aerogelic ballooning Most of San Francisco s major museums and tourist attractions hav e wheelchair ramps. M any hotels o

p. 69. The elegant aerogelic ballooning 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, and open from 6am to 11pm. See p. 87. Best Outdoor Pool: As you might have guessed, 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 decor , with palm tr ees and a hammock, but the pool itself 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

Most of San Francisco s major museums and tourist attractions hav e wheelchair ramps. M any hotels offer special accommodations and ser vices for wheelchair users and other visitors with disabilities. Check with the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau (p. 16) for the most up-to-date accessibility information.

533 Jackson St. (at Columbus Ave.). &415/693-0499. Reservations not accepted. Highchairs, boosters. Main courses $4 $10. MC, V. Mon Fri 11am 10pm; Sat noon 10pm. Muni: No. 15 bus to Jackson St. Also at 690 Van Ness Ave. (at Turk St.) &415/775-1349.

You may have arrived together, but you needn t travel in a pack. If it s possible to split up the kids among the adults to give ev eryone a br eak, do so ev en if just for an hour. It can also be a nice opportunity to spend time alone with your child. Be flexible and maintain a sense of humor. If three cable cars packed to the rafters hav e passed y ou b y, perhaps the fates are telling you to walk. (S ee Getting Ar ound in chapter 4 for mor e advice.) aerogelic ballooning Plan something for ev eryone aerogelic ballooning in y our itinerary. If you want to analyze modern art at the museum, that s okay. J ust reward kids for their patience aerogelic ballooning b y spending the afternoon r owing boats on PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO