visitor center washington dc p. 69. The elegant infinity pool at the St. R egis (125 3rd St.; & 415/2844000) is so inviting, par

What could be so special about an old prison? P lenty. To begin with, the ferr y ride over to Alcatraz I sland gives you the chance to get out onto the bay and see how lovely San Francisco looks fr om the water. O f course, most kids enjo y a fun boat ride as w ell. The prison audio tour , updated in late 200, is better than ev er, giving you the eerie sense of what it was like for prisoners, guar ds, and ev en the guards families to liv e on a windsw ept rock in the middle of the bay. You ll hear about some of the nation s most famous criminals and death-defying escape attempts sur e to enthrall kids and adults

p. 69. The elegant infinity pool at the St. R egis (125 3rd St.; & 415/2844000) is so inviting, par ents will want to go for a swim ev en when the kids have had enough. S ee p. 87. The San Francisco Marriott (55 4th St.; &415/ 896-1600) has an indoor pool, which isn t elegant, but is big, clean, visitor center washington dc and open from 6am to 11pm. See p. 87. Best Outdoor Pool: As you might have guessed, visitor center washington dc the competitors for this honor are fe w. Ar ound U nion S quare, the award goes to the Handlery (351 Geary St.; & 800/843-4343 or 415/7817800) for a small, heated pool in a pleasant patio. See p. 78. Among F isherman s Wharf hotels, the Hyatt at Fisherman s Wharf (555 N. P oint St.; & 800/223-1234 or 415/563-1234) fields far and away the nicest pool. S ee p. 90. The Hotel Del Sol (3100 Webster St.; &877/433-5765 or 415/9215520) wins for the best poolside visitor center washington dc decor , with palm tr ees and a hammock, but the pool itself visitor center washington dc is miniscule. See p. 97. Best I n-House E ntertainment: The Top of the Mark at the Mark Hopkins InterContinental (1 Nob Hill; &800/ 662-6455 or 415/392-3434) is terrific for drinks, views, or weekend dinner and dancing. I f the kids ar e old enough to leave tucked in bed in a room downstairs, you ll have the pleasure of going out for a nice evening without v enturing far fr om your temporary home. See p. 95. At the Hotel Bijou (111 Mason St.; 800/7711022 or 415/771-1200) a tiny in-house movie theater shows a nightly double billing of filmed-in San Francisco movies, so you can round out your day of sightseeing with a lo w-key ev ening activity. S ee