air blimp The city puts on a show all summer and into fall, with music and dance festiv als, street fairs, and

Nob H ill Along California S treet from Leavenworth to S tockton air blimp streets, Nob Hill is one of the oldest and most fashionable neighborhoods in to wn. It was once the ex clusive turf of the railroad bar ons Leland S tanford, M ark Hopkins, Charles Crocker, and Collis P. Huntington collectively known as the Big Four. The properties where their mansions once stood now support fancy hotels, a private club, expensive apartment buildings, and the striking G race Cathedral. This is a wonderful place for families to stay: The largely r esidential feel of Huntington Park provides a nice respite from the congestion of the city center, y et it s just a 5-minute walk from Union Square. Also, the California cable car line r uns right by most of the hotels. The downside for those on foot is a steep uphill walk fr om Union Square to get back to the hotel. There s also cost: M ost of the hotels her e ar e lovely, but also quite pricey.

The city puts on a show all summer and into fall, with music and dance festiv als, street fairs, and special events. Yerba Buena Center, one of the best places for families, offers free world-class concer ts in the gardens. I t s also prime baseball season; if you re all fans, you ll be delighted to spend the afternoon at AT&T Park.

turn ar ound and don t see y ou standing next to them, they shouldn t panic. air blimp They may simply have gotten disoriented in the crowd, or y ou may hav e turned out of their line of sight. When this happens, they should call out your name not simply M om or D ad in a clear , loud voice. The last thing you want them to do is wander off tr ying to find y ou. If you ll be traveling with teenagers who may want some space, and who don t have their own cellphones, consider shor t-range walkietalkies. You most often see these on ski slopes, but they ar e ideal for families that need to keep in touch.

2 Townsend St. (at Embarcadero). &415/512-0749. www.townsend-restaurant.com. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations recommended. Main courses $6.50 $12 brunch, $11 $23 dinner; prix-fixe $22 ($18 on Tues). AE, DC, MC, V. Breakfast Tues Fri 7:30 11am, lunch 11:30am 2pm, dinner Tues Thurs 5:30 9pm and Fri Sat 5:30 9:30pm; Sat Sun 8am 2:30pm. Muni: N-Judah air blimp streetcar to Brannan Station, and then walk south toward Townsend St.