| When traveling to most cities in the world, finding | | | | That night, we went out to walk around the streets |
| discount accommodations when arriving to your | | | | of San Francisco and I must tell you it was scary. |
| destination city is always a possible. Not so in the | | | | There were destitute people lurking at every |
| diverse and complex city of San Francisco. From the | | | | doorway, down every alley, sleeping above the |
| hills of Daly City to the plains of Berkeley, the | | | | street vents for warmth. It was both sad and a bit |
| environments and people are so diverse that your | | | | frightening, especially since coming from an isolated |
| vacation could with one dial of the phone a paradise | | | | small town in Minnesota. I passed out quarters to |
| made in heaven or an inferno designed in hell. | | | | those asking as if I were passing out flyers for a |
| Families making their hotel reservations at the smaller | | | | corner store. |
| hotels that dot the periphery of San Francisco might | | | | We found a Starbuck near Union Square and quickly |
| be able to land a bargain, but find they are sharing | | | | ducked in. After a family meeting to discuss our |
| accommodations with other crawling critters that | | | | situation, we decided to catch a trolley car that was |
| would make even the toughest among us squirm. | | | | still running and make a dash to the famous |
| I did this once. I came to San Francisco on a budget | | | | Fishermans Wharf and Ghirardellis Square. We jumped |
| and thinking to wing my accommodations; I found a | | | | on the next trolley and took a wild ride straight up |
| phonebook and booked a motel for $59 a night. Well, | | | | and straight down what seemed like a mountain. We |
| the minute I saw the hotel along a dark side street I | | | | were screaming with joy; our first joy since coming |
| knew we were in trouble. This hotel was something I | | | | to San Francisco. We spent an enchanting evening |
| would expect to see in a nightmare, and not reality. | | | | looking in all the tourist shops, the street performers |
| But it was late and we thought just on night. But the | | | | and attractions that populate Fishermans Wharf. We |
| bed was so grimy we actually slept on the floor - | | | | bought a big pound of fudge at a fudge shop and |
| and we were in their best room! | | | | drank coke and champagne until late in the evening. |
| The next day I called hotels in San Francisco city. | | | | Our lesson from all this, at least for San Francisco, |
| You know, where the Trolley Cars roam and the | | | | make your hotel reservations in advance. Dont waste |
| street performers perform. I found a number of | | | | time looking for a room when you get there, the city |
| places, ranging from the low 100 and going up to the | | | | is just too big. Since writing this, we went to San |
| high 500. We got in our car to make our investigation | | | | Diego and for that trip I found a website called which |
| and inspected one hotel after the other, some dark | | | | featured discount hotel reservations with pictures and |
| and dank and some bright and classic. We settled on | | | | prices clearly explained. This was very useful a highly |
| the Grant Plaza Hotel at $180 a night. We had a | | | | recommended time save. |
| rollaway brought for my two children and spent the | | | | In any event, California is our favorite travel |
| rest of the day recuperating from our search. | | | | destination and we plan to visit there often. |