get a hotel in the original location for the same price, just by adding another area, even if you don't want to stay in that area. You can do this if the second area doesn't contain a hotel with the star rating you ask for. So, we added the convention center area, which has no 3* hotels. Sure enough, they accepted the $85 bid and we got the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf. This also the hotel that another couple on our cruise got.

Good luck,

Rob

Yes, I also recommend staying in the fisherman's wharf area. Lots to see and close to the pier. You can walk from Pier 39 to the cruise pier (Pier 50) in about 10 minutes. The airport is nowhere near San Francisco, it's way down south.

The cruise pier is 35 not 50, right next to pier 39. You'd either want Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square East for convenience of being near the usual things visitors want to see in San Francisco. There are quite a few name hotels in the Fisherman's Wharf area which is a very walkable area. There's also an trolley line that runs the length of Embarcadero, which parallels the water, going from Fisherman's Wharf south to Market Street. Union Square East would be about 10 blocks or so off the Embarcadero but you'd have access to lots of restaurants and shopping. Check out the map on this site, you can zoom in and out just to get general bearings.

http://www.pier39.com/?overture&kw=fishermans_wharf_san_francisco

San Francisco Airport is about 15 miles south of San Francisco and is basically an industrial area. Let me know if you have any questions, we live about 30 miles south of San Francisco.

Sharon,

Thanks for all the great San Francisco info. The website is great and the interactive map really terrific. I will share it with the others on my roll call.

Questions: After viewing Pier 39, about how many block does it encompass? I'm just wondering how much walking there is. If we cannot get accommodations on Priceline in the "Fisherman's Wharf" area, then you're saying the "Union Square East" is equally as convenient to sites?

Several of the folks on our sailing are staying at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf. Do you know how close it is to Pier 39?

On Priceline, it's a three star hotel in the Fisherman's Wharf area and we are trying to get the same location.

Really appreciate all the information. This board and the CC community is wonderful, thanks to folks like you! :)

Diane

My pleasure Diane

Here's a map right off of the Sheraton's website, it's about 4 block walk. The blocks are average in length and no hills. The location is ideal actually.

http://www.sheratonatthewharf.com/WharfMap.htm

Pier 39 is just one block of Embarcadero, however juts back quite a bit into the bay.

The center of Fisherman's Wharf (the famous picture of the boat wheel with a crab inside) is on the corner of Jefferson and Taylor.

In this map you can see Union Square, Union Square East would be toward the water and yes would be my 2nd choice, if you can get the wharf area do it. However there's plenty of transportation to get you to the wharf, although not quite as convenient as being in the wharf area proper. As you can see Union Square is on the edge of Chinatown which is a fun place to stroll through too.

http://www.sheratonatthewharf.com/SFMap.htm

Just to give you some perspective if you look at the map above, it's approx. 1 1/2 miles from the Bay Bridge (80) to pier 39, we often walk this when arriving in the City by train.

BTW spring is a lovely time in SF, it's my favorite time of year. Pier 39 has a beautiful tulip display that will blow your socks off, great photo ops. If anyone in your group likes live blues we often go to Lou's Pier 47 (waterside Jones & Jefferson intersection) which has a club/bar above their restaurant that has bands starting at 5pm, $5 cover, very very casual and has big picture windows that look over the wharf so you can people watch. Drinks are reasonable and they'll even go downstairs and bring up food off of the menu if you want something to munch on.

As you can tell I love living by the City by the Bay. Look out for the bushman! :p

Sharon,

Thanks soooo much for all the info. I appreciate you taking the time to put it all together. :)

I am really looking forward to my cruise AND my visit to San Francisco.

Diane

Sharon,

Thanks soooo much for all the info. I appreciate you taking the time to put it all together. :)

I am really looking forward to my cruise AND my visit to San Francisco.

Diane