8 February 2008

diva friendly destinations: san francisco

founded in 1776 by spanish missionaries and explorers, the city by the bay is full of great victorian architecture, steep hills, and a hugely diverse population. it's surrounded by gorgeous scenery and has plenty of shopping and nightlife.

how to get around

since you'll want to day trip in wine country, having a car is useful in san fran. once there, though, there's nothing like taking a ride on a cable car around some of its famous hills. russian heights, pacific heights, twin peaks, and nob hill all have great views of the city.

where to stay

it’s hard to go wrong with a name like hotel diva or check out the lower rates and modern art décor at hotel des arts.

where to eat

i’ve been hearing about the fresh local food movement everywhere from the bbc to the food network and one of its founding personalities is alice waters. alice's restaurant, chez panisse, takes advantage of the culinary reputation of the region. if entertainment is more your thing, dinner-and-a-movie goes upscale at the très cool foreign cinema or get great chinese at brandy ho’s.

what to do

this week marks the beginning of the chinese new year celebration an no trip to san francisco is complete without a trip to the largest chinatown outside mainland china. make sure to see the dragon gate and the fortune cookie factory.

the most recognizable symbol of the city is the golden gate bridge and the park of the same name. which includes the giant victorian style conservatory of flowers and the beautiful japanese tea garden.

you can also day trip to wine country for a tasting or take a tour of the giant redwoods in muir woods national monument.

If you’re feeling adventurous

you can always visit the now historic alcatraz prison; if you're a hippie travel diva you can shop for records on haight and ashbury streets, or visit the top rated international orange spa and yoga center for some pampering.

(images via flickr)