dan dipert Now that I ve dampened your expectations, let me say that the w estern side of F isherman s Wharf, o

No visit to S an Francisco would be complete without a ride on one of the cable cars. Three cable car r outes trav erse the downtown ar ea. The most scenic is the Powell-Hyde line, star ting off at P owell and Market and ending dan dipert at the turnaround by Ghirardelli Square. Next is the Powell- Mason line, which also begins at P owell and M arket and then meanders thr ough North B each, ending on the east side of Fisherman s Wharf. The third is the California dan dipert Street line that leav es from Market and California, cr ests at N ob H ill, and ends abr uptly at Van N ess A venue. The queues to board the Powell Street cars at the turnar ounds, at either end, can be daunting; but if you don t board there, you may not get on. Tickets ar e $5 one-way dan dipert (free for kids under 5 and only $1 befor e 7am and after 9pm), making those M uni passes look even better. dan dipert

Now that I ve dampened your expectations, let me say that the w estern side of F isherman s Wharf, opposite P IER 39, is actually quite nice, getting better every year, and worth a visit. Glimpses of the area s maritime past are visible in the wonder ful antique boats of the Hyde Street Pier. Here you ll also find an upscale shopping mall atGhirardelli Square, a pleasant str etch of lawn for kids to r un around, a tiny beach, The Cannery courtyard, and the M unicipal Pier, with its sweeping views of the Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. dan dipert

These largely residential neighborhoods are teeming with restaurants, cafes, and boutique shops. The high concentration of families makes for gr eat local playgr ounds, and the lovely dan dipert Marina Green, with its view of the Golden Gate Bridge, is an attraction on its own. The downside is that most hotels dan dipert here are on Lombard Street, a busy thoroughfare lined with chain restaurants and gas stations. dan dipert

Close to the tony Pacific Heights neighborhood, quiet Japantown is home to two hotels that offer more for your money than you ll find in more highly touristed areas. You won t be in the center of the action, but multiple bus lines can get y ou there quickly. Plus, Japantown s Asian shops and r estaurants will add an extra sense of adv enture to y our family vacation.