San Francisco for less: cutting costs in the West's most expensive city - Travel: Value Vacation - San Francisco, California

Sunset, June, 2002 by Lisa Taggart

This spring my husband and I achieved a small miracle in San Francisco: We spent three days and two nights enjoying great meals and city sights for less than it costs for a single weekend night--$359, including tax--at the Ritz-Carlton.

Some people said it couldn't be done, but we proved them wrong. Our money-saving strategies: We walked a lot, soaking up the city's stunning natural beauty and avoiding the cost and competition of parking. We talked to residents to ferret out good restaurant deals. And we sought out the bounty of free, unique-to-San Francisco experiences.

DAY ONE: A GOOD BASE

Our hotel was the San Remo, a 1906 European-style pension decorated with ferns, flowery comforters, and wood armoires, and located in North Beach. The lively neighborhood is packed with pastry shops and trattorias, an inheritance from the district's Italian settlers of a century ago.

The San Remo Hotel is one of the best deals in the city--if you don't mind sharing a bath. At $75 a night, the inconvenience was worth it; other North Beach hotels we checked out ran close to $200 a night. Two nights, including 14 percent hotel tax: $171. (Another good choice in North Beach is the Hotel Boheme; though rooms are pricier, they have a funky Beat-era charm.)

On our first foray, we jogged northwest up Columbus Avenue to the San Francisco Maritime Museum (free) for a peek at ship artifacts and a nice view of the bay. We strolled past the piers and museums at Fort Mason and the St. Francis Yacht Club all the way to the city's wave organ. San Francisco Bay plays this natural musical instrument through pipes that amplify the waves' sound. We gazed out at the water, listening to the groan of the pipes, and spotted two sea lions offshore peeking at us.

The long walk back covered several neighborhoods: In the gardens of the Palace of Fine Arts (free), we peered up at the muscular maidens atop architect Bernard Maybeck's columns built to resemble Roman ruins for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Nearby the Marina District's Chestnut Street was lined with upscale boutiques that made for fun window-shopping. After climbing the Chestnut stairs, we popped into the San Francisco Art Institute, where edgy student paintings and sculptures are displayed in the Spanish mission-style courtyard and works by international artists are exhibited at the institute's Walter and McBean Galleries (free). Plus, the back patio has incredible views of North Beach and the bay.

Several locals had recommended L'Osteria del Forno for its big plates and small prices. They were right: The little Italian eatery in the middle of North Beach has delicious homemade ravioli and tasty soup, which revived our tired legs. The tab for two appetizers and two entrees (including tax and tip) was $39.43.

DAY ONE

$359 IN POCKET

Two nights at the San Remo: $171 [down]$188 REMAINING

Exploring the waterfront and San Francisco Maritime Museum: FREE [down]$188 REMAINING

Marina District shopping and San Francisco Art Institute galleries: FREE [down]$188 REMAINING

Ravioli and soup dinner at L'Osteria del Forno: $39 [down arrow] $149 REMAINING

DAY TWO: VIEWS, MORE VIEWS, AND A NIGHT ON THE TOWN

We hit the streets again early Saturday, climbing Telegraph Hill and stopping at Coit Tower to admire the 1930s murals of laborers and the fantastic views (though we skipped the $3.75 elevator ride to the top of the tower). The best part of the walk was passing lovely old gardens as we descended the Filbert Street steps. A hummingbird buzzed past our heads, and above, in a magnolia tree, the hill's resident flock of wild parrots clucked and chattered.

At the bottom of the hill is Levi Plaza, where Lawrence Halprin's inspired landscaping works magic in the venerable San Francisco clothing company's courtyard.

Sustenance was close by at the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market. We elbowed our way past the sporty young couples sipping lattes to investigate our options--baked goods, burritos, all kinds of fruits and produce, and grilled sandwiches. Several local restaurants have booths here, serving inexpensive samplings of their menus.

After agonizing over so many good choices, we settled on a cakelike pain au chocolat from Miette Organic Bakery ($3) and scrambled eggs and tomatoes on a baguette from Hayes Street Grill ($4).

Ambling south along the waterfront, we joined the parade of seagulls and in-line skaters cruising the Embarcadero, pausing to read the historic markers along the route. One line that seemed written just for our quest was from a 1917 poem by Guenivieve Taggard: To sit together and drink the blue ocean/And eat the sun like a fruit.

Back in North Beach, we stumbled upon a great deal: Gaffe Trieste's weekly opera performances. The gifted Giotta family offers rousing musical shows weekly in their cozy cafe, a North Beach institution, all for the price of the city's best espresso--or, in our case, two yummy focaccia pizzas, $6.90.

Gallery and boutique browsing took up the rest of our afternoon. One stop we couldn't miss was City Lights Bookstore. Founded in 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter Martin, this literary landmark is where Beat poets such as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg gathered to spark a literary and cultural revolution.